Audio Rough Rider Pro User Manual

Rough Rider Pro User’s Guide

Audio Damage, Inc.
Release 1.1

29 October 2009

The information in this document is subject to change without notice and does not represent a commitment on
the part of Audio Damage, Inc. The software described by this document is subject to a License Agreement
and may not be copied to other media except as specifically allowed in the License Agreement. No part of this
publication may be copied, reproduced or otherwise transmitted or recorded, for any purpose, without prior
written permission by Audio Damage, Inc.

© 2008 Audio Damage, Inc. All rights reserved.

Credits

Software Design and Construction, Documentation

Chris Randall
Adam Schabtach

Field Testing

Wade Alin
Dean Dunakin
Steve Hamann
Sean Costello
Adam Jay
Jim Murphy

Made Possible By

Tracie
Lisa

Fuzzy Logic

Alex (in memoriam)
Chica
Pablo
Widget

License Agreement

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AGREE TO ALL OF THE TERMS OF THIS AGREEMENT, THEN RETURN THE PRODUCT TO THE PLACE OF
PURCHASE FOR A FULL REFUND.

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("Customer") a nonexclusive and nontransferable license to use the Audio Damage software ("Software") in
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Customer may make one (1) archival copy of the Software provided Customer affixes to such copy all
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from Audio Damage: (i) the media on which the Software is furnished will be free of defects in materials and
workmanship under normal use; and (ii) the Software substantially conforms to its published specifications.
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shall remain in full force and effect. This License constitutes the entire License between the parties with
respect to the use of the Software.

Introduction

Thank you for purchasing Rough Rider Pro, Audio Damage's multi-band compressor plug-in. Rough Rider Pro
is a three-band compressor built from three of our successful (and free) compressor, Rough Rider. Although
Rough Rider Pro has precise controls that permit subtle control of signals, it excels at extreme effects. Its
three-band crossover can be used like a DJ’s 3-band EQ for drastic tonal control. Each compressor offers
attack times down to near-instant and compression ratios up to 1000:1 for complete obliteration of dynamics.
If one compressor isn’t enough, Rough Rider Pro’s “series” mode strings together the three compressors,
allowing each to stomp on your signal in its own way.

Compressors can be difficult audio tools to use effectively, particularly for beginners. This manual will not
attempt to explain the finer points of how to use (or misuse) compressors in general, and will focus only on
Rough Rider Pro’s details. You might wish to consult the following online articles if you’re unfamiliar with
compressors:

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/1996_articles/apr96/compression.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic_range_compression

[Both available as of October 2009.]

System Requirements

Rough Rider Pro is provided as both a VST and an AudioUnit plug-in for Windows and MacOS X. The MacOS X
versions are Universal Binary, compatible with both Intel- and Motorola-based Macs. To use Rough Rider Pro,
you'll need a Steinberg VST-compatible host application which conforms to the VST 2.0 specifications, and a
computer capable of running it. For the AudioUnit version of Rough Rider Pro, you’ll need an application
capable of hosting AudioUnit plug-ins, and a computer capable of running it.

Installation

Double-click the Rough Rider Pro Installer icon and follow the instructions. During the installation process the
installer will ask you to enter your registration code. Your registration code uniquely identifies your purchase,
and you will need it if you need to reinstall your plug-in (for example, after upgrading to a new computer).
Keep a copy of the code in a safe location and please don’t share it with your friends. We’re delighted if you
like our products so much that you want to share them, but please ask your friends to buy their own copy so
that we can keep making new products.

To un-install from OS X, simply delete the plug-in from your VST folder, which is usually located at

/Library/Audio/Plug-Ins/VST/, and your AudioUnits folder, which is located at /Library/Audio/Plug-
Ins/Components/. To un-install from Windows, simply delete the plug-in from your VST folder, which is
usually located at C:\Program Files\Steinberg\VstPlugins.

Operation

Rough Rider Pro can be used in either a stereo or mono context in your host DAW software. If you use a
stereo input, the left and right channel separation of the input signal is preserved in the output signal. Rough
Rider Pro is meant to be used as an insert effect but there’s no reason you can’t use it as a send/return effect
if doing so suits you.

Rough Rider Pro’s knobs respond to vertical mouse-pointer movements; that is, click on a knob and drag
upwards and downwards to rotate the knob. If you’re using the VST version of Rough Rider Pro, your host
software may override this behavior.

Here is a screenshot of Rough Rider Pro, followed by detailed descriptions of its controls. We’ll describe the
controls roughly in order of moving from left to right across the screen.

Isolator

The Isolator section of Rough Rider Pro is a DJ-style 3-band equalizer. It splits the incoming signal into three
frequency ranges: high (treble), middle, and low (bass). The frequency sliders control the operating
frequencies of the filters in the crossover network which divide the incoming signal into separate frequency
ranges. The HIGH FREQ slider sets the dividing point between the high and middle frequencies. Moving the
slider upwards increases the frequency, narrowing the high range of frequencies and widening the mid range.
The LOW FREQ slider sets the dividing point between the middle and low frequencies. Moving the slider
upwards increases the frequency, narrowing the mid range and increasing the low range.

