Zenbeats: Sidechaining in Zenbeats 3.1

Using SC-Pump

Using SC-Pump is the fastest way to create the most used volume pumping effect with extraordinarily little effort! To get started, just load SC-Pump on an instrument or audio track.

💡 Tip: While there's no wrong way to use any effect, SC-Pump and SC-Envelope will best be utilized on audio sources with long sustaining releases, such as pad synths, leads, bass lines and more.

Setting up the Sidechain Source

By default, the sidechain source is set to Sequencer mode. In Sequencer mode, the volume ramp (or pump effect) will be triggered by the playback of the sequencer at the specified rate setting.

You can change this by tapping on the dropdown menu and selecting an Audio Track Input or MIDI Track Input. 

💡 Tip: When selecting an Audio Track Input, you can adjust the Input Threshold knob to a specified decibel level, allowing you to customize when the volume pump occurs.

Setting the Rate

The rate setting controls the frequency of the volume ramps when triggered. It can be as slow as a whole note (1 bar) or up 1/16th note frequency.

Customizing the Pump effect

You can fine tune the start time, length, and shape ramp with the three controls.

Floor and Start Attack:

You can adjust start time of the ramp by adjusting the bottom triangle or right left and right and the floor (or starting volume) by dragging up and down.

Attack Control (Slope):

You can customize the shape/slope of the volume ramp by dragging the center (round) controller left or right and up or down.

End Attack:

You can adjust the end of ramp by adjusting the top triangle left or right.

💡Tip: When adjusting any of the points, you can see the specified values in the Point Info window.

Randomization and Crossfade Time

Random Floor, Start, and End

For a more organic and musical sound, you can dial in random movements of the Attack Floor, Attack Start and Attack End. This works by adjusting the set values of each parameter above or below the current setting. The higher the percentage the more movement.

Crossfade Time:

Depending on your source material and settings, you may occasionally hear unwanted artifacts, like pops or click. You dial in additional crossfade time to cancel these artifacts out.

Using SC-Envelope

SC-Envelope is similar to SC-Pump but includes more advanced controls to build unique wave shaping effects using your choice of filter or volume modes.

💡Tip: While there's no wrong way to use any effect, SC-Pump and SC- Envelope will best be utilized on audio sources with long sustaining releases, such as pad synths, leads, bass lines and more.

Setting up the Sidechain Source

By default, the sidechain source is set to Sequencer mode. In Sequencer mode, the volume ramp (or pump effect) will be triggered by the playback of the sequencer at the specified rate setting.

You can change this by tapping on the dropdown menu and selecting an Audio Track Input or MIDI Track Input.

💡Tip: When selecting an Audio Track Input, you can adjust the Input Threshold knob to a specified decibel level, allowing you to customize when the envelope effect occurs.

Setting up the Rate and Mode

Rate:

The rate setting controls the frequency of the envelope ramps when triggered. It can be as slow as a whole note (1 bar) or up 1/16th note frequency.

Mode:

You can choose between 5 envelope modes. Volume (like Pump), followed by Low Cut 12db, Low Cut 24db, High Cut 12db and High Cut 24db

Res Base and Res Random

When in Filter Mode, you can set the resonance base of the filter with the Res Base knob, and you can have it adjust to random values from the base with the Res Random knob to create a more lively sound.

Customizing the Envelope

You can fine tune every aspect of the envelope using the controls described below.

Snap:

Snap can simply be enabled or disabled to allow you to move the envelope points in between the gridlines.

Floor and Start Attack:

You can adjust start time of the envelope by adjusting the bottom triangle or right left and right and the floor (or starting volume) by dragging up and down.

Attack Control (Slope)

You can customize the shape/slope of the volume ramp by dragging the center (round) controller left or right and up or down.

Ceiling and End Attack:

You can adjust the end of ramp by adjusting the top triangle left or right and up or down to set the ceiling value (in decibels or frequency depending on the mode selected).

 Release Start, End, and Slope

SC-Envelope also includes full control of the release of the envelope. Drag the top triangle left and right to adjust the release start time, the bottom triangle to adjust the end of the release and the center (round) point can be adjusted to change the slope of the release.

💡Tip: When adjusting any of the points, you can see the specified values in the Point Info window.

Random Amounts and Crossfade Time

Random Range (Floor), Start, and End

SC-Envelope gives you greater randomization options, starting the Random Range. Dialing in the Floor and Ceiling amounts will adjust both Attack and release floors and ceilings values per trigger.

Random Attack

You can dial random Start Attack and End Attack values separately with the Start and End knobs.

Random Release

You can dial in random Start Release and End Release values separately with the Start and End knobs below.

Crossfade Time:

Depending on your source material and settings, you may occasionally hear unwanted artifacts, like pops or clicks. You dial in additional crossfade time to cancel these artifacts out.

Using SC-Comp

SC-Comp is our new pro-level compressor with advanced features such peak and RMS mode detection, hi-pass input detection filtering and of course sidechain support!

Setting up the Input Detection

Sidechain Source

By default, the source will be set to "None", which means the input detection will be triggered by the track's audio source. If you would like the input detection to be triggered by another track's audio source, you can select it from the Sidechain menu. 

Hi-Pass Filtering

You can optionally filter out low frequencies from the input detector with the Hi Pass knob. This can be helpful if your source material has excessively low frequencies that you do not want to trigger the compressor.

💡Tip: The Hi-Pass knob only affects the incoming audio signal. Regardless of this setting, the output of the compressor will have full frequencies.

RMS Mode:

Toggling this on will switch the input detection from Peak to RMS. This will result in a smoother and more transparent sound, which is good for certain applications.

Auto Gain:

With Auto Gain engaged, the compressor will automatically try to offset gain difference between incoming and outgoing audio.

💡Tip: Use this setting with caution if using extreme compression settings as the results can be very loud!

How to make the compressor work for you

Threshold:

For any compression to occur, you must set the threshold below the incoming audio signal. The lower the threshold setting, the more compression you get. You can see how much compression (gain reduction) is being applied in the main window view

Threshold (left) and Gain Reduction (right)

Ratio and Knee

The ratio setting controls how much gain reduction is applied to the incoming audio signal. For example, if you have a ratio setting of 8:1, the compressor will only allow 1db out of 8db to pass the threshold setting.

The Knee setting will adjust how aggressive the compression will occur. A setting of 0, will result in a harder (faster) gain reduction. Turning this setting up will result in a smoother gain transition.

Attack and Release

The attack and release settings control the speed in which the compression begins and ends.

Use faster attack and release times to tame sharp transients (good for drums, aggressive vocal, sounds, etc). Slower attack times will create a more transparent and smoother effect. 

Gain (Make Up Gain)

Gain is used to offset any volume differences between the input and output signal. For example, if you are compressing a snare sound and your Gain Reduction meter is reading -6db, you should raise your output gain up by 6db to offset the gain reduction (if desired).