Antares MDT user manual

MDT UserÕs Manual41 Lesson 3: Multiband Applications
loudness of the other sounds. The following example demonstrates the use
of a multiband compressor to alleviate the pumping problem.
1. Select the ÒBass SoloÓ soundÞle for playback.
2. Choose Pumping 1 band in the Setting menu.
The compression ratio above the threshold is 10 to 1.
3. Start playback with looping.
Notice how the loudness of the cymbal and sustained pad is ÒpumpedÓ 
by the bass solo.
4. Choose Better 5 band in the Setting menu.
This...

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Managing Tonal Balance In Multiband Mode
What is the Tonal Balance Problem?
You may have noticed in the previous exercises that the multiband Peak
Level Indicators almost never have the same simultaneous level. This is
because the energy distribution across the spectrum changes from moment
to moment. Since all the bands are using the same I/O Curve, each band
may receive a different gain depending on its current level and placement
on the I/O Curve. The following example...

MDT UserÕs Manual43 Lesson 3: Multiband Applications
How To Achieve Tonal Balance
It is often desirable to preserve the soundÞleÕs original tonal balance while
beneÞting from using multiband mode. The key element in preserving
tonal balance is having each band get the same amount of gain at the same
time. You can do this by offsetting the input level of the ÒhotterÓ bands to
equal the lowest level band. The following exercise demonstrates two dif-
ferent ways to achieve this.
1. Start playback with...

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The Input Offset values now change continuously, in an ongoing effort 
to achieve equal amounts of gain reduction. The amount of gain reduc-
tion is measured over a period of time equal to three times the compres-
sor release time. In this way, the separate bands can respond 
individually to what is occurring in the sound, but at the same time, they 
are being drawn towards one-another to preserve the original tone color.
Using the ÒVariableÓ button will preserve the...

MDT UserÕs Manual45 Lesson 3: Multiband Applications
MDT As A Spectral Enhancer
The tonal ßexibility demonstrated above can be used to modify the existing
tonal balance dynamically. De-essers, spectral enhancers, and dynamic EQs
all modify the tonal balance dynamically. This example below shows how
to use MDT to perform these functions.
De-esser
1. Select the ÒShort VoiceÓ soundÞle for playback.
2. Choose 6:1 de-esser in the Setting menu.
The compression ratio above the threshold is 6 to 1. Notice how...

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5. Press the High bands downward Input Offset Arrow until the display reads -14.
The High band peaks will occur at approximately the 0 dB gain line (the 
diagonal). This setting should sound very similar in tonal balance to the 
original. Any high frequency peaks will be compressed at a 6 to 1 ratio.
Spectral Enhancer
1. Press the High bands downward Input Offset Arrow until the display reads -20.
The High band peaks are now occurring in the area of the I/O Curve to 
the...

MDT UserÕs Manual47 Lesson 3: Multiband Applications
Dynamic EQ
A dynamic EQ is a device that changes the amount of equalization it
applies as a function of input level or some other changing parameter of the
signal. MDT can be conÞgured as a dynamic EQ as shown below.
1. Select the ÒFetes 1Ó soundÞle for playback.
2. Choose High Freq. Expander in the Setting menu.
The expansion ratio above the threshold is 1 to 1.5.   
3. Start playback with looping.
Notice how the High and Hi Mid bands are effected by...

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Lesson 4: Clip Sentry
This lesson will step you through how to use Clip Sentry.
Because MDT simulates the smooth sound of analog compressors, it is easy
to create data that exceeds to +1,-1 digital range. This is because of the
behavior of the Attack Time slider, which allows you to control the rate of
gain reduction due to a sudden increase in sound level. As in the analog
world, even a fast attack time will let through a faster transient. Since most
users jack-up the...

MDT UserÕs Manual49 Lesson 5: Using Automation
This causes the gain reduction to recover more quickly. Be careful, 
though. If the gain r
eduction recovers too quickly, data in the Clip Sentry 
buffer may cause superÞcial clipping to occur. A release time of 100 
rarely produces clipping. 
8. Stop playback.
If a large gain reduction occurs, a very short release will be less audible, but
may sound unnatural. A longer release time will be more audible. The
Release (mS) slider controls how rapidly the gain...

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1. Select the ÒShort VoiceÓ soundÞle for playback.
2. Choose 3:1, -48 dB threshold in the Setting menu.
3. Select Ò5 BandÓ from the Filter Mode menu.
4. Enable the Input Offset arrows for automation.
In ProTools 4, click the ÒautomationÓ button in the plugin window and 
ÒAddÓ the controls ÒLevel4Ó, ÒLevel3Ó, ÒLevel2Ó, ÒLevel1Ó and 
ÒLevel0Ó. After clicking the ÒOKÓ button, the Input Offset Arrows will 
be hilited Green. Next change the trackÕs Òauto readÓ to Òauto...