The GAIN knobs control the level (loudness) of each frequency band. The HIGH GAIN, MID GAIN, and LOW
GAIN knobs, as you can probably figure out for yourself, control the levels of the high, middle, and low
frequency bands respectively. Turning the knob clockwise boosts the signal, turning it anti-clockwise makes it
quieter.

The arrow-shaped ON buttons to the right of the level knobs act as “kill” switches for each frequency band. If
the band’s switch is off the band is completely silenced. Click the switches with your mouse to turn them on
and off.

Compressors

Rough Rider Pro has three separate compressors with independent controls and operation. The routing of
signals through the compressors depends on the ROUTING switch in the lower right of Rough Rider Pro’s
window. In MULTI mode, each compressor operates on its corresponding band of frequencies, and the
compressor operate in parallel. The top compressor processes the high frequencies, the bottom compressor
processes the low frequencies, and the middle compressor processes the mid-range frequencies. The outputs
of the three compressors are added together to form the plug-in’s output. In SERIES mode, the compressors
are connected in series, with the output of the top compressor connected to the input of the middle
compressor and the output of the middle compressor connected to the input of the bottom compressor. In
SERIES mode, the three outputs of the Isolator are added together; the isolator operates more or less like a
three-band parametric equalizer. The signal filtered by the Isolator enters the top compressor, passes through
the middle compressor, leaves from the bottom compressor, and then makes its way out of the plug-in. Click
the ROUTING buttons to switch back and forth between the two modes.

Each compressor has three level meters, labeled IN, OUT, and GR. The IN and OUT meters reflect the level of
the signals entering and leaving the compressor. This means that the meters will display different levels
depending on the setting of the ROUTING switch. In MULTI mode the meters reflect the levels of the signals

for the three separate frequency bands, since the three outputs of the isolator are sent individually to the
three engines. If you kill a band altogether with its switch, you’ll see the corresponding engine’s meter stay at
zero. In SERIES mode, generally speaking, all three meters will be active since the signal passes through all
three compressors. The GR meter shows how much the signal is being compressed, i.e. how much the
compressor is affecting the signal. This meter moves downward because the compressor lowers the level of
the signal when it works.

The IN and OUT meters, as well as the master output meters (described below), blink red if the signal level
exceeds the normal full-scale level for digital audio. This will not cause audible distortion within Rough Rider
Pro itself, and is not necessarily cause for alarm. If the output level meters blink red, consider yourself warned
that the signal is loud enough to cause distortion further along in your host DAW’s signal path unless you
attenuate it somehow (e.g. with the mixer channel’s level slider).

The controls for each compressor are the same. In order from left to right, the controls are:

RATIO: The RATIO knob determines how much the compressor reduces the level of signals that

exceed the compression threshold (which is set by the SENSITIVITY knob, which we’ll get to
shortly). The value shown below the knob expresses the ratio of the loudness of the signal
before and after it is compressed. The higher the ratio, the more the output signal is reduced
relative to the input signal. For example, a ratio of 3:1 means that for every 3dB that the input
signal changes, the output signal changes 1dB. If the ratio is set to its lowest value of 1:1, the
compressor will have no effect on the signal.
The RATIO knob has a non-linear response. For the first half of its rotation, the ratio changes
from 1:1 to 10:1. For the second half of rotation, the ratio changes from 10:1 to 1000:1. Any
setting above 10:1 reduces the signal’s dynamic range dramatically and is usually referred to
as limiting rather than compression.

ATTACK: The ATTACK knob sets how quickly the compressor responds when a signal exceeds the

compression threshold. As you turn the knob up, the compressor responds more slowly. A
longer attack time allows the initial portion of the sound to pass through the compressor
without alteration. This is useful for retaining some of the sharpness of sounds with strong
initial transients, like those of drums, percussion, and plucked strings.
When the ATTACK knob is set to its lowest setting, the compressor responds nearly
instantaneously. When used with a high compression ratio, this can effectively obliterate the
dynamics of the signal.

RELEASE: Somewhat similar to the ATTACK knob, the RELEASE knob determines how quickly the

compressor stops altering the signal when the signal’s level falls below the compression
threshold. The release time should be adjusted by ear to suit the material. If the release time is
too short, you’ll hear audible “pumping” as the signal level is brought up and down by the
compressor. On the other hand, audible pumping is exactly why compressors are used in
certain musical styles.

