Renaissance Channel User Guide
Contents Introduction ...........................................................................................................................3 Overview ................................................................................................................................4 Interface ..................................................................................................................................................................................................... 5 Quick Start ...
Introduction Thank you for choosing Waves! In order to get the most out of your new Waves plugin, please take a moment to read this user guide. To install software and manage your licenses, you need to have a free Waves account. Sign up at www.waves.com. With a Waves account you can keep track of your products, renew your Waves Update Plan, participate in bonus programs, and keep up to date with important information. We suggest that you become familiar with the Waves Support pages: www.waves.com/support.
Overview The Waves Renaissance Channel plugin consists of these sections: Graphic display (used for EQ, real-time analyzer, and sidechain filters) Gate/Expander section Compressor section (orange compressor sidechain filter is exposed) Total attenuation meter Output section 4 Renaissance Channel / User Guide
Interface You can view the Renaissance Channel interface in any of three styles. Select a style with the Skins drop-down menu, on the left side of the WaveSystem Toolbar at the top of the interface. Light View 5 Dark View Legacy View • All three skins have the same controls. When you change skins, the values don’t change. • The skin of the current instance sets the default view, so new instances will open with that skin.
Quick Start We suggest that you begin by loading a preset whose name suggests what you are setting out to do, and then experimenting with the settings. For a new user this is easier than building a processing chain from the ground up, and it helps you understand how the controls are used to create a sound or solve a problem. Whether you begin with a preset or work from scratch, use the following steps to set up your processing chain. 1. Set the EQ. The high band is set to a high shelf by default.
Controls Renaissance Channel EQ The Renaissance Channel EQ section is a four-band paragraphic equalizer. All band values can be controlled with the Band Markers on the graph or with the Parametric Controls below.
Using the EQ The EQ section is a paragraphic equalizer, which means that you can adjust it with its parametric controls or with its graphic display. Use the EQ button at the top of the graph to turn the EQ section on or off. SECTION ON/OFF Turns the entire EQ section On or Off, so that you can hear the compression with or without EQ. Turning on any band will engage the entire EQ section. Parametric Views The controls in the parametric section can be viewed with more or less detail.
PARAMETRIC CONTROLS • • • • Band Select: click on a band tab to select the band. Band on or off: click on the band number button. Filter type: click on the filter to toggle through type or use the drop-down menu. Q, Frequency, and Gain: click on the parametric control and move the mouse. To set precise values for Q, Freq, and Gain, double-click on a value box, enter a value, and click Enter. You can also use the keyboard arrows to increase or decrease a value.
Selecting a Filter There • • • are three ways to set the filter type of a band: Use a band’s filter drop-down menu to select a filter type directly Click repeatedly on the filter icon to toggle through the filter type options. Cmd+click (Mac) or Win+click (PC) on a band marker to toggle through the filter types.
Filter Types CUT/PASS FILTERS • A high-pass filter cuts all the frequencies below the cutoff point. A low-pass filter does just the opposite: it cuts all frequencies above the cutoff frequency. The slope of the graph changes as Q is adjusted. • In Renaissance Channel, bands 1 and 4 are third-order filters (equal to 18 dB/octave). When Q=1.0, the slopes are indeed 18 dB/octave, as seen below. SHELF FILTERS A Shelf filter boosts or cuts above or below a specified frequency.
BELL FILTERS (PARAMETRIC) Bell filters are used to boost or cut at specified frequencies, and the Q value sets the bandwidth. Usually, bell filters have symmetrical response characteristics: effective gain is the same when boosting or cutting a band. But this behavior doesn’t always reflect the way that people use filters. When we use an equalizer to boost (top image), it’s usually for tonal correction or “shaping.” When cutting (bottom), it’s usually for removing bothersome noises or artifacts.
