Mackie Stereo and Mono Side chain Compressor manual

USER’S GUIDE Stereo and Mono Sidechain Compressor plug-ins F or T racktion 2[...]

User’ s Guide 2 Ster eo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for T racktion Mackie Softw ar e License Please read this license carefully before using the accompanying Software. By downloading and us- ing the Software, you are agreeing to be bound by the terms of this license. Software as used herein means all computer code (both source and object) incl[...]

User’ s Guide 3 Ster eo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for T racktion YOU SPECIFIC LEGAL RIGHTS, AND YOU MA Y ALSO HA VE OTHER RIGHTS, WHICH V AR Y FROM ST A TE TO ST A TE AND FROM COUNTR Y TO COUNTR Y . 8. Disclaimer of Warranty on Software. Y ou expressly acknowledge and agree that use of the Software is at your sole risk. The Software and rela[...]

User’ s Guide 4 Ster eo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for T racktion Iconogr aphy “Mackie” and the “Running Man” fi gure are trademarks or registered trademarks of LOUD T ech- nologies Inc. VST is a trademark of Steinberg Media T echnologies GmbH. All other brand names mentioned are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respectiv[...]

User’ s Guide 5 Ster eo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for T racktion Cont ents Mackie Softw ar e License------------------------- 2 Intr oduction ---------------------------------------- 6 Main F ea tures -------------------------------------- 6 A brief wor d about Compressors --------------- 7 Standard v s. Sidechain Compressors ---------- 7 Ad[...]

User’ s Guide 6 Ster eo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for T racktion Intr oduction Thank you for choosing Mackie software prod- ucts for your computer -based audio recording system. The Stereo and Mono Sidechain Compressor plug-ins come with T racktion, our easy-to-use music production software application. When you install T racktion, the plug-[...]

User’ s Guide 7 Ster eo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for T racktion Standar d vs. Sidechain Compr essors A standard compressor detects the level of the input signals from the main (host) track, and applies the math to this track to produce the processed output signals. A Sidechain compressor has an extra (Key) input compared to a standard compr[...]

User’ s Guide 8 Ster eo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for T racktion Adding the Sidechain Compr essor in T r ack tion Setting up a new Rack Filter The Sidechain Compressors have an extra input (the Key Input), and you must use the Rack Filters feature of T racktion to make this work. This is really exciting and wonderful, so we hope you will bea[...]

User’ s Guide 9 Ster eo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for T racktion Example 1: Compr essor triggering from another tr ack Suppose you want to use the Sidechain Compressor as a "ducker ," i.e., to reduce a music program when you make an announcement. W e can set up the Sidechain Compressor to take its Key Input from a vocal track, and [...]

User’ s Guide 10 Ster eo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for T racktion Setting up the Main Input 6. Add a new fi lter to track 5 (for example), but do not choose the Sidechain Compressor . Instead, choose the Rack Filter you just set up in step 1. Note: the Rack Filter is the same unit for both track 1 and track 5, and not two separate units. 7.[...]

User’ s Guide 11 Ster eo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for T racktion Adding an EQ to the K ey Input (an optional and fun thing to do ) 13. Add a new fi lter inside the rack fi lter (instead of to the right of the tracks), and choose an EQ. 14. Then click on the Key Input connecting line and use the mouse to hook the EQ in-line. Use the EQ gra[...]

User’ s Guide 12 Ster eo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for T racktion Example 2: Compr essor triggering from the same tr ack T racktion's wonderful rack fi lter system lets you make the key input the same as your main input. One application for this, is to make a De-Esser to get rid of high "Ssss" sounds on vocal tracks. Dedicate[...]

User’ s Guide 13 Ster eo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for T racktion 4. Connect the left and right outputs of the EQ to the Key Input of the compressor . 5. Adjust the EQ to boost the higher frequencies where the "S" sounds lurk. A bit like this (although this is a more extreme example): 6. And now , here we are. The Key Input is a co[...]

