dealing with frequency masking across multiple tracks with plugin

[Kent F]

Hey there-

I need to address some frequency masking in a bluegrass music project.... and would like to try doing this with a plugin that helps get me in the ballpark for starters. I have Meldaproductions MAutodynamicEqualizer plugin and see that it can be used for this (https://youtu.be/Uh6F1h6S_ME?t=39). Not sure how to go about this in SAW though. Anyone have experience using this plugin for this purpose or generally how to setup to allow plugins like Neutron to work together referencing content on separate tracks?

Thanks!
Kent

[MMP]

I use DDMF***8217;s Metaplugin with Focusrite***8217;s Fast Reveal plugin-a VST3 plugin in SAW64.

Metaplugin is a VST host that can use VST3 plugins as well as go 32bit to 64 bit or vice versa. Fast Reveal creates a realtime suppression EQ based on a side chain input.

Metaplugin comes with a companion plugin called Send It. You put this on the track you want to unmask in send mode. You can create multiple send signals by setting a send channel for each instance.

Then you add an instance of Metaplugin on each track you want to suppress with Fast Reveal across the audio and SendIt in receive mode on the relevant channel as the side chain input. Then adjust Fast Reveal to taste.

Works like a charm.

[MMP]

You can also use the ducker in the SAW console to achieve similar results. Set the EQ on the side chain for the offending frequencies and duck the competing tracks gently.

[Kent F]

Thanks for you help. I'll have a look. I've never done sidechaining before so I have to get my head around it generally AND figure out how to do this in SAW. Didn't see much in the forum about this.

Grateful
Kent

[bcorkery]

SAW's ducking feature works very well.

[Kent F]

SAW's ducking feature works very well.

So, this sounds compelling, but I've never tried ducking before. I have my vocals and instruments on two separate output channels. Can someone walk me through the basics steps on how to do this?

In the meantime, I'll be working off and trying whatever I find on the forum here.

Thanks

[jmh]

So, this sounds compelling, but I've never tried ducking before. I have my vocals and instruments on two separate output channels. Can someone walk me through the basics steps on how to do this?

In the meantime, I'll be working off and trying whatever I find on the forum here.

Thanks

Go to dynamics section on the track that is masking and select key source to the track that you want to hear better. Say for example, that you have a bass on track 1, and a kick drum that you would like to cut through better on track 2.

On track 1 set key source to track 2. You might play with the key source eq to cut everything over 100 Hz to minimize impacts of things like say a nearby snare triggering the dynamics.

You can engage either the compressor or gate and pull down the threshold level (you might find it abnormally low) until you see the red attenuation turning on and off. If you have chosen to engage the gate, you will probably engage the reverse button, then adjust the gate so it only cuts a few dB (with floor) so it is not obnoxious and play with the attack an release times so it all sounds as smooth as you can get it. You can achieve similar results with the compressor by engaging that instead. You might use both at the same time too, as their behavior is a bit different and more moderate compression and attenuation levels on both may combine to a nice action - more often than not, you don't want it to be apparent what you've done. Also keep it in mind that the sudden reduction and restoration of signal also may impact the way a downstream compressor plugin on the bass might act.

There are all kinds of variations on this. You can duplicate the kick track on track 3 and assign it to an output with the fader zeroed. You then instead use this as the key source for the bass. Sliding the inaudible region to the left a few ms will give a look-ahead action where the attenuation begins to occur in advance of the kick. Coordinating the attack time close to the amount of slipage can be useful.

[Kent F]

Thanks for the help. Is it possible to do this on the vocals output channel and the instruments output channel?

[jmh]

Thanks for the help. Is it possible to do this on the vocals output channel and the instruments output channel?

You may be able to do it with levelizer on key A or B - there are a couple of gotchas (only listen to the key, if you do, at low volume - under certain conditions it can be painful). Also not sure if time will be totally in sync.

You may get the most mileage not using levelizer, but building the grouped audios to mixes (to hottrack?), then working on that in the original environment.

J