Filter Controls BAND ON/OFF Turns the band on or off. FILTER TYPE Selects the filter type for the band. Use the drop-down menu to choose a type, or click on the type button to toggle through the choices. Range: Bell (all bands); Lo-Shelf (bands 1 and 2); Low-Rshelf (bands 1 and 2); Hi-Pass (band 1); Hi-Rshelf (bands 3 and 4); Hi Res shelf (bands 3 and 4); Lo-Pass (band 4) GAIN Sets the amount of boost or cut introduced to a band bell or shelf filter.
Real-time Analyzer The graphic display includes a real-time equalizer (RTA). This displays live updates of gain and frequency, which can help you understand the track’s behavior. The RTA is post-EQ, so you will see how your EQ choices affect the signal. The Analyzer is calibrated to a pink curve. Turn the RTA display on or off with the button on the top right. To save host computer DSP, turn off the RTA when you don’t need it.
Renaissance Channel Dynamics The Renaissance Channel Dynamics section consists of a Compressor, Gate and a "hidden" Clip Guard Limiter. Compressor-related controls and meters are orange. Gate controls are blue.
Gate/Expander The Gate/Expander attenuates the signal whenever its energy falls beneath the gate threshold. With moderate settings, the gate will attenuate certain low-level sounds. More aggressive settings result in a particular “gated” effect. Controls and displays that relate to the Gate section are blue. Gate/Expander section On/Off Turns the Gate/Expander section on or off Default: On Gate/Expander Selector Toggle between Gate mode and Expander Mode.
Floor Defines the greatest amount of attenuation that the gate will apply when closing. When the floor is set to anything above infinity, the gate will not attenuate completely, but only to the defined level. This prevents the gate from closing completely, which would result in complete silence. Range: -Infinity to 0.0 dB Default: -Infinity Gate Release Sets the time it takes for the gain to return to zero once energy falls beneath the threshold.
External assigns the external Key Input as the sidechain source (when Key Input is available). It lets you trigger the compressor from another source and is used in ducking or when you want to trigger the compressor with a signal from another instrument. The Sidechain controls include a router to switch between sidechain sources: Internal, Pre-EQ, or External.
Compressor The Compressor section offers a choice between two classic Waves compressors: Renaissance Compressor is a warm compressor that is a goto compressor in FOH, studio, and postproduction. It employs all the traditional controls: Threshold, Ratio, Attack, and Release. Renaissance Vox is a simple compressor that is best suited for controlling vocals. The Ratio control is disabled: its value is calculated automatically based on the threshold value.
Attack Controls the response time of the onset of compression or expansion. Short attack times allow better peak control, while longer attacks result in a punchier sound. Range: 0 ms to 500 ms Default: 16 ms Release Sets the time it will take for the attenuation to return to 0 dB when the energy falls below the threshold. A fast release time means that much of the original dynamic is maintained, which can be result in a sound that’s sharper.
COMPRESSOR SIDECHAIN SECTION Click the orange SC tab to access the compressor sidechain section. The controls are identical to those of the gate sidechain, which are explained earlier, in the Gate section. COMPRESSOR SIDECHAIN GRAPHIC DISPLAY When the compressor sidechain is active, its curve appears in the graph as an orange line above an orange shaded area. Output and Signal Flow Section SIGNAL PATH ROUTER Selects the signal path direction between the EQ and Dynamics sections.
CLIP GUARD LIMITER Renaissance Channel will not clip internally. Period. Clipping can occur only at the final output, where it is visible on the output meters and can be eliminated by lowering the output fader (Gain). Any output signal above 0 dBFS should be reduced before returning to the host mixer bus, otherwise it will indeed be clipped. This is done in one of two ways, depending on the signal flow: 1.
PAN AND ROTATE CONTROL Moves the image left and right within the stereo image. In the mono-to-stereo component this is a classic left/right panner. In the stereo component, it’s a rotator—adjusting the Rotation control moves the stereo image while preserving its integrity. This is not the same as a balance control. Range: -45° to +45° Default: 0° Working with Presets Renaissance Channel offers a large collection of presets.
