Steinberg Nuendo 4 Plug In Reference Manual
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31 The included effect plug-ins Metalizer The Metalizer feeds the audio signal through a variable frequency filter, with tempo sync or time modulation and feedback control. Phaser Phaser produces the well-known “swooshing” phasing effect with additional stereo enhancement. The parameters are as follows: Parameter Description Feedback The higher the value, the more “metallic” the sound. Sharpness Governs the character of the filter effect. The higher the value, the narrower the affected frequency area, produc- ing sharper sound and a more pronounced effect. Tone Governs the feedback frequency. The effect of this will be more noticeable with high Feedback settings. On button Turns filter modulation on and off. When turned off, the Metalizer will work as a static filter. Mono button When this is on, the output of the Metalizer will be in mono. Speed If tempo sync is on, this is where you specify the base note value for tempo-syncing the effect (1/1 to 1/32, straight, triplet or dotted). Note that there is no note value modifier for this effect. If tempo sync is off, the modulation speed can be set freely with the Speed knob, without sync to tempo. Tempo sync on/offThe button above the Speed knob is used to switch tempo sync on or off. The button is lit when tempo sync is on. Output Sets the overall volume. Mix Sets the level balance between the dry signal and the ef- fect. If Metalizer is used as a send effect, this should be set to maximum as you can control the dry/effect balance with the send. Parameter Description Tempo sync on/offThe button below the Rate knob is used to switch tempo sync on or off. The button is lit when tempo sync is on. Rate If tempo sync is on, this is where you specify the base note value for tempo syncing the phaser sweep (1/1 to 1/32, straight, triplet or dotted). If tempo sync is off, the sweep rate can be set freely with the Rate knob, without sync to tempo. Width The width of the modulation effect between higher and lower frequencies. Feedback This determines the character of the phaser effect. Higher settings produce a more pronounced effect. Spatial When using multi-channel audio, Spatial creates a 3-di- mensional impression by delaying modulation in each channel. Mix Sets the level balance between the dry signal and the ef- fect. If the Phaser is used as a send effect, this should be set to maximum as you can control the dry/effect balance with the send. Manual If this is activated, the phaser sweep will be static, i.e. no modulation. You can instead change the sweep position manually by turning this knob. Filter Lo/Hi These parameters allow you to roll off low and high fre- quencies of the effect signal, respectively. Side-Chain On/OffWhen this is activated, the modulation can be controlled by a signal routed to the Side-Chain input. When the side-chain signal exceeds the threshhold the modulation will be controlled by the side-chain signal’s envelope. For a description on how to set up Side-Chain routing, see the chapter “Audio effects” in the Operation Manual.
32 The included effect plug-ins Ringmodulator The Ringmodulator can produce complex, bell-like enhar- monic sounds. Ring modulators work by multiplying two audio signals. The ring modulated output contains added frequencies generated by the sum of, and the difference between, the frequencies of the two signals. The Ringmodulator has a built-in oscillator that is multi- plied with the input signal to produce the effect. Rotary The Rotary plug-in simulates the classic effect of a rotary speaker. A rotary speaker cabinet features variable speed rotating speakers to produce a swirling chorus effect, com- monly used with organs. Rotary features all the parameters associated with the real thing. The parameters are as follows: Parameter Description Oscillator LFO AmountControls how much the oscillator frequency is affected by the LFO. Oscillator Env. AmountControls how much the oscillator frequency is affected by the envelope (which is triggered by the input signal). Posi- tive and negative values can be set, with center position representing no modulation. Left of center, a loud input signal will decrease the oscillator pitch, whereas right of center the oscillator pitch will increase when fed a loud in- put. Oscillator Wave Selects the