[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":691},["ShallowReactive",2],{"page:\u002Flearn\u002Feffects-and-mixing":3},{"id":4,"title":5,"article":6,"body":7,"description":683,"extension":684,"meta":685,"navigation":6,"path":686,"seo":687,"seoTitle":688,"stem":689,"__hash__":690},"pages\u002Flearn\u002Feffects-and-mixing.md","Effects & mixing: space, width and punch",true,{"type":8,"value":9,"toc":670},"minimark",[10,14,18,23,35,43,47,56,84,88,102,281,285,292,312,320,361,365,368,379,409,426,430,462,502,506,517,545,585,589,597,612,616,658],[11,12,5],"h1",{"id":13},"effects-mixing-space-width-and-punch",[15,16,17],"p",{},"A dry synth patch can sound small, like it's playing in a cupboard. Effects give it a place to live: a room, an echo, a width that spreads between your speakers. Mixing makes several sounds fit together instead of fighting. This last guide covers both, and ends with how to record what you've made.",[19,20,22],"h2",{"id":21},"where-effects-go-after-the-vca","Where effects go: after the VCA",[15,24,25,26,30,31,34],{},"Here's the first rule, and the reason for it. In a typical patch, the VCA is what makes each note stop. Put a delay or reverb ",[27,28,29],"em",{},"before"," the VCA and the VCA chops off the echoes along with the note. Put it ",[27,32,33],{},"after"," the VCA and the echoes keep ringing after the note has ended, which is the whole point of an echo.",[15,36,37,38,42],{},"So effects usually go at the end of the chain: oscillator → filter → VCA → ",[39,40,41],"strong",{},"effects"," → output.",[19,44,46],{"id":45},"delay-echoes","Delay: echoes",[15,48,49,50,55],{},"A ",[51,52,54],"a",{"href":53},"\u002Fmodules\u002Fdelay","Delay"," records the sound and plays it back a moment later.",[57,58,59,66,72,78],"ul",{},[60,61,62,65],"li",{},[39,63,64],{},"Time",": how long until the echo.",[60,67,68,71],{},[39,69,70],{},"Fdbk"," (feedback): how much of each echo is fed back in to echo again. Low is a single repeat; high is a long trail.",[60,73,74,77],{},[39,75,76],{},"Tone",": darkens each repeat, so echoes fade like they would in a real space.",[60,79,80,83],{},[39,81,82],{},"Mix",": how much echo you hear against the original (dry versus wet).",[19,85,87],{"id":86},"reverb-a-room","Reverb: a room",[15,89,49,90,94,95,98,99,101],{},[51,91,93],{"href":92},"\u002Fmodules\u002Freverb","Reverb"," simulates thousands of reflections off walls, all blurring together into a tail. ",[39,96,97],{},"Size"," sets how big the room is; ",[39,100,82],{}," sets how far away the sound seems. More reverb pushes a sound into the distance.",[103,104,108,111,227,230],"try-it",{"lesson":105,"title":106,":unpatched":107},"10-space-delay-and-reverb","Give a pluck some space","true",[15,109,110],{},"A sequenced pluck, a Delay and a Reverb, all unpatched. Build the pluck dry, then give it space:",[112,113,114,153,189,209],"ol",{},[60,115,116,117,120,121,124,125,128,129,131,132,135,136,138,139,144,145,144,149],{},"Patch the Clock's ",[39,118,119],{},"1\u002F8"," into the Sequencer's ",[39,122,123],{},"CLK",", the Sequencer's ",[39,126,127],{},"V\u002FOCT"," into the VCO's ",[39,130,127],{},", and its ",[39,133,134],{},"GATE"," into the ADSR's ",[39,137,134],{},". ",[140,141],"wire",{"from":142,"to":143},"clock.s8","seq.clock"," ",[140,146],{"from":147,"to":148},"seq.cv","vco.pitch",[140,150],{"from":151,"to":152},"seq.gate","adsr.gate",[60,154,155,156,159,160,163,164,159,166,169,170,172,173,176,177,144,181,144,185],{},"Patch