The channel strip

The channel strip is divided into sections, each marked with a section header. Mix Channel and Audio Track channel strips have identical parameters. Here is a detailed rundown of the parameters and functions in each section.

Input section

Input Gain

| Parameter	| Description
Gain	This sets the input gain for the channel. Range is +/- 18 dB. If Gain is set to any other value than the default 0,0 dB or Invert Phase is on (see below), a LED is lit to the right in the section header to indicate the section is active.
INV (Invert Phase)	This inverts the phase of the input signal to correct eventual phase problems. For example, using multiple microphones during recording can sometimes cause phase-cancellation between microphones picking up the same sound source but at slightly different distances. Phase problems are most noticeable when signals are summed to mono. Out of phase signals are indicated by a lack of lower frequencies and a generally “hollow” sound quality.

Signal Path section

The Dynamics, EQ and Insert effect sections will by default process a channel signal in that order, i.e. the order of the sections as shown in the channel strip (from the top down). By using the buttons in this section, the signal path order can be changed internally.

| Parameter	| Description
Insert Pre	If this button is activated, the Insert effects are placed before the Dynamics and EQ sections in the signal path.
Dyn Post EQ	Activating this button places the EQ before the Dynamics and Insert sections in the signal path.
Insert Pre + Dyn Post EQ	If both buttons are activated, the order will be Insert, EQ and lastly Dynamics.
FILTERS TO DYN S/C	See “About the Filters To Dynamics Sidechain button”.

Dynamics section

Each channel strip has a powerful dynamics section featuring compression/limiting and gating/expansion. The upper part of the section (with a white background) is the compressor/limiter, and the lower part (gray background) is the gate/expander. The compressor and gate processing can be independently switched in or out of the circuit.

Compressor/Limiter

Compressors reduce dynamic range by evening out the difference between loud and quiet signals. This makes signal levels easier to balance, and can add punch and sustain to the sound.

The Main Mixer’s compressor/limiter is a flexible processor which has soft-knee (a gradual, smooth onset of compression) characteristics but can be switched to peak limiting, where levels above the set threshold are instantly reduced. The compressor also features automatic make-up gain.

The parameters are as follows:

| Parameter	| Description
Comp “ON” button	Activates/deactivates the compressor.
RATIO	Sets the amount of gain reduction applied to the signal above the set Threshold. The Ratio can be set from 1:1 (no reduction) to Infinite:1.
PEAK button	When activated this changes the signal detection from RMS to Peak, which results in an instant attack time. Peak mode is suitable for compression of sounds with fast attacks like drums.
THRES (Threshold)	This sets the level at which onset of compression occurs. Signals below the Threshold setting are unaffected, but when the level exceeds the threshold, compression kicks in. Range: -52 dB to 0 dB Automatic make-up gain (based on the Ratio and Threshold settings) is applied to compensate for level reduction caused by compression and maintain a steady output level.
REL (Release)	Release determines the time it takes before the compressor lets the sound through unaffected after the signal level drops below the set threshold. Set this to short values for “pumping” compressor effects, or to longer values for a smoother change of the dynamics. Range: 100ms to 1000ms.
FAST button	Attack - the time it takes for the compressor to react when signals rise above the set threshold level. If the FAST button is activated the attack will be fixed at 3ms for 20 dB gain reduction.
Meter	The right LED meter shows the gain reduction applied by the compressor.

Gate/Expander

Gating or expansion will attenuate signals below a set threshold; the opposite of compression. It can be used to reduce or eliminate unwanted background noise that may be present when there is no signal to mask it. Gating is also commonly used to reduce microphone “bleeding”, e.g. when recording a close-mic’ed drum kit you can use gating to silence the tom microphones when the toms aren’t being played to tighten up the sound, and for special effects like “keying” (see below).

Higher expansion ratios (10:1 and above) are referred to as noise gating, where the channel is completely silenced if the level drops below the set threshold.

