Drawmer Drawmer Dynamics for Pro Tools - Manual (Page 19)

Chapter 3: Drawmer Dynamics Parameters 15
Suggestions for Using the Gate
The fastest way to begin using the Expander is to
choose one of the presets available in the Librar-
ian menu. (See the DigiRack Plug-Ins Guide for
details.) Alternatively, create your own settings
using the procedure that follows.
To use the Gate:
1 Bypass the Compressor by clicking the Com-
pressor Bypass toggle.
2 Choose the key input mode (Side-Chain or In-
ternal). If you select Side-Chain, from the Side
Chain Input pop-up, choose the input/bus that
carries the audio you want to use to trigger gat-
ing.
3 To hear the key input audio source you have
selected to control gating, click Key Listen.
4 To filter the key input so that only certain fre-
quencies trigger the plug-in, set the LF Key Filter
and HF Key Filter controls to the desired fre-
quency range.
5 Begin playback. Gating is now controlled by
the input/bus you chose as a key input.
6 Select the desired amount of reduction using
the Range control. Typically, set this fully
counter clockwise.
7 Set the Attack, Hold and Release controls. For
material with long legato release, use a long Re-
lease time. For material with a lot of low fre-
quency content, use a slow Attack.
8 Adjust the Threshold control until the the ver-
tical VU meter and the LED meters, show gating
activity. As a rule, the Threshold should be
about 3 dB below the average input level to see
and hear the dynamic processing.
Additional Tips for Effective
Gating
Initially, set the LF Key Filter fully counter-
clockwise and the HF Key Filter fully clockwise.
This lets you hear the full audio spectrum of the
key input. Set the Range control fully counter-
clockwise and Key Listen to Normal.
With the Release control set at its midway posi-
tion, and with suitable program material fed
into the Gate module, increase the Threshold
level from its counter-clockwise position until
the Gate starts to operate. This will be indicated
by the LEDs. Pauses in the program should now
be silent. If the Threshold setting is too high, the
Gate will start to cut out desired audio. If so, ad-
just it as low as possible.
If the ends of sounds are obviously being trun-
cated, a longer Release time may help. On the
other hand, if unwanted noise is audible after
the desired audio has ended, a shorter Release
time is more appropriate.
Filtering Out Noise
There may be circumstances when the program
material contains unwanted random noise or
other sounds. For example, in a multi-miked
drum kit set up, hi-hat will inevitably leak into
the snare microphone, snare drum will leak into
the kick drum microphone, and so on.
Similarly, when processing audio recorded on
location, you may experience problems due to
wind or traffic noise or close-by conversation. If
the unwanted noise is different in pitch to the
desired audio, it is often possible, using Key Lis-
ten, to use the filters to tune in to the wanted
sound while excluding as much of the un-
wanted sound as possible. Used carefully, these
filters can significantly decrease false triggering
of the Gate.