User Manual

Valley People Dyna-mite

 

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Intro
User Interface
Basic Limiting
Basic Expanding
Switches
Knobs
Limiting Modes
Expanding Modes
Mono and Stereo Operation
Buying Recommendations
Extended Features
Credits

 

Valley People Dyna-mite Slam and Gate

 

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Intro Slam and Gate
Dyna-mite Slam
User Interface
Parameters
In use
Dyna-mite Gate
User interface
Parameters
In use
Extended Features
Credits

Intro

If you haven’t used the Dyna-mite before, you will feel extremely confused.

DON’T PANIC!

As soon as you have acquainted yourself with the slightly weird layout and panel labels, you will learn how to master this powerful tool, and soon you will feel comfortable in knowing that you belong to the music industry’s version of the “Trekkies”, ie., the Valley People fanatics.

Take your time to look through this chapter to get acquainted with the normal modes of operation). During the learning period you will go through these steps:

1. Utter confusion. Desparation. Did I really pay for this?
   Solution: Read “Basic Limiting”, “Basic Expanding” and “User Interface”. It’s just three pages. Listen to the sound examples on the Softube web site.
2. Pride. You have learned what the controls do. You think you master every aspect of it.
   Solution: Read the entire manual, as well as the manual for the original hardware (it’s included in the installer).
3. Awe. You realize all the potential that is in this little thing, and start to think about all the cool things you can do with it.
   Solution: Do it!

But don’t despair. It doesn’t take much time to learn how to use it, it’s just that the first 15 minutes can be a bit confusing.

Final word from the developers: Expanding is the new black!

About the Valley People Dyna-mite

The Dyna-mite was designed for two main purposes: limiting and expanding. You choose limiting or expanding by setting the Mode switch in either the LIMIT or EXP mode.

Threshold, Release and Output works as in any limiter or expander. Range is a nice addition that enables you to limit the maximum amount of gain reduction.

You can set the type of detector with the Detector Type switch (the switch closest to the Range knob). AVG is smoother and slower than PEAK. GATE is a mode that works best in the EXP mode.

With the Det Source switch you select if you want to use the normal, internal, source (INT) or use an external side-chain (EXT). With an external source you can do many fun things, including keying and ducking.

You will always get a brief explanation about the current mode in the “Modes Display” beneath the unit.

 

User interface

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1. Threshold
2. Release
3. Range
4. Output
5. Detector source buttons
6. Gain reduction meter
7. Mode buttons
8. Detector type buttons
9. Clip meter

Parameters

Threshold: Adjusts the level at which the Dyna-mite starts to expand or limit.

Release: Adjusts the time it takes to restore the gain after expansion/limiting.

Detector Source: Set it to INT (normal operating mode) as a start. DS-FM and EXT are advanced modes.

Mode: Selects main mode. EXP=Expander/Gate, OUT=Bypass, LIMIT=Limiter.

Detector Type: Three different ways to detect the signal. Play around and try them out.

Range: Sets maximum amount of gain reduction. Advanced. Leave at 60 dB as a start.

Output: Sets output volume. Lower the volume if the output clips to much.

Gain Reduction Meter: Displays the current amount of gain reduction.

Clip LED: Lights up when the output signal is clipping.

For more detailed explanations of each knob, please see the following chapters.

 

Basic Limiting

Limiting is a hard Inf:1 ratio compression that can be used to increase the apparent volume, or to even out dynamic differences in a track. It works by reducing the gain for passages that are louder than the selected threshold. The limiting mode on the Dyna-mite is often used to squash drum tracks.

Mode: LIMIT (limiting)

Detector Source: INT (internal source)

Detector Type: AVG (slow attack) or PEAK (fast attack)

Threshold: Adjust to set amount of limiting (as read from the GAIN REDUCTION meter).

Release: Adjust to set release time

Range: 60 dB

Output: 0—15 dB

Procedure

1. Set Threshold until you get the desired amount of limiting, as red on the LED array.
2. Set the Output volume until you get the desired output volume.
3. Set the Release control by ear. If you get too much pumping, increase the release time.
4. Toggle the Detector Type between AVG and PEAK to get different attack times.

