MDT TM Multiband Dynamics Toolª for TDM UserÕs Manual v 4.4 MDT UserÕs Manual i MDT ­ Multiband Dynamics ToolTM © 1999 Antares Audio Technologies All Rights Reserved Antares Audio Technologies 464 Monterey Ave, 2nd Floor Los Gatos, CA, 95030 (408) 399-0008, (888) 332-2636 web: www.antaresTech.com MDT Ð Multiband Dynamics Tool software and this user manual are protected by copyright law. Making copies, adaptations, or derivative works without prior written authorization of Antares Audio Technologies, is prohibited by law and constitutes a punishable violation of the law. Antares Audio Technologies retains all ownership rights to the MDT software and other software offered by Antares Audio Technologies and their documentation. Use of MDT is limited by the license agreement printed on the envelope containing your original diskette. All trademarks are the property of their respective holders. MDT License Agreement Carefully read all the terms and conditions of this license agreement. If you do not agree with the terms and conditions of this Agreement, notifying Antares Audio Technologies and destroying all copies of the manual, and erasing MDT from all machine-readable media, whether on-line or on archival copies. Software License Agreement Antares Audio Technologies grants you a non-transferable, non-exclusive license to use MDT, under the terms and conditions stated in this agreement. Use of MDT indicates your agreement to the following terms and conditions. License You may: 1. use MDT on only one computer at a time; 2. physically transfer the program from one computer to another, provided that the program is used on only one computer at a time. You may not: 1. make copies of MDT or of the user manual in whole or in part except as expressly provided for in this agreement. Your right to copy MDT and the user manual is lim- ii MDT UserÕs Manual 2. 3. ited by copyright law. Making copies, verbal or media translations, adaptations, derivative works, or telecommunication data transmission of MDT without prior written authorization of Antares Audio Technologies, is prohibited by law and constitutes a punishable violation of the law. make alteration or modifications to MDT (or any copy) or disassemble or de-compile MDT (or any copy), or attempt to discover the source code of MDT. sub license, lease, lend, rent, or grant other rights in all or any portion of MDT (or any copy) to others. Term of the Agreement This agreement is effective until terminated by you or Antares Audio Technologies. You may terminate the agreement at any time by notifying Antares Audio Technologies and destroying all copies of the manual, and erasing MDT from all machine-readable media, whether on-line or on archival copies. In the event of breach of any of the terms of this agreement, you shall pay the attorney's fees of Antares Audio Technologies that are reasonably necessary to enforce the agreement plus resulting damages. Limited Warranty and Disclaimer MDT AND ACCOMPANYING MATERIALS ARE PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY AND FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. Antares Audio Technologies does not warrant that the functions contained in the program will meet your requirements. The entire risk as to the use, quality, and performance of MDT is with you. Antares Audio Technologies warrants the diskettes on which the program is furnished to be free from defects in materials and workmanship under normal use for a period of ninety (90) days from the day of delivery to you as evidenced by a copy of your receipt. AnTares System's entire liability and your exclusive remedy as to the diskettes will be the replacement of the diskettes. SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW LIMITATIONS ON HOW LONG AN IMPLIED WARRANTY LASTS, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. THIS WARRANTY GIVES YOU SPECIFIC LEGAL RIGHTS. YOU MAY ALSO HAVE OTHER RIGHTS WHICH VARY FROM JURISDICTION TO JURISDICTION. Limitation of Liability IN NO EVENT WILL ANTARES AUDIO TECHNOLOGIES BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES, INCLUDING LOSS OF DATA, LOST PROFITS OR OTHER SPECIAL, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR INDIRECT DAMAGES ARISING FROM THE USE OF MDT OR ACCOMPANYING MATERIALS. THIS LIMITATION WILL APPLY EVEN IF ANTARES AUDIO