Virtual Mix Rack - User Manual.pages
Contents
1. The Gain Reduction Meter displays the amount of compression that is going on in the unit This value is in dB Input Output The I O controls adjust the Input and Output Gains of the unit Increasing your Input Gain will result in more compression When Input Output equals 48dB then the unit has a unity gain meaning that the signal that the output signal has the same level as the input signal Moving the Input or Output Knob while holding the Shift key will link the two controls meaning that the unit will keep an internal unity gain whatever your adjustment giving you a very useful way to adjust the compression without being biased by a level change Ratio The Ratio Buttons are used to switch between several compression ratios Attack Release The Attack and Release controls adjust the timing of the compressor On both controls 1 is the slowest position while 7 is the fastest Clicking on the Attack Knob while holding the Shift key will toggle the compression On and Off When set to Off the unit will internally bypass the compression and the compression only meaning that everything else is still processed I O Gains Transformer etc Noise Reduction The Noise Reduction Switch toggles the Noise Reduction enablement Noise Reduction is enabled by default Mix The Mix Knob is a Dry Wet control It controls the blending between the compressed and uncompressed signals It is very useful to achieve parallel compression withou2. duplicate Modules between two Rack Instances To Move Clone a Module from an instance to another just drag the Module from the first Rack view to the second Holding Opt Alt during the Drag operation will duplicate the Module instead of moving it This also works with the Library you can grab a Module from any Rack instance s Library and drop into any other Rack instance s Slot Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack 18 Using the Modules Power and Solo Modes Each Slot processing can be bypassed and soloed To bypass a Slot press the yellow Power Button in the left of the Slot Header To Solo a Slot press the S Button Slot Solo has two modes of operations 1 Simple Click on a Solo Button this will Solo this Slot and this Slot only the XOR Mode 2 Cmd Ctrl Click on a Solo Button this will add remove this Slot in the current solo group the Group Mode Module Preset System Each Slot embeds a light preset system which allows you to Save Load and Delete presets for individual Modules see Preset System section Automation Panel Default X a p For an easier handling of Automation the Virtual Mix Rack has a special panel dedicated to Automation Display You can access this panel by clicking on the Slot Letter in each Slot Header Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack 19 Automation Info Automation Name Parameter H 01 High Shelf Gain H O2 Bell 2 Frequency H
3. e Module Presets you want to install e VMR Modules Modules Bundles you want to install e VMR Plugin Formats you want to install Windows Double Click on the installer icon and follow the on screen prompts You may choose to customize your installation in Select Components rubric Choose the desired plug in directory paths those default are usually noted best and proceed Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack 12 VMR Overview Siate Degita Virtual Mix Rack The VMR Plugin is divided into three areas e On Top the Preset Bar which allow you to manage Rack Presets access to the About Panel and other additional settings e On the Left the Library where you find all your available Modules e At the Center the Slots where you add and use actual Modules Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack 13 Slots and modules There is an important difference between the Virtual Mix Rack Slots and Modules Slots e The VMR Plugin can host up to eight Slots e Slots are empty VMR spaces that load Modules e Host Automation is written to Slot Parameters not to Module Parameters see Using the Modules Slots Parameters belong to the Rack and they are the ones that are declared to your Plugin Host e Each Slot has its own header with utility and preset functions see Using the Modules e Slots can be empty in which case a blank metal plate covers it preventing it from virtual dust RATIO Modules e Modules are audio proces
4. etc gt RAM MB 8192 Page size 4096 Language Information User Lang lt FR ENG GER etc gt Region lt FR ENG GER etc gt Display Lang lt FR ENG GER etc gt Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack 34 Making the Virtual Mix Rack By Fabrice Gabriel The VMR started with two main ideas Steven had the idea of a vertical rack much like the beloved 500 series that would allow engineers to have an entire track s mix chain on the screen at once This would also allow engineers the ability to easily change the workflow of mixing making it closer to what people are used to do in analog with all the processors next to each other with all their parameters accessible at the same time And of course we wanted to create modules that would bring the sensation of analog mixing in the digital world with simplicity of use and the extraordinary sound that is scientifically analyzed and approved by extensive listening For the first idea have to say that our development team did an amazing job taking care of all the workflow details in a way that would make the Virtual Mix Rack a new experience in the digital world It needed to be fluid simple and very reactive Here the idea was to combine the straightforward aspect of analog gear mounted in a rack with all the flexibility that software can bring For the second idea we had to use all our knowledge from our past e