 

Basic Expanding

Expanding is when you let the Dyna-mite reduce the gain for passages that are below the select threshold. You can use it as a soft noise gate, use it more aggressively as a hard guitar/drum gate, or you can use to expand the total dynamics of a track.

Mode: EXP (expanding)

Detector Source: INT (internal source)

Detector Type: AVG (slow attack), PEAK (fast attack), or gate (hard noise gate, fast attack)

Threshold: Adjust to set the threshold of expansion

Release: Adjust to set release time

Range: 60—20 dB

Output: –15—0 dB

Procedure

1. Set the Release and Range to their min positions (CCW).
2. Adjust the Threshold so that the desired signals don’t light up any LEDs (no gain reduction), while the undesired signals (noise) cause gain reduction (LED array lights up).
3. Set the Release control by ear: too fast release time can cause unwanted, abrupt, effects when the signal goes down below the Threshold.
4. Set the Range to get the desired amount of maximum attenuation.
5. Toggle the Detector Type (AVG, PEAK, GATE) to get different kinds of gating effects.

 

Switches

All three switches work independently of each other, so don’t be alarmed. Once you know what each switch does, the Dyna-mite will be easy to operate.

Detector Source (INT, DS-FM, EXT)

Determines the source of the detector.

INT: Internal source, normal operating mode for noise gating, expanding or limiting. The gain reduction circuit acts upon the same signal that is fed to the detector.

DS-FM: Internal source, but with a detector filter that boosts the high frequencies, thus making it easier for high frequencies to trig the detector.

This mode can be used for de-essing, or it can be used rather creatively when increased sensitivity to high frequencies is desirable.

EXT: External source, or “side-chaining”. The detector is fed a separate signal (a sidechain) and calculates the gain reduction from this signal. This gain reduction is then applied to the main signal. This is used for keying (side-chain expanding) and ducking (side-chain compression) modes.

Mode (EXP, OUT, LIMIT)

Determines if the Dyna-mite should expand or limit the sound.

EXP: Expander mode. Reduce gain for signals below Threshold.

OUT: Bypass. Output volume knob and output stage clipping still active.

LIMIT: Limiting mode. Reduce gain for signals increasing above Threshold.

Detector Type (GATE, PEAK, AVG)

This switch determines the ratio and attack times of the detector.

GATE: Fast and aggressive attack. This is the most extreme mode. Fast attack time (about 50 µs). In LIMIT mode, the ratio is negative (1:–20), which means that for every dB above threshold, the output signal will be reduced by 20 dB! In EXP mode, you’ll have a hard noise gate with a 1:20 ratio. So for every dB below the threshold, the signal will be reduced by another 19 dBs.

PEAK: Fast attack time (about 50 µs), useful for hard limiting of transient material. Inf:1 ratio in LIMIT mode, and 1:2 ratio in EXP modes (for soft noise gating).

AVG: Slow attack. A slower and more complex attack time (about 1–15 ms). Inf:1 ratio in LIMIT mode, and 1:2 ratio in EXP modes (for soft noise gating).

 

Knobs

Threshold

Classic threshold control. Determines the signal level above which Limiting, or below which Expanding action begins.

Variable from –40 dBv to +20 dBv, which in a plugin translates to about –60 dBFS to 0 dBFS. A full scale (0 dBFS) sine wave, with Threshold set at max (+20 dBv), will cause the Dyna-mite to just start to limit or expand. The exact values depends on the mode selected.

Range

This innovative control limits the maximum gain reduction. It varies from 0 dB (no gain reduction) to 60 dB possible gain reduction.

This control is very useful when expanding, gating or keying. If you use the Keying mode (EXT, SXP, AVG/ PEAK) to, for example, duck a background music score whenever a narrator speaks, you can set the Range control to 15 dB to prevent the music to be reduced by more than 15 dB.

