Blackmagic ATEM Television Studio HD User Manual Switching with ATEM Software Control

The switcher window is the main control interface for the switcher. During live production, the switcher window can be used to select sources and take them to air.

You can select the transition style, manage upstream/downstream keyers and turn on/off the fade to black. The palettes on the right hand side of the interface are where you adjust transition settings including transition rates, adjust color generators, control media players, and adjust the upstream and downstream keyers as well as control fade to black rate.

Mouse or Trackpad Operation

The virtual buttons, sliders and fader bar on the Software Control Panel are operated using your computer mouse or trackpad if you’re using a laptop.

To activate a button, click once with the left mouse button. To activate a slider, click and hold down the left mouse button while dragging. Similarly, to control the fader bar, click and hold down the left mouse button on the fader bar handle and drag up or down.

Using Keyboard Hot Keys

Hot keys can be used allowing convenient control of some switcher functions using a standard QWERTY keyboard as shown in the following table:

More information on how to use the switcher control panel is included in the next sections.

Mix Effects

The Mix Effects block of the switcher tab contains all the source select buttons for the program and preview buses, allowing external inputs or internal sources to be selected for next transition previewing or switching to air.

Mix effects panel on ATEM Television Studio HD8

Program Bus Source Select Buttons

The program bus source select buttons are used to hot switch background sources to the program output. The source currently on air is indicated by a button that is illuminated red.

Preview Bus Source Select Buttons

The preview bus source select buttons are used to select a background source on the preview output, this source is sent to the program bus when the next transition occurs. The currently selected preview source is indicated by a button that is illuminated green.

The source select buttons for the Program bus match the Preview bus.

Transition Control and Upstream Keyers

CUT

The CUT button performs an immediate transition of the program and preview outputs, overriding the selected transition style.

AUTO/RATE

The AUTO button will perform the selected transition at the rate specified in the ‘rate’ display. The transition rate for each transition style is set in the transition palette for that style and is displayed in the ‘rate’ window of the transition control block when the corresponding transition style button is selected.

The AUTO button illuminates red for the duration of the transition and the ‘rate’ display updates to indicate the number of frames remaining as the transition progresses. The fader bar indicator on ATEM Television Studio HD8 updates to provide visual feedback on the progress of the transition.

Fader Bar

The fader bar is used as an alternative to the AUTO button and allows the operator to manually control the transition with a mouse. The AUTO button illuminates red for the duration of the transition and the ‘rate’ display updates to indicate the number of frames remaining as the transition progresses. The fader bar Indicator on the switcher updates to provide visual feedback on the progress of the transition.

Transition Style

The transition style buttons allow the operator to select one of five types of transitions; mix, dip, wipe, DVE, and stinger. The selected transition style is indicated by a yellow illuminated button. Selection of these buttons will be reflected by the corresponding tab in the Transitions processing palette. For example, when you have the transitions processing palette open and click on ‘wipe’, the palette will automatically reveal the ‘wipe’ tab so you can make adjustments to the transition such as duration or pattern style.

PREV TRANS

The PREV TRANS button enables the preview transition mode, allowing the operator to verify a mix, dip, wipe or DVE transition by performing it on the preview output using the fader bar. When the PREV TRANS is selected you will see the preview output match the program output, and then it’s simple to practice your selected transition with the fader bar to confirm you are going to get what you want. This is a very helpful feature to avoid mistakes on air!

Next Transition

The BKGD, KEY 1, KEY 2, KEY 3, KEY 4 buttons are used to select the elements which will transition on air or off air with the next transition. The number of available keyers depends on your switcher model. All keys can be faded on and off when the main transition occurs, or you can select just keys to transition individually, so the main transition control can be used to fade keys on and off.

When selecting the elements of the next transition, the switcher operator should look at the preview video output because it provides an accurate representation of what the program output will look like after the transition is completed. When only the BKGD button is selected, a transition from the current source on the program bus to the source selected on the preview bus will occur without any keyers. You can also select only keyers to transition, leaving the current background live throughout the transition.

