McDSP plug-ins Intro McDSP plug-ins, www.mcdsp.com , based in Sunnyvale, California, and designed by Colin McDowell, have earned a well-deserved reputation for sonic excellence since they were first introduced in 1998. Prior to McDSP, McDowell worked at IBM, Digidesign and Dolby Laboratories. McDowell authored many Digidesign plug-ins and the original TDM multi-shell prototype, and was part of the Emmy award-winning Dolby E engineering team.
APPENDIX 12 The NextGen plug-ins (AC101, AC202, CB101, CB202, CB303, F202, P606, E606, MC202, MC303, and MC404) have new streamlined user interfaces, the same (or updated) algorithms, plus various other improvements. NextGen Features Analog Channel’s NextGen AC101 and AC202 use the same control set as the Legacy AC1 and AC2, but the attack and release time ranges have been modified to prevent excessive distortion.
McDSP plug-ins ML4000, NF575, and Revolver together with the NextGen and Classic Pack Analog Channel, CompressorBank, FilterBank, and MC2000. Compatibility McDSP v5 includes support for Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 7 along with Intel-Mac systems running Mac OS 10.5.x (Leopard), 10.6.x (Snow Leopard), 10.7.x (Lion), and 10.8.x (Mountain Lion). The AAX format is only supported in Pro Tools 10.2 and later versions, on Mac OS X 10.7.4 and later versions, and Windows 7.
APPENDIX 12 4020 Retro EQ Figure A12.1 The 4020 Retro EQ. The 4020 Retro EQ has four bands – low-frequency LF shelf, low mid–frequency LMF parametric, high mid–frequency HMF parametric, and high-frequency HF shelf – together with high-pass and low-pass filters. Other controls include Input level, Output level, and phase invert switches for each channel. What’s unique about this plug-in is that the slope (Q) of the shelving and parametric equalizers varies as the gain is adjusted.
McDSP plug-ins section frequency ranges do not completely overlap, however they are designed for the optimum range; their dynamic shape can cover in the audio spectrum. Applications Instruments Many instruments, once recorded, can sound dull, as if a blanket was thrown over the microphone. The HF section of the 4020 Retro EQ can give up to 15 dB of gain to the upper frequency range, for a nice light, bright sound.
APPENDIX 12 Figure A12.2 The 4030 Retro Compressor. side-chain input as the compression key instead of the input signal, while a Listen button switch lets you audition the signal that is being used to trigger the compressor. The 4030 Retro Compressor uses a signal dependent system to automatically adjust the various compression parameters to reduce artifact generation (a problem in all analog and digital compressors) and to colour the overall sound in a vintage style.
McDSP plug-ins Applications Vocals The signal-dependent ‘smarts’ in the 4030 Retro Compressor make it an ideal choice for vocals. The Ratio control is continuous, so that ‘just right’ compression ratio is right at your fingertips. Drums The Mix control of the 4030 Retro Compressor really shines when used on a drum bus.
APPENDIX 12 The 4040 Retro Limiter combines a look-ahead brick wall limiter function with several unique design features including analog saturation modelling, extremely low latency (just 37 samples at a 48 kHz sample rate producing less than 1 msec of latency), and McDSP’s Anti-Clip output stage topology. It has just two controls – Ceiling and Gain – with an associated Gain Reduction meter, and also has a pair of Input and Output meters.
McDSP plug-ins The 6030 Ultimate Compressor incorporates ten different McDSP-designed compressor modules. Some of these are entirely original designs while others are emulations of existing gear with unique variations created by McDSP. The Module Selector buttons on the left hand side of the screen let you select each different compression algorithm and its interface – which then appears in the Module Section on the right hand side of the screen.
APPENDIX 12 The SST76 Solid State Compressor offers aggressive compression based on a classic UK design with a McDSP-designed key circuit. The FRG444 features an even more aggressive compressor design that lets you highly compress lead vocals, drums, or guitars. The most aggressive module in the set is the D 357. This has threshold, attack, and release controls – and a crush control that lets you really compress audio hard.