Advanced: Range Knob in Limiting Mode (Zones)

When limiting, the Range control gives you a very powerful tool to create a “zone” in which the limiting occurs. If you for example limit a drum track and the Gain Reduction meter reads 40 dB in the peaks, you can set the Range control to 25 dB and thus get three different zones:

1. No limiting when the drums are below –40 dB
2. Inf:1 limiting in the range –40 dB to –15 dB
3. No limiting for peaks exceeding –15 dB

Since the peaks in the third zone would cause a gain reduction above the limit of 25 dB, and the Range is set at 25 dB, no further gain reduction will occur. The effect is that you have a very effective limiting in zone 2, but with the transients of zone 3 being let through. It’s different, but sounds somewhat similar to that of a parallel or “New York style” compression.

Release

Classic release time control. Determines the rate at which a gain is restored after Limiting or Ducking, as well as the rate at which gain is reduced after Gating, Keying or Expansion attacks.

Variable from 50 ms to 5 sec/20dB.

Output

Output volume control. Ranges from –15 dBv to +15 dBv. In limiting modes (limit and ds-fm), the output volume will be automatically corrected to fit with the chosen Threshold level. In all other modes, the Output volume will act as a simple gain control. You will soon find that this auto make-up feature is very handy, since it is extremely easy to make changes to the amount of limiting (with the Threshold control) without disturbing the balance of the mix.

Clip Indicator

The plug-in features an accurate model of the output stage in the hardware. So whenever the hardware would clip, the plug-in will as well. This is indicated by a clip LED, and just as with the hardware, it is possible for the clip LED to flash, even with very heavy limiting, because the transients will in some cases slip through (for example in the AVG mode).

The original manual states: “The clipping signal is [often] of exceedingly short duration, and is, in all probability, fully inaudible. Any decision to lower the output level because of sporadic flashing of the clip LED should be based upon what you hear. If the signal sounds “clean”, you are probably better off to leave the output level alone.”

Times change, and today we often strive for a “dirtier” sound with distortion and clipping, so feel free to crank up the Output volume and experience the brutal distortion of the original Dyna-mite hardware...

 

Limiting Modes

There are two basic limiting modes: the AVG and PEAK detection. On top of this, you can use the built-in preemphasis high frequency filter (Detector Source = DSFM) together with the internal signal. You can also use an external side chain to trigger the limiter (Detector Source = EXP), which is usually called ducking. Finally, you can set the Detector Type to GATE, which will give you negative limiting.

In theory, the difference between AVG and PEAK lies basically in the way the detector calculates the envelope of the signal. AVG uses Linear Integration Detection, a proprietary method that Valley International developed, while PEAK uses a more traditional “log-of-the-absolute- value” method.

In practice, the differences lies in the timing. AVG is a bit slower, has a more natural sound, but can be tricky to work with. PEAK is faster and behaves more like a traditional limiter.

You can always toggle between the PEAK and AVG modes and listen to the difference.

Classic Limiting

Mode: LIMIT

Detector Type: AVG/PEAK

Detector Source: INT

Threshold: Adjust to material

Release: Usually short, 0.05-0.5 sec

Range: Typically 60 dB (see section about “Zones” for usage)

Output: Adjust to material, typically above 0 dB

These are the classic limiting modes. If the detector is in PEAK mode, you will be able to raise the total volume more than in AVG mode, but the waveforms will be more distorted than in AVG mode. In AVG mode it is easier to get a more transparent limiting, but it is also easier to get lots of punch in a drum track since the slower attack time will let the transients through. The original manual recommends the AVG position except when you have very transient sounds.

Level Limiting (INT, LIMIT, AVG)
Peak Limiting (INT, LIMIT, PEAK)

Ratio = Inf:1, Automatic make-up gain during limiting. Range control forced to 60 dB on hardware unit, but active in the plug-in.

De-Essing and Classic Limiting With Pre- Emphasis Filtering

Mode: LIMIT

Detector Type: AVG/PEAK

Detector Source: DS-FM

Threshold: Adjust to material, normally about 6—10 dB of gain reduction.

Release: Usually short, 0.05-0.5 sec

Range: Usually 60 dB

Output: Adjust to material

This is a setting that’s very useful for vocal de-essing, but also whenever you need to limit high frequency sounds (such as controlling cymbal levels).

