PreSonus Blog

Monthly Archives: May 2018


Friday Tip: The Customizable Phaser

Studio One’s Phaser is quite sophisticated, especially because you can set the number of stages from 2 to 20. This can emulate many classic phasers, as well as go beyond what was done with typical analog phase shifters. So why do we need yet another phase shifter?

As explained last week, a phaser’s response is like an EQ with multiple notches, because a pair of phase shift stages produces one notch. So for example, if you set Studio One’s Phaser to 8 stages, it produces four notches. The Customizable Phaser differs from standard phasers because every filter stage can be either a notch or peak, to any degree you want. Mixing resonant peaks in with notches produces a sound that recalls a phase shifter, but has a uniquely resonant quality.

 

Again like last week, the Pro EQ is the star of the show. The five parametric stages are spaced an octave apart and cover a four-octave range. The trick is having a single Frequency control alter all five stages simultaneously… here’s how.

 

Creating the FX Chain

Although there’s a downloadable preset, delving into how this effect works is instructive. Mapping a control panel knob to a stage’s gain control is easy; open up the control panel to access the Macro Controls Mapping, and for the five Gain knobs, chose the respective Gain parameter as a target. I limited the knob’s range to -24 dB and +18 dB, because a +24 dB peak can be too much gain. After adjusting one knob as desired, copy the graph and paste it into the graph for the other knobs. Map Q similarly; a range of 4 to 16 works well.

 

Mapping and offsetting multiple parameters from a single knob is a little more difficult. Start by pinning both the Pro EQ and the Macro Controls Mapping windows. I chose the initial frequencies for the five stages as 75, 150, 300, 600, and 1200 Hz. For the Knob 1 macro, add each stage’s Frequency control as a target.

Suppose you want to map the LF-Frequency target. Set the Frequency knob full counter-clockwise, click on the target’s graph, and while looking at the LF Freq knob on the Pro EQ, adjust the graph’s low node so that the LF Freq knob is at 75 Hz (or thereabouts). Now turn the Freq control fully clockwise, and set the graph’s high node four octaves higher (1.2 kHz) according to the LF Freq knob.

Proceed to the next filter Freq knob and use the same general procedure. For example for the LMF stage, the initial frequency would be 150 Hz, and the highest frequency would be 2.4 kHz. Continue mapping the remaining stages until all the filters cover the desired range when you move the Frequency control.

You’ll also note the Low Cut control is mapped to a knob that covers the range of 20 Hz to 1 kHz. Use this if the signal becomes too “boomy” with the frequency control set to a lower range.

 

In use

With all the Gain controls set to minimum and a fairly sharp Q, you have the equivalent of a 10-stage phaser. Now try increasing the LMF and HMF gains to around 8 or 9 dB—you’ll hear an immediate difference in the sound. Vary the Q for even more variations. You’ll find that between the Q and Gain controls, it’s possible to obtain phase-shifter sounds, but more importantly, you’ll be able to dial in combinations of resonant peaks and notches that aren’t quite like anything you’ve heard before. Ready for a new phase in phaser sounds? Check out this FX Chain.

 

 

Studio One 4 is Here!

 

The day has arrived! Studio One 4 has been released and is available for purchase from your favorite dealer or shop.presonus.com! Version 4 adds a ton of new features (full list is available in a PDF linked below) but some of the things we’re really excited about include:

  • Chord track for real-time chord re-harmonization of instrument tracks and audio tracks; chord selector, Song Key Signature, Chord Transposing
  • Impact XT Drum Instrument with 8 pad banks, 32 outputs, filters, trigger quantize, real-time time-stretching, and more
  • Sample One XT sampler with record page, live sampling from nearly anything, auto-slicing, robust FX section, real-time time-stretching
  • New Music Editing Options including  intuitive Drum Editor and Drum and Melodic Patterns
  • AAF support and Song Data Import
  • New, lighter color options available

Click here to get a complete list of what’s new in Studio One 4. (PDF) 


Where to buy: 

 


Click here to watch the live webcast announcement with tons of feature videos, artist performances, and more:


Here’s our Studio One 4 YouTube playlist, with all of the webcast segments plus a whole lot more:

Where to buy:

 

Notion 6.4’s New Features

NEW FEATURES in Notion 6.4!