ON AIR

The ON AIR indicator buttons indicate which of the keys are currently on air and can also be used to immediately cut a key on or off air.

Downstream Keyers

TIE

The TIE button will enable the DSK on the preview output, along with the next transition effects, and tie it to the main transition control so that the DSK can be taken to air with the next transition.

The DSK will transition at the rate specified in the RATE display of the transition control block. If the DSK is tied, the signal routing to the clean feed 1 is unaffected.

ON AIR

The ON AIR button is used to cut the DSK on or off air and indicates whether the DSK is currently on or off air. The button is illuminated if the DSK is currently on air.

AUTO

The AUTO button will mix the DSK on or off air at the rate specified in the DSK RATE window. This is similar to the main AUTO rate on the transition control block, however it’s limited only to the specific downstream keyer. This can be used to fade up and down bugs and logos, such as live or replay bugs during production, without interfering with the main program production transitions.

Downstream Key and Fade to Black

Fade to Black (FTB)

The FTB button will fade the whole program video output to black at the rate specified in the fade to black RATE window. Once the program output has been faded to black, the FTB button will flash red until it is pressed again. Doing so will fade up from black at the same rate, or you can enter a new rate in the rate window. Fade to black is mostly used at the start of your production, and at the end of your production, or when cutting to commercial breaks. It ensures all layers in the switcher are faded down together. A fade to black cannot be previewed. You can also set the audio mixer to fade the audio with your fade to black by selecting the AFV button on the master audio output fader.

Processing Palettes

The software control panel features tabs for the processing palette, media player, and output options. The palettes show the order of the processing in the switcher. You can expand and minimize palettes to save space and scroll them up and down to get the adjustments you need to set.

Palettes Tab

The Palettes tab contains the following processing controls.

Color Generator 1 and 2

The ATEM switcher has two color matte generators which can be configured from the color generator palette using a color picker or by setting hue, saturation, and luminance levels.

SuperSource

ATEM Television Studio HD8 switchers include a feature called SuperSource that will allow you to arrange multiple sources on the monitor at one time. For more information refer to the section ‘SuperSource’ later in this manual.

Upstream Keys

There are four upstream keyers which can be configured from the upstream key palettes. Each keyer has its own palette. Within each palette the keyer can be configured as a luma key, chroma key, pattern key or DVE.

The selected palette will display all the parameters that are available to configure the keyer. More information on how to use upstream keyers is included later in this manual.

Transitions

The transitions palette is where you can configure the parameters of each transition style. For example, for the dip transition the palette has a drop down menu where you can select the dip source and for the wipe transition the palette displays all the available wipe patterns. There are lots of variations of transitions, and a large number of transitions can be created by combining settings and features in the transitions palette.

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NOTE It’s worth noting that simply selecting a specific style of transition in this palette will only adjust the settings for these transitions, and you still need to select the style of transition you want to perform in the transition control section on the software or hardware switcher. For ease of use, some people like to use the hardware panel for switching, while using the software panel palettes for setting up the transition. The software and hardware panels work together and mirror all settings, so you can use any combination you like!

Downstream Keys

The downstream keyers which can be configured from the downstream keys palette. The palette has drop down boxes for selecting the fill and key signals to the keyer, sliders to set the clip and gain values, pre-multiplied, and mask settings. ATEM Television Studio HD8 switchers feature 2 downstream keyers.

Fade to Black

The Fade to Black palette is where you can set the fade to black transition rate. An ‘audio follow video’ checkbox is also provided as a shortcut for the audio mixer’s master fader AFV button. Selecting this feature lets you fade your audio with your fade to black.

Media Players Tab

The Media Players tab contains controls for your ATEM Switcher’s media players and connected HyperDecks.

Media Players

Your ATEM switcher has media players which play back the clips and stills that are stored in the media pool memory built into the switcher. The drop down list is used to select the still or clip that will be played or made available on the media player input to the switcher. When a clip is selected, the transport controls in the media player can be used to play, pause and loop the clip. Controls are also provided to step forward and backward through frames of the clip. ATEM Television Studio HD8 switchers have 2 media players.