oscillator waveform; square, sine, saw or tri- angle. Oscillator Range Determines the frequency range of the oscillator in Hz. Oscillator FrequencySets the oscillator frequency +/- 2 octaves within the se- lected range. Oscillator Roll-OffCuts high frequencies in the oscillator waveform, to soften the overall sound. This is best used when harmon- ically rich waveforms are selected (e.g. square or saw). LFO Speed Sets the LFO Speed. LFO Env. AmountControls how much the input signal level – via the enve- lope generator – affects the LFO speed. Positive and negative values can be set, with center position repre- senting no modulation. Left of center, a loud input signal will slow down the LFO, whereas right of center a loud in- put signal will speed it up. LFO Waveform Selects the LFO waveform; square, sine, saw or triangle. Invert Stereo This inverts the LFO waveform for the right channel of the oscillator, which produces a wider stereo perspective for the modulation. Envelope Generator (Attack and Decay dials)The Envelope Generator section controls how the input signal is converted to envelope data, which can then be used to control oscillator pitch and LFO speed. It has two main controls: Attack sets how fast the envelope output level rises in re- sponse to a rising input signal. Decay controls how fast the envelope output level falls in response to a falling input signal. Lock L
33 The included effect plug-ins Directing MIDI to the Rotary For real-time MIDI control of the Speed parameter, MIDI must be directed to the Rotary. Whenever the Rotary has been added as an insert ef- fect (for an audio track or an FX channel), it will be avail- able on the Output Routing pop-up menu for MIDI tracks. If Rotary is selected on the “out:” menu, MIDI will be directed to the plug- in from the selected track. StudioChorus The StudioChorus plug-in is a two stage chorus effect which adds short delays to the signal and pitch modulates the delayed signals to produce a “doubling” effect. The two separate stages of chorus modulation are completely independent and are processed serially (cascaded). The parameters for each stage are as follows: Fast Fine adjustment of the high rotor Fast speed. Amp Mod High rotor amplitude modulation. Freq Mod High rotor frequency modulation. Slow Fine adjustment of the low rotor Slow speed. Fast Fine adjustment of the low rotor Fast speed. Accel Fine adjustment of the low rotor acceleration time. Amp Mod. Adjusts amplitude modulation depth. Level Adjusts overall bass level. Phase Adjusts the amount of phasing in the sound of the high rotor. Angle Sets the simulated microphone angle. 0 = mono, 180 = one mic on each side. Distance Sets the simulated microphone distance from the speaker in inches. Output Adjusts the overall output level. Mix Adjusts the mix between dry and processed signals. Parameter Description Parameter Description Tempo sync on/offThe button below the Rate knob is used to switch tempo sync on or off. The button is lit when tempo sync is on. Rate If tempo sync is on, this is where you specify the base note value for tempo syncing the chorus sweep (1/1 to 1/32, straight, triplet or dotted). If tempo sync is off, the sweep rate can be set freely with the Rate knob, without sync to tempo. Width This determines the depth of the chorus effect. Higher settings produce a more pronounced effect. Spatial This sets the stereo width of the effect. Turn clockwise for a wider stereo effect. Mix Sets the level balance between the dry signal and the ef- fect. If StudioChorus is used as a send effect, this should be set to maximum as you can control the dry/effect bal- ance with the send. Delay This parameter affects the frequency range of the modu- lation sweep, by adjusting the initial delay time. Shape This changes the shape of the modulating waveform, al- tering the character of the chorus sweep. Sine and trian- gle waveforms are available. Filter Lo/Hi These parameters allow you to roll off low and high fre- quencies of the effect signal, respectively. Side-Chain On/OffWhen this is activated, the modulation can be controlled by a signal routed to the Side-Chain input. When the side-chain signal exceeds the threshhold the modulation will be controlled by the side-chain signal’s envelope. For a description on how to set up Side-Chain routing, see the chapter “Audio effects” in the Operation Manual.
