.Setting up Multi-Input Plug-ins in Podium
The first step is to check that the FX plug-in is multi-input. If it looks like this in the Devices List,
… it is not.
If on the other hand, Podium imports the plug-in and it looks something like this,
…then you have multi-input Plug-in.
Next you will need to set up the tracks. You will need three tracks;
>>One for the source (That is, the sound that you want to keep in the arrangement)
>>One for the modulator (The sound will not be heard but will instead be used to modify the Source).
>>One for the output track (This is what you will hear in the final mix)
Note that because the effect (compressor, Vocoder etc.) accepts audio as inputs, the source and modulator can be either audio files/events or the audio output from a virtual instrument (vsti), or, any audio output for that matter.
For the sake of this example I am using Zynewave’s own Nucleum for a pad/keys sound and RM IV for a classic kick drum.
The effect is Slim Slow Slider’s Side Chain Compressor. Free, good, and been around for ages. You can find it here:
http://www.geocities.jp/webmaster_of_sss/vst/#sidech
Working in compact mode, import Nucleum and SSS’s Side Chain Compressor into the project and add to the tracks above.
The result looks as follows:
Important! Because SSS’s Side Chain Compressor is set up as a global effect and not an insert effect, you have to ‘bus’ the output to the effect’s output track (Pump’n Output in this case), so turn up the send dial to 0.00 dB for both tracks (Created automatically by Podium when the FX plug-in is imported).
Activate monitoring and hit play. You will see output on the meters of all three tracks.
Next we get the Kick Drum pumping the source sound. The trick to this is to adjust the Threshold and Ratio as well as adjust the Attack, Hold and Release to get the desired effect. This will require some tweaking depending on your audio tracks.
Here’s the interesting part. The aim of this exercise is to hear the ‘affected’ pad part but not the kick drum or the original pad itself. If you turn the kick drum down, it cannot be heard but of course then the pumping goes away. If you turn the pad sound down, all you can hear is a kick drum.
The trick here is to add a gain control to the Compressor FX track on the source and modulator tracks as shown:
And then….
This effectively feeds the audio into the effect, which then sends it to the output track as expected, however, now you can silence the output from tracks Synth and Kick Drum and just hear the output from Track 3 (pump’n Synth).
Another Important Note:
Most multi-input FX will have the ability to control the volume of the source and modulator tracks from with in the plug-in. In the case of SSS’s Side Chain Compressor, the key track dial controls the volume of the kick drum track on the output track. If you can still hear the Kick Drum after achieving the above, make sure the KeyTrack (Kick Drum in this case) is turned right down.
Export the whole thing to a template
An easy way to save all this setup is to place all three tracks from above in a Group Track and create a Group Track template. That way it is possible to redo all of the above in a matter of seconds ….Nice!
Okay, so that’s it. Please let me know if you think there are any changes necessary to help get the point across 🙂 .