HyperDecks

You can connect up to 4 Blackmagic HyperDeck disk recorders and control them using ATEM Software Control’s HyperDecks palette. For more information refer to the ‘HyperDeck control’ section of this manual.

Output Tab

Live Stream

Use the output tab to setup live streaming and recording settings. You can can also use the output tab to adjust the timecode and counter settings as well as to capture stills. Computers with Desktop Video equipment, such as Decklink cards or UltraStudio can also be controlled for capture.

When using your switcher this important output option lets you set up your live stream by entering the streaming details from your streaming platform. After assigning all the settings, you can start your broadcast by clicking the ‘on air’ button, then stop the broadcast by clicking ‘off’.

The live stream status will clearly show you are on air by displaying a large red ‘on air’ indicator together with the timecode generator, which you can set using the timecode generator options.

For more information on how to use these options when setting up a live stream directly via Ethernet, including getting a stream key, refer to ‘streaming’ later in this manual.

Even though the settings are nice and simple and you only need to select the service and a few other options, there is an XML file that has additional settings that knowledgeable users could take advantage of to add other streaming services and customize the streaming menu with low level settings. Refer to the ‘changing switcher settings/saving and restoring switcher settings’ section for more information on how to save and restore using an XML file.

Streaming and HyperDeck Quality Settings

The data rate used by the quality setting will change depending on the video standard your switcher is running at. For example, if you select Streaming High quality and are running at 1080p24 then it would use the 6 Mb/s data rate.

The data rates used on HyperDeck High are 45 to 70 Mb/s, the rates for HyperDeck Medium are 25 to 45 Mb/s and the data rates used for HyperDeck Low are 12 to 20 Mb/s. The streaming data rates are lower to allow for transmitting the data over the internet, so the data rate for Streaming High is 6 to 9 Mb/s, the data rate for Streaming Medium is 4.5 to 7 Mb/s and the data rate for Streaming Low is 3 to 4.5 Mb/s.

You will notice that each setting has 2 data rates mentioned. The lower number is used for the lower frame rates of 24p, 25p and 30p, while the higher data rates are used when you are running higher frame rates of 50p and 60p. It’s also worth noting that the default setting for the streaming quality is Streaming High 6 to 9 Mb/s, as this gives a very high quality streaming channel, and a fairly good recording quality.

If you are not streaming, then you could just pick one of the HyperDeck quality settings. These are the same quality as the settings in HyperDeck Studio Mini and are a good quality data rate when you need broadcast quality recordings. However, with the latest software released for HyperDeck Studio Mini, it will also play the lower quality streaming data rates.

Record Stream

If you are recording your stream, this palette is where you can control your disks and start and stop recording. You can also set a file name and trigger record in all connected Blackmagic cameras. For information on formatting media for recording, refer to the ‘storage media’ section.

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TIP You can also switch drives by pressing the ‘switch’ button on the ATEM Television Studio HD8 control panel.

Capture Still

If you need to capture a still image from your broadcast simply click on the ‘capture still’ button. This acts like a still store which lets you add capture files to the media pool. You can then immediately load a still into the media player and use it in your broadcast, or save the media pool to your computer.

To save the media pool:

1. Go to the menu bar at the top of your screen and click on ‘file/save as’.

2. Choose the location you want to save to.

3. Click ‘save’.

Now that your media pool is saved on your computer, you can access the captured stills and use them in your graphics software.

Timecode Generator

The timecode generator automatically runs time of day timecode from the moment you launch ATEM Software Control. However, you can reset the counter to zero, or manually enter a new timecode value to start from.

The timecode generator can be set to time of day, or free run timecode where you can set a manual preset timecode

To manually set a preset timecode value:

1. Click in the ‘run mode’ menu and select ‘free run’.

2. In the smaller timecode counter, type in a defined timecode value. As you type, the new values will appear green.

3. To confirm the change and set the timecode running, click ‘set’.

Time of Day

When ATEM Television Studio HD8 switchers are connected to your computer, the unit will sync time of day timecode with your computer. The unit has a built in clock that can continue running for approximately 6 days, so once you disconnect the switcher from your computer, the time of day timecode will continue until the battery is depleted. The battery will charge while connected to your computer via USB.

