Apple Final Cut Pro - X Logic Effects Reference

Final Cut Pro X

Logic Effects Reference

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Contents

An Introduction to Logic Effects for Final Cut Pro X5Preface

About the Logic Effects included with Final Cut Pro X5
Additional Resources7

Distortion Effects9Chapter 1

Bitcrusher10
Clip Distortion11
Distortion Effect12
Distortion II13
Overdrive13
Phase Distortion14
Ringshifter15

Echo Effects23Chapter 2

Delay Designer23
Modulation Delay42
Stereo Delay44
Tape Delay45

Equalizers47Chapter 3

AutoFilter47
Channel EQ53
Fat EQ56
Linear Phase EQ57

Levels Effects63Chapter 4

Types of Dynamics Processors63
Adaptive Limiter65
Compressor66
Enveloper70
Expander72
Gain Plug-in73
Limiter73
Multichannel Gain75

3

Multipressor75
Noise Gate78
Spectral Gate81
Surround Compressor83

Modulation Effects89Chapter 5

Chorus Effect90
Ensemble Effect90
Flanger Effect92
Phaser Effect93
Scanner Vibrato Effect94
Tremolo Effect96

Spaces Effects97Chapter 6

Plates, Digital Reverb Effects, and Convolution Reverb98
PlatinumVerb99

Space Designer Convolution Reverb103Chapter 7

Getting to Know the Space Designer Interface104
Working with Space Designer’s Impulse Response Parameters105
Working with Space Designer’s Envelope and EQ Parameters109
Working with Space Designer’s Filter115
Working with Space Designer’s Global Parameters117
Automating Space Designer123

Specialized Effects and Utilities125Chapter 8

Correlation Meter125
Denoiser126
Direction Mixer128
Exciter131
MultiMeter132
Stereo Spread137
SubBass138
Test Oscillator140

Vocal Effects143Chapter 9

DeEsser143
Pitch Correction Effect145
Pitch Shifter II148
Vocal Transformer149

4 Contents

An Introduction to Logic Effects for Final Cut Pro X

Final Cut Pro X comes bundled with an extensive range of Logic Effects, digital signal
processing (DSP) effects and processors that are used to color or tonally shape existing
audio recordings and audio sources—in real time. These will cover almost every audio
processing and manipulation need you will encounter in your day-to-day work.

The most common processing options include EQs, levels (dynamic processors),
modulations, distortions, spaces (reverbs), and echo (delays).

Further advanced features include precise signal meters and analyzers, noise reduction,
bass enhancement, and vocal effects.

As you can see, many of the included processors and utilities don’t really fall into the
“effects” category, but they may prove to be invaluable to your audio production needs.

All effects, processors, and utilities provide an intuitive interface that simplifies operation,
enabling you to work quickly. Outstanding audio quality is assured when needed, or—at
the other end of the spectrum—extreme processing is possible when you need to radically
alter your audio. All effects and processors are highly optimized for efficient CPU usage.

Preface

This preface covers the following:

• About the Logic Effects included with Final Cut Pro X (p. 5)

• Additional Resources (p. 7)

About the Logic Effects included with Final Cut Pro X

The Logic Effects included in Final Cut Pro X are also designed for specific uses. Given
these unique properties and uses, each application provides a custom collection of suitable
effects and utilities.

Included effectsEffect category

BitcrusherDistortion

Clip Distortion

Distortion Effect

Distortion II

5

Included effectsEffect category

Overdrive

Phase Distortion

Ringshifter

Delay DesignerEcho

Modulation Delay

Stereo Delay

Tape Delay

AutoFilterEQ

Channel EQ

Fat EQ

Linear Phase EQ

Adaptive LimiterLevels

Compressor

Enveloper

Expander

Gain Plug-in

Limiter

Multichannel Gain

Multipressor

Noise Gate

Spectral Gate

Surround Compressor

Chorus EffectModulation

Ensemble Effect

Flanger Effect

Phaser Effect

Scanner Vibrato Effect

Tremolo Effect

PlatinumVerbSpaces

Space Designer Convolution Reverb

Correlation MeterSpecialized

Denoiser

Direction Mixer

Exciter

6 Preface An Introduction to Logic Effects for Final Cut Pro X

Included effectsEffect category

MultiMeter

Stereo Spread

SubBass

Test Oscillator

DeEsserVocal

Pitch Correction Effect

Pitch Shifter II

Vocal Transformer

Additional Resources

In addition to the documentation that comes with Final Cut Pro, there are a variety of
other resources you can use to find out more.

