Antares MDT user manual

MDT UserÕs Manual21
CHAPTER 3MDT Tutorial
ÒI donÕt want to know how it works Ð 
I want to know how to work it!Ó
Ð Keith Emerson
This chapter is a step-by-step explanation of how to use MDT. MDT is a
breakthrough in technology and is therefore unique. If you follow these les-
sons one step at a time, you will master MDT and fully beneÞt from its
capabilities.
The whole tutorial takes about 90 minutes to complete.
Lesson 1: MDT Basics
This lesson presents the elements of MDTÕs user interface.
In/Out Grid...

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About DSP Plug-ins
DSP Plug-ins are software programs that run inside ProTools, and other
programs to add functionality and provide a variety of DSP tools. All TDM
compatible plug-ins have a few basic features in common. This section
describes those features.
1. Start ProTools and open the session named ÒMDT TutorialÓ.
2. Select ÒShow Inserts ViewÓ from the Display Menu.
3. Click on the MDT insert in the track labeled ÒAux 1Ó.
4. Choose Reset Settings from MDTÕs Setting...

MDT UserÕs Manual23 Lesson 1: MDT Basics
may be ßuctuating wildly, but the displayed level will always be the 
average value of the peaks inside the time window determined by the 
Attack and Release settings.
3. Drag the Release slider to the far left position. Notice the change in the Peak Level 
Indicator.
With a release time of 0 milliseconds, the Peak Level Indicator more 
closely reßects the actual instantaneous sound level.
4. Stop playback.
5. Reset MDT by choosing Reset Settings from the Setting...

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of the point on the In coordinate of the In/Out Grid. The second is equal to
its Out value on the Grid.
1. Move your mouse cursor into the In/Out Grid.
The cursor changes into the cross cursor shape.
2. Click and drag the mouse inside the Grid. 
A threshold appears in the I/O Curve. As you move the threshold 
around the Grid, the I/O Curve Òrubber bandsÓ to follow the move-
ments of the cursor. Notice that the threshold location is displayed in the 
In/Out Display. Also...

MDT UserÕs Manual25 Lesson 1: MDT Basics
At this point in the exercise, MDT should look like this:
8. Delete the thresholds by pressing  and clicking on the thresholds.
The thresholds disappear and the curve snaps to its new position auto-
matically.
9. Reset MDT by choosing Reset Settings from the Setting: menu.
The In/Out Grid
MDT works by detecting the level of the input signal, looking for the point
on the I/O Curve with that input value, and then adjusting the gain so that
the output level equals...

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Points on the Grid which have output levels higher than their input levels
(e.g. -72:-48) are located above the diagonal. Placing the I/O Curve above
the diagonal will cause MDT to output the signal at a higher level than it
was input (gain ampliÞcation).
The following section demonstrates the relationship between I/O Curve
position and gain.
1. Choose 1:1, -12 dB gain from the Settings menu.
2. Start playback with looping.
The voice is heard 12 dB lower in volume because...

MDT UserÕs Manual27 Lesson 1: MDT Basics
7. Choose 1:1, +12 dB gain from the Settings menu.
The voice is now heard at the original volume level. The I/O Curve is 
amplifying it by 12 dB and the Gain slider is reducing the gain by -12 dB. 
Use the Bypass button to verify this.
8. Stop playback.
9. Choose Reset Settings from the Settings menu.
The Input Offset Arrows
Input Offset is another unique feature of MDT. The Input Offset Arrows
(see illustration) allow you to change the relationship of the input...

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2. Start playback with looping.
3. Press and hold down the downward Input Offset Arrow.
As the Peak Level Indicator moves to the left, notice that the loudness of 
the playback remains the same. This is because the input data is not 
being changed. Only its relationship to the I/O Curve is being changed.
When the Peak Level Indicator moves through the region between -36 
dB and -60 dB on the Input scale, notice that the loudness of the sound 
decreases by 36 dB. This is...

MDT UserÕs Manual29 Lesson 1: MDT Basics
6. Decrease the Low Band Input Offset to -15.
At this point MDT should look like this:
To save these settings, 
1. Choose Save Settings AsÉ from the Setting menu.
A dialog box appears requesting a setting name.
2. Type Test in the text box and click on Save.
The settings are now saved under the name ÒTestÓ. These settings 
appear at the bottom of the Setting menu.
3. Choose Reset Settings from the Setting menu to revert to the default values.
To recall the...

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The setting is deleted from the menu. You may select multiple settings 
for deletion by shift-clicking or click dragging over the items to be 
deleted. To make a non-contiguous selection, press  and 
click on the items to select them. Note that the settings themselves 
remain on MDT until you move them yourself or choose another setting.
Lesson 2: Single Band Applications
The following section demonstrates how to conÞgure MDT as a single band
compressor, limiter, gate,...