Counter

You can use the ATEM Television Studio HD8 counter option to overlay a timer on output 1. This can be useful for a presenters monitor, where you can display a countdown if there is a time limit for the lecture, or a countup if there is no limit, but to monitor how long the lecture has been going.

To set the counter:

1. Choose countdown or countup.

2. To set a time limit for the countdown, enter the start from time.

3. Using the settings, you can position the location of the counter on the overlay along with setting the size and opacity.

4. Once the settings are complete, you can start the counter. Make sure the counter overlay is selected by going to the outputs menu in the upper toolbar and check ‘counter overlay’ is selected on output 1.

ATEM Media Pool

Press the media icon in the lower toolbar of the switcher view to open the media window. The media window on ATEM switchers is where you can add graphics such as stills and video clips to your switcher and assign them to any of your switchers media players. There are two main areas on the switcher window, the browse window on the left hand side and the media pool and media players window to the right .

Click on the media tab at the bottom of the panel to open the media pool

The Browse Window

The browse window is a simplified file browser that lets you navigate your computer to look for image files. All attached drives on your computer are displayed and you can select folders from them. View sub folders by clicking on the arrows next to each folder. The Preview window in the lower left corner will show any selected files. The ATEM media pool supports PNG, TGA, BMP, GIF, JPEG and TIFF still image formats. Audio files must be WAV, MP3 or AIFF. These files can then be added to the media pool.

The Media Pool Window

When files have been loaded into the media pool, the still and clip slots will show a thumbnail image. Clip slots will display the image from the middle of its loaded sequence. Above the clip slots you’ll see information showing the number of frames in a loaded clip, plus the maximum number of frames that can be loaded for your selected video format. Stills are marked with a slot number so you can identify them when assigning a still image. The file name for each loaded still or clip is displayed underneath the slot so you can keep track of stills and clips you have loaded. The list of loaded clips and stills along with their name and number will appear in the media player palette in the switcher tab, in the media players view on ATEM hardware panels as well as in the Photoshop plug-in. On the switcher front panel, only the still name will appear unless the slot is empty.

Numbers will appear in the top left corner of the thumbnail to clearly show which slots are assigned to the relevant media players. When a media player slot is switched to the program output, the circle surrounding the number changes to red to indicate the slot is on air. When a slot is on the preview output, the color changes to green.

Browsing and loading files

Loading a still is as easy as dragging it from the browse window and dropping it into an empty slot in the Media Pool. To load a motion clip, you’ll need to load a sequence of still images. If the sequence is within a folder, click and drag the folder from the browse window and release over either of the two clip slots. If the sequence is not within in its own folder, click on the first file in the sequence, scroll down and shift click on the last file in the sequence. Now the highlighted file sequence can be dragged into any of the two clip slots in the media pool. You can load audio files to accompany your clip, for example when playing a stinger transition, by dragging the audio file from the browser and dropping it into the audio slot next to the clip slot. You can identify the audio slot by its audio icon.

When dropping a still, clip or audio file into a slot, a progress indicator will show the loading status. You can drop multiple files into the media pool, even if the first images have not yet completed loading, as they will continue to load one after the other. If a clip or still is dropped into a window which already has content loaded, the existing content will be replaced.

You can change the media player assignment from the media players tab by selecting your desired clip or still from the ‘media’ list. Simply click on the arrow in the player ‘media’ list to select from a list of media pool slots.

You can also change the media assignment using the media players menu in system control, or even when exporting via the ATEM Switcher Media Pool option within Photoshop. For more information on using the Photoshop export plugin, see ‘using Adobe Photoshop with ATEM’ later in this manual.

Capture Still

Click the capture still button to save a still from the broadcast

You can also capture a still from your broadcast using the capture still button in the lower right hand side of the media pool. Click the button and the still will populate into the next available image slot on your media pool.

