Introduction
Thank you for choosing Waves Renaissance DeEsser. Waves created
Renaissance DeEsser to provide the finest audio quality and
ease of use to maximize productivity.
What is a DeEsser?
A DeEsser is an audio processor designed to attenuate high
frequency Esss sounds. Some phonetics create high energy peaks
in certain frequencies. For example S or Th sounds are created
in the front of the mouth by the tongue and teeth which are
also closer to the receptive component i.e. microphone membrane.
This can result in unwanted distortion or extreme presence
in the higher frequencies. The DeEsser is very effective in
attenuating these to a more natural sound eliminating the
distortion and high frequency peaks.
How does it work?
The DeEsser is a compressor that uses a side-chain filter
for detecting the energy in the high frequencies rather then
the energy of the whole wide-band. This way compression can
be applied specifically when the energy in the side-chain
exceeds a certain threshold.
What’s unique about the Renaissance
DeEsser?
The Renaissance DeEsser relies on technologies used in Waves
C4, Renaissance VOX and Waves DeEsser and it has several new
proprietary features that make it better then other DeEssers
including Waves DeEsser. We can’t tell you all the secrets
but here are a few main advantages:
• Phase compensated Crossover – This is very important
in order to avoid undesirable coloration to the sound and
to eliminate phase modulation that would other wise occur
as an artifact of the amplitude modulation applied by the
compressor. This same type of crossover is used in the well-accepted
Waves C1, and C4.
• Adaptive threshold – The threshold in Renaissance
DeEsser is not the normal “absolute value” threshold
that you usually have. dynamically adapting to the input signal
in order to provide a more unified DeEssing effect yielding
more natural sounding results.
• Attenuation range control - The Renaissance DeEsser
let’s the user specify the maximal desired gain reduction
for better control of the DeEssing effect.
• Enhanced visual feedback – As the DeEsser works
only on part of the spectral range of the input, the graphic
user interface of Renaissance DeEsser incorporates a graph
that lets you see what you hear.
The TDM version is a Double precision 48bit process, dithered
back to the 24 th bit.
So its just for DeEssing?
The DeEsser does just DeEssing just like a compressor only
applies compression and an Equalizer only does EQ. In fact
Renaissance-DeEsser can be used to control the level of any
high frequency sounds, not only human voice ‘Esses’.
A DeEsser can be very useful for tracking, mastering, live
performances and on-air situations.
Here are some classic uses for the Renaissance
DeEsser:
• First, the DeEsser should be placed before the EQ
and general vocal compressor.
• Use the DeEsser in mastering rock music to calm down
a Hi Hat that ended up to high. The DeEsser is ideal for this
without making the whole mix loose its hat.
• You have a great vocal take that you want to shine
up with some HF enhancement but the esses really get out of
hand without a DeEsser.
• Sammy the sportscaster is spitting away at your condenser.
Quick Start Select the factory preset that describes the desired
DeEssing and live happily ever after. D.I.Y.
1. First, find the problematic frequency. To do this set your
monitoring to Side Chain. This way you will listen to the
sidechain.
2. Now set the frequency control so that you clearly hear
the sibilance that you want to attenuate (Typically between
4-7K) but as little as possible of anything else.
3. Set your monitoring to Audio, you should already be DeEssing
as the threshold is adaptive. A 0 threshold would already
provide some moderate attenuation within the indicated attenuation
range.
4. Now take the threshold down to the point where you are
satisfied with the sensitivity of the attenuation and the
way it sounds.
5. Adjust the Range control so that you get just enough reduction.
Basic Adjustment The controls of the Renaissance DeEsser are
designed for making frequency choices and dynamic behavior
specifications.
6. FREQUENCY CHOICES: The ‘ess’ sound in “Sweet
”carries most of its energy around the 6kHz mark (male
voice). In “Sugar” most energy lies around the
4kHz mark (also male voice). For general type DeEssing it
would be wise to select a frequency slightly below 4k and
use a high pass type of side chain. This will take care of
both Sweet and Sugar. For very specific DeEssing you should
select the exact frequency and use a band pass type side chain.
