Ducking Operation

Ducking is used to lower the level of a microphone(s) and/or program material based on a source signal from another microphone, for the duration of the signal present at the source microphone. It restores the original level once the source signal has ceased, and after the hold and release times have been met. This is useful when a) program material needs to attenuate in order to accentuate the voice of a narrator, b) one microphone is used by a chairman or master of ceremonies, and needs to have priority over other mics and/or program material, or c) a paging mic must attenuate all other signals.

Ducking processor blocks are inserted individually from a context menu. However, ducking can be globally set up from a single configuration window, which opens when any of the active Ducking processor blocks are double-clicked. When a Ducking processor block is inserted, it is automatically set to "Enable Mic/Line Source" checked. All inactive Ducking processor blocks have "Enable Mic/Line Source" unchecked by default.

Ducker Dialog Legend

1. Current Source Indicator – ducker settings affect the input channel shown here. When a Ducker Dialog is opened from the DSP for a particular channel, the current source defaults to that channel. The current source can also be selected via the Priority Readout/Source Selector.

2. Enable Source Checkbox – when checked, ducking is enabled for the current source. When unchecked, ducking is disabled. Checking/unchecking will insert/remove a ducker for the current source channel.

3. Duck Target Select – assigns targets to be ducked by the current source. The current source is not available as a target (a source cannot duck itself). Also, if the current source has been designated as a target of another input channel, that input channel is not available (a target cannot be the source .

4. Source Settings – parameter setting for the current source. When a duck block is copy/pasted, only these settings are transferred.

5. Priority Readout/Source Selector – provides a readout of the source to target hierarchy, and can be used to select the current source

Priority Readout. Priority levels are displayed in a tree fashion. Input channels that are targets being ducked by a source are shown as indented below the source.
Source Selector. Any input channel displayed in the tree is an active link. Click the input channel to select that channel as the current source. The Current Source Indicator reflects the selected input channel.

6. Target Gain Reduction Amount – the amount that target will be ducked by the current source.

7. Mix Status for Virtual Returns – displays unmute status from the mix matrix. The LED is lit when an input is mixed (unmuted) to the corresponding Virtual Return. This section is for reference only, as a user convenience. It does not dictate how routing should occur.

Ducker Tutorials

The examples below are based on different input configurations on the DMP 64. Insert a Ducker using one of the following methods:

Double-click a Ducker block, then select Ducking from the context menu.
Right-click a Ducker block, then select Insert Ducking from the context menu.
From an open Ducker Dialog box, click the desired input channel in the Priority tree, then check the Enable Mic/Line Source box under Duck Targets.

Setting a Mic to Duck Outputs

To set a mic to duck outputs Only:

1. Double-click or a right-click a Ducking block, then select Ducking from the context menu. The default ducker setting is Duck Outputs Only. Alternately, if other Ducking channels are already active, open the Ducking dialog and select Duck Outputs Only for a particular Mic channel.

2. Under Ducked Outputs, select the output(s) that you would like this microphone to duck. The Mic Mix Status column gives you a readout of which Line Output channels the mic is currently mixed to. It is intended to be used as a guide for selecting your duck target outputs.

3. The Output Attenuation amount defaults to 20dB. Scroll to or type in a new value as needed. This field sets a global attenuation amount for all outputs ducked by that source. To set attenuation amounts for individual outputs, click the Advanced button.

4. Click the Priority tab. In the 1st Priority & Duck Outputs Only section, set the Attack, Hold, and Release values as needed. The default values for these fields will work for many applications.

Setting a Mic to 1st Priority

A microphone set to 1st Priority will duck the selected Ducked Outputs, plus a microphone(s) set to 2nd Priority, provided that the 1st Priority and 2nd Priority mics are set to the same Priority Group. For example, a 1st Priority microphone set to Group 1 will only duck a 2nd Priority microphone that is also set to Group 1.

To set a mic to 1st Priority:

1. From the Ducking dialog window, select 1st Priority for a particular Mic Input channel. The Priority Group list becomes available. The first mic set to 1st Priority defaults to Group 1 as the Priority Group setting, while the second mic set to 1st Priority defaults to Group 2. You may change these settings to assign more than one 1st Priority mic to a single group.

2. Under Ducked Outputs, select the output(s) that you would like this microphone to duck. If you intend for this mic to only duck other mics, and not duck any outputs, skip to the next set of instructions, 2nd Priority.

3. The Output Attenuation amount defaults to 20dB. Scroll to or type in a new value as needed. This field sets a global attenuation amount for all targets ducked by that source. To set attenuation amounts for individual targets, click the Advanced button.

4. Click the Priority tab. In the 1st Priority & Duck Outputs Only section, set the Attack, Hold, and Release values as needed.

5. Proceed with the next section, 2nd Priority.

Setting a Mic to 2nd Priority

A microphone set to 2nd Priority will duck the selected Ducked Outputs, and also be ducked by a microphone(s) set to 1st Priority, provided that the 1st Priority and 2nd Priority mics are set to the same Priority Group. For example, a 2nd Priority microphone set to Group 2 will not be ducked by a 1st Priority microphone that is set to Group 1.

To set a mic to 2nd Priority:

1. From the Ducking dialog window, select 2nd Priority for a particular Mic Input channel (you may only add a 2nd Priority mic after a 1st Priority mic selection has been made). The Priority Group list becomes available. All 2nd Priority mic selections default to Group 1 as the Priority Group setting. You may change these settings to assign a 2nd Priority mic to Group 2, provided that a 1st Priority mic has been set to Group 2.

2. Under Ducked Outputs, select the output(s) that you would like this microphone to duck. If you intend for this mic to only be ducked by a 1st Priority mic(s), and not duck any outputs, skip to step 4.

4. Click the Priority tab. In the 2nd Priority section, set the Attack, Hold, and Release values as needed.

Example of Use

The screenshot below shows the ducker set up for two separate rooms. This scenario illustrates how mic 1st/2nd Priority and Priority Groups can be used.

Mic 1 is set to 1st Priority, and Mic 2 is set to 2nd Priority. Both are set to Group 1 in the Priority Group field to isolate Mic 1 to duck only Mic 2, and not other mics with a 2nd Priority setting (i.e., Mic 4). Both Mic 1 and Mic 2 have Ducked Outputs 1, 2, and 3 selected. These selected outputs could be considered Room 1.

Mic 3 is set to 1st Priority, and Mic 4 is set to 2nd Priority. Both are set to Group 2 in the Priority Group field to isolate Mic 3 to duck only Mic 4, and not other mics with a 2nd Priority setting (i.e., Mic 2). Both Mic 3 and Mic 4 have Ducked Outputs 4, 5, and 6 selected. These selected outputs could be considered Room 1.

In the scenario below, Mic 1 will duck Mic 2, and either mic will duck Output 1, Output 2, and Output 3 by the amount set in the Output Attenuation field, which is 20dB. Mic 3 will duck Mic 4, and either mic will duck Output 4, Output 5, and Output 6 by the amount set in the Output Attenuation field, which is also 20dB.