5. 03 Bell 2 Gain H04 Bell 1 Frequency H05 Bell 1 Gain H 06 Low Shelf Frequency H 07 Low Shelf Gain H OB High Pass Frequencv H 09 Line Gain H 10 Drive This panel displays a list of all the Automation Mappings for all the currently loaded Modules In the Automation Name column you can read the names of the parameters as they will be seen by the Host In the Parameter column you can read the names of the Module Parameters Depending on the plugin format your Rack is running the Automation Names that are exposed to the Host by the Rack can be generic like H 10 or they can be dynamically changed like H Drive Click anywhere outside the panel to dismiss it Key Commands On any Module Control Knob Switch etc e Opt Mac Alt Windows Click resets the parameter to its default value e Double Click resets the parameter to its default value e Cmd Mac Ctrl Windows Drag enters fine edition mode Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack 20 Preset System VMR Preset System The Preset System allows you to fasten your workflow by using predefined configuration If you consider the VMR System not just as a channel strip but as a complete Processing ToolBox then Presets could easily become the starting point of any of your Virtual Mix Rack Plugin instance usage Presets are divided in two Layers 1 Rack Presets handled through the top Preset Bar 2 Module Presets handled through the Preset Label w
6. exactly but then the same setting would sound incorrect on another reference piece of material It was really frustrating But with perseverance and a lot of coffee the team came through and were able to recreate the sound with such precision that a room full of pro audio engineers was unable to hear the difference in a blind A B test That was a fun day for sure The EQs are absolutely stunning can t find anything that the FG N British EQ does not sound good on It s so musical and fat and is a staple in my mixing For special effects it s fun to crank the line input while on drive mode and to slam all the bands into a distortion The FG S is a musical craftsman love doing precise cuts with it especially with its famous hi pass filter which has the magical ability to not make the frequencies above its cutoff point sound awkward like some other hi pass filters do When you make the bandwidth wide it can be really punchy on drums and transparently enhance a vocal after slamming it with some compression The FG 401 is a compressor that is made to be a swiss army knife for mixing Circuit 1 is your classic grabby VCA style compression and is perfect for modern music of all kinds Circuit 2 has a different circuit path and timing characteristic that is smoother and more transparent You can slam stuff on circuit 2 without making it sound too squashed It s amazing on bass vocals and is my go to for drum overheads The transformer on t
7. the circuit 1 and circuit 2 will be very diverse options for a variety of tracks Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack 35 For the EQs the challenge was to reproduce the feeling that you have when using an analog EQ which relies on very tiny details all which need to be taken into account This includes the way the EQ circuit saturates the structure of its bands the band interaction for the FG S the transformer for the FG N and the critical filter shapes All of this was carefully analyzed and recreated in the algorithms The FG S has a parallel topology for the two upper and two lower bands so the HF and HMF bands as well as the LF and LMF bands interact together This is a key characteristic of the FG S and make this EQ extremely musical A lot of work has been done by the team to reproduce this behavior perfectly as well as integrating the different issues that the original circuit introduces which also add to its musicality For the FG N again the work of the team has been extraordinary from the transformer behavior or the curves matching to the precise way with which the original circuit deals with saturation and harmonics In order to reproduce the legendary analog feeling of this processor all the tiniest details had to be reproduced without distinction I m very proud of the collective effort that made the Virtual Mix Rack and its modules a reality the team effort was incredible and everyone was focused on the main goal