34 The included effect plug-ins Tranceformer Tranceformer is a ring modulator effect, in which the in- coming audio is ring modulated by an internal, variable fre- quency oscillator, producing new harmonics. A second oscillator can be used to modulate the frequency of the first oscillator, in sync with the Song tempo if needed. ÖNote that clicking and dragging in the display allows you to adjust the Tone and Depth parameters at the same time! Tremolo Tremolo produces amplitude (volume) modulation. Parameters are as follows: Parameter Description Waveform buttonsSets the pitch modulation waveform. Tone Sets the frequency (pitch) of the modulating oscillator (1 to 5000 Hz). Depth Governs the depth of the pitch modulation. Speed If tempo sync is on, this is where you specify the base note value for tempo-syncing the effect (1/1 to 1/32, straight, triplet or dotted). Note that there is no note value modifier for this effect. If tempo sync is off, the modula- tion speed can be set freely with the Speed knob, without sync to tempo. Tempo sync on/offThe button above the Speed knob is used to switch tempo sync on or off. The button is lit when tempo sync is on. On button Turns modulation of the pitch parameter on or off. Mono button Governs whether the output will be stereo or mono. Output Adjusts the output level of the effect. Mix Sets the level balance between the dry signal and the effect. Parameter Description Tempo sync on/offThe button below the Rate knob is used to switch tempo sync on or off. The button is lit when tempo sync is on. Rate If tempo sync is on, this is where you specify the base note value for tempo-syncing the effect (1/1 to 1/32, straight, triplet or dotted). If tempo sync is off, the modulation speed can be set freely with the Rate knob, without sync to tempo. Depth This governs the depth of the amplitude modulation. Spatial This will add a stereo effect to the modulation. Output Adjusts the output volume. Side-Chain On/OffWhen this is activated, the modulation can be controlled by a signal routed to the Side-Chain input. When the side-chain signal exceeds the threshhold the modulation will be controlled by the side-chain signal’s envelope. For a description on how to set up Side-Chain routing, see the chapter “Audio effects” in the Operation Manual.
35 The included effect plug-ins Vibrato The Vibrato plug-in produces pitch modulation. Other plug-ins This section contains descriptions of the plug-ins in the “Others” category. Bitcrusher If you’re into lo-fi sound, Bitcrusher is the effect for you. It offers the possibility of decimating and truncating the in- put audio signal by bit reduction, to get a noisy, distorted sound. You can for example make a 24-bit audio signal sound like an 8 or 4-bit signal, or even render it completely garbled and unrecognizable. The parameters are: Parameter Description Tempo sync on/offThe button below the Rate knob is used to switch tempo sync on or off. The button is lit when tempo sync is on. Rate If tempo sync is on, this is where you specify the base note value for tempo-syncing the effect (1/1 to 1/32, straight, triplet or dotted). If tempo sync is off, the modulation speed can be set freely with the Rate knob, without sync to tempo. Depth This governs the depth of the pitch modulation. Spatial This will add a stereo effect to the modulation. Side-Chain On/OffWhen this is activated, the modulation can be controlled by a signal routed to the Side-Chain input. When the side-chain signal exceeds the threshhold the modulation will be controlled by the side-chain signal’s envelope. For a description on how to set up Side-Chain routing, see the chapter “Audio effects” in the Operation Manual. Parameter Description Mode Select one of four operating modes for the Bitcrusher. Each mode will produce a result sounding a bit different. Modes I and III are nastier and noisier, while modes II and IV are more subtle. Sample Divider This sets the amount by which the audio samples are decimated. At the highest setting (65), nearly all of the in- formation describing the original audio signal will be elim- inated, turning the signal into unrecognizable noise. Depth Use this to set the desired bit resolution. A setting of 24 gives the highest audio quality, while a setting of 1 will create mostly noise. Output Governs the output level from the Bitcrusher. Drag the slider upwards to increase the level. Mix This slider regulates the balance between the output from the Bitcrusher and the original audio signal. Drag the slider upwards for a more dominant effect, and drag it down- wards if you want the original signal to be more prominent.