De-essing (DS-FM, LIMIT, AVG)
Limiting High Frequency Sounds (DS-FM, LIMIT, PEAK)

Ratio = Inf:1. Automatic make-up gain during limiting. High frequency EQ inserted in detector path. Range control forced to 60 dB on hardware unit.

 

Mode: LIMIT

Detector Type: AVG/PEAK/GATE

Detector Source: EXT

Threshold: Setup the threshold level according to your side chain source level.

Release: Tune by ear. Classic voice-over usually needs longer release times than ducking strings ducking under a 4/4 bass drum.

Range: Use it! Set it to the desired maximum amount of ducking (in dB).

Output: –

A rather normal procedure is to let one track “duck” below another. For example ducking a synth pad by the strike of the bass drum (good use for the GATE mode). Another classic example is using it to duck background music below a voice-over (good use for the AVG mode).

Operating procedure (from the original manual): “In setting up for the Ducking operation, one would normally start with the Range at maximum (CCW) the Release time at minimum (CCW), and the Threshold at maximum (CW). After applying both signal sources, the Threshold would be adjusted such that a reliable full duck were achieved on each external signal passage. The operator [that’s you!] would then adjust the Range control for the desired depth of duck, and the Release control for the desired recovery rate.”

AVG/PEAK MODE: Inverse Envelope Follower (EXT, LIMIT, AVG/PEAK)

Signal gain is determined by the level of the side chain signal. A 1 dB increase of the side chain signal level (over Threshold) causes a 1 dB decrease in signal gain.

GATE MODE: Hard Ducking (EXT, LIMIT, GATE)

A 1 dB increase of the side chain signal level (over Threshold) causes a 20 dB decrease in signal gain. PEAK detection.

Weird Limiting

Mode: LIMIT

Detector Type: GATE

Detector Source: DS-FM or INT

In the category “Weird Limiting” we can find the negative ratio stuff. The negative limiting mode is a very special case, and is normally used together with longer release times and the Range control. In some settings, specifically with long release times and a Range at about 10–15 dB, you can get a very crackling sound. Increase the Range or the Release time to avoid this.

Negative Limiting for “Organ Effects” (INT, LIMIT, GATE)
Modified Negative Limiting (DS-FM, LIMIT, GATE)

Ratio = 1:-20. As input signal exceeds Threshold, a 1 dB increase causes a 20 dB decrease in output level.

 

Expanding Modes

The expansion modes is operated in a very similar way to the limiting modes, with the big exception that it is, well, expanding rather than limiting.

Another exception is that the GATE mode actually gates the signal in the EXP mode, while it in the LIMIT mode acts like a negative ratio limiter.

Classic Expansion/Noise Gating

Mode: EXP

Detector Type: AVG/PEAK/GATE

Detector Source: INT/DS-FM

Threshold: Adjust so that the desired sound levels extinguish all lights on the Gain Reduction LED array.

Release: Start with minimum setting, and then adjust “by ear”.

Range: Start with 60 dB, adjust to decrease the effect caused by the gating.

Output: Usually below 0 dB

In the classic noise gating mode you have three different settings of the Detector Type: AVG, PEAK and GATE.

The GATE mode is the most brutal mode, and is pretty efficient to use on drums or heavy metal guitar if you want a more aggressive sound, but it should be regarded more as a creative tool rather than a problem solver.

In all of these modes you can toggle between INT and DS-FM to get different weighting of the frequencies. Setting the Detector Source in DS-FM mode will make the expander trig more easily on high frequencies, which can be a good thing if you for example are gating a drum beat and want to avoid gating the high frequency cymbals. Since noise often have a lots of high frequency content, you should set it to int if you want to do actual noise gating. But you probably want to use it more creatively anyway...

AVG MODE: Soft Noise Gating (INT/DS-FM, EXP, AVG)

Ratio = 1:2. A signal x dB below Threshold, will be attenuated another x dBs.

PEAK MODE: Soft Noise Gating with Faster Attack Time (INT/ DS-FM, EXP, PEAK)

Ratio = 1:2. A signal x dB below Threshold, will be attenuated another x dBs.

If the attack of the instrument is moderate to fast, such as with drums or certain types of guitar, it is better to use this PEAK mode. The faster attack time in PEAK mode assures that the gain is fully restored when the transient strikes.