Notion 6.4 is here, adding integration with the just-released Studio One 4, and a bevy of other new features! This is a free update for Notion 6 owners that can be obtained by clicking “Check for Updates” within Notion.

Enhanced integration with Studio One v4

With Studio One’s new Chord Track & Key Signature, the integration with Notion has become more powerful than ever. See all the details in the updated User Guide here.

Receive Chords from Studio One’s new Chord Track


 

Quickly make a lead-sheet, complete with Studio One’s new chords, all with the right formatting and transpositions!

 


Receive Studio One’s new key signature—This means imported note data can now be “spelt” properly, with the correct enharmonic.


Receive any customised markers from Studio One’s marker track, and display as Rehearsal Marks

 


Paste enhancements

  • You can now make a selection first to paste and replace the contents (this is just an option – you can paste as normal at the cursor for the same result)
  • New shortcut for Paste Insert: [Win] Ctrl+Shift+V or [macOS] Cmd+Shift+V
  • Paste Insert also added to right click context menu (in addition to Edit>Paste Insert)
  • The whole measure is now not replaced/overwritten when pasting a partial measure.
  • Paste no longer causes rhythmic changes, when pasting multiple times between different voices or between a grand staff
  • Paste now ignores ties in other voices on a grand staff

New text box behaviour

  • New checkbox “Link to metadata” in Score>Add Title/Header/Footer. This unlinks a new text box from others of the same style meaning you can create multiples of e.g. copyright notices. This is useful for e.g. creating long copyright notices (such as those required for SMP Press)


All Fixes and Enhancements

Rules, Presets and Sequencer Staff

  • East West Quantum Leap presets now loading as expected for most users. Note – You may need to relink your Favourites/Paths to your sample folder from within Play.Legacy presets (from Notion 6.3 and earlier) are still available from your my.presonus.com account
  • Updated preset for LA Scoring Strings – please login to your Audiobro account and download from there
  • [Win] Custom expressions now showing in Rules Editor as expected
  • Shift+Alt+Up/Down now adjusts velocity of a group of notes in increments of 1, as expected
  • Up/down arrows now adjusting selected CC data in sequencer staff as expected

Language/International Fixes

  • Files now transfer as expected from Studio One, when the file name has non-ASCII characters (e.g. Korean, Japanese, Chinese characters)
  • Tuplet dialog is now translated properly in Japanese language
  • Music intervals are now translated properly in German language, in transposition window
  • Alternative shortcut added for Next/Previous Rehearsal marks – this is for different language keyboards that do not have [ or ] keys (Win: Ctrl+Shift+Left/Right and Mac: Cmd+Shift+Left/Right)

General

  • [Win] Surface Pen button now brings up Context menu as expected following Windows 10 Update
  • [macOS] Video now attaches to score as expected
  • Chord summary at bottom of first page, now saving properly
  • Shortcuts PDF updated

PreSonus Giveaway on May 22! #PreSonus4Ever

We’re hosting a FREE webcast this Tuesday with some preeeeeetttty huge news! We’re excited to share with y’all.

To celebrate, we’re giving away a FaderPort 8 to one lucky entrant during the broadcast! That’s a $500 USD value!

Here’s how to enter:

  1. Must be following PreSonus on Facebook and/or Twitter.
  2. Share the Live Webcast to your personal Facebook feed or Tweet the YouTube Link during the broadcast.
  3. Include #PreSonus4Ever in your post.

And that’s it! You’re entered. One winner will be drawn at random and notified directly on May 22 at 2 pm CST. Contest open globally. Webcast starts at 10 am CST on May 22, 2018 on Facebook and YouTube. TUNE IN!

