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" +++ -One of the problems you may encounter in a Mix is that the loud parts -are too loud, and/or the quiet parts are too quiet. +One of the problems you may encounter in a mix is that, depending on the +material, the loud parts are too loud, and/or the quiet parts are too quiet. -This kind of problem cannot be easily solved using Faders to adjust the Levels alone. You may -set the Levels so high that they clip, or you may add unwanted -background noise by simply turning Levels up. These are all problems -with what is called the **Dynamic Range**, i.e., the difference between -the loudest and quietest parts of your Session. There are several types -of tools for adjusting the Dynamic Range available as **Plugins** -within Ardour, including **Limiting**, **Compression** and **Gating**. +This kind of problem cannot be easily solved using faders to adjust the levels +alone. You may set the levels so high that they clip, or you may add unwanted +background noise by simply turning levels up. These are all problems with what +is called the _dynamic range_, i.e., the difference between the loudest and +quietest parts of your session. There are several types of tools for adjusting +the dynamic range available mostly as third-party plugins within Ardour, +including _limiting_, _compression_, and _gating_. ## Limiting -A **Limiter** is a tool that prevents the volume of a Track from going -over a certain Level, usually the Peak Level (0dB) or something close to -it. Many Limiters have the option to boost the Levels of the incoming -signal before they are Limited, and in this way you can "close the gap" -between the loudest and quietest parts of your Mix. A Limiter can be -used on the Master Bus to prevent the overall Mix from Clipping. -Limiters are almost always used Post-Fader. +A _limiter_ is a tool that prevents the volume of a track from going over a +certain level, usually the peak level (0dB) or something close to it. Many +limiters have the option to boost the levels of the incoming signal before they +are limited, and in this way you can "close the gap" between the loudest and +quietest parts of your mix. A limiter can be used on the _Master_ bus to prevent +the overall mix from clipping. Limiters are almost always used post-fader. -In the example below, a Plugin named "*Fast Lookahead Limiter*" is used (if you don't find that specific one among your installed plugins, look for any other called "Limiter"). To -set how much it limits, simply adjust the -"*Limit (dB)*" slider. The Fast Lookahead Limiter literally "looks -ahead" in the signal by a few milliseconds, and when it sees that the -signal is about to go over the limit you have set, it automatically -turns the Levels down. +In the example below, a plugin named _Fast Lookahead Limiter_ is used (if you +don't find that specific one among your installed plugins, look for any other +called "Limiter"). To set how much it limits, simply adjust the _Limit (dB)_ +slider. The _Fast Lookahead Limiter_ literally looks ahead in the signal by a +few milliseconds, and when it sees that the signal is about to go over the limit +you have set, it automatically turns the levels down. -![limiter](en/Ardour4_Limiter_Fast_Lookahead.png) +![limiter](en/ardour7-fast-lookahead-lmiter.png) -The "*Input Gain (dB)*" slider determines how much the Levels are -increased before they reach the Limiter, and the "*Attenuation (dB)*" -meter on the right-hand side shows how much the Levels are being reduced -at any given moment. While the reduction in volume is -nearly-instantaneous, the "*Release time (s)*" slider determines how -long it takes the Limiter to return to 0 Decibels of **Attenuation**. +The _Input Gain (dB)_ slider determines how much the levels are increased before +they reach the limiter, and the _Attenuation (dB)_ meter on the right-hand side +shows how much the levels are being reduced at any given moment. While the +reduction in volume is nearly-instantaneous, the _Release time (s)_ slider +determines how long it takes the limiter to return to 0dB of _Attenuation_. -Note that the "harder" one drives the Limiter (by increasing the Input -Gain and/or decreasing the maximum Peak Limit allowed), the more -reduction the Limiter is forced to make, and the more likely it is that -Artifacts of the processing will occur (such as Distortions or erratic -changes in volume). On the Master Bus, it is generally best to avoid -excessive Limiting. +Note that the "harder" one drives the limiter (by increasing the input gain +and/or decreasing the maximum peak limit allowed), the more reduction the +limiter is forced to make, and the more likely it is that artifacts of the +processing will occur (such as distortions or erratic changes in volume). On +the _Master_ bus, it is generally best to avoid excessive limiting. ## Compression -A **Compressor** boosts the overall volume of a sound, but then -"squeezes" it depending on how loud it is. This can make vocals sound -more even or drums sound fuller and louder. The end effect is similar to -how a Limiter can reduce the range between the quietest and the loudest -sound, however the effect is more selective when using a Compressor. +A _compressor_ boosts the overall volume of a sound, but then "squeezes" it +depending on how loud it is. This can make vocals sound more even or drums +sound fuller and louder. The end effect is similar to how a limiter can reduce +the range between the quietest and the loudest sound, however the effect is +more selective when using a compressor. -The simplest Compressor has relatively few controls, such as the -"*Simple Compressor*" Plugin shown below. Here, the "*Threshold*" -sets the Level at which the Compressor will start to act, and the -"*Compression Ratio*" controls how much the Compressor will "squeeze" -the sound. The "*Attack*" and "*Decay*" parameters