Final Cut Pro Website

For general information and updates, as well as the latest news on Final Cut Pro, go to:

• http://www.apple.com/finalcutpro

Apple Service and Support Websites

For software updates and answers to the most frequently asked questions for all Apple
products, go to the general Apple Support webpage. You’ll also have access to product
specifications, reference documentation, and technical articles about Apple products and
products from other companies.

• http://www.apple.com/support

For software updates, documentation, discussion forums, and answers to the most
frequently asked questions for Final Cut Pro, go to:

• http://www.apple.com/support/finalcutpro

7Preface An Introduction to Logic Effects for Final Cut Pro X

Distortion Effects

1

You can use Distortion effects to recreate the sound of analog or digital distortion and
to radically transform your audio.

Distortion effects simulate the distortion created by vacuum tubes, transistors, or digital
circuits. Vacuum tubes were used in audio amplifiers before the development of digital
audio technology, and they are still used in musical instrument amplifiers today. When
overdriven, they produce a type of distortion that many people find musically pleasing,
and which has become a familiar part of the sound of rock and pop music. Analog tube
distortion adds a distinctive warmth and bite to the signal.

There are also distortion effects that intentionally cause clipping and digital distortion of
the signal. These can be used to modify vocal, music, and other clips to produce an
intense, unnatural effect, or to create sound effects.

Distortion effects include parameters for tone, which let you shape the way the distortion
alters the signal (often as a frequency-based filter), and for gain, which let you control
how much the distortion alters the output level of the signal.

Warning: When set to high output levels, distortion effects can damage your

hearing—and your speakers. When you adjust effect settings, it is recommended that
you lower the output level of the clip, and raise the level gradually when you are finished.

This chapter covers the following:

• Bitcrusher (p. 10)

• Clip Distortion (p. 11)

• Distortion Effect (p. 12)

• Distortion II (p. 13)

• Overdrive (p. 13)

• Phase Distortion (p. 14)

• Ringshifter (p. 15)

9

Bitcrusher

Bitcrusher is a low-resolution digital distortion effect. You can use it to emulate the sound
of early digital audio devices, to create artificial aliasing by dividing the sample rate, or
to distort signals until they are unrecognizable.

• Drive slider and field: Sets the amount of gain in decibels applied to the input signal.

Note: Raising the Drive level tends to increase the amount of clipping at the output of
the Bitcrusher as well.

• Resolution slider and field: Sets the bit rate (between 1 and 24 bits). This alters the
calculation precision of the process. Lowering the value increases the number of
sampling errors, generating more distortion. At extremely low bit rates, the amount of
distortion can be greater than the level of the usable signal.

• Waveform display: Shows the impact of parameters on the distortion process.

• Downsampling sliderand field: Reduces the sample rate. A value of 1 x leaves the signal
unchanged, a value of 2 x halves the sample rate, and a value of 10 x reduces the
sample rate to one-tenth of the original signal. (For example, if you set Downsampling
to 10 x , a 44.1 kHz signal is sampled at just 4.41 kHz.)

Note: Downsampling has no impact on the playback speed or pitch of the signal.

• Mode buttons: Set the distortion mode to Folded, Cut, or Displaced. Signal peaks that
exceed the clip level are processed.

Note: The Clip Level parameter has a significant impact on the behavior of all three
modes. This is reflected in the Waveform display, so try each mode button and adjust
the Clip Level slider to get a feel for how this works.

• Folded: The start and end levels of the clipped signal are unchanged, but the center

portion is effectively folded in half (halved in thelevel above the threshold), resulting
in a softer distortion.

• Cut: The signal is abruptly distorted when the clipping threshold is exceeded. Clipping

that occurs in most digital systems is closest to Cut mode.

10 Chapter 1 Distortion Effects

• Displaced: The start, center, and end levels of the signal (above the threshold) are

offset, resulting in a distortion which is less severe as signal levels cross the threshold.
The center portion of the clipped signal is also softer than in Cut mode.

• Clip Level slider and field: Sets the point (below the clipping threshold of the clip) at
which the signal starts clipping.

• Mix slider and field (Extended Parameters area): Sets the balance between dry (original)
and wet (effect) signals.

