Automatic gain control VST

[JimBodkins]

Hi,

Hope this makes sense. I have need of an automatic gain control VST to prevent clipping. I am using SynthFont - which is terrific - but it commonly overdrives the output.

I cant seem to find anything. Am I searching for the wrong thing?

Thanks
Jim

[cYrus]

use a compressor..

[ouroboros]

You could use Kjaerhaus Classic Limiter to avoid clipping, but this, of course, compresses the sound some. Other wise, you might just have to set the master out to 0 and adjust the individual track/ channel volume levels.

[Lunch Money]

Betabugs audio has recipe for an AGC in the works; however, it's not being cooked up quite yet-- it's more like a list of ingredients, but without the careful attention of a chef. Actually, I just looked at the thread to see if the fixins' are getting stale and I noticed it hasn't been bumped since the end of October.

You can check it out and add your comments if you like:

Here's the Thread

In the meantime, you can reduce the overall gain of your track so that it's at a more manageable level, and use a transparent compressor to bring it back up to level without clipping.

Greg

[IIRs]

Compressors and Limiters ARE automatic gain controls, by definition. If you can hear them working too much, try longer release times / softer knees / different types of compressor until you have transparent gain control.

Sometimes its impossible to achieve what you want automatically, in which case you will have to get your hands dirty editing automation in your host..

[JimBodkins]

Thanks guys.

[JimBodkins]

As a note, I tried DigitalFishPhones Endorphin stereo compressor behind the VoxengoOldSkoolVerb (soft ambiance - I only mention the verb for completeness) and the clipping issue seems to be dealt with (without stepping too hard on the harmonic content - some compressors just crushed the life out of the spectral content).

This is great. I just despise creative labs (sorry if you like them). Just removed my audigy 2 (and got both my pci buss and memory bandwidth back). But that makes me dependent on SynthFont (www.synthfont.com). Which is ok, I really like it, but it overdrives the output very hard. It is in developement and I'm sure in time that issue will be addressed. (I find it extremely nice. I am having trouble paying him for it though as I dont use paypal and that is all he uses). Ah, this is about a rather large GM SoundFont that I did. (Audio Compositor for an editor) Creative just cant handle large soundfonts - SynthFont can. (And it can render to mp3 etc and more).

Thanks again. Good stuff.

[Lunch Money]

Synthfont looks great, and I've never made a back-to-back, but you can also check out rgc:audio's free "sfz" (different than the wonderful sfz+ which is commercial) which will let you use soundfonts of absolutely any size.

Greg

[jtxx000]

yep, you beat me to it greg but i'd definitely reccomend sfz as well.

[JimBodkins]

sfz++ is nice. Not the same as synthfont really. Synthfont not only renders soundfonts, but it allows nearly complete control over each midi channel/track, allows for the additions of additional tracks (midi or audio), will render mp3's, wav's or ogg vorbis (I believe - I use mp3), includes a soundfont editor (early stages) and will render mp3's (etc) in batch). There is a VSTi version, but the main app is stand alone. (Supports multiple VST effect busses as well as per track soundfonts or VSTi's)

Lots of stuff. I do like sfz++ though.