De-essers: I need details of funktionality!

regebro

regebro

Insane Genious!
I löööv my Nord Modular. It has analog inputs you know, and great modules like vocoders and compressors and filters and wave transformers and loads of nice little other stuff that you can fiddle around with!
So when I needed a de-esser I realized I would be able to built one in the modular!

But how is a de-esser built more specifically? If I remember correctly, is lowers the volume when it detects an s-sound, which is done by filtering the sound so that just S-type sounds get through, right? But which frequencies are those?

I goofed around a bit, but I didn't feel Igot any really good results. Can someone help?
 
A De-Esser is a freq' dependent proccesor. It works like a compressor turnning down high freq's that are in sibilant sounds.


Usully they have a control on them that let you sweep the high freq range so you can choose the freq to be compressed.
With a threshold knob you set it so that it will turn down the high freq's but leave the rest of the track alone.

You need to set the attack and release as well. Attack has to be fast and also the release fast.

Using a combination of a Eq and compressor can give you results but you'll find it is harder to get good results then with a built in de'esser.

With a Eq and the side chaining it into a compressor you are
boosting the unwanted freq with the eq and so the compressor is reacting to your exxagerated boost freq (and not as much the rest of the spectrum). Easier said then done.

There is another way that uses a phase cancilation by feeding the unwanted freq's phase inverted signal back into the signal path.

I'm not sure which methoed if at all, you can use with your Nord
 
Thanks for the answer. I'll continue trying to find the right frequencey settings then, because at least I have gotten the basic design right.

I'll try the phase method to, thanks for the tip! It won't be any problem doing that on the Modular. It's quite some piece of equipment! It can do anything I can think of, except delay and reverb effects!
 
I forgot to mention that the typical Freq's are around 3-8kHz BUT.... Every voice is different.
A lot depends on your teeth - jaw position - bone sructure. Some singers dont have a problem and some
do.
You have to check the freq per each singer.
 
Well, I managed to make something like a de-esser yesterday. I don't need much de-essing myself, luckily, but I tried it on single voices (worked) and on complete mixes (sucked bigtime).

What I figured out that I would like is dynamic filtering. The Nord Modular doesn't have any dynamic filters though, but I figured out how to make one, using a notch-filter an envelope follower and a controllable mixer. I'll try that some other day! :)

A Nord Modular is ENDLESS hours of fun!
 
I read somewhere that you use PC software to edit the
Nord Modular. Is there as Mac software for
it?
If not is there any other way of editing
the synth?
 
They released a Mac editor half a year ago!
You can edit all the parameters in the synth itself, but you cant change connections or add and remove modules, so you need a computer. And you would probably want to have an extra set of midi-outs for the computer connected only to the Modular, otherwise you'll do a lot of midi-reconnection...
 
Brilliant!

The Nord Modular is now on my most wanted
list!!!
And they're so cheap too!

But what I really should buy is a new controller keyboard...So much gear out there,
and only this much money to buy it for...
 
Yeah, I know. I REALLY need new monitors, and thet SID station is kinda cute, but then again, it WOULD be fun to go to South Africa for the IFLRY congress in November...
Aaaah!!! :cool:

Btw, I tried the dynamic filtering yesterday, and it was just as useless on mixes as the compressor version of de-esser, but I think that on solo voices, using dynamic filtering as a de-esser produced a less audible de-essing effect. I got some pumping effects with the compressor version of de-essing...
 
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