36 The included effect plug-ins Chopper Chopper is a combined tremolo and autopan effect. It can use different waveforms to modulate the level (tremolo) or left-right stereo position (pan), either using tempo sync or manual modulation speed settings. The parameters are as follows: Octaver This plug-in can generate two additional voices that track the pitch of the input signal one octave and two octaves below the original pitch, respectively. Octaver is best used with monophonic signals. The parameters are as follows: Parameter Description Waveform buttonsSets the modulation waveform. Depth Sets the depth of the Chopper effect. This can also be set by clicking in the graphic display. Speed If tempo sync is on, this is where you specify the base note value for tempo-syncing the effect (1/1 to 1/32, straight, triplet or dotted). Note that there is no note value modifier for this effect. If tempo sync is off, the tremolo/auto-pan speed can be set freely with the Speed knob, without sync to tempo. Tempo sync on/offThe button above the Speed knob is used to switch tempo sync on (the button lights up) or off. Stereo/Mono buttonDetermines whether the Chopper will work as an auto- panner (button set to “Stereo”) or a tremolo effect (but- ton set to “Mono”). Mix Sets the level balance between the dry signal and the ef- fect. If Chopper is used as a send effect, this should be set to maximum. Parameter Description Direct This adjusts the mix of the original signal and the gener- ated voice(s). A value of 0 means only the generated and transposed signal is heard. By raising this value, more of the original signal is heard. Octave 1 This adjust the level of the generated signal one octave below the original pitch. Set to 0 means the voice is muted. Octave 2 This adjust the level of the generated signal two octaves below the original pitch. Set to 0 means the voice is muted.
37 The included effect plug-ins Tuner This is a guitar tuner. Simply connect a guitar or other in- strument to an audio input and select the Tuner as an in- sert effect (make sure you deactivate any other effect that alters pitch, like chorus or vibrato). When the instrument is connected, proceed as follows: Play a note. The key is shown in the middle of the display. In addition, the frequency in Hz is shown in the bottom left corner and the octave range in the bottom right corner. If the key is wrong (e.g. if you wish to tune the E string and the key is shown as Fb), first tune the string so that the correct key is shown. The two arrows indicate any deviation in pitch by their position. If the pitch is flat, they will be positioned in the left half of the display, if the pitch is sharp they will be in the right half. The deviation is also shown (in Cent) in the upper area of the display. Tune the instrument so that the two arrows are in the middle. Repeat this procedure for each string. Restoration plug-ins This section contains descriptions of the plug-ins in the “Restoration” category. DeClicker The DeClicker plug-in is specifically designed to eliminate single “clicks” or “pops” in a recording. One typical appli- cation is to clean up recordings made from vinyl records, but you may also find it useful for removing pops from mi- crophone switches, oxidized connector noises, clicks from sync problems when transferring material digitally, etc. ÖNote that the DeClicker module is not optimized for crackles (a series of short clicks). However, as it is often hard to distinguish between clicks and crackles, you might also be able to use it to improve your recording in this respect. ÖIf the recording also contains background noise (hiss), you may want to combine DeClicker with the DeNoiser plug-in. How DeClicker works The DeClicker process is divided in two tasks: Analysis – when the audio signal passes through De- Clicker, the selected analysis algorithm finds the clicks in the recording. You provide input to the analysis parame- ters by selecting a Mode and the Threshold and DePlop parameters.