McDSP plug-ins Figure A12.5 The DE555 de-esser. The DE555 de-esser uses a look-ahead design to analyze the incoming audio and automatically adjusts the compressor’s threshold to provide consistent, transparent, natural-sounding de-essing at any signal level. For example, if a portion of dialog is at −24 dB (a whisper), and later at −2 dB (a shout), the DE555 would still de-ess by the amount specified using its Range and Ratio controls.
APPENDIX 12 filter – depending on which filter you have selected. The Listen function can be enabled to let you audition the key filter output during this process to find the settings most suited for the vocal or dialog track being processed – choosing the filter type and Focus settings that work best. The second step is to apply compression just to the sibilant frequencies that you have identified – using the Range, Ratio, and Release controls and the HF Only switch in the De-Esser Section.
McDSP plug-ins that the vocal or dialog is at roughly the same level after being processed. This control is seldom needed, but can be useful occasionally. De-Breathing You can use the de-esser to soften breathing sounds if these are too loud. A vocal recording will typically include the sounds of the singer taking a breath before singing the next phrase. If these sounds are completely removed, using a noise gate, for example, the vocal will sound quite unnatural.
APPENDIX 12 The NF575 Noise Filter is a high-resolution filter set designed to remove a wide variety of noise types from audio. The NF575 Noise Filter offers much greater precision than most other filter sets available for Pro Tools using a specially designed set of algorithms for removing unwanted noise from audio with as little effect on the original audio as possible.
McDSP plug-ins stop to band-pass. If the filter frequency is then swept across its frequency control range until it corresponds to a problematic noise frequency, and if the Range control is set to a high value, this noise frequency will be boosted by the band-pass filter (instead of being cut by the band-stop filter) and will sound very loud – making the problem frequency very obvious.
APPENDIX 12 United States, and also contains harmonics of the fundamental noise frequency located at even multiples of this frequency. By linking all the notch filter frequencies to the first notch filter band, cyclical noise can be quickly removed. For example, a preset is provided that puts the notch-filter frequencies at harmonic intervals to allow removal of mains hum and its harmonics (e.g. 60, 120, 180, 240, 300 Hz). However, if the noise contains unrelated cyclical noises at various frequencies (e.
McDSP plug-ins Figure A12.8 The FutzBox. At the heart of FutzBox’s ability to mimic a variety of audio products are hundreds of SIMs included with the plug-in. The FutzBox SIM library covers a large palette of sonic footprints from a myriad of audio devices including cell phones, transistor radios, speakers, ear buds, tape machines, megaphones, and many more.
APPENDIX 12 Below the Main section there are five additional sections including a pair of high-pass and low-pass Filters, a set of Distortion controls, an EQ/Filter, a Noise Generator and a Gate. The high-pass and low-pass filters each have selectable filter slopes of 12 and 24 dB/octave and a filter resonance (Q) control. As with FilterBank, analog saturation can be simulated if the filter resonant peaks are high enough to incur signal distortion.
McDSP plug-ins Figure A12.9 Analog Channel AC101. Figure A12.10 Analog Channel AC202. The AC 202 mimics the response characteristics of analog tape machines. It lets you adjust tape playback head speeds, simulate different tape types, overbias or underbias, and (independently of playback speed) you can control lowfrequency rolloff, select different playback heads from popular tape machines, and even dial in head bump effects.
APPENDIX 12 Side-chain support and Side-chain pre-filtering (high pass, low pass and band pass, and parametric) are provided in all CompressorBank configurations. The pre-filter can also be placed in-line and applied to the compressed signal.
McDSP plug-ins CB101 Figure A12.11 CompressorBank CB101. CompressorBank CB101 has all the usual controls – threshold, compressor ratio, attack, and release. You can use different types of time constant circuits including Rel 1 (Release time Type 1 – pure peak detection), Rel 2 (Release time Type 2 – pure peak detection combined with adaptive release times), and Auto (signal levels are automatically tracked and the attack and release times are automatically set).