the VCO's ",[39,157,158],{},"OUT"," into the VCA's ",[39,161,162],{},"IN",", the ADSR's ",[39,165,158],{},[39,167,168],{},"CV",", and the VCA's ",[39,171,158],{}," into the Output's ",[39,174,175],{},"MONO",". A short, dry pluck. ",[140,178],{"from":179,"to":180},"vco.out","vca.in",[140,182],{"from":183,"to":184},"adsr.out","vca.cv",[140,186],{"from":187,"to":188},"vca.out","out.in",[60,190,191,192,194,195,172,197,199,200,144,203,144,206],{},"Move the VCA's cable from the Output to the Delay's ",[39,193,162],{},", and patch the Delay's ",[39,196,158],{},[39,198,175],{},". Echoes. ",[140,201],{"from":187,"to":202},"delay.in",[140,204],{"from":205,"to":188},"delay.out",[207,208],"unplug",{"from":187,"to":188},[60,210,211,212,214,215,172,217,138,219,144,222,144,225],{},"Now the room: move the Delay's cable from the Output to the Reverb's ",[39,213,162],{},", and patch the Reverb's ",[39,216,158],{},[39,218,175],{},[140,220],{"from":205,"to":221},"reverb.in",[140,223],{"from":224,"to":188},"reverb.out",[207,226],{"from":205,"to":188},[15,228,229],{},"Then play with it:",[57,231,232,246,262],{},[60,233,234,235,237,238,144,243],{},"Turn each effect's ",[39,236,82],{}," down to zero, then bring it back. Listen to how much bigger the space makes the sound. ",[239,240],"turn",{"module":241,"param":242},"delay","mix",[239,244],{"module":245,"param":242},"reverb",[60,247,248,251,252,255,256,144,258,144,260],{},[39,249,250],{},"Order matters",": delay then reverb puts the echoes ",[27,253,254],{},"inside"," the room. Swap them: VCA → Reverb → Delay → Output, and hear the difference. ",[140,257],{"from":187,"to":221},[140,259],{"from":224,"to":202},[140,261],{"from":205,"to":188},[60,263,264,265,268,269,272,273,276,277],{},"Add an LFO with a small ",[39,266,267],{},"Depth"," and a slow ",[39,270,271],{},"Rate",", and patch it into the Delay's ",[39,274,275],{},"TIME",": a wobbly, tape-like warble. ",[140,278],{"from":279,"to":280},"lfo.out","delay.time",[19,282,284],{"id":283},"chorus-phaser-and-flanger","Chorus, phaser and flanger",[15,286,287,288,291],{},"These three effects all do the same basic thing: mix a sound with a ",[27,289,290],{},"moving copy"," of itself. What differs is how the copy moves.",[57,293,294,300,306],{},[60,295,296,299],{},[39,297,298],{},"Chorus",": copies that are slightly delayed and detuned, like several players playing the same part. Thick and lush.",[60,301,302,305],{},[39,303,304],{},"Phaser",": sweeping notches in the sound. A liquid \"whoosh\".",[60,307,308,311],{},[39,309,310],{},"Flanger",": a tiny delay with feedback. A jet plane.",[15,313,314,315,319],{},"The ",[51,316,318],{"href":317},"\u002Fmodules\u002Fmodfx","Mod FX"," module has all three, in stereo: its left and right copies sweep in opposite directions, which makes the sound spread wide between your speakers.",[103,321,324],{"lesson":322,"title":323},"16-chorus-phaser-flanger","Three swirls from one module",[112,325,326,342,351],{},[60,327,328,329,332,333,138,336],{},"Hold a note and switch from ",[39,330,331],{},"CHORUS"," to ",[39,334,335],{},"PHASER",[337,338],"knob",{"module":339,"param":340,"is":341},"modfx","mode","phaser",[60,343,344,345,138,348],{},"Then to ",[39,346,347],{},"FLANGER",[337,349],{"module":339,"param":340,"is":350},"flanger",[60,352,353,354,357,358],{},"Click ",[39,355,356],{},"BYP"," to hear the dry sound for