User Manual

4.3. Advanced Mode Control Panel
The Advanced Mode Control Panel is accessed by clicking the Advanced Mode (double
arrow) button in the Upper Toolbar. This extra Control Panel is common to all three
Compressors, and with very similar features. These are very important add-ons, that bring
a lot of extra power and flexibility to the Compressors.
4.3.1. Advanced Side-Chain Control
Side-Chain is the signal used to control the compression applied to the audio. It can be that
very same audio (most of the time it's what happens), but it can also be an external signal,
coming from another track.
This external signal is what is usually meant when we commonly talk about side-chain. This
may be used to achieve control of separated instruments (for example balancing the mix
between the kick drum and the bass), or to achieve (another) special effect called "pumping".
For this, we need to be able to feed an external signal into the signal path (usually another
mix track), to be used as source by the detection path, and this way be able to trigger
compression.
In Comp VCA-65, we have both Internal and External sources, and even a third alternative
(Manual). This is controlled in a section of the Advanced Mode Control Panel called Advanced
Side-Chain Control.
4.3.1.1. Source
This is the first part, where we select what source will be used to feed the Threshold and
trigger the Compression circuit. As default, Internal is selected. This is the usual way, where
it's the signal to be compressed that is going to be analyzed and will trigger Compression
when it goes over the Threshold.
External is the second option. In this option, an external signal is fed into the detection circuit.
This is the usual external Side-Chain signal. When this button is pressed, the external signal
is the one used for detection.
Manual is a third mode, which is exclusive to Comp VCA-65 (not present in the other two
Compressors). When this button is lit, and each time we press the Manual square button, it
sends a full scale detection signal (a sine wave) to the detection circuit, this way triggering
compression. Manual can also be triggered through MIDI or data recorded in the DAW.
Since this is done manually, that's the reason this mode is called Manual. To better control
the amount of compression, this full scale level may be attenuated using the Compression
Range control at the right of the panel.
Comp VCA-65 Advanced Mode Control Panel
Arturia - User Manual Comp VCA-65 - COMP VCA-65 CONTROL PANEL 23