The Gate/expander has the following parameters:

| Parameter	| Description
Gate “ON” button	Activates/deactivates the gate.
RANGE	Sets the amount of gain reduction applied to signals below the set Threshold. The Range can be set from 0dB (no reduction) to -40dB. If the EXP button is on (see below), the RANGE knob sets the expansion amount.
EXP button	When activated this changes the operating mode from Gate to Expansion. The RANGE knob (see above) then sets the expansion amount.
THRES (Threshold)	This sets the level at which the gate opens or closes. Signals below the Threshold setting are gated, but when the level exceeds the threshold, the gate opens. Range: -52 dB to 0 dB Note that the threshold for closing the gate is slightly lower than the threshold for opening the gate. This is to avoid undesirable gate triggering with signal levels close to the set threshold.
REL (Release)	Release determines the time it takes for the gate to go from open to fully closed. Fast release times will fade the signal abruptly once the level falls below the threshold, and longer release times will slowly fade out the signal. Range: 100ms to 1000ms.
FAST button	Attack - the time it takes for the gate to open - is normally1.5ms per 40dB. If the FAST button is activated the attack will be 100µs (microseconds) per 40 dB, which is useful for percussive material were the waveform rises steeply in a very short time.
HOLD	This determines the time the gate stays fully open after the signal falls below the threshold. Hold interacts with the Release parameter such that Release only starts acting after the set Hold time. Range: 0ms to 4000ms.
Meter	The left LED meter shows the gain reduction applied by the gating/expansion.

About the Filters To Dynamics Sidechain button

When this button (found in both the Input and EQ sections) is activated, the Low Pass and High Pass filters can be used to filter the channel sidechain signal before the dynamic processing.

The channel signal itself will not be directly affected by the filters, only the sidechain signal. The filtered sidechain signal is what triggers the dynamic processing, but the dynamic processing is applied to the channel signal. This allows you to use frequency sensitive compression.

By trimming low and/or high frequencies you can specify which frequency range should trigger the compressor or gate. A typical application of frequency sensitive compression is “de-essing” where harsh sibilants in vocal material are reduced or eliminated. This is done by filtering the Sidechain signal so that only high frequencies (“s” noises) will trigger the compressor.

When the “Filters To Dyn S/C” is active, the LPF and HPF buttons are not available in the Spectrum EQ Window, see “The Spectrum EQ Window”.

The Key button and the Dynamics Sidechain inputs

You can use external signals to trigger the Dynamics section. This is done by connecting an external signal output to the Sidechain inputs on the back of the Mix Channel or Audio Track rack device.

The Sidechain inputs.

When a cable is connected to the Sidechain inputs the “KEY” button is activated automatically and the Dynamics section for the channel will now be “keyed” i.e. triggered by the external signal instead of the channel signal.

For example, you could use a drum loop to trigger the gate for a channel playing a synth pad to create rhythmic chord effects.

See “Using compression sidechaining” for a description of further uses of sidechaining.

About Gain Reduction CV

The Gain Reduction CV out connector on the back of a Mix Channel or Audio Track rack device can be used to modulate other parameters with the amount of gain reduction applied by the compressor/gate. The gain reduction CV out can be used as an envelope follower as the CV follows the dynamics of the original signal.

For example, try using gain reduction CV to control filter frequency for “auto-wah” effects.

EQ section

This is a four-band EQ with parametric midrange controls and high and low frequency shelving bands. The EQ can be switched between two operating modes, each with slightly different curve characteristics. There is also a filter section with low pass and high pass filters.

The EQ can be placed before or after Dynamics in the signal path - see “Signal Path section”.

The parameters are as follows:

| Parameter	| Description
Spectrum EQ Window button	Click this button to bring up the Spectrum EQ Window where you can edit the EQ and Filter parameters graphically, see “The Spectrum EQ Window”.
LPF “ON” button	Activates/deactivates the low pass filter. A low pass filter lets low frequencies pass and cuts out the high frequencies.
HPF “ON” button	Activates/deactivates the high pass filter. A highpass filter is the opposite of a lowpass filter, cutting out lower frequencies and letting high frequencies pass.
LPF Frequency	The Low Pass filter (LPF) removes high frequencies from the signal, making the sound less bright. The LP filter has 12dB/Octave roll-off curve. Range is 100 Hz - 20 kHz.
HPF Frequency	The High Pass filter (HPF) removes low frequencies from the signal, causing a thinner sound. The HP filter slope has a 18 dB/Octave roll-off. Range is 20 Hz - 4 kHz.
FILTERS TO DYN S/C button	See “About the Filters To Dynamics Sidechain button”.
EQ “ON” button	Activates/deactivates the EQ. (This does not affect the LPF/HPF filters.)
“E” button	When the “E” button is activated the EQ will have slightly different curve characteristics. In normal mode (E button deactivated), the Gain setting will also affect the bandwidth (Q) for the HMF and LMF EQ sections. The higher the gain, the narrower the bandwidth and vice versa. With E mode activated, bandwidth is constant at all gain settings. (Check out the difference in “The Spectrum EQ Window” if you like.)
HF Gain/Frequency	The HF section provides high frequency shelving equalization. Frequencies above the set corner Frequency will be cut or boosted by the set HF Gain amount. The HF Gain control can cut or boost the selected frequency range +/- 20dB and the HF Frequency can be set between 1.5kHz - 22kHz.
HF BELL mode	When this button is activated, the HF EQ will switch to peaking characteristics. This means it works like a regular parametric EQ band, cutting or boosting the signal around the set frequency. Bell mode has a fixed bandwidth or "Q" (see below).
HMF Gain/Frequency/Q	The high medium frequency EQ is fully parametric. HMF Gain is adjustable +/- 20dB. Center frequency range is 600 Hz - 7 kHz. The “Q” parameter adjusts the bandwidth around the set center frequency. Q range is 0.70 - 2.50. The higher the Q value, the narrower the affected frequency range - except in “E” mode (see above).
LMF Gain/Frequency/Q	The low medium frequency EQ is also fully parametric. LMF Gain is adjustable +/- 20dB. Center frequency range is 200 Hz - 2 kHz. The “Q” parameter adjusts the bandwidth around the set center frequency. Q range is 0.70 - 2.50. The higher the Q value, the narrower the affected frequency range - except in “E” mode (see above).
LF Gain/Frequency	The LF section provides low frequency shelving equalization. All frequencies below the set Frequency will be cut or boosted by the set LF Gain amount. The LF Gain control can cut or boost the selected frequency range +/- 20dB and the LF Frequency can be set between 40 Hz - 600 Hz.
LF BELL mode	This works in the same way as described above for the HF filter, but affects the LF filter.

The Spectrum EQ Window

The EQ section can also be displayed and edited “visually”. This is done in the Spectrum EQ floating window. Besides the EQ functionality, the Spectrum EQ also features a spectrum analyzer which displays the audio frequency content of the selected mixer channel in real-time. Here is how you can work with the Spectrum EQ:

1.	Select “Show Spectrum EQ Window” from the Window menu (or press [F2]), or click the Spectrum EQ Window button on the desired channel strip (see “Spectrum EQ Window button”) or on the device in the rack:

The Spectrum EQ window shows up and the (pre-Fader) frequency content of the currently selected mixer channel is displayed in gray during playback:

The Spectrum EQ Window with audio playing back.

The LPF and HPF buttons are only present when the “FILTERS TO DYN S/C” button is off.

Click and drag the Spectrum EQ window frame to resize the window horizontally and vertically as desired.

Select the desired mixer channel for the Spectrum EQ by selecting it from the drop-down list at the bottom of the window.

If “Master Section” is selected, no controls are available in the window, since the Master Section lacks these.

•	If the “Follow Selection” checkbox is ticked, changing sequencer track, Mix Channel/Audio Track device in the rack, channel strip, or editing parameters on other channel strips will automatically change the Spectrum EQ Window focus to show the signal of the corresponding mixer channel.

2.	Tick the “EQ On” box to activate the EQ in the channel strip and bring up the parameters in the window.

You can also activate the HPF and LPF Filters, E Mode, HF Bell mode and LF Bell mode for the selected mixer channel by ticking the corresponding check boxes in the window. The pictures below shows how the different objects in the Spectrum EQ window correspond to the channel strip parameters:

The Spectrum EQ Window with the Filters, EQ, E Mode, Bell Mode and Analyzer functions active during audio playback.

The Spectrum EQ editing objects (points) and what parameter(s) they affect in the mixer channel strip.

Click and drag any of the points in the window to change the frequency (and gain for the EQ points) value(s).