Clip Distortion

Clip Distortion is a nonlinear distortion effect that produces unpredictable spectra. It can
simulate warm, overdriven tube sounds and can also generate drastic distortions.

Clip Distortion features an unusual combination of serially connected filters. The incoming
signal is amplified by the Drive value, passes through a highpass filter, and is then
subjected to nonlinear distortion. Following the distortion, the signal passes through a
lowpass filter. The effect signal is then recombined with the original signal and this mixed
signal is sent through a further lowpass filter. All three filters have a slope of 6 dB/octave.

This unique combinationof filters allows for gaps inthe frequency spectra that can sound
quite good with this sort of nonlinear distortion.

• Drive slider and field: Sets the amount of gain applied to the input signal. After being
amplified by the Drive value, the signal passes through a highpass filter.

• Tone slider and field: Sets the cutoff frequency (in Hertz) of the highpass filter.

• Clip Circuit display: Shows the impact of all parameters, with the exception of the High
Shelving filter parameters.

• Symmetry sliderand field: Sets the amount of nonlinear (asymmetrical) distortion applied
to the signal.

• Clip Filter slider and field: Sets the cutoff frequency (in Hertz) of the first lowpass filter.

11Chapter 1 Distortion Effects

• Mix slider and field: Sets the ratio between the effect (wet) signal and original (dry)
signals, following the Clip Filter.

• Sum LPF knob and field: Sets the cutoff frequency (in Hertz) of the lowpass filter. This
processes the mixed signal.

• (High Shelving) Frequency knob and field: Sets the frequency (in Hertz) of the high
shelving filter. If you set the High Shelving Frequency to around 12 kHz, you can use it
like the treble control on a stereo hi-fi amplifier. Unlike these types of treble controls,
however, you can boost or cut the signal by up to ±30 dB with the Gain parameter.

• (High Shelving)Gain knob andfield: Sets the amount of gain applied to the output signal.

• Input Gain field and slider (Extended Parameters area): Sets the amount of gain applied
to the input signal.

• Output Gainfield and slider(Extended Parameters area): Sets the amount of gain applied
to the output signal.

Distortion Effect

The Distortion effect simulates the lo-fi, dirty distortion generated by a bipolar transistor.
You can use it to simulate playing a musical instrument through a highly overdriven
amplifier, or to create unique distorted sounds.

• Drive slider and field: Sets the amount of saturation applied to the signal.

• Display: Shows the impact of parameters on the signal.

• Toneknob and field: Sets the frequency for the high cut filter. Filtering the harmonically
rich distorted signal produces a softer tone.

• Output sliderand field: Sets the output level. This allows you to compensatefor increases
in loudness caused by adding distortion.

12 Chapter 1 Distortion Effects

Distortion II

Distortion II emulates the distortion circuit of a Hammond B3 organ. You can use it on
musical instruments to recreate this classic effect, or use it creatively when designing
new sounds.

• PreGain knob: Sets the amount of gain applied to the input signal.

• Drive knob: Sets the amount of saturation applied to the signal.

• Tone knob: Sets the frequency of the highpass filter. Filtering the harmonically rich
distorted signal produces a softer tone.

• Type pop-up menu: Choose the type of distortion you want to apply:

• Growl: Emulates a two-stage tube amplifier similar to the type found in a Leslie 122

speaker cabinet, which is often used with the Hammond B3 organ.

• Bity: Emulates the sound of a bluesy (overdriven) guitar amp.

• Nasty: Produces hard distortion, suitable for creating very aggressive sounds.

Overdrive

Overdrive emulates the distortion produced by a field effect transistor (FET), which is
commonly used in solid-state musical instrument amplifiers and hardware effects devices.
When saturated, FETs generate a warmer-sounding distortion than bipolar transistors,
such as those emulated by the Distortion effect.

• Drive slider and field: Sets the saturation amount for the simulated transistor.

13Chapter 1 Distortion Effects

• Display: Shows the impact of parameters on the signal.

• Toneknob and field: Sets the frequency for the high cut filter. Filtering the harmonically
rich distorted signal produces a softer tone.

• Output sliderand field: Sets the output level. This allows you to compensatefor increases
in loudness caused by using Overdrive.

Phase Distortion

The Phase Distortion effect is based on a modulated delay line, similar to a chorus or
flanger effect (see Modulation Effects). Unlike these effects, however, the delay time is
not modulated by a low frequency oscillator (LFO), but rather by a lowpass-filtered version
of the input signal itself, using an internal sidechain. This means that the incoming signal
modulates its own phase position.

