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MIC, MOD, FX ADJUSTMENTS WORKING IN KIT PRESETS (continued)
The FX tools of the Mimic Pro are very powerful and
provide many sound possibilities and variations
that allow you to create unique sounding drum
kits. In this section, we will identify the FX tools
and explain how to use them.
The three FX (effects) menus are:
COMPRESSOR
A Compressor is an effect that typically reduces the volume of loud sounds or amplifies quiet sounds by narrowing
or compressing an audio signal’s dynamic range. Compression is commonly used in recording and for live sound.
The effect compression has on the sound of instruments varies greatly depending on the control settings used; it
could range from being hardly noticeable, to drastically changing the tonal character. It’s truly a powerful tool for
sound shape and design. The Compressor tool on Mimic Pro is referred to as “COMP” and is only available for the
individual instruments (direct mics) and on the main OH and Room channels. In addition, the “COMP” feature is
also available for the entire headphones output. To properly setup the compressor or “COMP” we need to review
the controls available and what they should offer:
Threshold controls how loud a signal must be before any compression is applied. The “COMP” reduces the level
of an audio signal if its amplitude exceeds a certain threshold. It is commonly set in decibels dB, where a lower
threshold, for instance -30 dB means a larger portion of the signal is treated compared to a higher threshold of,
for instance -10 dB.
Ratio is the amount of gain reduction. For example, a ratio of 4:1 means that if the input level is 4 dB over the
threshold, the output signal level is 1 dB over the threshold. The gain, or signal level has been reduced by 3 dB. It
is important to understand, that when the compressor is lowering the signal to the desired ratio that it is lowering
the entire signal, so that the compressor is still working even after the input signal has fallen below the threshold,
for an amount of time determined by the release.
Attack is the period when the “COMP” is decreasing gain to reach the level that is determined by the ratio.
Release is the period when the “COMP is increasing gain to the level determined by the ratio, or to zero dB once
the level has fallen below the threshold.
Output is the volume of the whole signal after the compressor. Because the compressor is reducing the gain, or
level of the signal, the ability to add a fixed amount of output gain is provided in Mimic Pro “COMP” so that an
optimum volume level can be used.
FX ADJUSTMENTS WORKING IN KIT PRESETS
COMPRESSOR
EQ (SOUND FREQUENCY EQUALIZER)
REVERB
1.
2.
3.
Pic 47: Compressor Screen
