3.5

84MainStage Effects
Dynamics processors
MainStage Dynamics processors overview
Dynamics processors control the perceived loudness of your audio, add focus and punch to
tracks and projects, and optimize the sound for playback in different situations.
The dynamic range of an audio signal is the range between the softest and loudest parts of
the signal—technically, between the lowest and highest amplitudes. Dynamics processors
enable you to adjust the dynamic range of individual audio files, tracks, or an overall
project. This can be to increase the perceived loudness or to highlight the most important
sounds, while ensuring that softer sounds are not lost in the mix. Several dynamics
processors provide a Side Chain input.
There are four types of dynamics processors. These are each used for different audio
processing tasks. MainStage also includes the unique MainStage Enveloper, which doesn’t
fit any single category.
• Compressors: Downward compressors behave like an automatic volume control,
lowering the volume whenever it rises above a certain level, called the threshold.
By reducing the highest parts of the signal, called peaks, a compressor raises the
overall level of the signal, increasing the perceived volume. This gives the signal more
focus by making the louder (foreground) parts stand out, while keeping the softer
background parts from becoming inaudible. Compression also tends to make sounds
tighter or punchier because transients are emphasized, depending on attack and
release settings, and because the maximum volume is reached more swiftly.
In addition, compression can make a project sound better when played back in different
audio environments. For example, the speakers of a television or in a car typically have
a narrower dynamic range than the sound system in a cinema. Compressing the overall
mix can help make the sound fuller and clearer in lower-fidelity playback situations.
Compressors are typically used on vocal tracks to make the singing prominent in
an overall mix. They are also commonly used on music and sound effect tracks, but
they are rarely used on ambience tracks. See MainStage Compressor overview and
MainStage DeEsser 2.
Some compressors—multiband compressors—can divide the incoming signal into
different frequency bands and apply different compression settings to each band.
This helps to achieve the maximum level without introducing compression artifacts.
Multiband compression is typically used on an overall mix. See MainStage Multipressor
overview.