Dragging sideways changes the frequency value and dragging vertically changes the gain (of the EQ points). As you edit the points, the corresponding channel strip parameter(s) are updated in real-time - and vice versa. The white line in the window shows the resulting EQ (and Filter, if activated) curve.

•	Hold down [Shift] and drag to constrain the movement to vertical and/or horizontal.

This allows you to change either frequency or gain without affecting the other.

[Ctrl]-click (Win) or [Cmd]-click (Mac) on an EQ point to reset its Gain value to 0dB.

•	When you hover over a point, its current values are displayed numerically in the Frequency, Gain and Q fields below the graph. The parameter’s (or section’s) name is also displayed at the bottom left in the window:

(The point remains selected until you touch another point with the mouse or click on the window background.)

The HMF EQ point is selected and highlighted in the window.

Note that the Analyzer always shows the audio frequencies before the Fader section. This means that any Filter and/or EQ changes you make will affect the displayed frequency content. Also, if you use any Insert FX, these could also affect the frequency content.

Hold down [Alt](Win)/[Option](Mac) and drag an EQ point vertically to change its Q-value.

This is only valid for the HMF and LMF EQ points, since these are the only ones that have a Q parameter.

It is possible to record parameter automation in the sequencer by dragging the points around in the Spectrum EQ Window during recording. Just make sure you have created a sequencer track for the channel you want to automate. See “Parameter automation recording procedure” for more details.

Insert FX section

The channel strip Insert FX section allows you to load an Effect Combi patch, which can in turn contain any number of effects and other devices. Insert effect devices that belong to the patch are added to the Audio Track or Mix Channel device in the rack.

The main parts of this section are the assignable Rotary knobs and buttons. Combinator Effect patches in the Factory Sound Bank will have various parameters and switches assigned to these controls, and the labels will have names describing the parameter/function.

Insert effects process the whole channel signal, as opposed to Send effects where the effect balance is adjustable. Typical examples of when to use insert effects include compression, distortion and modulation effects such as chorus.

The Insert effects can be placed ahead of the Dynamics and EQ sections in the signal path - see “Signal Path section”.

Loading Insert FX patches is done using the patch browser located at the bottom of the Insert FX section.

Insert effects patches in Combinator format can be loaded.

•	See “Insert FX” for descriptions of how to work with Insert effects.

•	Assigning parameters to the Rotary controls and buttons is done in the Programmer section of the rack device.

•	Creating your own Insert FX patches is done in the Combinator.

The Insert FX section in the channel strip contains the following parameters:

| Parameter	| Description
Bypass	Bypasses the Insert effect(s).
Rotary knobs 1-4/ Buttons 1-4	The four rotary controls and buttons are programmable and provide control over selected parameters and functions in an effect Combi patch. Assigning parameters to the controls is done in the Programmer for the Audio Track or Mix Channel device - see “Insert FX”.
Patch browser	This is a standard patch browser for channel Insert FX where you can select/save patches in the Combinator Effect patch format.
Edit Inserts	This will bring the channel’s rack device into view with its Insert FX container opened, allowing you to edit the effect devices.

FX Sends section

Send effects, which are global for all channels in the Main Mixer, are connected to the Master Section rack device. Up to 8 Send effects can be used simultaneously. For a description of how to use Send effects, see “Send FX”.

The FX Sends section contains the following parameters:

| Parameter	| Description
FX Send On 1-8	Activates the Send for the channel.
Level 1-8	The Send Level knobs control the amount of channel signal that is to be sent to the effect connected to the corresponding Send.
PRE button	Send channel output is normally taken post channel fader, so that changing the channel's volume also changes the send level. By activating the PRE button, the send output is taken pre channel fader. In this mode, the send level is independent of the channel fader.