comparison. ",[337,359],{"module":339,"param":360,"is":107},"bypass",[19,362,364],{"id":363},"stereo-and-sidechain","Stereo and sidechain",[15,366,367],{},"Two mixing tricks that make sounds fit together.",[15,369,370,373,374,378],{},[39,371,372],{},"Panning"," places a sound somewhere between the left and right speakers. The ",[51,375,377],{"href":376},"\u002Fmodules\u002Fpan","Stereo Pan"," module can do it by hand or sweep it automatically.",[15,380,381,384,385,389,390,393,394,396,397,400,401,404,405,408],{},[39,382,383],{},"Ducking"," turns one sound down whenever another one plays. In dance music, pads and bass duck every time the kick hits, which makes room for the kick and creates that rhythmic \"pumping\". The ",[51,386,388],{"href":387},"\u002Fmodules\u002Fduck","Ducker"," listens to its ",[39,391,392],{},"SIDE"," input: every hit there pushes the sound down by ",[39,395,267],{},", and it swells back up over ",[39,398,399],{},"Release",". Because the control comes from a ",[27,402,403],{},"different"," sound, this is called ",[39,406,407],{},"sidechaining",".",[103,410,413,416],{"lesson":411,"title":412},"27-stereo-and-sidechain","Pump and pan",[15,414,415],{},"With headphones on, listen to the pad sweep between your ears, and duck under every kick.",[57,417,418],{},[60,419,353,420,422,423],{},[39,421,356],{}," on the Ducker to hear the pad without the pumping. ",[337,424],{"module":425,"param":360,"is":107},"duck",[19,427,429],{"id":428},"a-mixing-desk-levels-pans-and-sends","A mixing desk: levels, pans and sends",[15,431,432,433,437,438,441,442,445,446,449,450,453,454,457,458,461],{},"When several sounds share a patch, a ",[51,434,436],{"href":435},"\u002Fmodules\u002Fsmix","Stereo Mixer"," is a small mixing desk. Every channel has a ",[39,439,440],{},"Level",", a ",[39,443,444],{},"Pan"," and a ",[39,447,448],{},"Send",". The send copies some of that channel to the ",[39,451,452],{},"SEND"," output. Patch that into a reverb and bring the reverb back into ",[39,455,456],{},"RETURN",", and all your sounds can share ",[27,459,460],{},"one"," reverb, each with a different amount of it. That's how studios do it, and it makes a mix sound like everything is in the same room.",[103,463,466,469],{"lesson":464,"title":465},"44-stereo-mixer-width-and-sends","Place the band",[15,467,468],{},"Headphones help.",[57,470,471,481,491],{},[60,472,473,474,476,477],{},"Swing the hats' ",[39,475,444],{}," knob while it plays. ",[239,478],{"module":479,"param":480},"smix","p3",[60,482,483,484,486,487],{},"Turn up the kick's ",[39,485,448],{},": a stadium kick. ",[337,488],{"module":479,"param":489,"above":490},"s1","0.5",[60,492,493,494,497,498],{},"Unplug the mixer's ",[39,495,496],{},"L"," from the Output and hear half the mix disappear. ",[207,499],{"from":500,"to":501},"smix.l","out.l",[19,503,505],{"id":504},"compression-punch-and-glue","Compression: punch and glue",[15,507,49,508,512,513,516],{},[51,509,511],{"href":510},"\u002Fmodules\u002Fcomp","Compressor"," turns the loud moments down so the sound is more even, then ",[39,514,515],{},"Makeup"," turns everything back up. The quiet details come forward, and a beat sounds denser and more solid.",[57,518,519,525,531,540],{},[60,520,521,524],{},[39,522,523],{},"Thresh",": anything louder than this gets turned down.",[60,526,527,530],{},[39,528,529],{},"Ratio",": by how much. 6:1 means a sound 6 dB over the threshold comes out only 1 dB