GATE MODE: Hard Noise Gating (INT/DS-FM, EXP, GATE)

Ratio = 1:20, PEAK detection of input signal. A signal x dB below Threshold, will be attenuated another x dBs.

Keying Modes

Mode: EXP

Detector Type: AVG/PEAK/GATE

Detector Source: EXT

While most people are accustomed to ducking, a.k.a side chain compression—for example ducking a synth pad when the bass drum strikes, the art of keying is still somewhat of a hidden secret for most people. I mean, how many times have you heard Oprah talk about the benefits of keying?

Keying is when you let your main track (say a bass line) follow the envelope of the side chain track (for example a bass drum). So with this example, the bass line will be gated whenever the bass drum is silent, and whenever the bass drum strikes, so will the bass line.

AVG MODE: Envelope Following Soft Keying (EXT, EXP, AVG)

Signal gain is determined by the level of the side chain signal. A 1 dB increase of the side chain signal level (over Threshold) causes a 1 dB increase in signal gain.

AVG mode has (as usual) a more natural sound, but will slow down the attack of the main signal. Use when you don’t need a fast attack time when opening the gate.

PEAK MODE: Envelope Following Soft Keying with Faster Attack (EXT, EXP, PEAK)

Signal gain is determined by level of the side chain signal. A 1 dB increase of the side chain signal level (over Threshold) causes a 1 dB increase in signal gain.

The extremely fast attack time will assure that the keyed signal has full gain when the attack of the side chain signal arrives, but this can sometimes cause the transient to “pop” or “crack” when the gate opens. This is usually not a problem if your mix consists of both the keyed and the side chain signal, since the real transient from the side chain signal will be audible at the same time as the (unwanted) “pop” sound.

GATE MODE: Hard Keying (EXT, EXP, GATE)

Signal gain is determined by level of the side chain signal. A 1 dB increase of the side chain signal level (over Threshold) causes a 20 dB increase in signal gain. PEAK detection.

Same fast attack times as the Soft Keying mode with PEAK detection, but a much more aggressive on/off type of gate. Before the age of the DAW, it was very useful when you needed to tighten up poorly performed background vocals or horn sections. Use the player with the best timing as key, and use the Hard Keying mode on the other players to assure that all off-time notes are being gated. Today, it’s just a cool effect.

 

Mono and Stereo Operation

Inserting the Dyna-mite in STEREO mode makes it behave just as the real unit in “STEREO COUPLE” mode.

 

Buying Recommendations

The Valley People Dyna-mite is a very cool and affordable hardware limiter/expander. Many people don’t know how to use it and say they don’t like it just because they cannot operate it. Once you’ve learned the plug-in you will have no problem at all to operate the real hardware, so if you find a unit—make sure you pick it up!

(The thing on top of the unit is a description of all the different modes, the same texts that are displayed in our nifty little display.)

 

Extended Features

A whole range of added control can be accessed with Extended Features. Please see the separate "Extended Features" manual for more information.

 

Credits

Oscar Öberg – Modeling
Niklas Odelholm – Graphics programming
Torsten Gatu – Framework programming
Arvid Rosén – Modeling and framework programming
Ulf Ekelöf – 3D rendering
Original hardware was designed by Valley People Incorporated

ALL VISUAL AND AURAL REFERENCES TO THE VALLEY PEOPLE DYNA-MITE ARE TRADEMARKS BEING MADE WITH WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM PMI AUDIO. THE VALLEY PEOPLE, DYNA-MITE AND ASSOCIATED LOGOS ARE TRADEMARKS OF PMI AUDIO GROUP, USED UNDER LICENSE. ALL SPECIFICATIONS SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

Intro Slam and Gate

The original Dyna-mite by Valley People is iconic for both good and bad reasons. It was built to be a Swiss Army knife of dynamics, with a gate, expander, peak limiter and RMS limiter all built in to a single unit. It excelled at these tasks, being both the rawest and punchiest compressor out there, as well as the smoothest, most care-free gate/expander there is. That's one reason it's iconic.

