Update Dynamics

content/mixing-sessions/dynamics/index.en.md

@@ -2,133 +2,128 @@
 title = "Dynamics"
 chapter = false
 weight = 6
-#pre = "<b>1. </b>"
 +++
 
-One of the problems you may encounter in a Mix is that the loud parts
+One of the problems you may encounter in a mix is that, depending on the
-are too loud, and/or the quiet parts are too quiet.
+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
+This kind of problem cannot be easily solved using faders to adjust the levels
-set the Levels so high that they clip, or you may add unwanted
+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
+background noise by simply turning levels up. These are all problems with what
-with what is called the **Dynamic Range**, i.e., the difference between
+is called the _dynamic range_, i.e., the difference between the loudest and
-the loudest and quietest parts of your Session. There are several types
+quietest parts of your session. There are several types of tools for adjusting
-of tools for adjusting the Dynamic Range available as **Plugins**
+the dynamic range available mostly as third-party plugins within Ardour,
-within Ardour, including **Limiting**, **Compression** and **Gating**.
+including _limiting_, _compression_, and _gating_.
 
 ## Limiting
 
-A **Limiter** is a tool that prevents the volume of a Track from going
+A _limiter_ is a tool that prevents the volume of a track from going over a
-over a certain Level, usually the Peak Level (0dB) or something close to
+certain level, usually the peak level (0dB) or something close to it. Many
-it. Many Limiters have the option to boost the Levels of the incoming
+limiters have the option to boost the levels of the incoming signal before they
-signal before they are Limited, and in this way you can "close the gap"
+are limited, and in this way you can "close the gap" between the loudest and
-between the loudest and quietest parts of your Mix. A Limiter can be
+quietest parts of your mix. A limiter can be used on the _Master_ bus to prevent
-used on the Master Bus to prevent the overall Mix from Clipping.
+the overall mix from clipping. Limiters are almost always used post-fader.
-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
+In the example below, a plugin named _Fast Lookahead Limiter_ is used (if you
-set how much it limits, simply adjust the
+don't find that specific one among your installed plugins, look for any other
-"*Limit (dB)*" slider. The Fast Lookahead Limiter literally "looks
+called "Limiter"). To set how much it limits, simply adjust the _Limit (dB)_
-ahead" in the signal by a few milliseconds, and when it sees that the
+slider. The _Fast Lookahead Limiter_ literally looks ahead in the signal by a
-signal is about to go over the limit you have set, it automatically
+few milliseconds, and when it sees that the signal is about to go over the limit
-turns the Levels down.
+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
+The _Input Gain (dB)_ slider determines how much the levels are increased before
-increased before they reach the Limiter, and the "*Attenuation (dB)*"
+they reach the limiter, and the _Attenuation (dB)_ meter on the right-hand side
-meter on the right-hand side shows how much the Levels are being reduced
+shows how much the levels are being reduced at any given moment. While the
-at any given moment. While the reduction in volume is
+reduction in volume is nearly-instantaneous, the _Release time (s)_ slider
-nearly-instantaneous, the "*Release time (s)*" slider determines how
+determines how long it takes the limiter to return to 0dB of _Attenuation_.
-long it takes the Limiter to return to 0 Decibels of **Attenuation**.
 
-Note that the "harder" one drives the Limiter (by increasing the Input
+Note that the "harder" one drives the limiter (by increasing the input gain
-Gain and/or decreasing the maximum Peak Limit allowed), the more
+and/or decreasing the maximum peak limit allowed), the more reduction the
-reduction the Limiter is forced to make, and the more likely it is that
+limiter is forced to make, and the more likely it is that artifacts of the
-Artifacts of the processing will occur (such as Distortions or erratic
+processing will occur (such as distortions or erratic changes in volume). On
-changes in volume). On the Master Bus, it is generally best to avoid
+the _Master_ bus, it is generally best to avoid excessive limiting.
-excessive Limiting.
 