Using the Audio Mixer

The audio tab is used to mix audio sources connected to the ATEM switcher via SDI, analog audio, MADI audio and also from the built-in media players.

Cameras, media players, MADI and external audio sources are listed along the top of the audio mixer along with the master audio output for the program outputs of the switcher.

Below each audio source is an audio level meter, a fader for setting the maximum audio level, and a knob for setting the left/right audio channel balance. The master fader on the right side of the audio mixer is used to set the gain on the audio level on the SDI program outputs and has its own audio level meter. The monitor fader and buttons appear below the master fader and set independent audio levels and also allow solo monitoring on the audio outputs.

The buttons below each audio level meter determine whether audio is always available for mixing or only when the source is on air. The solo, or headphones, button determines whether the audio source should be used for solo audio monitoring.

The audio mixer displays tally lights for any audio sources that are currently on air or when AFV is selected, as well as audio level, audio balance and buttons for selecting which audio should be used.

Tally

Any source whose audio is on air is lit with a red tally light in the software. External audio is on air by default so the EXT tally light is usually lit red. In the example on this page, Cam4 and Cam7 are lit because their audio is set to be always on. The tally light will be illuminated dull yellow when AFV is selected and the channel’s associated camera is off air. This also applies to the master fader tally light when the master fader AFV button is selected. When FTB is activated, the master fader tally light will blink red.

Audio Level

Drag the audio level fader to set the gain on the audio level for each camera and audio source. The orange number under each audio level meter shows the maximum audio level set by the fader.

The number above the audio meter shows the peak audio level reached by the audio source. A green number represents low to medium audio levels. If the audio meter is regularly showing red, and the red number above it is not changing, then you should reduce the audio level to avoid audio distortion. After adjusting the audio level, you may wish to reset the red number by clicking on it once. Observe the new number to make sure it changes for a while and does not immediately shoot up and become stuck on a red number. If it does, you may need to reduce the audio level even further.

Audio Balance

The audio mixer supports stereo audio from each audio source. If you wish to change the left/ right audio channel balance for a camera or other audio source, adjust the knob to the desired balance point.

The audio meter for Cam1 is shown in gray to indicate that its audio will not be used as neither of its ON or AFV buttons are enabled. Cam2 has AFV selected but its audio is not currently being used as the camera is not on air as is indicated by its dull yellow tally light. Cam4 and Cam7 have their direct mix set to ON so their mixed audio is always used, and their tally lights remain lit, even if another camera is currently on air. The audio level meters for Cam3, Cam5, Cam6 and Cam8 show that no audio is present on these cameras.

Audio Source Selection

Below each audio level meter, you will find the ON and AFV buttons that select which audio sources are sent to the program output of the switcher.

Master Audio Level Output

The master fader on the right side of the audio mixer is used to set the gain on the audio level on the SDI program outputs and has its own audio level meter. Select the AFV button on the master audio output fader to enable the AFV fade to black feature. This lets you fade your master audio when you click on the Fade to Black button.

Using MADI

Your ATEM switcher supports digital audio with the MADI protocol, also known as Multichannel Audio Digital Interface. MADI is popular with most professional audio manufacturers, broadcasters and high end recording facilities. These MADI ports have robust BNC connectors and transmit audio data over 75 ohm coaxial cables up to 100 meters long.

BNC connectors for MADI audio, plus 1/4” TRS connectors for analog audio in and out.

MADI In

MADI channels 1-16 receive digital audio at 24 bit depth with a sampling rate of 48 kHz. These are connected to an extra 16 stereo channels in the audio mixer that you can mix into the program output with the same EQ and dynamics as the video input audio mixing channels. These additional 16 stereo channel inputs mean you can do very complex audio mixing all within your ATEM switcher.

MADI Out 1

MADI Out 1 sends these sources:

Headphones Settings

The headphones settings are used to adjust the audio mix for the headphones. A headset can be connected via the 5 pin XLR connector on the rear panel for communicating with camera operators. However, the headset is not just limited to talkback use as you can also use the headset microphone for doing voice overs and you can use the headset headphones for program audio monitoring.