Friday Tip: The Imaging Phaser

I’ve been experimenting with phasers lately, and found some interesting tricks. This week we’ll create a mind-melting phaser-meets-stereo-imager. Next week, we’ll create a super-customizable phaser with continuously variable peaks and notches, so you can obtain specialized vintage sounds like the original Electro-Harmonix Polyphase.

HOW IT WORKS

You can reproduce the sound of a phaser with several tracking notch filters, so instead of using a phase shifter per se, we can use the Pro EQ.

The five parametric stages are set up as notch filters one octave apart, with a sweep range of four octaves. The FX Chain Frequency control sets their frequencies. If you download the multipreset, I highly recommend reverse-engineering it to see how to control multiple filter stages from a single knob.

The FX Chain Q control sets the phase effect’s resonance/sharpness by altering the Q for all five stages simultaneously. Broader Q settings reduce volume, with a less focused, gentler phasing sound. High Q settings are sharper, with a more pronounced phasing effect.

But the secret ingredient here is splitting the signal path into the Pro EQ-meets-phaser and the Mixtool. Inverting the phase for the Mixtool’s left and right channels cancels out any remaining dry signal from the Pro EQ “phaser,” which accents the phasing sound.

 

If you compare this to the sound of the PreSonus Phaser, it’s like the PreSonus Phaser supplements the audio with the phasing effect, while the Imaging Phaser replaces the audio with the phasing. They both have their uses.

 

THE IMAGING PHASER

The real mind melt happens if you run program material through the Imaging Phaser and then click the Image Xpand button. This swaps the right and left channels, which because they’re out of phase, creates insane imaging effects. The first time I tried this was on a laptop, and clicking on Image Xpand made it seem like the speakers were located somewhere else in the room. The effect is less dramatic with signals that don’t contain a lot of stereo information and ambiance, or on headphones, but it still makes a difference.

 

THE AUDIO EXAMPLE

The first part showcases the phaser effect. After the word “Reunited” appears, you’ll hear an unprocessed version of the track for four measures. After that, it’s Image Xpand time, with the FX Chain control being varied to alter the sound somewhat.

 


And for those without the patience to build their own Imaging Phaser, here’s an FX Chain multipreset you can download. Have fun!

 

Click here to download the multipreset! 

 

Friday Tip: The Project Page Meets Bluetooth

The Project Page Meets Bluetooth
After mastering a project, I like to check out its suitability in a variety of contexts by listening to it over and over again—in the foreground, in the background while people are talking, while the dishwasher runs, whatever. This can be very instructive when trying for masters that are transportable not just for different playback systems, but for different listening conditions.

And that’s when it hit me: Bluetooth! I have IK Multimedia’s iLoud portable Bluetooth speaker, and carry it around the house to listen to music that’s streaming from a mobile device. Why not carry it around while listening to a mastered Project? Or even loop a Song, so I can get lyric ideas while the instrument tracks play in the background? Or listen over other Bluetooth devices, to get an idea of the type of sonic violence the music will have to endure at the hand of consumers?

Okay, so I was a little slow to tumble to this…but reality checks can indeed be useful, and I hope you find this tip useful as well. We’ll do the Mac first, and then Windows.

Mac
1. Choose Apple menu > System Preferences > Bluetooth.
2. Turn on Bluetooth at the Mac if it isn’t already.
3. Turn on your Bluetooth playback device, and enable pairing for it (usually by pressing a pairing button on the device).
4. When the Connection Request appears, click Connect.

5. The Bluetooth window will show the device as connected.
6. In Studio One, choose Preferences.

7. For Playback Device, choose your Bluetooth playback device.

Windows
1. Choose Settings > Devices > Bluetooth & other devices.
2. Turn on Bluetooth in Windows if it isn’t already.
3. Click on Add Bluetooth or other device, then choose Bluetooth when Add a Device appears.
4. Turn on your Bluetooth playback device, and enable pairing for it (usually by pressing a pairing button on the device).

