Plugin Effects

Dynamics effects alter an audio signal based upon its frequency content and amplitude level; hence the term “dynamics”. The four most common dynamics effects are compressors, limiters, gates, and expanders.

• Compression is the reduction of dynamic range—the difference between the loudest and quietest parts of an audio signal. When compression is applied, the quieter parts of the signal are boosted and the louder ones are reduced in volume.

• If compression is added then this allows you to turn the overall volume of the track up without causing distortion.

• Sidechain compression is a classic sound in dance music: it sounds like it’s pulsing. This effect is achieved by using the bass drum to trigger the compressor so that everytime the bass drum hits the volume of the other tracks momentarily dips down.

• A noise gate is an effect that operates on the volume of the sound. If a sound reaches a certain volume (threshold) the gate opens and lets the sound be heard. If a sound doesn't reach the threshold, the gate closes and the sound is muted

• The main uses for a noise gate is to get rid of unwanted sounds on a track. This could be low rumbling noises or a high hiss. This only works if there is a reasonable big difference in volume between the sound that you want to hear and the sound you want to get rid of.

Modulation effects modify the sound in a certain way: by adding a time-delayed version of the sound to itself, and then varying the size of that delay over time.

• Chorus is an effect where the sound is copied, the copied version is then detuned slightly so it sounds like there is more than one instrument sound playing.

• This replicates what might happen if you had 2 instruments or singers playing as they wouldn't be perfectly in tune with one another.

Phaser effects give the impression of movement and constant change, this happens with a combination of delay and EQ sweeping. The peaks and troughs of the waveform are  modulated so that they vary over time, creating a sweeping effect. For this purpose, phasers usually include a low-frequency oscillator. 

The tremolo effect is created by varying the amplitude, or volume, of the signal. Tremolo is particularly useful for creating percussive shuddering or stuttering, as well as gentle or intense pulsating effects.

Flangers are similar to chorus effects, both in their design and sonic properties. Like in chorus, flangers create a copy of the original signal and delay it.

• Reverb replicates the reflections of sound in a room

• Reverb brings some sustain to a sound and makes it stick around for longer—often referred to as reverb tails.

• Reverb makes things sound further away in the mix

• Delay is an effect that copies the original signal (sound) and plays it back at a time interval after the original sound.

• Delay can be played back in different ways to achieve sounds such as echoes that decay over time, or a pronounced repeated doubling effect that adds new layers to a recording.