Dan Dugan Sound Design M - Manual (Page 13)

Dugan Model M User Guide Theory of the Speech and Music Systems
13
Dugan Music System
Music System
The Music System is a soft-gating or ducking system with its threshold set by an audio
signal, typically from a mic measuring the ambient sound level. Each channel has a
2:1 expansion ratio below the floating threshold.
The Music System can also be used to duck an audience mix when the people on
stage talk, attenuating the sound of the PA in the room. Use an aux send of the stage
vocal mix to supply the threshold signal instead of a mic.
The following example ( Figure 2-3 ) shows how the Music System works with three back-
ground vocalists.
• Frame 1 shows no one singing. The system keeps all channels at a low gain.
• Frame 2 shows one person singing. The system automatically fades his/her
gain to full, while the other two inputs stay low.
Figure 2-3 Function of the Dugan Music System
• Frame 3 shows a different person singing. The system automatically fades his/
her gain to full, while the previous singer’s mic and the other input stay low.
• Frame 4 shows two people singing together. The system automatically gives
their channels full gain, while the other input stays low.
70
60
50
40
Sound
at mics
(dBSPL)
0
-10
-20
-30
Resulting
automix
gains (dB)
No one singing Mic 2 singing Mic 3 singing Mics 2 & 3 singing
Music System
Threshold Input
Threshold
follows
audio level
Depth set to
-15 dB