38 The included effect plug-ins Removal – a de-click algorithm is applied to the audio, removing the clicks. In many cases, the original audio material “hidden” underneath a click cannot be restored. This means there will be a gap once the click has been removed. DeClicker has the ability to automatically “redraw” the hence missing parts of the waveform. This feature can also be used to remove tape dropouts with a length of up to 60 samples (just above one millisecond at 44.1 kHz). The whole Declicking process can be visually monitored in the Input and Output displays of the DeClicker window (showing the incoming audio and the processed – De- Clicked – audio, respectively). This helps you adjust the parameters. Furthermore, if you activate the Audition but- ton, only the removed material will be heard (and shown in the Output display). Make sure that no low-pass filter has been applied to your audio material before you edit it with DeClicker. This may affect the detection of clicks. ParametersTips and Tricks By combining Vintage Mode and extreme Threshold and De- Plop settings, you can create an interesting effect which “soft- ens” material with particularly sharp attacks, e.g. percussion or brass. If you have material with digital distortion (clipping), try apply- ing DeClicker. While it can’t do miracles, it can at least make some improvement to the overall “hardness” introduced by the distortion. Parameter Description Audition When this is activated, only the removed material will be heard. The Output display will also show the waveform image of the removed material in this mode. Classic When this is activated, the DeClicker attempts to remove both audible clicks and crackle noise. When it’s deacti- vated, only single clicks will be removed while crackles (rapidly repeated clicks) are ignored. Which mode to choose depends on the source material. Note also that Classic mode requires less CPU power. Threshold This setting determines the amplitude (level) required for a click to be detected. In many cases, DeClicker’s sensi- tive algorithms identify a lot more clicks than you can ac- tually hear. To avoid wasting processing power to remove inaudible clicks, raise this parameter to a high value, and then lower it until all the artefacts that you actually want removed are detected. The lower the setting, the more clicks will be detected but also the higher the risk of au- dible artefacts. If in doubt, activate Audition mode and check that the removed material doesn’t contain any ac- tual musical or rhythmical information, etc. DePlop This setting controls a special highpass filter which works on signals below 150 Hz. It cuts away the “plop noise” which sometimes appears after eliminating a click. The slider adjusts the filter frequency (off–150 Hz). Note: this function is best applied to older recordings, which often use a narrow frequency range. Be careful when applying this function to modern recordings, as you may risk removing parts of the useful signal! Quality This determines the quality of the click removal and audio restoration, with “4” being the best quality setting. Please note that selecting higher quality settings also means that more processing power is consumed. Also, note that in some situations it might be more pro- ductive to use a lower Quality value. One example of this is when two clicks follow each other in quick succession or when you tackle a click in a low level part that is fol- lowed by a loud part. Mode Which Mode to select depends on the source material. Standard mode is suitable for a wide variety of source material – try this option first. Vintage mode is suitable for restoring “antique” recordings (with limited high fre- quency content), while Modern mode is best suited for contemporary recordings with a wide frequency range (putting greater emphasis on distinguishing clicks from other strong impulses in the audio material). Parameter Description
39 The included effect plug-ins DeNoiser The DeNoiser plug-in lets you suppress noise without af- fecting the general sound quality. Or, in tech talk, the De- Noiser removes broad band noise from arbitrary audio material without leaving any “spectral finger print”. The al- gorithm that this plug-in is based on has the ability to track and adjust itself to variations in background noise. This means the noise can be diminished without side effects, preserving the spatial impression, and without letting the result become “colorless”. Many years of research were invested in developing the methods used. Typical applications for the DeNoiser include cleaning or remastering recordings from old tape or vinyl, or noisy live recordings. How DeNoiser works DeNoiser is based on spectral subtraction. Each section of the frequency spectrum, that has an amplitude below the estimated noise floor, is reduced in intensity by use of a spectral expander. The result is a noise reduction that does not affect the phase of the signal. The figure below shows the signal flow: The solid line represents the actual audio signal, while the dotted lines represent control signals. The signal is continuously analyzed by the first module in the chain, to estimate the noise floor at any given time. This is