Stereo and Mono Sidechain Compressors for Tracktion

Introduction

Thank you for choosing Mackie software products for your computer-based audio recording system.

The Stereo and Mono Sidechain Compressor plug-ins come with Tracktion, our easy-to-use music production software application. When you install Tracktion, the plug-ins are automatically installed in Tracktion's plug-ins folder.

Note: These plug-ins only work with Tracktion, and will not work with any other VST host applications you may have on your computer.

Typically, these plug-ins are used as compres- sors, so that's why we call them that. However, depending on the settings of the graphical in- terface, they can act as compressors, limiters, expanders, or a combination of all three.

The Sidechain allows the compressor to take its cue from a separate input, and apply its action to another. For example, a vocal track can drop the level of a music track (ducking), such as when an announcement is made over background music, or where your vocals are a bit lost in the mix.

The Sidechain Compressor can also take its trigger input from a copy (or EQ'd copy) of it- self. For example, it can be used as a basic De-Esser, to compress the higher "Sssss" sounds, or you can apply compression to a guitar's mid or higher frequency range, leaving the lower-frequency range uncompressed.

The features of the Mono Sidechain Compressor and the Stereo version are identical, so this manual applies to both plug-ins. The Mono version works for one key input and the main input, and the Stereo version works its magic for the key input and the stereo inputs, stereo.wav, or after another stereo plug-in.

Main Features

•Stereo and mono compressor plug-in for Tracktion

•Key Input

•Key Solo engage/disengage

•Full stereo (or mono) operation

•Rather fetching graphic display

•Node edit selector

•Global enable button

•Favorite settings can be saved as presets

•Memories A and B for quick comparisons

•Input, output, and gain reduction metering

•Release control

•Attack control

•Threshold control

•End point control

•Input level control

•Output level control

•Compression Ratio readout

•Soft clip threshold control and indicator

•Soft clip engage/disengage

•Gain makeup control

•Auto gain makeup engage/disengage

•Rugby ball inflator

•The imaginary audio friend you always wanted to come to life so everyone could see that you were just not imagining things

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User’s Guide