Drawmer M500 Dynamics Processor - Manual (Page 3)

M500 OPERATORS MANUAL Ch 1 - 1
DRAWMER M500
Dynamics Processor
CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
The Drawmer M500 has been designed to handle both single or multiple dynamic control
operations either in stereo or mono. A single Voltage Controlled Amplifier (VCA) is used in each
channel to eliminate the signal degradation that inevitably occurs when several VCA devices are
cascaded. The control interface has been designed so that, from the user's point of view, the
processes are largely separate. This flexibility and sophistication is made possible by the
advanced digital control system which replaces much of the conventional analogue side-chain.
For discrete mono applications, both channels may be configured independently to perform quite
different functions. The only exceptions to this occur when panning or the more complex de-
essing and compression options are used as these processes make use of both audio channels.
For convenience of terminology, the different processes are referred to throughout this manual
as 'Effects'. The on-board Effects are: Compression, Limiting, Gating, Expansion, Auto-panning,
De-Essing and Fading. Two filter sections are available which may be assigned either to the
DE-ESSER or to the GATE enabling frequency-conscious gating to be implemented. Additionally,
the factory presets include some special parameters which can not be adjusted by the user.
Many of the Effects have additional parameters not found on conventional units which open up
new opportunities for both corrective and creative control. In particular, the GATE is able to
generate MIDI information when triggered from an audio source or, conversely, it may be
triggered via MIDI if required. In fact the MIDI implementation of the M500 is extensive and it is
able to respond to MIDI notes, clocks, switches, program changes and controller data.
For a full description of the MIDI specification of the M500, refer to the MIDI section later in the
manual.
The GATES also have the ability to record and store the envelope of a sound which can then be
imposed on any other sound passing through the GATE. For example, a piano envelope could be
imposed on a sustained synth sound to give a more percussive 'feel'.
The panning section is also extremely flexible and input signals may be panned using a variety
of control waveforms, either free-running or related to a MIDI Clock, making it possible to sync
the Effect to tempo. PAN position may also be controlled directly from MIDI note information.
Because of its powerful digital control system, the M500 is able to assist the user by largely
optimising its own internal gain structure and also by disabling any Effects that cannot logically
be used in combination with the ones already selected. For example, one would never follow a
PANNER by a COMPRESSOR so this selection is prohibited.