APPENDIX 12 CB202 Figure A12.12 CompressorBank CB202. CB202 has everything the CB101 has, and also has a pre-filter section with the following controls: Frequency controls the cut-off frequency of the pre-filter. When the high- or low-pass filters are activated, the signal level is −3 dB at the selected frequency. When the band-pass filter is activated, the signal level is 0 dB at the selected frequency.
McDSP plug-ins CB303 Figure A12.13 CompressorBank CB303. CB303 adds a static and dynamic EQ at the output stage. The user can select a fixed amount of (static) gain or a dynamic gain that tracks to the attack and release settings of the compressor. Possible effects include signal enhancement, noise reduction, and harmonic distortion. The static EQ is a normal parametric EQ. The dynamic EQ adds a positive gain or negative gain, but only when the compressor is actually compressing.
APPENDIX 12 occurring and simulate the over-driven sound of analog gear. Many of FilterBank’s features, such as the Peak-Slope-Dip shelving EQ control, remain unique, while others, such as Analog Saturation Modelling, are industry firsts. Figure A12.14 FilterBank E606 presets. The FilterBank presets are inspired by EQs such as the Neve 1084, Avalon 2055, GML 8200, Manley, and Pultec and include lots of very useful settings for use with guitars, vocals, bass, drums, and so forth.
McDSP plug-ins FilterBank E606 Figure A12.15 FilterBank E606. The E606 has a high-pass filter and a low-pass filter, each with a Freq control to set the cutoff frequency below or above which signals will be attenuated by the filter and a button that can be used to select the rate at which the signal level drops. There are two choices provided here: either a 6 dB/octave or a 12dB/octave filter slope. The E606 also has a low-shelf EQ and a high-shelf EQ, each with controls for Gain (i.e.
APPENDIX 12 Applications FilterBank’s E606 is best suited for dealing with vocal and dialog tracks. For plosive removal (reduction of the low frequency parts of speech from sounds like ‘thhh’ and ‘sssp’), use the high-pass filter, at its steepest setting (12 dB/ octave), around 80 to 120 Hz. Similar plosive reduction can be accomplished using the low shelf.
McDSP plug-ins spectrum. The width of each parametric band is controlled by the Q control. Q = 1/bandwidth, so large values of Q correspond to narrow bandwidths and small values of Q correspond to wide bandwidths. Note that when the Q control is set to its lowest setting (0.
APPENDIX 12 and a compressor is applied to each band. The two-band compressor is designated the MC202, the three-band version is the MC303, and the four-band version is the MC404. These are available in both mono and stereo versions.
McDSP plug-ins Figure A12.19 MC2000 MC303 3-band compressor. Below these displays there are two, three, or four rows of controls, depending on whether you are using the MC202, MC303, or MC404. Each row of controls has a set of meters to the right of the controls. Every MC2000 plug-in has metering for each compression band. The compression gain reduction meter is shown in orange and displays in yellow to distinguish it from the input and output meters.
APPENDIX 12 ‘master’ band. So, if you alter any of the Master controls, the corresponding controls in all the other bands are altered by the same amount and if you enable the Auto, Rel 1, or Rel 2 buttons, these will be enabled in the ‘slave’ bands. Figure A12.20 MC2000 MC404 4-band compressor. Each compression band has controls for Gain, Threshold, Compression ratio, Knee, BITE, Attack, and Release.
McDSP plug-ins The overshoot range allows the compressor to ‘miss’, or ‘overshoot’ the desired compression ratio and ultimately recover to a linear compression curve. This effect creates pumping/breathing effects found in such compressors as the Neve 33609C. The overshoot with ‘tail’ range continues the overshoot response, and adds a compression ‘tail’. This ‘tail’ reduces compression ratios for signals that greatly exceed the compression threshold.