5. Click on the device name to connect it. Once it’s connected, click on Done.
6. In the Windows search box, type Sound and then select Sound Control Panel.

7. Your Bluetooth device should appear in the list of potential playback devices. Click on it, and then click Set Default to make the Bluetooth device your default playback device.
8. Now that Windows is set up, open Studio One, and choose Options. Select Windows Audio for your Audio Device, and you’re good to go.

Friday Tip: Pedal Power

Here’s a follow-up to last Friday’s tip on creating an authentic sounding wah with the Pro EQ. That’s fine, but what if you want to control it with a footpedal instead of a mouse? Keep reading.

First, you need a pedal that generates MIDI data. There are several options. Most keyboard controllers have an expression pedal input. Plug an expression pedal into this, and the controller will likely output controller 11 over MIDI. You may be able to assign this to a different controller number (see your hardware’s documentation); however, this probably won’t be necessary.

If you don’t have a keyboard (or floor multi-effects with a pedal that produces MIDI out), then check out the Pedal Controller, a small box from MIDI Solutions. This accepts an expression pedal input and outputs your choice of MIDI controllers. (For do-it-yourselfers, the circuit board is small enough you can probably mount it in a pedal if you want a stand-alone MIDI pedal.)

Assuming you’re using a keyboard with an expression pedal input, you now need to add the control surface to Studio One if you haven’t already. Call up the Options menu, and add the keyboard. Here, I’ve added The Laboratory controller from Arturia.

Next, you need to map the pedal. Go to the right-hand side of the Control Link menu and select the device to open the Device Control map. Note that The Laboratory is selected as the device. 

If you can’t see the right section of the Control Link menu, then your monitor resolution is probably 1600 pixels wide or less. Another way to open the Device Control map is to open the Mix view [F3], and then click on External in the Console navigation column (to the far left of the Console). This opens the External panel; double-click on the desired device in the External panel.

Now click on the Device Control’s MIDI Learn button, and then move the footpedal. As if by magic, Control 1 appears, with its controller number assignment.

Now whenever you want something in Studio One to react to the footpedal, you just select Control 1. You can also rename this—perhaps not surprisingly, I changed Control 1 to Footpedal.

Now let’s suppose you want to control the Pro EQ Mid Frequency (Freq) control, which we used last week to vary the wah frequency. It’s simple:

  1. Vary the Freq control.
  2. Move the pedal.
  3. Right-click on the Freq knob.

Now choose the desired assignment—in my case, “Assign MF-Frequency to Footpedal on the Laboratory.” Move the pedal, and it will change the frequency.

However, you probably don’t want the pedal to cover the full frequency range, but just a typical wah’s range so you have more precise control. We have a solution for that, too. Instead of right-clicking on the knob and assigning it to the footpedal, assign it to a Channel Macro Control, like Knob 1. Open up the Channel Editor, right-click on Knob 1, move the knob, next move the pedal, and then choose “Assign MF-Frequency to Footpedal on the Laboratory.” (By the way, you can assign pretty much everything in Studio One to a controller using the right-click + move controller + choose assignment protocol.)

Now you can use the Transition settings graph to limit the pedal’s range. Alter the curve shape to a response you like—it doesn’t have to be linear—or even change the “sense” of the pedal travel so that pulling back on the pedal raises the wah frequency.

Once you’ve done this kind of assignment a few times, it will become second nature and you’ll be able to take advantage of pedal power for increased expressiveness. So put your foot down, get on the good foot, or put your best foot forward—the choice of clichés is yours!

Using the FaderPort 8 with Neil Zaza

 

Neil Zaza is a career guitar virtuoso who recently took some time out of his schedule to discuss his personal workflow with the PreSonus FaderPort 8 controller. He covers everything from set up to plugins to automation, he goes deep and covers it all! For your enjoyment, we complied the full series into one playlist here. Check it out and enjoy!

For more on the FaderPort, click here! 

For more on Neil, click here!