Using Sidechain to Mimic FabFilter Pro MB

[Stuart Welwood]

This short section of a video shows exactly what I am trying to do:

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Basically, it shows the FabFilter Pro MB being used to boost the upper-mid and high frequencies when the kick is hit.

After separating the original stereo track into stems, I filtered the drum track to get mostly the kick. This should be the output that I need to control the mids/highs, but how? What should I use to get this effect using only Presonus effects? Pro EQ, Multiband Dynamics, Expander, or what?

I guess this could be called filtered boosting, or whatever the opposite of ducking is, boosted ducking?

Any suggestions will be appreciated.

 

[Cypher]

Pro EQ is the tool you want. What you are looking for is dynamic eqing.
heres a quick vid how to set it up

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[Resonant Serpent]

Didn't watch the video, but Cypher is correct that Pro EQ is what you want. Just sidechain the band to the material.

What's also cool is that you can just effect the mid or side if you want.

Gregor discusses it here:

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[Craig Anderton]

The Multiband Dynamics processor is also really good for this kind of application. When "pumping" bass, I focus the low mid and high mid bands so that the low end doesn't get lost. The main difference compared to Dynamic EQ is being able to use the Multiband Dynamics' bandstop (plateau) EQ response. I wrote a tip about this for the PreSonus Blog a little while ago. There's also more info in v2.2 of my tips book.

 

[Stuart Welwood]

Pro EQ is the tool you want. What you are looking for is dynamic eqing.
heres a quick vid how to set it up

Thanks for the video. Pro EQ is so far my favorite plugin, and I knew it could probably be involved. What I don't understand is how low frequency content from the sidechain can be applied only to a much higher frequency band in the primary channel.

As I understand it, the sidechain signal is treated like the source signal would normally be. Low frequencies in the SC signal affect the low frequencies in the main path. Let me explain my specific needs.

I have a song that I wrote many moons ago, and I want to try the "transient shaping" technique shown in Streaky's video. After separating stems, I filtered the Drums stem with a LPF of 24 dB per octave at about 100 Hz.

I call this the control signal. I want to use it to boost only the frequencies above 1 kHz. I don't see any way to do that with a Pro EQ

Some possible solutions might include:

A. Transposing the SC.

B. Rectifying and filtering the SC to control a static EQ and VCA in series, which doesn't look like the sort of thing S1 does.

C. Using a splitter like this, but this doesn't address the LF sidechain issue:

D. After Resonant Serpent pointed out the use of M/S processing:

?

Maybe I'm overlooking something.

 

[Stuart Welwood]

Didn't watch the video, but Cypher is correct that Pro EQ is what you want. Just sidechain the band to the material.

What's also cool is that you can just effect the mid or side if you want.

Gregor discusses it here:

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Thanks for pointing out the use of M/S processing on the first video; I hadn't noticed that. That's a great video. Seem it twice now.

Gregor was working with a sidechain in the same frequency range as the range of the main signal he wanted to affect. - voice in both cases.

 

[Stuart Welwood]

The Multiband Dynamics processor is also really good for this kind of application. When "pumping" bass, I focus the low mid and high mid bands so that the low end doesn't get lost. The main difference compared to Dynamic EQ is being able to use the Multiband Dynamics' bandstop (plateau) EQ response. I wrote a tip about this for the PreSonus Blog a little while ago. There's also more info in v2.2 of my tips book.

The MD plugin was my second choice for this application, but I'm not as familiar with it. I'll check out the tip, thanks.

 

[Craig Anderton]

Unless I'm missing something...I'm assuming the control signal is separate from the track you want to modify, yes? If so, set the Multiband Dynamics upper band to cover 1 kHz on up. Bypass all the other bands. Send the Sidechain to the Multiband Dynamics. The upper band will respond only to the amplitude coming it, it doesn't care about the frequency. I'm pretty sure that's what you want but I could be wrong.

 

[Stuart Welwood]

Unless I'm missing something...I'm assuming the control signal is separate from the track you want to modify, yes? If so, set the Multiband Dynamics upper band to cover 1 kHz on up. Bypass all the other bands. Send the Sidechain to the Multiband Dynamics. The upper band will respond only to the amplitude coming it, it doesn't care about the frequency. I'm pretty sure that's what you want but I could be wrong.

It does sound like that might do the trick. I will give it a try.

Yes, the control signal is from the Drums stem and LPF below 100 Hz to get the throb of the kick. This should boost the highs in the main path.

 

[Craig Anderton]

BTW PreSonus doesn't really highlight that the Multiband Dynamics is not just a typical Multiband Compressor. It can also do expander-like upward compression, which I think might be ideal for your needs. For example, the screen shot shows upward compression I used on the high band to get the airy vocal sound of 10cc's "I'm Not in Love." I haven't tried using the sidechain with upward compression, but I assume it would work. I'll check it out later, that might make a good blog tip.

The Multiband Dynamics is a versatile and IMO underrated Studio One processor. It also makes a great "focusing" equalizer to insert before parallel effects (just set all the Ratios to 1.0:1), and the semi-bandstop response is super-useful for vocal chains.

 

[Stuart Welwood]

Yes, Craig, you're right! To demonstrate how to use Multiband Dynamics to do what Streaky did in the original video, I made the following downloadable song:

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1uEAAUmxomPPBC_bJHtbi2hJd8J8wHsGn?usp=sharing

Here's a shot of it at work:

The main signal here is a noise track that I put together from the Sound Check test CD. The idea in the video is to use the band from 100 Hz down to boost the volume of the highs above 1 kHz using a FabFilter Pro MD plugin. The picture shows how this can be done with a Studio One Multiband Dynamics plugin. I muted the M band to more clearly hear the effect.

The picture also shows how the kick track can be filtered in two different ways to get the required output to go into the sidechain input of the S1 MD. They can be seen in the EQ plots of first two channels. The first is the 100 Hz LPF band that Streaky used. The second is Craig's Kick Isolator that is described in his excellent tip - Help Tracks “Breathe” with Multiband Dynamics. Thanks Craig. It's now time for me to buy your S1 tips and tricks book.

 

[Craig Anderton]

It's now time for me to buy your S1 tips and tricks book.

I'm glad the suggestion worked out for you! When you get the book, check out the tip on the "Varigraphic Equalizer," which is yet another application for the Multiband Dynamics processor. Also, don't overlook the FX Chains and other presets, and remember that I welcome suggestions for future updates - some of the cooler book aspects are a direct result of reader feedback.

 

[Stuart Welwood]

p. 258 The Varigraphic Equalizer. I now have another favorite plugin.

The success of the Multiband Dynamics plugin for my use makes me wonder if maybe Pro EQ could be used to do the same thing after all. Maybe I just didn't have it set up correctly. I may try it again sometime. I need to make some music! And read a huge book.

 

[Craig Anderton]

The success of the Multiband Dynamics plugin for my use makes me wonder if maybe Pro EQ could be used to do the same thing after all. Maybe I just didn't have it set up correctly.

Yes, you can do the same thing with the Pro EQ (see attached). However, the reason I recommended the Multiband Dynamics is because the Pro EQ doesn't have Attack and Release controls. If you want to add an element of "pumping," or smooth the transitions caused by the kick, you can do it with the MBD but not with the Pro EQ. Fun stuff, eh?