Side Chain in T6

[RJWlaw@aol.com]

Want to do the standard ducking of the bass guitar track triggered by the kick drum track. If I wrap my UAD ll76 in a Rack, no side chain Key Input appears, just the midi, Left and Right Inputs and Outputs.

If I do the same with the compressor that comes in T6, a side chain input does appear.

The UAD vst manual states that the UAD vst is side chain capable.

[RJWlaw@aol.com]

In T6. Windows 7. vst2 plugins -- Trying to do the standard ducking of the bass guitar track triggered by the kick drum track.

When I wrap my UAD 1176 in a Rack, no side chain/Key Input appears, just the midi, left and right inputs and outputs.

The UAD manual states that the 1176 plug in is fully capable of side chaining. If T6 cannot be made to offer a side chain input, is there a proven workaround using Sends or something else?

[Kang]

Are you sure it allows for external sidechaining and not just sidechain filters? Is there a sidechain button, or a sidechain version of the plugin? (never used UAD)

[RJWlaw@aol.com]

I will have to look deeper and see if I need to update my UAD plug ins. From an article:



"One of my favorite tools for this situation is the Universal Audio 1176 compressor, thanks to its lightning-fast reaction times and gritty tone which helps bass tracks cut through the mix. I like to use a relatively high ratio, like 8:1 or 12:1, along with a super-fast attack time. Release times will vary from song to song and the 1176 allows medium to slow release time (50ms – 1.1 seconds). For uptempo performances, use a faster release time, and for tracks with more sustained notes, you can use a slightly slower release—just be careful not to create any unwanted pumping effects from too-long release times.

It’s important to note that not all 1176 plug-in versions have a sidechain input. Look for a model that does, like those from UAD, Native Instruments, Softube, or McDSP.

[Watchful]

Deleted. Wrong thread, sorry.

[RJWlaw@aol.com]

I downloaded Waveform 9 to see if the side chain features of my UAD 1176 compressor would show up when I placed an instance on a track in normal fashion. They did not. Likewise, when I wrapped it in a Rack, no side chain connection point, or Key, or "cable" was offered within the Rack.

Also -- and sadly -- like in T6, The UAD GUIs still do not display correctly. Please note below all the buttons at the top of the GUI. They are all completely missing in T6 and in Waveform 9. It is not a case of them being toggled to be hidden.

https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/cont ... rmat=1000w

Those buttons and features show up in other DAWs. Maybe it is a JUCE thing?

I asked UAD about this several years ago and they responded that the T6 code must not be complete for the VST-2 standard. If that is true, I expected that the code would have been completed by the time Waveform 9 came into being. There must be others who use Waveform and UAD plug ins; is your experience the same?

I also noted that the color editor has still not been re-introduced in Waveform 9. (I never moved past T6 because of its rock solid stability and the ability to customize and optimize the GUI colors for long hours of work. The pre-set color scheme options offered by Waveform 9 are not optimal for me).

I am a huge T6 fan. I started with T2. I was gifted Pro Tools 11 in 2014. After comparing the workflow with T6 I threw Pro Tools 11 in the garbage in 2015.

[Kang]

Can you link me to the UAD 1176 manual? From what I can tell it doesn't seem like it has a side-chain input, but that is weird about those quotes you posted. Those missing plugin GUI elements you refer to are from Pro-Tools I'm pretty sure, that's a DAW specific thing.

They've explained why they can't do the color editor, it's unfortunate, I had a lot of fun with it back in the day, but it is what it is. I believe the only hope is for more color scheme's. I find the defaults to be fine.

[RJWlaw@aol.com]

The missing plugin GUI elements show up in every DAW I have tried except for T6/Waveform. Tried 3 or 4 of the usual suspects several years ago. Some of those buttons' functions are not replicated in the properties Section down below, therefore if the DAW does not display the buttons, one does not have access to those particular functions. When you press a button there are nested/cascading drop down lists

Here is from the UAD Manual for the 1176

"Added Features for Modern Workflows
Exclusive plug‑in only features lend modern workflows to this classic processor collection. Get quick parallel processing on bass and kick drums with Dry/Wet mix controls, or use the custom Sidechain Filter to tame low‑frequency pumping. Plus, enhanced graphics with improved VU metering bring iconic FET compression into a new
age."

