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.

To Insert a Ducker Block

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 the Current Source Indicator.