If you select 6kHz frequency and a band pass side chain you
can be very effective on “Sweet” and less on “Sugar”.
The Threshold and Range controls let you specify how intensely
and to what extent you want to attenuate. A recommended practice
would be to fix the Threshold to –22dB and then use
the Range control to specify the amount of DeEssing you want
to apply. If you then feel the DeEssing is too sensitive go
back and fine-tune your threshold. A DeEsser is often used
as a part of a Vocal processing chain that has other EQ components.
The EQ and DeEsser vocal chain may actually raise the overall
high frequency content. For this reason the Renaissance DeEsser
is designed with a potential to reach extreme DeEssing results.
It supports attenuating 48dB with an adaptive threshold going
down to –80.Important Note: It is very easy to over
DeEss. If your narrator sounds like someone took out his front
teeth you are probably overdoing it. If you hear the “DeEssing
effect” that too is usually a sign of over DeEssing.
If the audio passage sounds rather natural and free from annoying
Sizzle and distorted Esses then you got it right.
THRESHOLD
The threshold sets the reference point in the energy of the
side-chain. The threshold is adaptive in the Renaissance DeEsser
providing more natural sounding results. As result this control
is different than the classic threshold common in compressors.
The threshold actually defines the general sensitivity of
the attenuation. Low thresholds have high sensitivity and
will make the DeEsser get to its Maximal attenuation very
quickly. Higher threshold values have lower sensitivity and
will make the attenuation more dynamic. The Maximal attenuation
will reach its limit only when there are very strong peaks
in the energy of the side-chain.
RANGE
The Attenuation range defines the maximum amount of gain reduction
possible. When the energy in the side-chain is substantially
higher then the threshold, the Maximal attenuation set by
the Attenuation range will be applied by the DeEsser.
FREQUENCY
The Side Chain in the Renaissance DeEsser can either be a
high pass or band pass filter. The frequency indicated in
this control sets the roll off start point for a high pass
filter or the center frequency of the band pass filter.
TYPE – SIDE CHAIN
The Side Chain type selector specifies whether a High Pass
or Band Pass side chain filter will be used in the detection
and split mode compression.
MODE – COMPRESSION
In Split mode the audio passes trough a crossover which splits
it into two frequency bands. High and low bands in High-Pass
mode, or Band-Pass and Band-Reject Band-Pass mode. In split
mode the gain attenuation will be applied to the active frequency
band of the side-chain. In Wideband mode the gain attenuation
will be applied to the whole audio rather then to a specific
frequency band. Note! The input energy detection will always
be Side Chain related. The compression mode relates only to
the way the DeEsser will apply its gain attenuation.
MONITOR – MONITOR
The monitor mode selector is located directly under the output
meters. It toggles the Renaissance DeEsser’s output.
Audio – in this mode you hear the complete audio output
of the DeEsser. The Audio mode is the default mode, which
is the correct when using the plug-in for normal DeEssing
or any frequency dependant compression job. Side Chain mode
lets you hear the DeEssers side chain in order to more selectively
“catch” the offending frequency.
THE RENAISSANCE DEESSER GRAPH
The Graph gives instant visual representation to the settings
of Renaissance DeEsser and also real time representation of
the actual process. The graph shows Frequencies on the X axis
and Gain on the Y axis. The graph shows the following process
related components: The Cyan line represents the side chain
or the active range of the Crossover filter.
The Red line represents the passive range of the Crossover.
The Yellow line represents the frequency dependant attenuation.
The Transparent purple shade represents the gain attenuation
range. The graph shows and attenuation peak hold numeric display,
above the 0dB gain line. Click mouse anywhere in the graph
above the 0dB to refresh the attenuation Peak hold.
Retour