Fader section

The Fader section is used for controlling the level of the channel and its stereo placement in the mix. The section has the following parameters:

| Parameter	| Description
Pan L/R	Use this control to set the left/right position of the channel in the stereo field. [Ctrl]-click (Win) or [Cmd]-click (Mac) the Pan knob to reset to the default “0” (center position). The pan law is "-3dB compensated", with “compensated” meaning that the signal becomes +3dB louder when it's panned hard left/right compared to when it's completely centered.
Width	Width will only be available on stereo channels. It allows you to control the width of the stereo field for the channel. Normally this is fully on (value 127) which represents full stereo. By decreasing this value the stereo width is narrowed. Turned fully off the channel output will be in mono.
MUTE/SOLO buttons	Note that the Mute and Solo functions in the Main Mixer are NOT the same as Mute and Solo of sequencer tracks (see “Muting tracks” and “Soloing tracks”). Clicking a channel’s Mute button silences the output of that channel. Click the button again to unmute the channel. Clicking a channel’s Solo button silences all other mixer channels, so that you only hear the soloed channel. Several channels can be soloed at the same time, but if this is the case, note that soloed channels can’t be muted with the Mute button. To mute one of several channels in solo mode you simply “un-solo” it. There are also Mute All Off/Solo All Off buttons in the Master Section - see “Master Section Header”. If you are using Output Busses (see “Output Busses”) and/or Parallel Channels (see “Parallel Channels”), the Solo and Mute functions affect the other concerned channels in an intelligent way, see “Solo, Mute and Send FX logic”.
Channel Fader	The channel fader is used to control the output level of each channel. By adjusting the faders, you can set the desired mix (balance) between channels. If a channel is an Output Bus (see “Output Busses”), the Fader section background is colored and the Fader knob is red.
Channel Meter	The meter is a graphical representation of the channel output level. Stereo channels have two level bars and mono channels have one. If the signal level pushes the meter into the red, to avoid distortion try lowering either the output level of the device connected to the channel device or the channel fader itself. The meter is a VU meter, taking into account any VU offset set in the Big Meter of the Reason Hardware Device - see “The Big Meter”.
Output Bus Selector	Here you can route the channel to an Output Bus (sub-mixer) instead of to the default Master Section, see “Output Busses”.

About Level/Pan CV

On the back of the Programmer section of a Mix Channel or Audio Track device you will find CV inputs for the channel Level and Pan controls. These allow for automatic level and pan control from sources that output CV signals.

Press [Tab] to flip the Rack around, then click the “Show Programmer” button to access the CV jacks.

Changing Fader section parameters on multiple channels simultaneously

In the Fader section you can change parameter values in a “ganged” or “linked” fashion on several selected Mix Channels. You can change the Mute, Solo and Level fader parameters this way. The example below shows seven selected channels, where the Level is reduced on the KorgBass channel and the rest of the channels’ Faders follow along (with the same amount of level change in dB for each channel):

•	If you don’t release the mouse button you can change the level back and the other channel faders will follow along as expected.

If you lower the level to minimum (or raise to max) so that all faders reach their end values, and then release the mouse button, changing the level again will move all faders together equally.

Channel Header section

The Channel Header is always visible at the bottom of the channel strip. It contains the following items:

The Edit Focus indicator - When you select a channel, the horizontal strip at the top of the Channel Header lights up red to indicate Edit Focus. The channel most recently clicked will have edit focus, regardless of how many channels are selected. When using [Ctrl](Win)-click or [Cmd](Mac)-click to deselect previously selected channels, edit focus will be on the most recently deselected channel.

Edit Focus also reflects the last selected track or Mix device, which is useful when moving between work areas because the channel with Edit Focus will always be in view in the Main Mixer. For example, if you select an ID8 track in the sequencer, the Mix channel to which it is connected will be scrolled into view in the Mixer, and will be given Edit Focus.

The top strip is lit to indicate Edit Focus.

•	When you are using the Spectrum EQ Window, and the “Follow Selection” box is ticked, the channel with Edit Focus is displayed in the window, see “The Spectrum EQ Window”.

The Remote Base Channel indicator - To the left in the same horizontal strip area a small yellow arrow symbol can be shown. This is the Remote Base Channel indicator, which shows which channel is considered the first or base channel when using Remote Control - see “Setting the Remote Base Channel”.

The Remote Base indicator.

The RACK and SEQ buttons allow you to switch to a channel’s rack device or sequencer track directly from the mixer - see “Switching between channels, rack devices and tracks”.

The Channel Header area reflects the selected Track Color (see “Coloring mixer channels”).

You can rename the channel by double-clicking on the name (see “Naming mixer channels”).

Note that the Channel Header is a little shorter if the channel is a Parallel Channel (see “Parallel Channels”).