User’ s Guide 14 Ster eo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for T racktion Using the EQ to dr op off the lows There is another useful and common application for a Sidechain Compressor: If you have a Guitar track, and you do not want the low frequencies compressed, you can place an EQ in the Key Input to roll off the lows. The EQ passes only the mids [...]

User’ s Guide 15 Ster eo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for T racktion Sidechain Compr essor F ea tures The Main Screen is made up of two sections: • Global Controls • Compressor Controls and Contour Edit Screen The Global Controls section includes the Lock and Hide buttons, Preset up/down buttons, Pre- set title window , Active, Menu, and Me[...]

User’ s Guide 16 Ster eo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for T racktion Global Contr ols Lock If this is pressed, the compressor's interface will not disappear when you select other items or areas in T racktion. Hide This hides the compressor interface from view , and is useful if you have previously selected "Lock." Preset T oggle [...]

User’ s Guide 17 Ster eo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for T racktion The Contour Edit Scr een This interactive graph does not show the ac- tual input or output signals dancing across the screen. It shows the contour we can apply to the compressor to make it work as we want it to. It's a bit like a Jello mold, it's shape affects the sh[...]

User’ s Guide 18 Ster eo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for T racktion C ompr ession Ratio The compression ratio compares the change in input level with the change in output level. From the graph on the previous page, the input range from 0 dB to the threshold is –30 dB. From the graph, this input range is compressed into an output range of –[...]

User’ s Guide 19 Ster eo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for T racktion Soft Clip On and Threshold The Soft Clip switch activates a soft-clip limiter circuit. There is also a threshold slider . When the output level goes above this threshold, the soft-clip circuit kicks in. This circuit starts add- ing analog-style distortion, which rounds off tra[...]

User’ s Guide 20 Ster eo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for T racktion Reduction Meter The reduction meter along the right edge of the screen shows the overall reduction in output level due to the compressor operation. If you are using expansion, then there will be an in- crease in output level. This meter will help you add or adjust the makeup g[...]

User’ s Guide 21 Ster eo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for T racktion Examples Expansion The red diagonal line added to the graph below , represents unity gain (i.e., the output signal is the same level as the input signal). Contours which are steeper than this, like the segment between T and node 1, represent expansion, those not as steep, comp[...]

User’ s Guide 22 Ster eo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for T racktion Snare T r ack Compression The graph below could be used on a snare track to drastically lower the volume of a few snare hits by an over -excited drummer , while leaving most of the snare track unaffected. Hard Knee and Soft Knee C ompression The terms hard and soft do not refe[...]

User’ s Guide 23 Ster eo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for T racktion Specifi cations Dynamics Gain Makeup ±15 dB A ttack 0 to 100 ms R elease 30 ms to 3000 ms Threshold –48 dBfs to 0 dBfs Compressor Contours F our nodes per each allowing for an y possible compression or e xpansion ratio from 1:inf to inf:1 Input/ Output Meters –48 dBfs to[...]

User’ s Guide 24 Ster eo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for T racktion Appendix: Using Compr essors Compression has become such an integral part of mixing, that we thought an appendix might be called for . Dynamic Range To use a compressor effectively , it’ s important to understand the concept of dynamic range. Dynamic range is the difference [...]

User’ s Guide 25 Ster eo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for T racktion level, we’ve made the vocal track louder in the mix without reaching a volume at any point that will cause distortion. T o do this requires a very fast compressor or limiter , but it’ s a good ex- ample of the principle. Since to most listeners, louder equals better , anot[...]

User’ s Guide 26 Ster eo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for T racktion W orking the Knobs Lowering the threshold while keeping the compression ratio fi xed reduces the maximum output level, since you’re compressing over a larger portion of the dynamic range of the in- put signal. By keeping the threshold fi xed but increasing the compression [...]

User’ s Guide 27 Ster eo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for T racktion Preset Name Attack T ime Release T ime Threshold Node 1 Input Node 1 Output Node 2 Input Node 2 Output Node 3 Input Node 3 Output Node 4 Input End Point Soft Clip in? Soft Clip Threshold Auto Makeup Gain ? Make- up Gain Star Sign User Pr esets Use this table to record some of [...]

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