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Deluge Community
Based on the Deluge Manual – Amadeus Edition (draft). Being updated for community firmware up to C1.3.

11.3 Sidechain Compressor

What is a Compressor?

A compressor is a device that reduces the peaks in an audio sound automatically as they exceed a specified threshold level. This reduces the dynamic range allowing the overall audio to then be increased using make up gain if desired. Deluge compressor is not a traditional audio compressor and focuses more on being a ducking envelope.

What is a Sidechain Compressor?

The principles of the sidechain compressor are identical to a standard compressor. The exception being that rather than the compressor trigger being a measure against its own input signal, an external source called a sidechain is the trigger of when to ‘duck’ i.e. reduce, the gain. Deluge, for example can use a kick drum to trigger a simultaneous gain reduction (duck) of a separate function.

Sidechain Envelope

The Deluge’s sidechain compressor effect mimics the behaviour of a sidechain compressor fed short impulses such as a kick drum. Its output, and resulting volume-ducking behaviour, is governed by AR (attack + release) envelope.

Deluge Sidechain Example

Sidechain can be patched as a modulation source to various parameters. The amount of sidechain compression is set up through the modulation connection.

Setting up the sidechain

  1. Press Clip to select clip view. This is indicated by the clip button illuminated blue.
  2. Select synth by pressing Synth if not already selected. The synth button illuminates red.
  3. Using the shortcut options to access the sidechain parameters directly e.g. press Shift + Vol Duck. Alternatively use nested menus by pressing SelectSelect and then turning SelectSelect to navigate to the Sidechain menu. Options via the menu or directly from the Shift + Shortcuts are:
    • VOLUME DUCKING : Amount which the sidechain affects the current sound. Can also be patched to other destinations.
    • SYNC : Sets the time interval of the sync for the compressor attack and release or OFF.. Options are 2 bar, 1 bar, 2nd notes, 4th notes, 8th notes, 16th notes, 32nd, 64th notes and 128th notes.
    • ATTACK : Sets attack transient time of the compressor kicking-in.
    • RELEASE : Sets the release time of the compressor.
    • SHAPE : Sets release phase of the compressor to make it more punchy or softer.
    • SEND : Used with kit sounds only. Level at which the trigger affects all other sounds sidechain compressors.
  4. Use Back/Undo to exit sub menu and back up a level and out of the sound editor.

Selecting sidechain speed

  1. Press Sidechain/Reverb affect button. Button illuminates orange.
  2. Press upper GoldGold to toggle between FAST synced to 32nd notes or SLOW, synced to 8th notes.

Setting up the master compressor

  1. Press Song to select session view. This is indicated by the song button illuminated blue.
  2. Press Affect Entire. This is indicated by the button illuminated orange.
  3. Press Sidechain/Reverb affect button. Button illuminates orange.
  4. Default is the ‘One’ Mode compression, This is a single knob compressor which operates with auto makeup gain.
  5. To select between ‘One’ and ‘Full’ Mode and access individual parameters, Press upper GoldGold knob to toggle between the two modes.
  6. In ‘Full’ Mode each parameter is accessible by pressing the lower GoldGold control knob to cycle through the options. turn lower Turn GoldGold parameter knob to adjust the selected option value:
    • ATTACK: Envelope attack range 0ms to 63ms.
    • RELEASE: Envelope release range 50ms to 363ms.
    • HPF SHELF: High pass shelf filter range 0Hz to 102Hz.
    • RATIO : Compressor ratio range 2:1 to 256:1.
  7. turn upper Turn GoldGold knob to adjust the compressor THRESHOLD in either ‘One’ or ’Full’ mode. The upper LED array shows the compressor meter.
C1.2 Compressor blend. Unwritten: you can help by adding content.

See Compressors.

Per-sound compressors C1.1