8. FG 116 FG 401 FG N FG S Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack i S Default 1 7 a ATTACK RELEASE so N gt NOISE REDUCTION FG 116 FET COMPRESSOR FG 116 RATIO SLATE DIGITAL Virtual Mix Rack 1 0 FG N BRIT N EQ Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack 2 Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack Version 1 0 Advanced Algorithms by Fabrice Gabriel Fabrice Gabriel Plugin and Algorithm Design Steven Slate Plugin Design amp Tuning Romain Moret Project and Development Management Francois Reme DSP Development Francois Best GUI and Plugin Development Niccolo Comin GUI and Plugin Development Nicolas Lacombe GUI and Plugin Development Vincent Gautier Graphical Design and Rendering Anthony Taglianetti Quality Assurance and Beta Management Mathias Claveau Quality Assurance Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack 3 User Manual by Anthony Taglianetti Romain Moret Mathias Claveau Steven Slate amp Fabrice Gabriel Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack 4 Introduction 7 By Steven Slate 7 System Overview 9 Modular System 9 System Components 9 VMR Plugin 9 VMR Modules 9 Requirements 10 Supported Architectures 10 Rack and Module Licenses 10 Rack and Module Versions 10 Installation 11 Redeeming Your iLok License 11 Installing Virtual Mix Rack 11 VMR Overview 12 Slots and modules 13 Slots 13 Modules 13 Librarv 14 Interacting with Modules 14 Using Categorv Filters 14 Handling the Modu
9. Knob and Bell Shelf Switch Clicking on the frequency value labels will snap the Frequency Knob to the indicated value The Bell Switch toggles the Filter between a Bell and a Shelf Filter The Filter Frequency Knob controls the frequency of the High Pass Filter When set to Off the High Pass is disabled Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack 31 iLok Protection 3rd Party iLok License Transfer Fee When reselling any Slate software product there will be a 10 License Transfer Fee in order for us to process the new customer into our user database It is the responsibility of the seller to inform the buyer of this fee at the time of sale Protection Messages and Statuses The Virtual Mix Rack Plugin have two different kinds of Licenses e Rack License e Modules Modules Bundles Licenses If you don t have the Virtual Mix Rack License on your iLok then you will get this panel No iLok found Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack 32 If you have the Virtual Mix Rack License but then you don t have one specific Module s License then only this Module will be disabled in your Rack and the Information Panel will display a specific message Siate Digita Virtual Mix Rack HMF j FG S gt i po ilok four E FG N No Lic e Found oO E e ta This gorgeous sounding equalizer is modelled after one of the most classic British designs in the history of production A J This equalizer is lush fa
10. ack vour Preset doesn t exist vet Fa Auth e Clicking on the Save As Button will open the Save gi Preset Panel in which you can edit the Preset Project Information Notes Cancel Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack 22 Module Presets Default Clicking on the Preset Label area will open the Save as Preset List from which you can e Save Save As the current Preset e Delete the current Preset Default e Reset the Module to its Default State e Load a Module Preset Electric Guitar Floor Tom Hi Hat Tamer 2 Hi Hat Tamer Save preset as Clicking on the Save As Button will open the Save Preset As Panel New preset name Cancel Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack 23 A B Preset Snapshots AN Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack V SAVEAS The Virtual Mix Rack offers a simple A B System to quickly compare two Racks configurations A B Snapshots can be controlled and switched from the dedicated A B buttons The Plugin is always operating on one of the two Snapshots A or B the current Snapshot being highlighted in yellow Clicking on a Snapshot letter will switch your Rack to this Snapshot Clicking on the arrow between the two buttons will copy the current Snapshot to the other The A B Snapshots can also be assigned from the Preset menu The Default Preset Feature The Virtual Mix Rack Plugin has one additional feature which is the ability to override the Default State of the Virtual Mi
11. ain Clicking on the frequency value labels will snap the Frequency Knob to the indicated value Low Shelf The Low Shelf Band has two controls Frequency and Gain Clicking on the frequency value labels will snap the Frequency Knob to the indicated value HPF The High pass Filter Frequency Knob controls the frequency of the high pass filter When set to Off the High Pass is disabled Line Drive The Line Knob adjusts the Input Gain of the unit When the Drive Switch is enabled then the Input Gain is compensated so the level adjustment becomes a Drive control When disengaging the Drive Switch the Line Control is automatically reset to OdB This is to prevent a sudden level boost that could occur Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack FG S FILTER HF The High Filter section has three controls Frequency Knob Gain Knob and Bell Shelf Switch Clicking on the frequency value labels will snap the Frequency Knob to the indicated value The Bell Switch toggles the Filter between a Bell and a Shelf HMF The High Medium Filter section has three controls Freguencv Q and Gain Knobs Clicking on the frequencv value labels will snap the Frequency Knob to the indicated value LMF The Low Medium Filter section has three controls Frequency Q and Gain Knobs Clicking on the frequency value labels will snap the Frequency Knob to the indicated value LF The Low Filter sections has three control Frequency Knob Gain