APPENDIX 12 Figure A12.21 ML4000 ML1 mastering limiter. 3. Smart mode offers intelligent limiting that minimizes signal distortion while increasing signal levels more than the Soft mode. This is the best mode for the widest variety of material – the limiter uses input signal dynamics to produce the optimal response. 4. The Dynamic mode is louder than the Smart mode, adding a hint of compression pumping under certain conditions. 5.
McDSP plug-ins Colin McDowell’s Operational Notes The basic operation of the ML1 is fairly simple – select the desired maximum output ceiling, and then the level, or input threshold, at which signal levels start to be limited. The difference between the output ceiling and the input threshold is the maximum amount of signal increase. The ML1 uses a very small amount of look ahead (just over 1 msec, or about 50 samples at 44.
APPENDIX 12 achieving transparent results and insuring such an output ceiling is never exceeded. The ML1 was designed with this primary application in mind, and can readily suit many musical genres. Currently the ML1 does not include any dithering functionality. Pro Tools already comes with a variety of dither options, and a dither plug-in can be placed after the ML1 as required. By not placing a dithering generator in the ML1, DSP horsepower is saved.
McDSP plug-ins transients produced by the hi-hat of the drum kit. If the compressor is made to operate on the combination of these signals, the bass guitar and hi-hat will trigger different responses from the compressor, and the overall effect may not be suited to either (or both instruments). Certainly the two elements are mixed on different tracks, but will eventually be combined into a rough mix for a mastering engineer to tweak.
APPENDIX 12 Figure A12.22 ML4000 ML4 Multi-band Dynamics Processor main display. The Crossover (X Over) page also shows the IO response curves for the Gate, Expander, and Compressor in the upper part of the display area, but with the band gain sliders re-positioned to the right of each band’s IO curves. A Solo button is provided next to each band’s Gain slider. Once the Solo button is engaged, only the output of that band is heard.
McDSP plug-ins Figure A12.23 ML4000 ML4 Multi-band Dynamics Processor crossover display. controls to display – Gate, Expander, or Compressor – with a small bypass button for each processor located underneath these selector buttons. Multi-band Control Linking Controls in each band can be linked by first selecting the bands to be linked using the blue “L” on either the Main or Crossover meter page.
APPENDIX 12 Figure A12.24 Multi-band control linking. Threshold Linking Within the Multi-band Dynamics Processor itself, the Threshold controls of the Gate, Expander, and Compressor may also be linked. There is a lock icon next to the Threshold control label in each band, for the Gate, Expander, and Compressor control sections. Activating this Threshold Link lock in any band simultaneously locks together the thresholds of the Gate, Expander, and Compressor in that band.
McDSP plug-ins ML4 Applications Mastering The ML4000 ML1 and ML4 configurations are designed for mastering. However, there are several techniques discussed below that may not be apparent when attempting to maximize signal levels, or to make levels consistent between songs, in a particular project. The most common use of the ML1 and ML4 is to increase signal levels across the entire mix.
APPENDIX 12 Dynamic EQ/Signal Enhancement Continuing with the notion of the ML4 as an EQ, consider the possibilities of the multi-band expander. The expander in the ML4 can decrease or increase signal levels once they drop below a selected threshold. By using the multiband expander, a dynamic EQ can be created. For example, a breathy vocal sound could be realized by boosting low levels in the high-frequency bands.
McDSP plug-ins Vocal Dynamics Control with the Multi-band Compressor A vocal track can change dynamically in different ways at different frequencies. As the performer moves from their full voice to their falsetto and back, the frequency content of the track can also change considerably. Go to the X OVER page of the ML4 metering section and enable the IN dynamic plot mode. The signal dynamics in the input signal are apparent, and seemingly difficult to control. Enter the multi-band compressor.
