Reference Guide

152 Tutorial 7 – Mixing and adding effects
3. Point to Audio FX, then point to Cakewalk or Sonitus:fx and choose any one of the available
effects.
The selected effect is inserted into the track’s effects bin.Experiment with the controls on the
plug-in while the music is playing back. You will hear noticeable changes to the sound.
4. Right-click on the effect in the effects bin and choose Delete to remove the effect.
Each of the effect plug-ins listed is designed to change the sound in some specific way. Here's a
quick list of some of the included plug-ins and what they're typically used for:
Compressor/Gate. This plug-in affects the loudness of the sound. It can limit how loud a sound
can get. It can also limit how soft a sound can get before it's completely turned off.
EQ. EQ can accentuate or turn down a certain frequency range in a sound. For example, if you
have an unwanted high-pitched buzz on one of your tracks, an EQ may be able to turn that high
frequency down without affecting the sound of the instrument.
Reverb. Reverb creates an artificial space. It produces echoes that are similar to the natural
echoes that happen when a sound bounces off the walls in a room.
Delay. Delay plug-ins have the ability to create an echo. However, it's typically more distinct than
that of a reverb. It makes a sound repeat, often in a rhythmic, musical manner.
These are the effects we'll be focusing on in this tutorial. However, other effects are available and
you should experiment with each one to discover how they can be used in your mixes. To get online
Help for a particular plug-in, simply click one of its controls and press the F1 key on your computer
keyboard.
Compression
While adjusting track levels in a song, you might notice that some tracks are too dynamic.
Sometimes they're too loud, other times too soft. In most modern music, the important elements in a
mix are focused in a specific volume range. This is done with a compressor.
The purpose of a compressor is to limit the dynamic range of music or sound. Compression will
make the loud parts of the signal quieter, resulting in a more or less even level. That even level can
then be increased to fit more specifically in the mix.
Many compressors have an option to allow that loud peak to remain untouched for a certain time,
which can add some “punch”.
Let's try it on the bass drum:
1. Add the Compressor plug-in to the track labeled Kick.
2. Adjust the Threshold. The Threshold value represents the dB level at which compression starts
to take place.
3. Adjust Attack. The Attack value represents the time the compressor takes to respond to an
increase in the input audio's level once the threshold level has been reached.
4. Adjust the level to the desired output volume.
This approach can be applied to any track you like. It's especially useful when trying to get vocals to
stand out in a mix.