SENSITIVITY: The SENSITIVITY knob knob sets the signal level or threshold at which the compressor

begins affecting the signal. Rotating the knob to the right lowers the threshold, causing the
compressor to have a greater effect on the signal (assuming that the ratio is set to something
higher than 1:1). If the SENSITIVITY knob is set to its lowest value, the compressor will affect
only the loudest signals.1

MAKEUP: The MAKEUP knob is a gain control that comes after the compressor itself. Since the

compressor reduces the overall level of the signal by lowering its loudest parts, the MAKEUP
knob can be used to raise the overall level of the signal. This is how a compressor increases the
apparent loudness of a signal: the dynamic range (i.e. the different between the loud parts and
the quiet parts) is first reduced by compression, making the quiet parts louder relative to the
loud parts, and then the entire signal is made louder by the amount set by the makeup gain

Master Controls

The area at the right side of Rough Rider Pro’s window contains controls which affect the plug-in’s overall
operation. The INPUT and OUTPUT level knobs provide overall gain control of the signals entering and leaving
the plug-in. Turning the knobs clockwise increases the amplitude of the signals. The INPUT knob has a range
of -40 to +6dB; the OUTPUT knob has a range of -60 to +6dB. The INPUT knob affects the signal before it
passes through the isolator, and is mostly useful for increasing the level of quiet material. The output knob
controls the level of the signal after it passes through the compressors. Use the output knob to adjust the
overall level of the plug-in.

1

Traditionally, compressors have a knob labeled “Threshold” which operates in the opposite direction, i.e. turning the knob
anti-clockwise lowers the threshold. We named Rough Rider Pro’s knob “Sensitivity” and configured it so that rotating it
clockwise increases the effect of the compressor since virtually every other knob you’ll find increases something when you
rotate it clockwise.

The INPUT and OUTPUT meters show the level of the input and output signals after they are affected by the
corresponding knobs. If the OUTPUT meters blink red, you probably want to turn down the plug-in’s output
level with the OUTPUT knob.

The ACTIVE switch is a “soft” bypass control. When the ACTIVE switch is set to OFF, the isolator,
compressors, and level controls are bypassed altogether. Use the active switch to compare Rough Rider Pro’s
effect with the unaltered signal. You will find that the active switch does not cause clicks and pops in the
signal, possibly unlike the plug-in bypass control provided by your host program.

MIDI Controllers

The VST version of Rough Rider Pro responds to MIDI continuous controller messages. You can use hardware
MIDI controllers, such as MIDI slider boxes or the knobs found on some MIDI keyboards, to adjust Rough
Rider Pro’s parameters.

Rough Rider Pro has a simple “MIDI Learn” mode for assigning its controls to MIDI controllers. To assign a
control to a MIDI controller:

 First, hold down the SHIFT and CTRL keys on your PC’s keyboard, or SHIFT and CMD keys if you’re

using a Mac, and click once on the control. An orange box will be drawn around the control to indicate
that it is ready to learn which MIDI controller it will be assigned to.

 Next, move the MIDI controller to send a continuous controller message—turn the knob, press the

button, move the slider, whatever is appropriate.

 The orange square will disappear. Now the control will move when you manipulate the MIDI controller.

Rough Rider Pro waits until it has received two consecutive continuous controller messages with the same
controller number before it makes an assignment. This filters out extraneous data sent by some MIDI
controllers. If you are assigning a button or switch on a MIDI controller, you may have to press or move the
switch twice before Rough Rider Pro recognizes the controller and assigns it to the desired control.

To assign a different MIDI controller to a control, repeat the same procedure using a different controller.

To cancel MIDI Learn mode without assigning a controller, hold down the SHIFT and CTRL keys (SHIFT and
CMD keys on a Mac) and click in any empty area in Rough Rider Pro’s window (i.e., don’t click on another
control). The white box will disappear.

To remove a MIDI controller assignment from a control, SHIFT and CTRL keys, (SHIFT and CMD keys on a
Mac) click on the control once so that the white box appears, then click again on the same control.

Rough Rider Pro’s MIDI controller assignments apply to all presets and instances of Rough Rider Pro, in all
host applications that you use. The MIDI assignments are stored in a special file on your hard drive. The
contents of this file are read when Rough Rider Pro is loaded by your host. If you have two or more instances
of Rough Rider Pro in use at once, any MIDI assignments you make will not be propagated to the other
instances until the next time that your host loads the plug-ins.

The AudioUnit version does not provide the same MIDI assignment features as the VST version. Almost all
AudioUnit hosts provide their own mechanism for assigning MIDI controllers to parameters, so it would be
redundant for us to implement MIDI controller assignments in the plug-in itself. Consult the documentation for
your AudioUnit host to learn how to use its MIDI features.

Automation

All of Rough Rider Pro’s parameters can be automated using your host's automation features. Consult your
host's documentation for information on how to use these features.

And Finally…

Thanks again for purchasing Rough Rider Pro. We make every effort to ensure your satisfaction with our
products, and want you to be happy with your purchase. Please write [e-mail] if you have
any questions or comments.