The input signal only passes the delay line and is not affected by any other process. The
Mix parameter blends the effect signal with the original signal.

• Monitor button: Enable to hear the input signal in isolation. Disable to hear the mixed
signal.

• Cutoff knob and field: Sets the (center) cutoff frequency of the lowpass filter.

• Resonance knob and field: Emphasizes frequencies surrounding the cutoff frequency.

• Display: Shows the impact of parameters on the signal.

• Mix slider and field: Adjusts the percentage of the effect signal mixed with the original
signal.

• Max Modulation slider and field: Sets the maximum delay time.

• Intensity slider and field: Sets the amount of modulation applied to the signal.

14 Chapter 1 Distortion Effects

• Phase Reverse checkbox (Extended Parametersarea): Enable to reduce the delay time on
the right channel when input signals that exceed the cutoff frequency are received.
Available only for stereo instances of the Phase Distortion effect.

Ringshifter

The Ringshifter effect combines a ring modulator with a frequency shifter effect. Both
effects were popular during the 1970s, and are currently experiencing something of a
renaissance.

The ring modulator modulates the amplitude of the input signal using either the internal
oscillator or a side-chain signal. The frequency spectrum of the resulting effect signal
equals the sum and difference of the frequency content in the two original signals. Its
sound is often described as metallic or clangorous. Thering modulator was used extensively
on jazz rock and fusion records in the early 1970s.

The frequency shifter moves the frequency content of the input signal by a fixed amount
and, in doing so, alters the frequency relationship of the original harmonics. The resulting
sounds range from sweet and spacious phasing effects to strange robotic timbres.

Note: Frequency shifting should not be confused with pitch shifting. Pitch shifting
transposes the original signal, leaving its harmonic frequency relationship intact.

15Chapter 1 Distortion Effects

Getting to Know the Ringshifter Interface

Output parametersDelay parameters Mode buttons

LFO parametersEnvelope follower

parameters

Oscillator parameters

The Ringshifter interface consists of six main sections.

• Mode buttons: Determine whether the Ringshifter operates as frequency shifter or ring
modulator. See Setting the Ringshifter Mode.

• Oscillator parameters: Use these to configure the internal sine wave oscillator, which
modulates the amplitude of the input signal—in both frequency shifter modes and
the ring modulator OSC mode. See Using the Ringshifter’s Oscillator.

• Delay parameters: Use these to delay the effect signal. See Using the Ringshifter’s Delay.

• Envelope follower parameters: The oscillator frequency and output signal can be
modulated with an envelope follower. See Modulating theRingshifter with the Envelope

Follower.

• LFO parameters: The oscillator frequency and output signal can be modulated with an
LFO. See Modulating the Ringshifter with the LFO.

• Output parameters: The output section of the Ringshifter includes a feedback loop and
controls to set the stereo width and amount of the dry and wet signals. See Controlling

the Ringshifter Output Parameters.

16 Chapter 1 Distortion Effects

Setting the Ringshifter Mode

The four mode buttons determine whether the Ringshifter operates as a frequency shifter
or as a ring modulator.

• Single (Frequency Shifter) button: The frequency shifter generates a single, shifted effect
signal. The oscillator Frequency control determines whether the signal is shifted up
(positive value) or down (negative value).

• Dual (Frequency Shifter) button: The frequency shifting process produces one shifted
effect signal for each stereo channel—one is shifted up, the other is shifted down. The
oscillator Frequency control determines the shift direction in the left versus the right
channel.

• OSC (Ring Modulator) button: The ring modulator uses the internal sine wave oscillator
to modulate the input signal.

• Side Chain (Ring Modulator) button: The ring modulator modulates the amplitude of
the input signal with the audio signal assigned via the side-chain input. The sine wave
oscillator is switched off, and the Frequency controls are not accessible when Side
Chain mode is active.

Using the Ringshifter’s Oscillator

In both frequency shifter modes and the ring modulator OSC mode, the internal sine
wave oscillator is used to modulate the amplitude of the input signal.

• In the frequency shifter modes, the Frequency parameter controls the amount of
frequency shifting (up and/or down) applied to the input signal.

17Chapter 1 Distortion Effects

• In the ring modulator OSC mode, the Frequency parameter controls the frequency
content (timbre) of the resulting effect. This timbre can range from subtle tremolo
effects to clangorous metallic sounds.

