Fxpansion BFD2 Manual User Manual download pdf (Page 169)

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Enabling the SC button results in the FilterMod effect using the channel’s sidechain input as the source for the enveloper follower

and audio-rate FM features. This means you can use other channels to modulate the ﬁlter cutoff.

This function allows you to be very creative with the ﬁlter – here’s a few ideas to try out:

• for quick and dirty LFOs, try tuning a kick down really low and using it as the ﬁlter FM source, perhaps after some additional

processing.

• load arbitrary sounds as user samples using BFD2’s sample import functions, and use them as the ﬁlter FM source

• use a self-oscillating ﬁlter on another channel as the ﬁlter FM source!

12:3 Dynamics processing

Common compression parameters

Attack

The Attack control on a compressor represents the speed at which the gain is reduced when transients pass through it.

This control is often misunderstood. Always remember that the attack does NOT indicate the amount of time taken before the

compressor starts to compress.

Release

The Release control on a compressor sets the speed at which the gain level returns to normal after a transient has passed.

Ratio

The ratio speciﬁes the gain reduction applied by the compressor. The numbers in the ratio represent the change in gain before

and after compression.

For example, assuming that the threshold level has been breached, then a ratio of 2:1 would mean that for every 2 dB of in-

creased signal level coming into the compressor, the output level rises by 1dB.

Advanced features in BFD2’s dynamics processors

The BFD2 Comp Bus and the NoiseGate feature a sidechain function. By enabling the SC (Sidechain) button, the processor

reacts to the channel’s sidechain input rather than the main input, while still applying the processing to the main input. This allows

you to control the dynamics of the main input signal with another signal entirely. Sidechaining is not available on the Comp Chan.

Key HP (Key signal High-pass)

This control allows you to apply a variable high pass ﬁlter on the key signal that is used for the compressor’s amplitude detection.

It applies to either the main input or the sidechain input, whichever is being used to trigger the compressor. However, it is never

applied to the actual signal that is heard at the output.

This control is useful when there is too much low-end in the sidechain signal, resulting in the compressor reacting too heavily.

Parallel compression and the Mix control

Parallel compression involves mixing a compressed signal (usually fairly heavily compressed) with the original dry signal, in order

to achieve the ‘huge’ sound of a compressed drum mix while keeping the transients of the original drums intact.

While it’s unusual to see a wet/dry mix control on a compressor, the Mix control on BFD2’s compressors is very useful for apply-

ing parallel compression to a single mono or stereo channel without creating additional aux channels. If you need to apply parallel

compression to more than one channel at once, you must ﬁrst create a sub-mix on an Aux channel.

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Fxpansion BFD2 Manual User Manual Page 169