The other reason is its terrible user interface. Engineers remember the Dyna-mite as "the thing that sounded awesome but was too scary to use on a session". Trying to cram that much functionality into a unit that was 1U high and half-rack wide made it very difficult to use. The combination of three 3-way switches also led to weird combinations, such as the -20:1 negative limiting setting. What's with that?

But that shouldn't take away the fact that the Valley People Dyna-mite sounds amazing. It can make a snare punchier than anything else, it can totally squash a drum kit, it's really (really!) a really good gate that you should use on your toms, and it can create tons of cool sounds. Too bad no-one dared to use it.

Fast forward to 2019. The futuristic AI-blockchain engineers work frantically with their 3D holograph "Minority Report" inspired Emacs terminals. They see the solution. A new user interface for the holy foundation of the Dyna-mite. It would not be sacrilegious, it won't change the essence of the divine circuits, merely it's face. They can do it, they will do it!

 

Dyna-mite Slam

Slam is the compressor/limiter part of the original Dyna-mite. The only thing that has been added is a parallel compression knob, because you know you want it. Away with the Range knob, and all the weird settings. This is as close to a one-knob compressor as Dyna-mite will ever become.

For more in-depth information on the Dyna-mite's operation, please see the Dyna-mite chapter.

 

User interface

There's one knob that's bigger than the others. That's the first one you should reach for.

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1. Gain reduction meter
2. Release knob
3. Compression knob
4. Output knob
5. Dry/Wet knob
6. Attack Fast/Slow
7. HF Boost
8. Ext. S/C
9. Clip meter
10. Output meter

 

Parameters

Compression: Increase Compression for more compression. This corresponds to the Threshold knob on the Dynamite, but backwards. Turn it up for more, down for less.

Release: Sets the release time of the compressor. Shorter release means more aggressive pumping, a slow release makes it smoother.

Dry/Wet: Decrease to blend in some of the unaffected dry signal. This is very useful when applying heavy compression, to mix some of the original transients back into the audio.

Output: Sets the output volume. The Dynamite has automatic make-up gain, so you probably don't have to reach for this knob that much. Don't be afraid of overdriving the output, the built-in distortion is thick and funky, and very useful!

Attack Fast/Slow: These two buttons adjust the attack time. They correspond to "pk" and "avg" on the original Dyna-mite.

HF Boost: The HF Boost increases the high frequencies that the compressor's detector sees, which makes it trigger more easily for high frequencies. If Dyna-mite Slam reacts too much on low frequency content, such as the kick drum on a drum bus, engage HF Boost to make it listen more to the top end. With HF Boost engaged, the compressor will react more naturally to the frequency content, since its internal detector will "hear" the sound more like our ear would hear it.

This corresponds to the "ds/fm" mode on the original Dyna-mite.

The HF Boost does not affect the audio path we listen to, just the audio that the detector uses to decide if the compressor should reduce gain or not.

Ext. S/C: Engage the external sidechain (if available). The external sidechain disables the automatic make-up gain.

Gain Reduction Meter: Shows the amount of gain reduction.

Output Meter: LED meter showing the output volume.

Clip Meter: The Clip Meter will turn on if the Dyna-mite is clipping the output signal. The output clipping has been carefully modeled from the original unit and can be used as a distortion effect.

 

In use

Slamming It

If you need to get something to happen with your drum bus, you might need to slam it. Set Attack to FAST, Release to .1 and increase Compression until you read 10-20 dB of gain reduction. Decrease Dry/Wet until you get enough of the original drums back into the audio.

Distorting It

The output will distort at roughly 0 dB, and with compression and auto make-up it might be difficult to hit that level. But there's a trick! If you enable "Ext. S/C", you will disable the auto make-up, and you can turn up Volume to get to that sweet distortion!

Punchy Drums

Punchy means a fat, energy-filled, attack with a lot of mass. That's what the Slow button does.

Click on Slow and increase Compression until you get 6-20 dB of gain reduction. You should hear how the first part of the sound (the transient) gets more attack while the rest of the sound gets lower in volume.

Use it on a snare drum to make it sound like the drummer is hitting the drum harder.