• Frequency control: Sets the frequency of the sine oscillator.

• Lin(ear) and Exp(onential) buttons: Switch the scaling of the Frequency control:

• Exp(onential): Exponential scaling offers extremely small increments around the

0 point, which is useful for programming slow-moving phasing and tremolo effects.

• Lin(ear): Linear scaling resolution is even across the entire control range.

• Env Follow slider and field: Determines the impact of incoming signal levels on the
oscillator modulation depth.

• LFO slider and field: Determines the amount of oscillator modulation by the LFO.

Using the Ringshifter’s Delay

The effect signal is routed through a delay, following the oscillator.

• Time knob and field: Sets the delay time. This is in Hz when running freely, or in note
values (including triplet and dotted notes) when the Sync button is active.

18 Chapter 1 Distortion Effects

• Sync button: Synchronizes the delay to the project tempo. You can choose musical
note values with the Time knob.

• Level knob and field: Sets the level of the delay added to the ring-modulated or
frequency-shifted signal. A Level value of 0 passes the effect signal directly to the output
(bypass).

Modulating the Ringshifter with the Envelope Follower

The oscillator Frequency and Dry/Wet parameters can be modulated with the internal
envelope follower—and the LFO (see Modulating the Ringshifter with the LFO). The
oscillator frequency even allows modulation through the 0 Hz point, thus changing the
oscillation direction.

The envelope follower analyzes the amplitude (volume) of the input signal and uses this
to create a continuously changing control signal—a dynamic volume envelope of the
input signal. This control signal can be used for modulation purposes.

• Power button: Turns the envelope follower on or off and enables the following
parameters.

• Sens(itivity) slider and field: Determines how responsive the envelope follower is to the
input signal. At lower settings, the envelope follower reacts only to the most dominant
signal peaks. At higher settings, the envelope follower tracks the signal more closely,
but may react less dynamically.

• Attack slider and field: Sets the response time of the envelope follower.

• Decay slider and field: Controls the time it takes the envelope follower to return from
a higher to a lower value.

19Chapter 1 Distortion Effects

Modulating the Ringshifter with the LFO

The oscillator Frequency and Dry/Wet parameters can be modulated with the LFO—and
the envelope follower (see Modulating the Ringshifter with the Envelope Follower). The
oscillator frequency even allows modulation through the 0 Hz point, thus changing the
oscillation direction. The LFO produces continuous, cycled control signals.

• Power button: Turns the LFO on or off and enables the following parameters.

• Symmetry and Smooth slidersand fields: These controls, on either side of the Waveform
display, change the shape of the LFO waveform.

• Waveform display: The LFO waveform display provides visual feedback about the
waveform shape.

• Rate knob and field: Sets the (waveform cycle) speed of the LFO.

• Sync button: Synchronizes the LFO cycles (LFO rate) with the project tempo, using
musical note values.

Controlling the Ringshifter Output Parameters

The output parameters are used to set the balance between the effect and input signals
and also to set the width and feedback of the Ringshifter.

• Dry/Wet knob and field: Sets the mix ratio of the dry input signal and the wet effect
signal.

20 Chapter 1 Distortion Effects

• Feedback knob and field: Sets the amount of the signal that is routed back to the effect
input. Feedback adds an edge to the Ringshifter sound and is useful for a variety of
special effects. It produces a rich phasing sound when used in combination with a slow
oscillator sweep. Comb filtering effects are created by using high Feedback settings
with a short delay time (less than 10 ms). Use of longer delay times, in conjunction with
high Feedback settings, creates continuously rising and falling frequency shift effects.

• Stereo Width knob and field: Determines the breadth of the effect signal in the stereo
field. Stereo Width affects only the effect signal of the Ringshifter, not the dry input
signal.

• Env Follower sliderand field: Determines the amount of Dry/Wet parameter modulation
by the input signal level.

• LFO slider and field: Sets the LFO modulation depth of the Dry/Wet parameter.

21Chapter 1 Distortion Effects

Echo Effects

2

Echo effects store the input signal—and hold it for a short time—before sending it to
the effect input or output.

The held, and delayed, signal is repeated after a given time period, creating a repeating
echo effect, or delay. Each subsequent repeat is a little quieter than the previous one.
Most delays also allow you to feed a percentage of the delayed signal back to the input.
This can result in a subtle, chorus-like effect or cascading, chaotic audio output.