Headphones settings let you mix the levels of each monitoring output. For example, you may want to increase or decrease the level of the talkback audio against the program audio.

Master

Adjust the master level slider to set the program audio level in the headset and if you don’t want to listen to program audio, then slide this control fully to the left.

Talkback

The talkback level slider sets the audio level of camera operators who are talking to you and by setting the master and talkback sliders you can get your preferred balance of talkback and program audio into your headset.

Sidetone

The sidetone level slider lets you mix your voice from your headset mic into the monitor output. This is helpful when wearing a headset that supports noise canceling.

Advanced Fairlight Controls

ATEM Television Studio HD8 switchers have advanced Fairlight audio controls that let you enhance and refine the quality of sound on each input and master output, including input level controls, a 6 band parametric equalizer and powerful dynamics settings. This section of the manual shows the different Fairlight audio controls you can use to shape and optimize the audio mix in your live production.

Input Level

Generally, when setting up your audio mix, the first step is to normalize all your inputs. This means adjusting the input level knob on each input so you can optimize all the levels to their highest strength without clipping.

This control is at the top of each track under the tally light. Change the level by clicking on the knob and dragging left to decrease the level, or right to increase. By setting the input control, it brings all the inputs up to a common signal strength so they are all at their strongest without clipping. Then you can start making advanced changes and refinements.

After you have normalized all your input levels, you can now begin optimizing and shaping the qualities in each audio input using the 6 band parametric equalizer and dynamics controls.

6 Band Parametric Equalizer

Each input and the master output, has a 6 band parametric equalizer which can be used to control specific frequencies. This could include reducing low frequency hum or noise on a microphone input, or boosting the low frequencies on a thin sounding track, or even to add uniqueness to each input so they are more distinct in the final mix. You have many creative options.

To open the parametric equalizer for an input or the master output, click on the corresponding equalizer indicator.

Click on an input’s equalizer indicator to open a 6 band parametric equalizer

The first item you will notice is the graph along the top of the window with numbered indicators from 1 to 6. These numbered indicators are adjustable handles that correspond to bands 1 to 6.

Each band of the 6 band parametric equalizer has a column of settings. These settings will differ based on which band you are controlling and what filter type you are using.

Each audio input has its own 6 band parametric equalizer

If you want to make changes to a setting, you will first need to make sure the band is enabled. Click on a band label to enable it. When enabled, the button label is illuminated blue. Now you can change the settings for that band, or click and drag the handles to make fast adjustments.

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TIP You can learn more about band filters later in this section.

Handles

Each band handle is positioned along the line curve displayed in the graph. You can click and drag each handle to choose the frequency you wish to adjust for that band and the gain you want to set. When moving a handle with your mouse, both the frequency and gain settings are affected simultaneously, which gives you a fast way to make quick adjustments to each band across the entire range of frequencies.

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NOTE To make changes using a handle, ensure the band is enabled. Simply click on the band you want to adjust. The band label will illuminate blue when enabled.

As you drag a handle left or right, you will notice the frequency and decibels update in the band settings. This will also be reflected by the frequency range preset buttons for low, medium low, medium high and high.

Frequency Knobs

Alternatively, you can use the frequency knobs for each band to select a specific frequency to adjust.

Range Presets

The frequency range for each band is defined by the range preset buttons. For example, low is labeled ‘L’ and covers the frequency range from 30 to 395 Hz.

As a quick example of how the range presets define the frequency range, select a notch filter from the band filter list and then click on each range preset. You will see the filter effect move to a position along the graph curve that corresponds to the range preset you choose. This lets you quickly define a specific range of frequencies you want the filter to affect.

Below is a table showing the range of frequencies for each range preset setting.

Gain Knobs

Click and drag the gain knob left or right to decrease or increase the volume level for the selected frequency.