12. ample used the top end of a famous tube EQ then used the midrange of a US EQ to add punch then some low end shelf from a classic British EQ and then finalized it with a touch of compression from a VCA compressor found it so convenient to have all the processors in one rack Years later saw something similar at NRG Recording Studios as watched my good friend Grammy award winning producer mixer Jay Baumgardner do a mix noticed on several tracks he had combined multiple pieces of gear to craft the final sound On one vocal track he had the top end of a famous tube EQ the midrange and lows of a British console EQ and then two different compressors combined all in a hybrid manner found it really clever how he used all the unique aspects of each processor In the analog world the need for multiple processors in one easy to use rack became extremely popular with the now industry standard 500 series When started using 500 series racks was delighted to be able to get my processing done so much more fast and efficiently knew that if we could recreate this in plugin form with precise analog modeling we d have a hit So in 2012 drew a picture on a piece of paper and showed it to Fabrice I love it Let s do it he said Little did know what a complex world we d be getting into The Rack structure itself is a work of art with the Slate Digital development team doing a fantastic job on creating a rack that has innova
13. ck that is also under version X and vice versa It means that if you install a Module or a Bundle with version 3 2 then you will need to update both vour VMR Rack Plugin and all the VMR Modules vou have on vour svstem to version 3 2 in order to get evervone working together Vou can have a quick look to all vour components version in the About Panel see About Panel section Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack 11 Installation Redeeming Your iLok License Before downloading the iLok License for Virtual Mix Rack or any Module or Bundle of Modules you will need to install the latest iLok License Manager You can download the latest installers here In order to download your iLok license to your iLok 2 dongle please visit the link that was given to you in your email receipt and enter the required info including the issued passcode This will unlock your iLok Activation Code 1 Launch the iLok License Manager and sign in to your iLok account Click this button in the upper right corner of the window Enter your Activation Code and click Next Select your iLok 2 Dongle from the Activation Location dialog and click Activate You ll receive a confirmation message when the license is moved to your iLok 2 Dongle a OP Installing Virtual Mix Rack Mac Double Click on the installer icon and follow the on screen prompts You may choose to customize your installation by clicking the Customize button to select in particular
14. he 401 is inspired by several designs but customized it by ear and it adds some beautiful depth and harmonic spark to liven up the source track In conclusion the Virtual Mix Rack has revolutionized the way mix in the box Combined with our other analog modeled processors I m getting the best sounding mixes of my life and having more fun hope you find the same enjoyment Happy mixing Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack 9 System Overview Modular System Slate Digital VMR System is a modular architecture that allows the use of processing units the Modules within a Rack Platform the Virtual Mix Rack Plugin In the VMR System Architecture the Rack and the Modules are independent They both reside on the system as two separate binary sets This offers a more flexible way of adding new modules in the Virtual Mix Rack ecosystem without having to systematically update the entire set of existing modules This separation also allows an easier and more powerful way to deal with iLok licenses Each Module is associated to its own license some of them are gathered into Bundles some others are using the same license as the Virtual Mix Rack Plugin itself etc System Components The VMR Platform is made of two components 1 The Virtual Mix Rack Plugin 2 The Virtual Mix Rack Modules VMR Plugin The Virtual Mix Rack Plugin is the corner stone of the VMR System It is the actual plugin you insert in the host Within this plugin you ca