Well, bottom line -- And thank you for your interest -- I tried ducking with the T6 compressor which DOES side chain if placed in a Rack, and the result was not quite as good as doing the "boost-the-kick/carve-out the-overlapping/colliding/masking bass frequencies" routine.

I will revisit these issues from time to time, and yes I recall the post that drove the final nail into the color scheme editor, BUT -- hope springs eternal and I just had to check. Would love to get the newest version but would be crazy to give up the stability and ease of use and "easy-on-the-eyes" color scheme.

[pough]

Do you mean the top level of controls (mostly to do with presets?) that is shown on the Pro Tools website like on this page featuring non-UAD plugins?

They show up very differently for UAD plugins in this video where the presenter is using Studio One.


I think a lot of DAWs have something similar, but they're not all the same and it's not a part of the plugin.

As for sidechain, you'll have to ask UAD and/or Tracktion. I can't really find much online to do with those plugins and sidechain. It might only work in Pro Tools. It might only work in newer versions of Waveform. It might be internal sidechain.

The fact that I can only find people complaining about a lack of external sidechain makes me think it might be only internal sidechain functionality.

[Kang]

Here is from the UAD Manual for the 1176

"Added Features for Modern Workflows
Exclusive plug‑in only features lend modern workflows to this classic processor collection. Get quick parallel processing on bass and kick drums with Dry/Wet mix controls, or use the custom Sidechain Filter to tame low‑frequency pumping. Plus, enhanced graphics with improved VU metering bring iconic FET compression into a new
age."

That specific quote is referring to the internal sidechain filters. As far as I know plugins with external sidechaining will have a way to switch it on and off and I can't see that on any of the UAD 1176's.

Try the TDR Molotok. It's an excellent free compressor with ext. sidechain, the VST3 works in T6.

Not sure when it started but VST3 sidechaining in Waveform 11 is super easy, it's just a drop down menu on the plugin. Along with what seems like better PDC, and now recording buffer compensation I couldn't be happier with upgrading from T6, highly recommended.

[RJWlaw@aol.com]

I saw those complaints, but thought they were old. I think I will need to go directly to UAD for a straight answer, which I will share here when it is available.

Several years ago I was trying to do something with the UAD FairChild and the step by step instructions required me to access a drop down list from the top of the vst's GUI. I could not find the button. At the time I assumed it was toggled out of sight. After cliking on everything but to no avail, I managed to get a UAD tech on the phone. He started walking me thru the steps but I had to pause him when we got to the part about getting the drop down list. I told him that there was no such button visible. Sent him a screen shot. He was perplexed. When he saw I was in Tracktion 6, he said something to the effect that Tracktion was not a supported DAW because the developers would not or could not fully comply with the VST-2 standard.

To date the one and only thing I have not been able to do with my UAD vsts is side chain. That is it. Other features like presets are accessible from buttons at the bottom of the vst's GUI,

Stay tuned

[pough]

From what I can see in videos online, there will be an additional "key" control in that top area (in Pro Tools, anyway) if the plugin has external sidechain capabilities.

Take a look at this UAD video for 1176:


When it's loaded in the Apollo Console, there is no top area. When it's loaded in Pro Tools, there is a top are but no key (sidechain) control.

Contrast with Brainworx Focusrite loaded in Pro Tools:

[RJWlaw@aol.com]

Good investigation. Nice work. I have a post in the UAD Forum, which I just joined, asking for a straight definitive answer. Stay tuned.

[RJWlaw@aol.com]

My first response from the UAD Forum was as follows -- (and a UAD Rep who chimed in thereafter did not correct the poster.)

"No. At least not built in. There might be 'hacks' or 3rd party wrappers or whatever that allow you to do that. Largely depends on your DAW, too."

[RJWlaw@aol.com]

The UAD Rep confirmed:


Official UA Representative
Universal Audio
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Join Date:Oct 2013
Posts:10,755Mentioned:268 Post(s)

This is correct. At least until LUNA adds the feature.