TECHNOLOGIES OR ITS AUTHORIZED AGENT HAS BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGE. YOU ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THE LICENSE FEE REFLECTS THIS ALLOCATION OF RISK. SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION OF LIABILITY FOR INCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, SO THE ABOVE LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. MDT UserÕs Manual iii Welcome! I would like to extend my congratulations to you on purchasing the most powerful dynamics processing tool available. With your purchase of MDT, you have created a relationship with my company which I hope will be long and gratifying. As a registered user of MDT, you are entitled to notiÞcation of software upgrades, technical support, and to special introductory offers on upcoming products. We will be in contact with you to announce new opportunities and to solicit your feedback. At Antares Audio Technologies, we are committed to excellence in service, quality, and technology innovation. You can count on us to listen to you and to keep our promises to you. Andy Hildebrand, Ph.D. andy@antaresTech.com iv MDT UserÕs Manual Table of Contents Table of Contents Welcome! Table of Contents CHAPTER 1 iv v 9 9 10 10 10 11 11 11 13 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 21 22 22 23 Getting Started How To Use This Manual For Those Who Hate To Read Manuals... The Contents Of The Manual Software Notes Owner Registration Installing MDT Technical Support CHAPTER 2 Introducing MDT Understanding Compression Ratio And Threshold MDT As A Compressor The In/Out Grid "Soft Knee" Compressor "Tube" Compander Attack And Release Times MDT In The TDM Environment CHAPTER 3 MDT Tutorial Lesson 1: MDT Basics About DSP Plug-ins The Peak Level Indicator The I/O Curve MDT UserÕs Manual v The In/Out Grid The Input Offset Arrows The Setting Menu 25 27 28 30 30 31 34 36 36 37 38 39 39 40 40 42 42 43 45 45 46 47 48 49 51 51 53 53 53 54 54 55 Lesson 2: Single Band Applications Compressor Attack and Release Times Expander/Gate ÒTubeÓ Compander Example 1: "Soft Knee" comp/gate Example 2: "tube" comp/gate Example 3: Full mix Lesson 3: Multiband Applications Multiband Peak Level Indicators The Filter Modes Multiband Compressor Managing Tonal Balance In Multiband Mode What is the Tonal Balance Problem? How To Achieve Tonal Balance MDT As A Spectral Enhancer De-esser Spectral Enhancer Dynamic EQ Lesson 4: Clip Sentry Lesson 5: Using Automation New Possibilities Inverted Gain Curves CHAPTER 4 MDT Reference Attack Slider Automation Bypass Button Clip Sentry Button Clip Sentry Buf Len (mS) slider vi MDT UserÕs Manual Table of Contents Clip Sentry Release (mS) slider Clipping Indicator Control Surface Support Delay Window Filter Mode Menu Flat Button Gain Slider Input Offset Arrows In/Out Display In/Out Grid Release Slider Reset Button Setting Menu TDM Settings and the Compare Button Thresholds And Terminators Variable Button CHAPTER 5 55 55 56 56 56 58 58 58 59 59 61 61 61 62 63 63 65 65 68 68 70 71 72 Theory of Operation The Gain Adjust Algorithm The ÒFull BandÓ Filter Mode The ÒStandardÓ Filter Modes The ÒAPÓ Filter Modes Clip Sentry Stereo Sound Processing MDT UserÕs Manual vii viii MDT UserÕs Manual CHAPTER 1 Getting Started The Multiband Dynamics Tool is a unique DSP plug-in for DigidesignÕsª TDM system that provides unprecedented control over the dynamics of your recordings. Unlike existing dynamics processors, MDT allows the sound to be shaped interactively, giving you creative possibilities never before available. MDT can create compressors, limiters, expanders, downward expander/ gates, Òsoft kneeÓ compressor/limiters, ÒtubeÓ companders, or any combination of these. In multiband mode, MDT can create de-essers, spectral enhancers, and dynamic EQs, as well as compressors, and expanders that suppress the effects of artifacts like ÒbreathingÓ and ÒpumpingÓ. MDT replaces expensive digital dynamics processors in applications like mastering, track sweetening, sound effects, sample editing, or any other application where high end digital dynamics processing is needed. How To Use This Manual MDT has a transparent user interface and is extraordinarily easy to use. However, the operation of MDT and some functions of the user interface will not be immediately obvious