Plug-in Effects:
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Plug-in Effects are termed thus because they are called upon from within the host sequencing or recording software. There is usually a selection of these included with the host and there are a plethora of others available from third party companies. Whilst Plug-in Effects are available to modify MIDI data we shall concern ourselves here with the more common function of effecting audio data.
Plug-ins are incorporated or 'wired' internally in the DAW in much the same fashion as hardware effects are used in the corporeal world. These come in two distict catagories:
- INSERT FX: These are inserted directly into the signal path and effect 100% of the audio signal just like a guitar that is connected to a pedal before being connected to the amplifier. In this case a separate instance of the Plug-in must be inserted on each track and usually employed from the mixer window of the DAW.
- SEND AND RETURN: or BUS FX are created as a separate audio channel in the mixer. This allows a selectable SEND level from any audio track to be sent to the Plug-in and the combined effected output is RETURNED to the main mix. The real world analogy is an audio mixer with a send and return to an exteral FX processor. In this case only one instance of the Plug-in is required and sends from many audio tracks can be modified by the same Plug-in. The dry sounds are mixed via the main mixer window and the send level detirmines how much signal will be sent to the effects processor. The major advantage of this method is that as the computer only has to process one FX unit it greatly reduces CPU load. The other advantage is that once parramaters are set they are common to all tracks being sent to the respective Plug-in. These are almost exclusivly used for Reverb and Delay effects, all others are generally used as INSERT FX.
Lets' have a look at some commonly used Plug-in effects and suggest some possible gereral applications but there are no hard and fast rules:
- COMPRESSION: Is used in geneal to reduce the dynamic range of an audio file creating a smooth volume consistancy. Some engineers compress every track. The beginner should start with the vocals using a ratio of 2:1 and experiment with the threshold setting. Then they can move onto bass, guitar and other acousticly recorded tracks. MIDI instruments and VIrtual Instrumenst often require less or no compression, but don't let that stop you.
- LIMITING: Is like very heavy compression the peaks are limited to desired setting, often good for bass guitar.
- GATE: Works like is sounds, it is either open letting audio pass through or closed when the output is switched off. Gates are especially useful on audio tracks such as vocals where there is spill.
- MODULATION FX: Chorus, Flanger, Phaser, Rotary speaker...best to just experiment with these as inserts.
- PITCH CORRECTION: These have previously been third party plug-ins but nowadays are often included with the host software. Normally applied to mono vocal tracks, by using extreme settings they are sometimes employed as a special effect opposed to actually correcting the pitch.
- EQUALIZATION: or EQ is covered on the 'Mixing Techniques' page but sometimes specialized EQ is used as an extra plug-in in addition to that included in the DAW. For example a low-fi effect.
- REVERB: As a send/return effect is used extensively. Reverb can simulate the effect of performing in a pre-defined space such as a hall or bathroom. If a specific effect is required for only one track an insert may be activated.
- DELAY: Or simulated echo...echo...echo...is used mostly as send/return as if it is used on multiple tracks the settings will be common. If a specific effect is required for only one track an insert may be activated.
DSP based Plug-in effects:
Plug-ins that use the computer to do the processing are said to run NATIVE. There are also hardware based DSP devices that live either in or are connected to the computer that appear in the host like native plug-ins. The difference is that these use dedicated hardware to generate the effect. This frees up CPU load for other functions such as Virtual Instruments. Because they use their own processing chips they are of higher quality than many native alternatives.
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TC Electronic Powercore range offers internal and external DSP based effects processing that frees up computer resources. |
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