PIA SSL strips & ducking

[musicman691]

I thought I knew how to set up ducking with a compressor or channel strip using an external sidechain. But trying to setup the recently released SSL branded E & G channel strips put out by Plugin Alliance has me wondering: what am I doing wrong?

I create a mono send from the track I want to have duck the track with the strip on. I feed the strip's external sidechain with that send. Set the controls on the E or G like I would with any other strip or compressor. Except that when there's a signal on the sidchain instead of lowering the signal for the track the strip is on it raises the level. I figured out the switch settings I need to have the E or G respond to the sidechain (in the 'Dynamics to' section the DYN and Key buttons are pressed). The only way I could get what I wanted to have happen is to press the Norm/Inv button to show Inv. Is this the way it's supposed to work? And what other settings do I need to set - like Gate or Expand and which should it be?

Just to confirm I knew what I was doing I substituted in the Waves SSL G Master Bus Comp (which I just got today through AD) and it worked like every other channel strip and compressor I have. Same for the Blue Cat Dynamics plugin - raise the level coming in on the external sidechain and the output of the plugin drops like it should.

I've not worked with the hardware version of SSL so I'm flying blind that way.

This is not just an exercise but I want to be able to duck the levels of certain tracks when other tracks need the focus a bit more.

[musicman691]

I tried YouTube and could find zero tutorials with either the original or the SSL branded E & G strips from Brainworx/Plugin Alliance that used the external sidechain. If anyone has a link or links to such I'd be forever thankful to you.

[Muddy-T]

Seems to be working as expected here. Have you tried taking the Gate/Expander out of the equation? (Range and Threshold turned all the way down.)

T

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by Muddy-T

Seems to be working as expected here. Have you tried taking the Gate/Expander out of the equation? (Range and Threshold turned all the way down.)

T

Thanks - worked perfectly. Like I wrote this baffled me as every other channel strip or compressor I have didn't give me what I was experiencing with this plugin.

The manual could be a bit clearer on explaining things. All they say is to check out the presets that do ducking of which there is only one. And when that one is called up it's not set to use the external sidechain.

[Stig Eliassen]

Ducking aside - how do you like the plugin(s), Jack? I've just started demoing the E, and I'm digging it so far.

[Muddy-T]

Originally Posted by musicman691

... check out the presets...

Can I ask you where you got presets for the SSL 4000E?

I can't find .tfx files for the SSL either on my system or on the PIA site.

T

[Stig Eliassen]

Originally Posted by Muddy-T

Can I ask you where you got presets for the SSL 4000E?

I can't find .tfx files for the SSL either on my system or on the PIA site.

T

Click the box (librerian menu) in the plugin where it says "factory default".

[Muddy-T]

Originally Posted by Stig Eliassen

Click the box (librerian menu) in the plugin where it says "factory default".

Thanks Stig, I know that's where they should show up, but they don't...

I was wondering if maybe the installer put them in a location other than the default one (Documents>ProTools>Plug In Settings)

Additionally I can't find any presets downloads on the PIA site anymore..? If I recall correctly they used to be under the Downloads header of a plug-in/product page.

T

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by Stig Eliassen

Ducking aside - how do you like the plugin(s), Jack? I've just started demoing the E, and I'm digging it so far.

As an overall strip I'm liking the SSL E (black knob) over the G strip either knob color. To my tastes it's a more rounded sound especially on bass and piano. For synths the G strip is my go-to in either knob color. I'm just getting into the new strips so it's a learn as I go thing. Something I've found is when trying to match eq points across strips on different tracks. The reported knob value does not necessarily correspond to the actual value affected.

I don't know if you've seen the massive thread over on GS or not but there seems to be a calibration mismatch between the meters.

An issue I'm having (and this goes back to the original bx strips (E & G) is that from time to time on OSX when using the 'return' key for any operation like going back to the beginning of a PT session the state of switches and knobs changes. I submitted a tech support ticket and they've confirmed the problem. When a fix will come - who knows. It happened to the original bx E (which I have) and both of the SSL branded strips.

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by Muddy-T

Thanks Stig, I know that's where they should show up, but they don't...

I was wondering if maybe the installer put them in a location other than the default one (Documents>ProTools>Plug In Settings)

Additionally I can't find any] presets downloads on the PIA site anymore..? If I recall correctly they used to be under the Downloads header of a plug-in/product page.

T

That's where my presets are stored. What I can do is email them to you but it would have to not be through the forum email system as attachments aren't allowed. If you could email me at my regular email address [email protected] I'll send them on to you.

Another route you could try is to get the PIA download manager and use that to reinstall everything. That will give you the latest revisions of any plugins you have from them.