 

Dyna-mite Gate

The Dyna-mite Gate is a two-in-one expander and gate. Its "auto release circuit" makes it very musical, and it's as close to a set-and-forget gate as we've ever seen. The knobs should be pretty standard, but the sound is something more than just standard.

For more in-depth information on the Dyna-mite's operation, please see the Dyna-mite chapter.

 

User interface

As with Dyna-mite Slam, the Threshold knob is bigger than the other knobs because it's the main control. Decrease Threshold so that the gate opens up on your wanted sounds (for example a drum hit), but closes in the silences between hits. Make the release time short, but still slightly longer than the sustain of your sound. If you need total silence between hits, click the "FAST 1:20" button. If you need a smooth gate, click the "SLOW 1:2".

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1. Gain reduction meter
2. Release knob
3. Threshold knob
4. Output knob
5. Range knob
6. HF Boost
7. Ext. S/C
8. Clip meter
9. Output meter

 

Parameters

Threshold: Adjust the Threshold to change the sensitivity of the gate.

Release: Sets the release time (the time it takes for the gate to close).

Range: Sets the maxing amount of gain reduction. If you only need 10 dB of attenuation, set Range to 10 dB.

Output: Sets the output volume.

Fast Gate: Hard gating (1:20) with a fast attack (time it takes for the gate to open). Use for percussive sound where maximum attenuation is needed, with the risk of making the gate sound slightly artificial. This corresponds to the "gate" mode on the Dyna-mite.

Fast Exp.: 1:2 expansion with a fast attack (time it takes for the gate to open). Use for most percussive sounds, such as drums, to achieve a natural sounding gate. This corresponds to the "pk" mode on the Dyna-mite.

Slow Exp.: 1:2 expansion with a slow attack (time it takes for the gate to open). Use for sounds with a soft onset, such as strings, pads, etc. This corresponds to the "avg" mode on the Dyna-mite.

HF Boost: The HF Boost increases the high frequencies that the gate's internal detector sees, which makes it react easier to high frequency sounds. If you need to gate a kick drum, it's a good bet to leave it off. If you need to gate a snare with high frequency content you can turn it on to achieve better separation between kick and snare.

This corresponds to the "ds/fm" mode on the original Dyna-mite.

The HF Boost does not affect the audio path we listen to, just the audio that the detector uses to decide if the gate should open or not.

Ext. S/C: Engage the external sidechain (if available).

Gain Reduction Meter: Shows the amount of gain reduction.

Output Meter: LED meter showing the output volume.

Clip Meter: The Clip Meter will turn on if the Dyna-mite is clipping the output signal. The output clipping has been carefully modeled from the original unit and can be used as a distortion effect.

 

In use

Standard toms gating

Set the switches to "Fast Exp.". Adjust Threshold to taste. (Short tip, but it really is that easy.)

Dyna-mite Overdrive

Set Threshold to minimum. Increase Output Volume until the clip LED turns on. Compensate for the loud output signal by turning down the fader in your DAW.

Sub-Synth Sidechaining

This is a neat trick from the past, that use the sidechain to key a synth so that the synth sounds whenever the sidechain has signal. You probably have plug-ins that do all this, but it is cool to learn how it's done.

Setup the Dyna-mite Gate on a synth track that plays an extended low note. Send the kick drum to the sidechain of the Dyna-mite Gate, so that the gate opens whenever the kick drum hits.

The synth will only sound when the kick drum sounds, and you can use the synth to play a low note that harmonize with the kick drum. Adjust the release time to set the sustain of the note.

Tighten Back-up Harmonies

Okay, another side-chaining trick, but keying is the new black. Setup the Dyna-mite Gate on the backing vocal bus. Sidechain it with the lead vocals. Let the switches be "Slow Exp." with a fairly fast Release time. Adjust Threshold so that the gate opens whenever the lead vocal sings.

 

Extended Features

A whole range of added control can be accessed with Extended Features. Please see the separate "Extended Features" manual for more information.

 

Credits

Niklas Odelholm – DSP and UI programming, graphic design, user manual
Oscar Öberg, Arvid Rosén – Modeling
Ulf Ekelöf – 3D rendering