3.5

44MainStage Instruments
Gate
Gate is best described as a combination of a square wave LFO and envelope follower
modulation for frequencies in the spectrum. Depending on your settings and source
material, this can either produce a choppy sound or a smoother one.
Tip: Drum loops are an ideal starting point when learning uses for this effect.
• Mix knob: Set the balance between the original signal and the processed sound.
• Threshold knob: Set the amount of lower amplitude frequencies that are allowed to
pass through the gate. This reduces detail and enhances prominent frequencies in the
source.
• Attack knob: Set the time it takes for effect-controlled frequencies to fade in.
• Decay knob: Set the time it takes for effect-controlled frequencies to fade out.
Glide
Glide creates adjustable, repeating upward filter sweeps that are based on the source
content. Note that this effect requires a small amount of calculation time before the results
of your adjustments are heard.
Tip: Sources with wide frequency ranges produce a more pronounced filter sweep
sound, whereas sources with limited frequencies can result in unique melodic drones as
narrow filters sweep across their ranges.
• Mix knob: Set the balance between the original signal and the processed sound.
• Freq knob: Set the starting frequency for the sweep.
• Width knob: Set the width of the filter (the frequency range, or band, affected by the
filter).
• Shift knob: Set the height of the sweep.
Freq Shift
Freq(uency) Shift moves the spectral bins higher or lower in the spectrum, reducing
the level of (or entirely dropping) some frequencies while emphasizing others. This is
a powerful sound design tool that can dramatically alter the sound and can introduce
inharmonic overtones.
Tip: Try single note samples with a strong initial attack, such as a piano, and blend the
mix level so that the effect comes in as part of the tail of the sound.
• Mix knob: Set the balance between the original signal and the processed sound.
• Shift knob: Move bins up (positive) or down (negative) the frequency spectrum. Start
with small adjustments because this parameter has a wide range.
• Feedback knob: Set the intensity of selected frequencies.
• LP Cutoff knob: Set the cutoff frequency. Higher frequencies are attenuated.
Freq Stretch
Freq(uency) Stretch is an unusual and powerful effect in that spectral peaks are shifted
based on a combination of the Alpha and Beta knobs, resulting in a series of inharmonic
stretches and randomizations.