sufficient when the noise level is constant or mod- ulates slowly. When the noise level varies rapidly, the Am- bience- and Transient-analysis help adjust the response of the noise reduction unit, allowing transient-rich material to maintain its liveliness and natural ambience. ÖWhen you process audio in DeNoiser, the plug-in will need a short time (less than a second) to analyze the ma- terial and set its internal parameters. Since you would not want to include this short “startup sequence” in the final result, you should make it a habit to first play back a short section of the audio, thereby letting DeNoiser “learn” the noisefloor, and then stop and start over again from the beginning. The plug-in then remembers the settings internally. The Noisefloor Display The display to the left in the DeNoiser window is crucial when making settings. It contains the following three ele- ments: The dark green spectral graph. This shows the spectrum of the audio currently being played back. The horizontal axis shows the frequency (linear scale). The low frequencies are visible on the left side, the high ones on the right side. The vertical axis shows the signal amplitudes, thus the level (displayed as a logarith- mic dB scale). The yellow line. This is a spectral estimation of the noise floor. The average of this value is shown numerically below the display. Noise Reduction Noise Floor Ambient AnalysisTransient Analysis InputOutput Level Noise Reduction Ambience
40 The included effect plug-ins The light green line. This is simply a graphic representation of the Offset parameter. The light green Offset line should be adjusted so that it ap- pears as close above the yellow noise floor graph as possi- ble. The dark green spectrum plot is there to help you fine- tune the Offset setting, so that only the noise is removed, not parts of the signal (ideally, the light green line should be between the yellow line and the spectrum plot). Parameters Using the A/B setups With the A/B buttons you can make instantaneous switches between two different DeNoiser setups, allowing you to quickly try out and compare different configura- tions. You can also use this feature for separate settings for two different sections of an audio recording. Proceed as follows:1.Make the settings you want for setup A. 2.Click on Store and then on the A button. 3.Make the settings you want for setup B. 4.Click on Store and then on the B button. Now the two setups are stored, and you can switch between them simply by clicking A or B. Grungelizer The Grungelizer adds noise and static to your recordings – kind of like listening to a radio with bad reception, or a worn and scratched vinyl record. The available parameters are as follows: Parameter Description Freeze If you activate this button, you “freeze” the noise floor de- tection process. The yellow noise floor graph in the dis- play will hold its current value (as will the numeric noise floor value display below) until you deactivate Freeze. This allows you to take a closer look at the readings. Reduction Governs the amount of noise reduction. The display above this fader shows the amount of dB by which the noise level is being reduced. The final result also depends on the Am- bience parameter, and on the automatic Ambience and Transient analysis of the original material, as described above. Ambience This parameter is used to specify a balance between the noise suppression and the amount of natural ambience, which is essential for a natural result. With a low Ambi- ence setting, the sound can become somewhat lifeless and sterile. A high setting, on the other hand, preserves more of the ambient character of the sound, but the noise suppression is less effective. Offset This parameter serves as a threshold, governing the overall level at which the noise reduction is performed. For optimal noise reduction with a minimum of sound coloration, this parameter should be set to a value slightly above the noise floor level. To help you do this, the offset value is shown as a light green line in the noisefloor display, while the noise floor is shown as a yellow line. A/B/Store These buttons are described below this table. Classic When this is activated, a less CPU-intensive version of the DeNoiser algorithm is used. Use Classic mode if you are short on processing power. However, for optimum noise suppression, we recommend that you deactivate Classic mode. Parameter Description Crackle This adds crackle to create that old vinyl record sound. The farther to the right you turn the dial, the more crackle is added. RPM switch When emulating the sound of a vinyl record, this switch lets you set the RPM (revolutions per minute) speed of the record (33/45/78 RPM). Noise This dial regulates the amount of static noise added. Distort Use this dial to add distortion. EQ Turn this dial to the right to cut off the low frequencies, and create a more hollow, lo-fi sound. AC This emulates a constant, low hum of AC current. Frequency switchThis sets the frequency of the AC current (50 or 60 Hz), and thus the pitch of the AC hum. Timeline This dial regulates the amount of overall effect. The far- ther to the right (1900) you turn this dial, the more notice- able the effect.