 ## Compression
 
-A **Compressor** boosts the overall volume of a sound, but then
+A _compressor_ boosts the overall volume of a sound, but then "squeezes" it
-"squeezes" it depending on how loud it is. This can make vocals sound
+depending on how loud it is. This can make vocals sound more even or drums
-more even or drums sound fuller and louder. The end effect is similar to
+sound fuller and louder. The end effect is similar to how a limiter can reduce
-how a Limiter can reduce the range between the quietest and the loudest
+the range between the quietest and the loudest sound, however the effect is
-sound, however the effect is more selective when using a Compressor.
+more selective when using a compressor.
 
-The simplest Compressor has relatively few controls, such as the
+A typical compressor will have these obligatory controls:
-"*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.
 
-![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.
+The _ACE Compressor_ plugin on the screenshot above has two additional controls:
-- "*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.
 
-To soften out a vocal, for example, you could set a "Threshold level" of −10dB or so
+**Threshold level** (in dB)
-and a "Ratio" of 2.5, and then bring the volume back up with the "Makeup
+: Sets the level at which the compressor will compress or squeeze the sound.
-gain".
 
-The other three controls — "*Attack time (ms)*", "*Release time (ms)*" and
+**Makeup gain** (in dB)
-"*Knee radius (dB)*" — allow you to control the shape of the Compression.
+: Boosts the whole signal after the compression occurs.
 
-For soft vocal Compression, you would want a semi-fast "Attack time" so
+To soften out a vocal, for example, you could set _Threshold level_ of −10dB or
-that the Compressor catches the beginning of each word, a slower
+so and a _Ratio_ of 2.5, and then bring the volume back up with the _Makeup
-"Release time" to let the voice ring out, and a soft "Knee radius" to
+gain_. The other three controls — _Attack time_, _Release time_, and _Knee_ —
-create a gentle form of compression that isn't too noticeable.
+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
+For soft vocal compression, you would want a semi-fast attack time so that the
-you don't Compress the pop of the drum, a fast "Release time" so that
+compressor catches the beginning of each word, a slower release time to let the
-the Compressor can catch the next hit of the drum, and a large "Ratio"
+voice ring out, and a soft knee radius to create a gentle form of compression
-to make the Dynamics between the beginning and end of the drum hit
+that isn't too noticeable.
-similar.
 
-Below is a screenshot of a similar Compressor from the 
+If you want to make drums sound big, you might try a slow attack time so that
-[Calf Plugins Package](http://calf.sourceforge.net/plugins.html):
+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
+The simplest kind of a _gate_ allows a signal to pass through when it is over a
-over a certain Level, and blocks the signal when it is lower than that.
+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
+Gates are often used as a kind of noise reduction. For example, the gate on a
-on a microphone channel might only open while the singer is singing,
+microphone channel might only open while the singer is singing, preventing other
-preventing other background noises from coming through as well when she
+background noises from coming through as well when she is not singing. Gated
-is not singing. Gated drums are also a very well-known studio production
+drums are also a very well-known studio production trick to make them sound
-trick to make them sound "sharper".
+"sharper".
 
-Here, the "*Hard Gate*" Plugin displays a single control
+Here, the _Hard Gate_ plugin (from a suite of LADSPA plugins called
-parameter, the "*Threshold*" at which the Gate will open and let the
+[CMT](https://www.ladspa.org/cmt/overview.html)) displays a single control
-signal through.
+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
+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
+more complex. They have independent control over how quickly the gate opens
-opens (the "*Attack*") and closes (the "*Release*"), as well as other
+(_Attack_) and closes (_Release_), as well as other parameters quite similar to
-parameters quite similar to those described for the SC Compressor above.
+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
+Now that we've explored some tools for getting the dynamic range exactly where
-where you want it, it's time to look at adjusting the balance of
+you want it, it's time to look at adjusting the balance of frequencies present
-Frequencies present in each individual Track and in your overall Mix. In
+in each individual track and in your overall mix. In the next chapter, we'll
-the next chapter, we'll learn how to use the **Equalizer** to do just
+learn how to use the equalizer to do just that.
-that.
 
 Next: [EQUALIZING](../equalizing)