control how quickly -the Compressor affects the sound. +A typical compressor will have these obligatory controls: -![simple compressor](en/Ardour4_Compressor_Simple.png) +**Threshold** +: Sets the level at which the compressor will start to act. -A more complex Compressor, the "*SC1 Compressor*" Plugin, is show below. +**Ratio** +: Controls how much the compressor will "squeeze" the sound. -![sc1 compressor](en/Ardour4_Compressor_SC1.png) +**Attack** and **Release** +: Control how quickly the compressor affects the sound. -It has three main buttons: +![ACE Compressor](en/ardour7-ace-compressor.png) -- "*Threshold level* (dB)" sets the level at which the Compressor will compress or squeeze the sound. -- "*Ratio* (1:n)" controls how much it will squeeze when it reaches the threshold. -- "*Makeup gain (dB)*" boosts the whole signal after the Compression occurs. +The _ACE Compressor_ plugin on the screenshot above has two additional controls: -To soften out a vocal, for example, you could set a "Threshold level" of −10dB or so -and a "Ratio" of 2.5, and then bring the volume back up with the "Makeup -gain". +**Threshold level** (in dB) +: Sets the level at which the compressor will compress or squeeze the sound. -The other three controls — "*Attack time (ms)*", "*Release time (ms)*" and -"*Knee radius (dB)*" — allow you to control the shape of the Compression. +**Makeup gain** (in dB) +: Boosts the whole signal after the compression occurs. -For soft vocal Compression, you would want a semi-fast "Attack time" so -that the Compressor catches the beginning of each word, a slower -"Release time" to let the voice ring out, and a soft "Knee radius" to -create a gentle form of compression that isn't too noticeable. +To soften out a vocal, for example, you could set _Threshold level_ of −10dB or +so and a _Ratio_ of 2.5, and then bring the volume back up with the _Makeup +gain_. The other three controls — _Attack time_, _Release time_, and _Knee_ — +allow you to control the shape of the compression. -If you want to make drums sound big, you might try a slow "Attack time" so that -you don't Compress the pop of the drum, a fast "Release time" so that -the Compressor can catch the next hit of the drum, and a large "Ratio" -to make the Dynamics between the beginning and end of the drum hit -similar. +For soft vocal compression, you would want a semi-fast attack time so that the +compressor catches the beginning of each word, a slower release time to let the +voice ring out, and a soft knee radius to create a gentle form of compression +that isn't too noticeable. -Below is a screenshot of a similar Compressor from the -[Calf Plugins Package](http://calf.sourceforge.net/plugins.html): +If you want to make drums sound big, you might try a slow attack time so that +you don't compress the pop of the drum, a fast release time so that the +compressor can catch the next hit of the drum, and a large ratio to make the +dynamics between the beginning and end of the drum hit similar. -![sc1 compressor](en/Ardour4_Compressor_Calf.png) +Below is a screenshot of a similar compressor from the [LSP plugins +suite](https://lsp-plug.in/): + +![LSP Compressor Mono](en/ardour7-lsp-compressor-mono.png) ## Gating -The simplest kind of **Gate** allows a signal to pass through when it is -over a certain Level, and blocks the signal when it is lower than that. +The simplest kind of a _gate_ allows a signal to pass through when it is over a +certain level, and blocks the signal when it is lower than that. -Gates are often used as a kind of noise reduction. For example, the Gate -on a microphone channel might only open while the singer is singing, -preventing other background noises from coming through as well when she -is not singing. Gated drums are also a very well-known studio production -trick to make them sound "sharper". +Gates are often used as a kind of noise reduction. For example, the gate on a +microphone channel might only open while the singer is singing, preventing other +background noises from coming through as well when she is not singing. Gated +drums are also a very well-known studio production trick to make them sound +"sharper". -Here, the "*Hard Gate*" Plugin displays a single control -parameter, the "*Threshold*" at which the Gate will open and let the -signal through. +Here, the _Hard Gate_ plugin (from a suite of LADSPA plugins called +[CMT](https://www.ladspa.org/cmt/overview.html)) displays a single control +parameter, the _Threshold_ at which the gate will open and let the signal +through. -![gate](en/Ardour4_Hard_Gate_Plugin.png) +![Hard Gate](en/ardour7-hard-gate.png) -Other kinds of Gates, such as the Calf Gate Plugin, are -more complex. They have independent control over how quickly the Gate -opens (the "*Attack*") and closes (the "*Release*"), as well as other -parameters quite similar to those described for the SC Compressor above. +Other kinds of gates, such as the _LSP Gate_ plugin on the screenshot below, are +more complex. They have independent control over how quickly the gate opens +(_Attack_) and closes (_Release_), as well as other parameters quite similar to +those described for the SC Compressor above. -![gate2](en/Ardour4_Gate_Calf.png) +![LSP Gate](en/ardour7-lsp-gate-mono.png) ## Continuing -Now that we've explored some tools for getting the Dynamic Range exactly -where you want it, it's time to look at adjusting the balance of -Frequencies present in each individual Track and in your overall Mix. In -the next chapter, we'll learn how to use the **Equalizer** to do just -that. +Now that we've explored some tools for getting the dynamic range exactly where +you want it, it's time to look at adjusting the balance of frequencies present +in each individual track and in your overall mix. In the next chapter, we'll +learn how to use the equalizer to do just that. Next: [EQUALIZING](../equalizing)