15. ithin each Slot Rack and Module Preset Systems are independent A Rack Preset contains all the Slots and Modules configuration but it doesn t store which Preset has been used in which Slot to avoid unnecessary synchronization mismatches Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack 21 Rack Presets Guiter Acoustic Guitar Shimmery Bass Drums Clicking on the Preset Label area will open the Guitar he D L Vocals 4 Airy Vocals 2 Preset List FG N em c kw e The Main Menu displays the Banks reco OUD pecking 27 e The Sub Menus display the Presets Pop Vocals ba Vocals 1 16 3 2 0 Si g as Vocals 2 Te 48 b Vocals 3 36 72 gt Warm Vocals n Vocais Warm Vocals Clicking on the Menu Icon on the left will open the EE Preset Menu from which vou can Rename Bank e Rename Delete the current Bank Delete Bank Export Bank e Import Export Bank as ebf files cor ie e Visualize and Edit Preset Information Bee E ceca e Rename Delete the current Preset Preset information e Reload the current Preset in Snapshot A or B terete throne Delete Preset Reload preset in slot Clicking on the arrows on the right will navigate through the Presets and Banks Slate Digital AN Virtual Mix Rack VY I SAVEAS Save as e Clicking on the Save Button will update your Bank Slate Digital current Preset or do the same as Save As if I Preset Name Virtual Mix R
16. les 15 Adding Modules 15 Moving Modules 15 Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack 5 Duplicating Modules 16 Removing Modules 16 Moving Cloning Modules between Rack Instances 17 Using the Modules 18 Power and Solo Modes 18 Module Preset System 18 Automation Panel 18 Key Commands 19 Preset System 20 VMR Preset System 20 Rack Presets 21 Module Presets 22 A B Preset Snapshots 23 The Default Preset Feature 23 Misc Features 24 Rotary Knob Mode 24 About Panel 24 Virtual Mix Rack Modules 25 Bundled with the VMR Plugin 25 The Mix Bundle 25 Revival 26 FG 116 27 FG 401 28 FG N 29 FG S 30 Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack 6 iLok Protection 31 3rd Party iLok License Transfer Fee 31 Protection Messages and Statuses 31 Contacting Support 33 User System and Hardware Information Log 33 Making the Virtual Mix Rack 34 Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack 7 Introduction By Steven Slate It s brings me such joy to introduce you to the Virtual Mix Rack This is a processor that everyone at Slate is so proud of and hope that once you put it into use on your mixes you ll understand why The concept of the Virtual Mix Rack actually started years ago when began to record my first drum samples had a rack of gear all wired into each other that would process my drum mics What found was that always loved combining different gear because preferred to blend the best parts of each one For instance remember for a particular snare s
17. n load use move and remove Modules VMR Modules VMR Modules are just like small plugins In fact they are plugins except that they are living in a plugin format that only the VMR Rack can interpret and use From the VMR System perspective the Virtual Mix Rack Plugin is the host and the VMR Modules are the modular processing units Modules can be of any kind dynamic processing EQs delays reverbs mixing utilities mastering units metering etc Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack 10 Requirements Supported Architectures Windows e Windows Vista 7 8 8 1 or higher 32 and 64 bit e Plugin Formats VST2 VST3 AAX 32 and 64 bit RTAS 32 bit only Mac e Intel Processor e Mac OS X 10 7 or higher e Plugin Formats VST2 VST3 AudioUnit AAX 32 and 64 bit RTAS 32 bit only Rack and Module Licenses Due to the Modular architecture of the Virtual Mix Rack Plugin you will need multiple licenses to get your VMR System up and running e The VMR Rack License itself activates the Rack and the free Modules Revival etc e Modules Modules Bundles Licenses for instance the Mix Bundle License Bundle contains licenses for FG 116 FG 401 FG N and FG S Those four licenses are included in the Mix Bundle and cannot be separated See the ilok Protection section for more information Rack and Module Versions There is an important thing to know about the VMR System a Module under version X will only work within a Ra
18. o create more complex filters Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack 15 Handling the Modules Adding Modules There are two ways of adding Modules 1 By double clicking on the Module s Thumbnail in the Library 2 By Dragging the Module s Thumbnail from the Library and dropping it into a Rack Slot Moving Modules To Move a Module grab it by its panel and start moving it around The Rack processing sequence is updated during the drag operation both visually and sonically the audio path follows what s happening visually in real time Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack 16 Duplicating Modules To duplicate a Module Drag n Drop it while holding the Opt Alt key More generally as long as the Opt Alt key is pressed during a Drag n Drop operation then the dragged Module will be a clone of the original one Removing Modules There are two ways of removing Modules and Slots 1 By clicking on the X icon in the Slot Header this will remove the entire Slot with the Module that is inside note the Rack will always have a minimum number of visible Slots so when removing a Module you can potentially end up with an empty Slot 2 By dragging the Slot and dropping it outside of the Rack Then the Slot is displaying a trash icon as shown below Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack 17 Moving Cloning Modules between Rack Instances This is one of the nice feature of the VMR from a workflow perspective you can add move and