Q Factor

The Q factor control is available when the bell filter is applied to bands 2, 3, 4 and 5. This sets the range of frequencies the filter will affect. For example, setting the minimum will allow the filter to affect a wide range of surrounding frequencies and the maximum setting will narrow the effect down to a tiny point. This is important if you have sound qualities in surrounding frequencies that you want to either include or exclude from the change you are making.

As you adjust the Q factor, watch the shape of the effect on the line curve change from a broad, rounded edge to a sharp point. This is a visual representation showing how the regions of frequencies surrounding the target frequency are affected.

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TIP Compare the audio with changes against the original unaltered audio by clicking on the bypass button at the very top of the equalizer window. This lets you turn the equalizer on or off.

Band Filters

There are six different types of band filters you can choose from. These filters include bell, high shelf, low shelf, notch, high pass and low pass. These filters let you control specific zones within the frequency range. For example, a low shelf filter lets you increase or decrease the level of volume for lower frequencies on the graph, and a high shelf filter controls the higher frequencies.

Try setting a low shelf filter to band 3 and make changes to the gain setting. You will see the changes are weighted towards the low end frequencies on the graph.

A description for each filter type is provided below.

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TIP It’s not uncommon to have filters on each band overlapping on the graph curve with adjustments working together. For example, you may have a low shelf filter applied to band 4 and a notch filter on band 5 reducing a frequency within the same range.

Dynamics Controls

In addition to the 6 band parametric equalizer, you can also enhance and finesse the input and master output audio using dynamics controls. Where the equalizer lets you control the frequencies within a signal, dynamics controls let you set how various levels behave. Levels within the signal can be adjusted including expanding the dynamic range between low levels and high levels, gating an input so you can choose what is stronger or softer within a signal, or you can even use the compressor and limiter so that audio can be generally lifted and made stronger without clipping.

The dynamics controls can be opened for each input and the master output by clicking on its corresponding dynamics indicator

Combined with equalizer controls, these features are extremely powerful, giving you the ability to precisely shape and define the audio to generally optimize the sound of the master output.

This section describes the expander, gate, compressor and limiter controls.

Common Dynamics Settings

The expander/gate, compressor and limiter share common settings that let you shape how each function affects the audio. For example the level at which the function initiates, how long the function is applied, the strength of the function, etc. The settings available differ depending on the dynamics control you are using.

Expander/Gate

The first set of dynamics parameters can be switched between expansion and gating.

Expansion emphasizes differences in volume by lowering the level of soft parts of the signal relative to the level of louder parts. You can use an expander to emphasize the differences between quiet and loud parts of a track, or to increase the dynamic range of a signal and minimize unwanted noise.

Gating is like an exaggerated expander, reducing the level or even silencing parts of a signal that fall below a certain level in order to reduce or eliminate noise in quiet parts of a recording. For example, a range of 15 to 20 dB can reduce breathing in a vocal track but leaves just enough to sound natural.

Gating is extremely effective, but it’s also very powerful so requires careful attention. If the gate threshold is set too high it can cause artifacts, such as cutting off the start of a syllable or the quiet end of a word. You can compensate by reducing the threshold slightly, or by increasing the attack or release time.

Compressor

Compression lets you reduce peaks in an audio signal, reducing the dynamic range of a signal, so you can boost the overall level without clipping. This is helpful when you want to make sure the loud elements in a signal don’t diminish the strength of quieter sounds, or to smoothen changes in audio levels within the signal.

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TIP It’s a good idea to apply the compressor after you have set the EQ controls.

Make Up

The make up setting lets you increase the overall signal in combination with compression settings. With loud parts of the audio reduced using compression, you can now use the make up control to boost the overall sound without clipping.

Limiter

The limiter prevents peaks of the signal from exceeding a set maximum level. A limiter is helpful to prevent hard clipping. For example, if you set the limiter to -8 dB, the input signal will never exceed that level. Adjusting the attack, hold and release settings will set how gentle the limiter affects the signal.

Dynamics Controls Characteristics

* Master Dynamics expander/gate controls are unused in Master Dynamics.

** Master Dynamics expander/gate threshold default is -35dB. Mic Dynamics and XLR Dynamics expander/gate threshold default is -45dB.