over.",[60,532,533,536,537,408],{},[39,534,535],{},"Attack",": how fast it clamps down. A slower attack lets the first snap of each drum through before it grips, and that's what makes drums ",[27,538,539],{},"punch",[60,541,542,544],{},[39,543,399],{},": how fast it lets go.",[103,546,549],{"lesson":547,"title":548},"46-compressor-punch-and-glue","Make a beat hit harder",[57,550,551,560,569],{},[60,552,553,554,556,557],{},"Toggle ",[39,555,356],{}," on the Compressor on and off: flat versus punchy. ",[337,558],{"module":559,"param":360,"is":107},"comp",[60,561,562,564,565],{},[39,563,535],{}," at 1 ms: the snap disappears. ",[337,566],{"module":559,"param":567,"below":568},"attack","0.0015",[60,570,571,573,574,576,577,144,581],{},[39,572,529],{}," 20 with ",[39,575,523],{}," −40: squashed flat. ",[337,578],{"module":559,"param":579,"above":580},"ratio","19.5",[337,582],{"module":559,"param":583,"below":584},"threshold","-39",[19,586,588],{"id":587},"recording-what-you-made","Recording what you made",[15,590,591,592,596],{},"When a patch sounds good, catch it. The ",[51,593,595],{"href":594},"\u002Fmodules\u002Frec","Recorder"," captures whatever you patch into it as a stereo WAV file you can drop into any audio editor or music software. Outputs can feed several inputs at once, so it can listen to the same signal as the Output.",[103,598,601],{"lesson":599,"title":600},"48-recorder","Record your patch",[15,602,603,604,607,608,611],{},"Press ",[39,605,606],{},"RECORD",", let it play for a while, then press ",[39,609,610],{},"STOP"," and click the download link.",[19,613,615],{"id":614},"what-to-remember","What to remember",[57,617,618,625,633,638,643,649],{},[60,619,620,621,624],{},"Effects usually go ",[39,622,623],{},"after the VCA",", so their tails keep ringing when notes stop.",[60,626,627,629,630,632],{},[39,628,54],{}," repeats; ",[39,631,245],{}," places a sound in a room. The order they come in changes the sound.",[60,634,635,637],{},[39,636,284],{}," mix a sound with a moving copy of itself.",[60,639,640,642],{},[39,641,383],{}," (sidechain) turns one sound down when another plays, making room and adding pump.",[60,644,645,648],{},[39,646,647],{},"Sends"," let several sounds share one effect.",[60,650,651,654,655,657],{},[39,652,653],{},"Compression"," evens out loud and quiet; a slower ",[39,656,567],{}," keeps the punch.",[15,659,660,661,665,666,669],{},"That's the end of the guides. From here, the best teacher is the rack itself: load a ",[51,662,664],{"href":663},"\u002Fplay","factory patch",", press ",[39,667,668],{},"Explain",", and start changing things.",{"title":671,"searchDepth":672,"depth":672,"links":673},"",2,[674,675,676,677,678,679,680,681,682],{"id":21,"depth":672,"text":22},{"id":45,"depth":672,"text":46},{"id":86,"depth":672,"text":87},{"id":283,"depth":672,"text":284},{"id":363,"depth":672,"text":364},{"id":428,"depth":672,"text":429},{"id":504,"depth":672,"text":505},{"id":587,"depth":672,"text":588},{"id":614,"depth":672,"text":615},"Where effects go in a modular patch and why. Delay and reverb, chorus, phaser and flanger, stereo panning and sidechain ducking, sends and returns, compression, and recording your patch.","md",{},"\u002Flearn\u002Feffects-and-mixing",{"title":5,"description":683},"Synth effects and mixing explained — delay, reverb, chorus, sidechain and compression","learn\u002Feffects-and-mixing","rCofmYROsxzGR6YQ04XZonBWbN3vY2GbRrLdV7J_NBc",1792599838310]