19. opment Management DSP Development GUI and Plugin Development GUI and Plugin Development GUI and Plugin Development Graphical Design and Rendering Quality Assurance and Beta Management Module FG 116 FG 401 FG N FG S Revival Version 1 0 4 1 1 0 4 1 1 0 4 1 1 0 4 1 1 0 4 1 e Clicking on the Slate Digital logo will redirect you to the Slate Digital Website e Clicking on the Virtual Mix Rack Label will open this User Manual e Left Clicking on the Version Number Label will toggle between build information e Right Clicking on the Version Number Label will open a quick support Menu e The Module Version Table displays useful information about all the installed Modules their Names Versions and Statuses Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack 25 Virtual Mix Rack Modules Bundled with the VMR Plugin The Mix Bundle Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack 26 Revival VU Meter The VU Meter displays the level of the signal that is going out of the unit The meter is calibrated to display OVU when being fed by a 1kHz sine wave with a RMS level of 15dBFS Shimmer and Thickness The Shimmer is playing with the high end or the signal It can be used to add air brightness and clarity without harshness The Thickness Control acts on the low end it will fatten just about anything up THICKNESS Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack FG 116 NOISE REDUCTION FG 116 FET COMPRESSOR GR Meter
20. providing the best experience of analog feeling in the digital world
21. sing units that are loaded into an empty Slot e Module Parameters are automatically mapped to Slot Parameters e Module Parameters are automateable only via Slot NOISE Parameters REDUCTION FG 116 FET COMPRESSOR Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack 14 Library Interacting with Modules The Library displays all the Modules that are installed on your system and provides you some information about them The Library Filter feature also allows to filter the Modules depending on their processing category The Library is a good place to get quick information about a Module such as e Module Status has a license been found for this Module eModule Category Dynamics EQ Harmonics etc eQuick description for each Module The small Info icon below each Module name in the Library indicates the module status Clicking on this icon will display a small popup that unveils more info FG N This gorgeous sounding equalizer is modelled after one of the most classic British designs in the history of production This equalizer is lush fat and bold It sounds great on everything from drums to vocals and can even add the perfect saturation to synth and electronic tracks Using Category Filters You can use Category Filters to quickly search the VMR Module Library Clicking on a filter will enable or disable it Clicking on a filter while holding the Cmd Ctrl key will add it to the current filtering group allowing you t
22. t and bold It sounds great on z everything from drums to vocals and can even add the perfect saturation to synth and electronic tracks ra er a a er ee Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack 33 Contacting Support All technical support inquiries must be logged through our help desk for attention Please login to your help desk account at Slate Digital Support Click Ask A Question and choose the respective category relevant to your product query And be sure to include the information log within the ticket comments or as an attachment User System and Hardware Information Log e Open the About panel e Right click on the version number to open a menu Copy plug in info to clipboard click it e Open a text editor an e mail or a support ticket and paste Example of information displayed Plugin amp Host Information Version lt version number gt 64 bit Build lt build number gt lt date gt lt time gt Format lt VST AudioUnit RTAS AAX gt Host lt DAW name gt OS Information Name lt operating system name and version gt 64 bit yes Hardware Information CPU Unknown Num cores per cpu 4 Num cores total 16 Speed 2400 MHz Max Cache 12582912 bytes CPU Flags lt mnx SSe sse2 sse3 ssse3 sse4 1 sse4 2
