Dynamically Lighter Than Light

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JackA
Posts: 154
Joined: Thu May 24, 2012 5:52 pm

Dynamically Lighter Than Light

Post by JackA »

First, under the Effects > Dynamics > Amplify Light, what am I looking at in the X & Y axises?
Is there a way to modify the Amplify "Light" to about (maybe) 1/2 it's value? In other words, sometimes the Amplify Light is a bit too much and I want to lessen it. I think it's one of GW best features (for what I do)! :P

Thanks!

Best,
Jack
DougDbug
Posts: 2172
Joined: Wed Feb 16, 2005 3:33 pm
Location: Silicon Valley

Re: Dynamically Lighter Than Light

Post by DougDbug »

The numbers from 0-1.0 represent the amplitude. These are the same 0-1.0 (0-100%) values you see on regular waveform display. (Of course, the 0 to -1.0 values represent the negative half of the waveform.)

The X-axis is the input (or "before") and the Y-Axis is the output (or "after").
Is there a way to modify the Amplify "Light" to about (maybe) 1/2 it's value?
You can click on the "dots" in the graph and then drag them around, or you can click on a dot and enter the X, Y values. And/or you can click somewhere else and add more "dots" (deflection points). When the X & Y values are equal there is zero effect ((at that point) and when the values are greatly different there is a big effect.

With the Amplify Light preset, if you start-out with a sample value of 0.5 you end-up with about 0.75. So, with values less than 0.5, you have "regular" gain of around 1.5 (~3dB). Above 0.5, the gain is less than 1.0 (attenuation) so when you get back to 1.0 there is no net gain (a net gain factor of 1.0 or 0dB). This is sample-by-sample multiplication (i.e. 44,100 samples-per-second, etc.).

Obviously, Amplify Light is non-linear (it distorts the shape of the waveform). A straight line would be regular (linear) amplification or attenuation. The straight 45 degree line that shows-up when you first open Dynamics is a constant "gain" of 1.0, which does nothing. A slope greater than 45 degrees is amplification, and a slope of less than 45 degrees is attenuation.

Amplify Light is dynamic compression. This can get confusing, but it's similar to using compression to knock-down the peaks and then using make-up gain to boost the overall-average volume. And since it operates on one sample at a time with no regard for comes before or after, it's compression with zero attack and release times.
JackA
Posts: 154
Joined: Thu May 24, 2012 5:52 pm

Re: Dynamically Lighter Than Light

Post by JackA »

This is nice information!!! I appreciate your help!

I use(d) this for early CDs (mastering). I swear it made CDs sound like what I'd heard on vinyl records that I admired!

Have a great weekend!

Best,
Jack

-- Follow-up: Without internet access, I played with this. As I quickly learned, and I assume it's because of the asymmetry, but slightly moving the far upper right and the next dot down (only) creates a severe DC offset. So I see you were right on!!
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