Dynamic Frequency Limiter

maybe a nice inside on this plugin as a DC14 entry.

The first 1 3/4 month I'd been working on a project featuring a chord-progression generator, arpeggiator/pattern generator and a polyphonic synthesizer.

Though this came out really nice (it's awesome to be honestly) I did suddenly remind someone telling me last time after the DC:

"try making something, that people can actually understand. You're plugin is awesome, but I don't know what I'm doing haha"

and another:

"all the winners of the DC are almost always effect"

So about 1.5 weeks ago I started building my Dynamic frequency Limiter and that's why you're all enjoying this lovely small, understandable Dynamic frequency limiter instead of a song/synthesizer monster with tons of knobs and thingies ;)

There are a lot of uses for the Dynamic Frequency Limiter, so please give it a shot!

Still, there was a single use as a reason for me when I started making the plugin.
Sometimes in recording audio, peaks on certain frequencies arise often in a track, either due to bad microphones, used instrument or feedback problems. So I wanted a frequency dependent dynamic limiting effect which could limit these and only these frequencies without altering the rest of the track. Thus the idea of the plugin was born.

Applying a normal compressor reduces the volume of the entire track, leaving only this annoying peak for the listener to hear. Also, a normal compressor will also react to other frequency parts of the track, while these might not be wanted to be altered or should not be influencing the compression.
The biquad filters in my plugin, which are used to provide the analysing and gain-compression, are based upon the same calculations.
So when analyser and compressor stage have the same frequency and bandwidth (link switch) and the threshold is set to -12dB, ratio on 1x (fully clockwise, no exxagerate) and attack on zero, the max peak on the selected frequency really IS -12dB.

The plugin can thus be used to remove unwanted peaks in certain frequency regions without altering the rest of the track.

But of course, I couldn't leave it there...

-I added the exxagerate button to multiply the gain-reduction by 2. Thus, instead of normal limiting, it starts ducking the signal when it passes the threshold. Making it possible to add loads of punch to your sounds (mix the plugin with the original sound using your vst-host).

-I then added a transient-generator routing, using the difference between the envelope follower of the analyser and a secondary envelope follower with another curve and timing. The transient-knob multiplies the amount of difference and then adds this to the gain-stage.

-Then I added a delay in the gain-reduction path for further possibilities in punch-shaping and resonance control. This only delays the compressor's gain reduction, not the transient shaper. So the transient shaper can boost the attack part of the signal, after which the compressor kicks in and completely shut down the volume.

-At the end I added the limiter as the transient shaper was capable of generating LOADS of gain boost (you'll probably don't ever want to go over half the range of the knob, though for some distortion settings (very short envelope times) this can be nice).

-I finished it off with a fresh new background and creating some new knob images, cleaned up the project and quickly created some presets.

-No time for betatesting, as the deadline was there and up and away went the entry.

SirSickSik.

I've uploaded a 13-page manual with descriptions for all the controls and how to use it, have fun.

SirSickSik.

made an extra version of the plugin with horizontal-mouse controls (why did I set those knobs to 'rotary' anyways?!?)

Would love to try this, but the download link is dead (404).

WoW... glad I kept this. Checking on my unused plugins I almost let it go. It's nifty. AND it as a added bonus of being able to distort dynamically to frequancy settings with ADD TRANSIENT engaged. very nice when trying to get something xtra in the middle of a kick... Reaaly nice methinks. Ihope the dev didn't pull it.

Sorry for the dead link guys. I've just uploaded the file again and updated the link.

In FL Studio it detected like synth. So it's impossible to use it as it doesn't have audio input.

Just to add to arseniy2's remarks, same problem in Cubase 10 (Windows 10).

I jBridged successfully but was only able to open the plugin as an instrument. AFAIK (new to all DAWs) I cannot route audio to it - at least it's not available as a 'send' from an instrument channel strip.