APPENDIX 12 Figure A12.25 Channel G Dynamics. The Controls The Expander/Gate has Range and Threshold, Attack, Release, and Hold controls, and a continuous Ratio control to allow the most detailed edits. The Compressor/Limiter has Threshold, Attack, Release, and Gain controls. It also has a continuous ratio control along with a knee control designed to smooth the transition into the compression action. Figure A12.26 Channel G Dynamics Comp/Limiter Controls.
McDSP plug-ins The Knee control can be set from ‘Hard’ at the lowest setting, or to one of a range of ten gentler knee curves represented by numerical values ranging from 10 to 100 in increments of 10. Higher settings of the knee control include the various Modelled Compressor modes: ‘Chan’ (SSL Channel Compressor), ‘Buss’ (SSL Buss Compressor), ‘Brit’ (Neve 33609C), ‘A Soft’ and ‘A Hard’ (API 225 hard and soft modes).
APPENDIX 12 The Channel G Compressor/Limiter is one of only two compressors in the world (the other is the API 225 Compressor) that allows the user to switch between feed-forward and feedback compression. So why should feedback compression be used today? This type of compression, while susceptible to pumping or breathing effects, can be useful in addressing certain dynamic range ‘problems’.
McDSP plug-ins HF bands of the EQ also have type controls that may be used to switch the EQ type between parametric and shelf. Each band of filter and EQ can be individually bypassed by clicking on the small green indicator buttons (which go dark when in bypass). To the right of each of these, there are peak indicators for the EQ bands to show when signal levels are at maximum. A bypass button for the entire EQ section is also provided in the lower right hand corner.
APPENDIX 12 Channel G Console The Console version of the Channel G plug-in provides a combination of all the functionality offered in the G Dynamics and G Equalizer configurations. With the Dynamics button enabled, the controls for the Expander/Gate and the Comp/Limiter are presented in the window: Figure A12.28 Channel G Console Dynamics. With the Equalization button enabled, the controls for the EQ are presented in the window. Figure A12.29 Channel G Console Equalization.
McDSP plug-ins In addition to Channel G’s extensive dynamics, filtering, and equalization capabilities, there are also models of world famous mixing desks. Control calibrations are adjusted for each desk ‘mode’, allowing a user familiar with the original analog consoles to be immediately intimate with the equalizer and dynamics facilities of Channel G.
APPENDIX 12 the Channel G Compact to suit this. Channel G Compact also works nicely with the VENUE console. Channel G Compact includes a Compressor/Limiter section, a pair of high-pass and low-pass filters, separate input and output controls, and a large graphic display area. Figure A12.30 Channel G Compact. The display area shows the transfer function of both the Expander/Gate and Compressor/Limiter, and the frequency response of the Filter section.
McDSP plug-ins To the left of the meters, the Comp/Limiter section has Threshold, Attack, Release, makeup-gain, and Knee controls. Using the buttons to the left of these controls, the Compressor/Limiter can be configured to key from the original input (unfiltered), or from the side-chain input, or from the output of the two filters. Below the Comp/Limiter section you will find the high-pass (low-cut) and low-pass (high-cut) filters.
APPENDIX 12 Figure A12.32 Revolver presets. The user interface is a pleasure to use, with logical groupings of faders, easyto-read legends, a large rotary control for the reverb duration, and a bank of eight buttons arranged vertically. The bank of buttons lets you select different pages of controls. The selected controls are then displayed in the lower half of the user interface, with the wet and dry Mix controls always displayed at the left of each page. The Control Pages 1.
McDSP plug-ins 5. The Contour page lets you control the onset of the reverb and the way it decays using Attack, Hold, and Contour amount controls. 6. The X Over (crossover) page lets you control how fast the lows, mids, and highs decay. The crossover breaks the reverb into three frequency bands, and then allows the reverb tails of those bands to be decreased or increased as a percentage of the original reverb length. 7.
APPENDIX 12 smooth as when you are using analogue gear. Operation above 0 dBFS is also important. With the new HDX system, it goes well above 0dB. The new HDX cards also support DSP chip sharing, which lets McDSP plug-ins share chips with other manufacturers’ plug-ins.
