User manual FOCUSRITE MIDNIGHT PLUG-IN SUITE

[. . . ] 6 Meters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Threshold . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Ratio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Attack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . [. . . ] The Activation Code can be found on a sticker on the back of the installer CD wallet (if purchased as a boxed copy). If you purchased the Midnight plug-in suite on our E-Store, then the Activation Code will be emailed to you and also displayed in your browser at the time of purchase. Once you have entered your details press Submit and a licence file will be downloaded to your computer. A backup licence file will also be sent to your email address (please remember to disable junk mail filters or to check your junk mail folder). 4 Step 2 Install License File: Now return to the plug-in window in your DAW and click on this icon. Locate and select the downloaded license file to authorise your software. The file will be named: midnight_plugin_suite_Licence-XXXX-XX-XX. fnlf (where XXXX-XX-XX is the date of activation). Once you have selected the license file both Compressor and EQ plug-ins will be authorised and ready to use. Music computer NOT connected to the Internet: Step 1: Offline Activation Click the `Offline Activation' button and choose a location on your computer to save the Activation Request File. The file will be named: FFMidnightPluginSuite-Licence-Request Now copy this file on to some transferable media (e. g. a USB memory stick) and then copy the file onto an Internet connected computer. Whilst on the Internet connected computer, double-click the Activation Request File. Your web browser will open and automatically navigate to the software activation page (see previous page). Once you have entered your details press Submit and a licence file will be sent to your email address. (Please remember to disable junk mail filters or to check your junk mail folder. ) The file will be named: midnight_plugin_suite_Licence-XXXX-XX-XX. fnlf (where XXXX-XX-XX is the date of activation). Step 2 Install License File: Now return to the plug-in window in your DAW and click on this icon. Locate the Licence file (which has been downloaded to the computer, or transferred from another computer). Once you have selected the licence file both Compressor and EQ plug-ins will be authorised and ready to use. 5 Compressor A compressor essentially acts like an automatic volume control, turning down the volume of a signal if it gets too loud. This reduces variation between loud and quiet passages, as it automatically reduces the gain when the signal exceeds a given volume, defined as the threshold. The overall level can then be turned up to make the signal as loud as possible. Using the Compressor helps to even out a performance, preventing a signal from clipping and/or disappearing in the mix, and can also give it a whole new sonic character. The Midnight Compressor is modelled on the legendary Focusrite ISA 130 hardware compressor. The Midnight Compressor (as with the original ISA 130 compressor) has a warm, musical sound, and will provide sensitive compression to a wide range of musical sources without compromising the integrity of the original recording. The controls are as follows: In Gain The dial in the bottom-left of the plug-in window allows the user to control the level of gain at the input of the module. The accessible gain range is ­18dB to +18dB, with 0dB selected when the dial points vertically upwards (in the centre). Meters There are two level meters on the Midnight Compressor, labelled Threshold In/Out (on the left) and Gain Reduction (on the right). The Threshold In/Out meter has two possible meter sources, selected by toggling the Input/Output switch to the right of the meter. When set to Input, the meter shows the signal level immediately after the In Gain control, and the blue LED section of the meter lights up to show the static value selected by the position of the Threshold control. This simultaneous display of both input level and threshold allows the user to quickly see whether the threshold is being exceeded by the input signal, and therefore whether compression is being applied. Note: The Midnight Compressor is a `soft knee' compressor. [. . . ] The Midnight EQ comprises of three sections: Low Mid and High Mid parametric EQ (in the centre of the plug-in window), Low Shelf and High Shelf (bottom-left and bottom-right), plus Low Filter and High Filter (top-left and top-right). Details of the different sections of the plug-in are as follows: Low Mid and High Mid The centre section of the plug-in window features two separate bands of parametric EQ; High Mid and Low Mid, both with a boost/cut Gain dial from ­16dB to +16dB, a Frequency sweep control, and fully variable Q (bandwidth). The High Mid band's centre frequency covers the range 600Hz to 18kHz, and the Low Mid band's centre frequency ranges from 40Hz to 1. 2kHz. Low Shelf and High Shelf High and low frequency shelving sections are available in the bottom-right and bottom-left corners of the plug-in, each with a boost/cut Gain dial from ­16dB to +16dB, and a Frequency select dial that rotates continuously. The High Shelf frequency selection ranges from 3. 3kHz to 15kHz and the Low Shelf frequency selection ranges from 33Hz to 270Hz. Low Filter and High Filter Two dials provide full control of both Low Filter (top-left dial) and High Filter (top-right dial). Rotating the dials past the `OFF' position will make the filter active, and allow a continuous sweep between the frequencies indicated (36Hz to 330Hz for the low filter, and 3. 9kHz to 16kHz for the high filter). [. . . ]