B.1 Introduction
The Status Dynamics option adds the functionality of Noise Gates and
Compressor/Limiters to the STATUS 18R console. A variety of gating/keying options
help to make the dynamics very flexible. A choice of dedicated hardware controller or
screen interface makes operation simple and fast.
B.2 A Dynamics Primer
The STATUS Dynamics option can be separated into Noise Gate and
Compressor/Limiter functions. While there are many features built into the Dynamics
option, for now, a basic description of these two devices is most useful.
■
Noise Gate
A Noise Gate is simply a fast acting “switch” for an audio signal, the switch being signal-
level dependent. In the simplest terms, a noise gate is “open” (meaning that audio is
being passed through the gate) when the signal level is above a certain level, and
“closed” (signal is attenuated) when the signal level is below a certain level.
Almost all noise gates available today have these basic controls:
• Threshold:
Sets the signal level (in dB) above which the noise gate opens and below
which the noise gate is closed.
• Attack:
Sets how fast the noise gate is opened when a signal crosses above the
threshold level.
• Release:
Sets at what rate the noise gate is closed after the signal level crosses back
below the threshold level.
• Depth:
Depth sets how much attenuation is applied to signals below the threshold,
with a range from -60 dB to 0 dB (no attenuation.)
The STATUS Dynamics option adds some features to the basic set:
• Masking:
This is the amount of time after a gate is triggered, before it can be
retriggered.
• Hold:
Sets the amount of time before the open gate starts to close after the signal
drops below the threshold.
What is a Noise Gate for? —
A noise gate, in its simplest application, allows the
recording engineer to remove unwanted (“background”) sounds from desired
(“foreground”) sounds. Many applications can make use of the noise gate’s features.
Here are some examples of these applications.
• Controlling Signal Leakage:
The engineer has miked a drum set for a recording
session. He’s used six mikes (kick drum, snare, high hat, high tom, floor tom), and he
is recording each of these to a separate track. The problem is leakage of the high hat
into the snare track; the solution calls for a noise gate on the snare.
Our engineer would run the snare signal through a noise gate, with the threshold set
fairly high (let’s say, -10 dB). Since the high hat leakage at the snare mike is well below
-10 dB, it doesn’t open the noise gate. On each snare hit, however, the gate opens,
and passes the signal to the snare track.
An application of the noise gate’s other features helps to restore a natural sound to the
snare line: the attack is set very short (50 microseconds to 2 milliseconds), and the
release is set to about 50 ms. Thus, the gate opens almost instantaneously on the
snare hit, and stays open through the decay of the snare sound—then closes down
tight so there is no leakage between snare hits.
August 1999
B - 1
STATUS 18R
Operation and Maintenance Manual
Appendix B Dynamics Option