23. t any additional routing required Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack FG 401 60 0 THRESHOLD FAST TRANSFORMER FG 401 VCA COMPRESSOR CIRCUIT GR Meter The Gain Reduction Meter displays the amount of compression that is going on in the unit This value is in dB Threshold The Threshold Knob adjusts the Threshold of the compression stage The lower the Threshold in dB the more compression you get Ratio The Ratio Knob adjusts the slope of the compression curve Attack Release The Attack and Release controls adjust the timing of the compressor Both controls have six positions from the fastest to the slowest Make Up The Make Up Knob adjusts the output gain of the unit It goes from 24dB to 24cB Mix The Mix Knob is a Dry Wet control It controls the blending between the compressed and uncompressed signals It is very useful to achieve parallel compression without any additional routing required Transformer The Transformer Switch toggles the Transformer enablement Circuit The Circuit Buttons toggles the compressor s processing between two different circuits Circuit 1 is punchier and more dynamic Circuit 2 is more transparent and gives more space to the bass Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack FG N BRIT N EQ High Shelf The High Shelf has only one Gain Control This band operates at a fixed frequency EQ Bands 1 and 2 The EQ Bands have two controls Frequency and G
24. tive concepts in its workflow The graphical elements and ability to arrange the processors uniquely to the engineer s demands is fantastic The rack works exactly as you d want it to and it provides the exact same creativity as the analog version does but with even more versatility And then there is the analog modeling All can say is that these five processors have been the most challenging in our history with special attention to the FG 116 which models the classic American FET compressor In case you re unaware of how we model analog processors it starts with an examination of the schematic and then leads to an extensive testing of the actual gear which then leads to initial algorithm modules created by Fabrice and the DSP team These complex modules represent all the aspects of the gear For instance a transformer can have Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack 8 several modules that correspond to how this component affects the sound of the audio It is then up to me to tweak these modules and send notes back to Fabrice and the DSP team if there are changes that need to be made This back and forth process can happen many dozens of times Because of the complexity of the FG 116 where every parameter affects all other parameters such as how the gain reduction affects timing output level affects transformer response it becomes extremely difficult to match the analog gear Often I d be able to match one piece of reference material
25. x Rack upon instantiation Clicking on the Default Preset icon in the Preset Bar will open the following menu x Set Current As Default Restore Factory As Default Reset To Default _ In this Menu e Set Current As Default will overwrite the default Modules configuration with the current Rack configuration e Restore Factory As default will overwrite the Modules configuration with the Factory Default an empty Rack e Reset To Default will reset the current Rack instance to the current Default Preset Slate Digital Virtual Mix Rack 24 Misc Features Rotarv Knob Mode A O Clicking on the Rotary Knob Mode icon in the Preset Bar toggles the Knob Mode between Linear and Rotary In Linear Mode the Knobs follow horizontal and vertical mouse moves In Rotary Mode the Knobs follow circular mouse moves pretty useful on touch devices The icon is highlighted in yellow when the Knobs are in Rotary Mode Note fine adjustments Cmd Ctrl Drag are also available in Rotary Knob Mode About Panel Clicking on the Slate Digital Logo in the Preset Bar opens the About Panel ja O SLATE DIGITAL Virtual Mix Rack Version 1 0 4 1 64 bit Fabrice Gabriel Steven Slate Romain Moret Francois Reme Francois Best Niccolo Comin Nicolas Lacombe Vincent Gautier Anthony Taglianetti In this Panel Plugin and Algorithm Design Plugin Design and Tuning Project and Devel
26. xperiences and bring it even further Because the VMR is intended to be used in mixing situations not only it has to sound perfect but it also has to be very CPU efficient The sonic characteristics of each processor took an incredible amount of effort Starting with the compressors the complexity of the FET compressor the FG 116 circuit s behavior has been inspired from has been very carefully reproduced There are many aspects that make the sound of this processor special the capacitors coupling their charging discharging behavior the feedback circuit structure and of course all the saturation and transformer aspects It was definitely the hardest processor to make right because of its highly level dependent reactions in all aspects And the original is so legendary that we didn t want to miss any aspect of it After so many hours of fine tuning algo tweaking and listening sessions we now have a beautiful compressor that replicates the snappiness of the original its raw dynamics its saturation and bass warmth and its very specific timing behavior We developed the FG 401 with the intentions of being one of these classic compressors that can be used in many different situations that s why it has several settings We initially modeled it from several VCA designs but then gave it some modifications that allows it to be more versatile by adding new sonic options Here it was very interesting to get creative and that s why
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