The delay time can often be synchronized to the project tempo by matching the grid
resolution of the project, usually in note values or milliseconds.

You can use delays to double individual sounds to resemble a group of instruments
playing the same melody, to create echo effects, to place the sound in a large “space,”
to generate rhythmic effects, or to enhance the stereo position of an audio clip.

Echo effects are generally used as individual audio clip effects. They are rarely used on
an overall mix, unless you’re trying to achieve an unusual effect.

This chapter covers the following:

• Delay Designer (p. 23)

• Modulation Delay (p. 42)

• Stereo Delay (p. 44)

• Tape Delay (p. 45)

Delay Designer

Delay Designer is a multitap delay. Unlike traditional delay units that offer only one or
two delays (or taps) that may or may not be fed back into the circuit, Delay Designer
provides up to 26 individual taps. These taps are all fed from the source signal and can
be freely edited to create delay effects that have never been heard before.

Delay Designer provides control over the following aspects of each tap:

• Level and pan position

23

• Highpass and lowpass filtering

Sync section

Tap parameter barTap pads

Master section

Main display

• Pitch transposition (up or down)

Further effect-wide parameters include synchronization, quantization, and feedback.

As the name implies, Delay Designer offers significant sound design potential. You can
use it for everything from a basic echo effect to an audio pattern sequencer. You can
create complex, evolving, moving rhythms by synchronizing the placement of taps. This
leads to further musical possibilities when coupled with judicious use of transposition
and filtering. Alternatively, you can set up numerous taps as repeats of other taps, much
as you would use the feedback control of a simple delay, but with individual control over
each repeat.

You can use Delay Designer with mono, stereo, or surround clips. See Working with

Delay Designer in Surround for details on using it in surround.

Getting to Know the Delay Designer Interface

The Delay Designer interface consists of five main sections:

• Main display: Provides a graphic representation of all taps. You can see, and edit, the
parameters of each tap in this area. See Getting to Know Delay Designer’s Main Display.

• Tapparameter bar: Offers a numeric overview of the current parameter settings for the
selected tap. You can view and edit the parameters of each tap in this area. See Editing

Taps in Delay Designer’s Tap Parameter Bar.

• Tap pads: You can use these two pads to create taps in Delay Designer. See Creating

Taps in Delay Designer.

24 Chapter 2 Echo Effects

• Sync section: This is used for syncing tempo in Logic Pro and is disabled for use with

View buttonsToggle buttons Autozoom button

Overview display

Tap display

Identification bar

Final Cut Pro.

• Master section: This area contains the global Mix and Feedback parameters. See Using

Delay Designer’s Master Section.

Getting to Know Delay Designer’s Main Display

Delay Designer’s main display is used to view and edit tap parameters. You can freely
determine the parameter shown, and quickly zoom or navigate through all taps.

• View buttons: Determine the parameter or parameters represented in the Tap display.
See Using Delay Designer’s View Buttons.

• Autozoom button: Zooms the Tap display out, making all taps visible. Turn Autozoom
off if you want to zoom the display in (by dragging vertically on the Overview display)
to view specific taps.

• Overview display: Shows all taps in the time range. See Zooming and Navigating

Delay Designer’s Tap Display.

• Toggle buttons: Click to enable or disable the parameters of a particular tap. The
parameter being toggled is chosen with the view buttons. The label at the left of the
toggle bar always indicates the parameter being toggled. For more information, see

Using Delay Designer’s Tap Toggle Buttons.

25Chapter 2 Echo Effects

• Tap display: Represents each tap as a shaded line. Each tap contains a bright bar (or
dot for stereo panning) that indicates the value of the parameter. You can directly edit
tap parameters in the Tap display area. For more details, see Editing Parameters in

Delay Designer’s Tap Display.

• Identification bar: Shows an identification letter for each tap. It also serves as a time
position indicator for each tap. You may freely move taps backward or forward in time
along this bar/timeline. See Moving and Deleting Taps in Delay Designer.

Using Delay Designer’s View Buttons

The view buttons determine which parameter is represented in Delay Designer’s Tap
display.

• Cutoff button: Shows the highpass and lowpass filter cutoff frequencies of taps.

• Reso(nance) button: Shows the filter resonance value of each tap.

• Transp(ose) button: Shows the pitch transposition of each tap.

• Pan button: Shows the pan parameter of each tap.

