Editing audio effects

Audio effect settings are displayed when you click the button on a track, bus, or assignable FX control.

Use the effects window to enable/bypass effects, edit effect parameters, add/remove DirectX and VST effects from tracks, busses, and assignable FX chains, edit effect parameters, and configure effects automation.

NOTE If no effects have been added to a track or bus, the button is displayed in gray . Click the button to display the Plug-In Chooser, where you can select the plug-ins you want to use.

TIP

  • To move faders and sliders in fine increments, hold Ctrl while dragging the control.

  • Double-click the title bar of the audio effects window to resize the window for the current plug-in.

Enabling or bypassing effects

Select the checkbox for each plug-in you want to apply or clear a checkbox to bypass an effect without removing it from the chain.

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The effect of plug-ins on a chain is cumulative, so you may need to rearrange the plug-ins so that one plug-in's processing does not adversely affect other plug-ins in the chain. To reorder the plug-ins within the chain, drag a plug-in button to a new location.

TIP You can bypass or enable all plug-ins by right-clicking the button in the track list and choosing Enable All or Bypass All from the shortcut menu.

Editing effect parameters

Click the plug-in's button to select it, and use the bottom half of the window to adjust the effect's parameters. For more information about using specific plug-ins, click the Plug-In Help button .

Adding or removing effects

  1. Click the Plug-In Chain button to display the Plug-In Chooser.

  2. Select a plug-in button, and then click the Add or Remove button. The modified chain is displayed at the top of the window.

    • Effects that can be automated are indicated by the icon in the Plug-In Chooser.

    • VST plug-ins are indicated by the icon in the Plug-In Chooser.

    • If you select a plug-in package, that chain will replace the current chain.

  3. Click the OK button.

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  • You can bypass, enable, or delete all plug-ins in the chain by right-clicking the button in the track list.

  • You can remove a plug-in from the chain by selecting a plug-in and clicking the Remove Selected Plug-In button .

Loading a plug-in preset

Loading a preset for an individual DirectX plug-in

Choose a setting from the Preset drop-down list. The plug-in settings stored in the preset are loaded.

Loading a preset for an individual VST plug-in

  1. Click the Open VST Preset button .

  2. The Open VST Preset dialog is displayed.

  3. Browse to the .fxp file that you want to use.

  4. Click the Open button.

  5. The current VST preset is replaced with the settings stored in the .fxp file.

Loading a bank of VST plug-in presets

  1. Click the Open VST Bank button .

  2. The Open VST Preset Bank dialog is displayed.

  3. Browse to the .fxb file that you want to use.

  4. Click the Open button.

  5. All presets for the current VST plug-in are replaced with the settings stored in the .fxb file, and the first preset in the bank is loaded by default.

Creating or deleting a preset

Saving a preset for an individual DirectX plug-in

  1. Adjust the settings for the plug-in.

  2. Type a name in the Preset box.

  3. Click the Save Preset button . The settings for the current plug-in are saved.

Saving a preset for an individual VST plug-in

  1. Type a name in the Preset box.

  2. Click the Save VST Preset As button .

  3. The Save VST Preset dialog is displayed.

  4. Browse to the folder where you want to save the .fxp file and type a name in the File name box.

  5. Click the Save button. The current plug-in settings are saved in the .fxp file.

Saving a bank of VST plug-in presets

  1. Click the Save VST Bank As button .

    The Save VST Preset Bank dialog is displayed.

  2. Browse to the folder where you want to save the .fxb file and type a name in the File name box.

  3. Click the Save button. All presets for the current plug-in are stored in the bank.

Delete a preset

Choose a preset from the Preset drop-down list and click the Delete button .

NOTE

  • You cannot delete built-in presets.

  • VST plug-in settings are loaded or saved using .fxp and .fxb files as described above. Individual presets and banks cannot be deleted from this window.

Automating effect parameters

If a plug-in supports it, you can use envelopes to automatically adjust effect parameters over time. Automation envelopes can be added to tracks and bus tracks to control individual effect parameters for track effects, bus effects, and assignable effects.

For more information about using automation envelopes on tracks, see Automating audio effect parameters

When you add a plug-in that supports automation (effects that can be automated are indicated by the icon in the Plug-In Chooser), the Bypass FX Automation button is displayed in the window:

  • After you've added effect automation envelopes, the Bypass FX Automation button is deselected, and effect parameters are automated using the envelope settings.

  • When the button is selected, effect automation envelopes are ignored and the effect's initial state is used for the duration of the track.

  • If you delete all automation envelopes from a plug-in, the Bypass FX Automation button is unavailable.