because they do things which have never been done before. We strongly recommend that you read chapters 2 and 3 of the manual to take full advantage of the quality and control that MDT makes possible. We assume that you already know how to operate ProTools and TDM. If you have questions about this, refer to your ProTools manual or call Digidesign for technical support. MDT UserÕs Manual 9 Getting Started For Those Who Hate To Read ManualsÉ We strongly recommend that you work your way through the MDT Tutorial in Chapter 3. It doesnÕt take very long and the work will pay for itself many times over. If you canÕt bring yourself to go through the tutorial, we recommend that you keep the manual nearby as you work with MDT. When something puzzling comes up, you can look it up in the Index. The Contents Of The Manual Chapter 1: Getting Started This chapter explains everything about installing MDT, communicating with Antares Audio Technologies, and using the manual. Chapter 2: Introducing MDT This chapter explains the scope of MDTÕs functions. Basic concepts about dynamics processing are also covered. The user interface is explained. Chapter 3: MDT Tutorial The MDT Tutorial guides you through a step by step process which shows you how to use MDT in various single band and multiband applications. We recommend this chapter as ÒmustÓ reading for everyone. Chapter 4: MDT Reference This chapter explains every object and function in MDT. Items are organized in alphabetical order by name. Chapter 5: Theory of Operation This chapter explains, in technical terms, how MDT works. Software Notes MDT 4.0t is a Digidesign TDM compatible plug-in. It runs with ProTools version 3.2 or greater with TDM installed or any other system capable of running TDM plug-ins. 10 MDT UserÕs Manual Owner Registration Owner Registration Your purchase of MDT entitles you to technical support, special introductory offers on new products from Antares Audio Technologies, and notiÞcation of software updates. Software updates will be published as the program evolves. Please Þll out and return the Owner Registration Card. The information on the card will allow us to communicate more effectively with you and will enable us to serve you better in the future. Installing MDT To install MDT, double click the installer icon. Information about the authorization process call be found in the installed read-me Þle. Technical Support If you have some problem using MDT that canÕt be solved by reading the manual, call technical support at (888) 332-2636, or (408) 399-0008 Monday through Friday between 9 AM to 5 PM PaciÞc Standard Time. Also, you might Þnd what you want at our web page: www.antaresTech.com You can also e-mail: techsupport@antaresTech.com MDT UserÕs Manual 11 Getting Started 12 MDT UserÕs Manual CHAPTER 2 Introducing MDT MDT is a breakthrough among with dynamics processors. It puts your hands on the dials and levers of the DSP process itself, letting you shape the results in ways never available before. Access to this new level of ßexibility and control is achieved by shifting the way you think about how compression and expansion work. This chapter introduces MDTÕs operating paradigm and gives the information needed to use it effectively. Understanding Compression Next to reverb, compression is probably the most important signal process used in todayÕs studios. Simply put, compression reduces the dynamic range of a signal. That is, it reduces the difference in loudness between the loudest and quietest parts of a piece of music. Another way to think about this is that the compressor is acting as an automatic fader which fades down when the music gets loud and fades back up when the music gets soft. Why reduce the dynamic range? Consider mixing a vocal into a pop music bed. Typically, pop music has a relatively consistent level of loudness. If an uncompressed vocal track is added to a typical pop mix, certain loudly sung words or syllables would be very obtrusive, while quieter phrases would be buried underneath the instrumental texture. This is because the difference between the loudest and softest sounds in the vocal, its dynamic range, is very large. This same problem occurs for any instrument which had a dynamic range larger than the music bed into which it is being mixed. By using a compressor to d ...