• For mono to stereo channels, each tap contains a line showing its pan position.

• For stereo to stereo channels, each tap contains a dot showing its stereo balance. A

line extending outwards from the dot indicates the tap’s stereo spread.

• For surround channels, each tap contains a line representing its surround angle (for

details, see Working with Delay Designer in Surround).

• Level button: Shows the relative volume level of each tap.

Tip: You can temporarily switch the Tap display to Level view from one of the other
view modes by pressing Command-Option.

26 Chapter 2 Echo Effects

Zooming and Navigating Delay Designer’s Tap Display

Overview display

You can use Delay Designer’s Overview display to zoom and to navigate the Tap display
area.

Tip: If the Overview display is hidden behind a tap, you can move it to the foreground
by holding down Shift.

To zoom the Tap display

Do one of the following:

Vertically drag the highlighted section (the bright rectangle) of the Overview display.

µ

Horizontally drag the highlighted bars—to the left or right of the bright rectangle—in

µ

the Overview display.

Note: The Autozoom button needs to be disabled when manually zooming with the
Overview display. When you zoom in on a small group of taps, the Overview display
continues to show all taps. The area shown in the Tap display is indicated by the bright
rectangle in the Overview display.

27Chapter 2 Echo Effects

To move to different sections of the Tap display

Horizontally drag the (middle of the) bright rectangle in the Overview display.

µ

The zoomed view in the Tap display updates as you drag.

Creating Taps in Delay Designer

You can create new delay taps in three different ways: by using the Tap pads, by creating
them in the Identification bar, or by copying existing taps.

To create taps with the Tap pad

1 Click the upper pad (Start).

Note: Whenever you click the Start pad, it automatically erases all existing taps. Given
this behavior, after you have created your initial taps, you will want to create subsequent
taps by clicking in the Identification bar.

The upper pad label changes to Tap, and a red tap recording bar appears in the strip
below the view buttons.

2 Click the Tap button to begin recording new taps.

3 Click the Tap button to create new taps. These are created at the exact moments in time

of each click, adopting the rhythm of your click pattern.

4 To finish creating taps, click the Last Tap button.

This adds the final tap, ending tap recording, and assigning the last tap as the feedback
tap (for an explanation of the feedback tap, see Using Delay Designer’s Master Section).

Note: If you do not click the Last Tap button, tap recording automatically stops after
10 seconds or when the 26th tap is created, whichever comes first.

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To create taps in the Identification bar

Click at the appropriate position.

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To copy taps in the Identification bar

Option-drag a selection of one or more taps to the appropriate position.

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The delay time of copied taps is set to the drag position.

Delay Designer Tap Creation Suggestions

The fastest way to create multiple taps is to use the Tap pads. If you have a specific rhythm
in mind, you might find it easier to tap out your rhythm on dedicated hardware controller
buttons, instead of using mouse clicks. If you have a MIDI controller, you can assign the
Tap pads to buttons on your device. For information about assigning controllers, see the
Control Surfaces Support manual.

Note: Whenever you click the Start Tap pad, it automatically erases all existing taps. Given
this behavior, after you create your initial taps you will want to create subsequent taps
by clicking in the Identification bar.

After a tap has been created, you can freely adjust its position, or you can remove it if it
was created accidentally. For details, see Moving and Deleting Taps in Delay Designer.

Identifying Taps in Delay Designer

Taps are assigned letters, based on their order of creation. The first tap to be created is
assigned as Tap A, the second tap is assigned as Tap B, and so on. Once assigned, each
tap is always identified by the same letter, even when moved in time, and therefore
reordered. For example, if you initially create three taps they will be named Tap A, Tap B,
and Tap C. If you then change the delay time of Tap B so that it precedes Tap A, it will
still be called Tap B.

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The Identification bar shows the letter of each visible tap. The Tap Delay field of the Tap
parameter bar displays the letter of the currently selected tap, or the letter of the tap
being edited when multiple taps are selected (for details, see Selecting Taps in

Delay Designer).

Selecting Taps in Delay Designer

There will always be at least one selected tap. You can easily distinguish selected taps by
color—the toggle bar icons and the Identification bar letters of selected taps are white.

To select a tap

Do one of the following:

Click a tap in the Tap display.

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Click the appropriate tap letter in the Identification bar.

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Click one of the arrows to the left of the Tap name to select the next or previous tap.

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