Phat FX modulators in Logic Pro for iPad
Phat FX modulators provide automatic control of Phat FX processor parameters. The parameters of all Phat FX modulators are described in the respective sections below.
Envelope follower parameters
The envelope follower tracks incoming signal levels and generates a control signal that is used to modulate other Phat FX parameters.
A common use of the envelope follower is to track a side chain input signal that is used to control filter parameters.
Envelope On/Off button: Enable/disable the envelope follower.
Target pop-up menu: Choose a modulation target from any active effect processor or master control.
Attack slider and field: Determine how quickly the envelope follower reacts to rising signal levels (transients).
Longer attack times result in a slower tracking response to transients—level spikes—of the input signal. A long attack time on percussive input signals, such as a spoken word or hi-hat part, results in less accurate analysis.
Release slider and field: Determine how quickly the envelope follower reacts to falling signal levels, after the initial transient spike.
Longer release times cause the analyzed input signal transients to sustain for a longer period at the envelope follower output. A long release time on percussive input signals, such as a spoken word or hi-hat part, results in less accurate analysis. Use of extremely short release times can result in “choppy” sounds, depending on the chosen modulation target.
Depth knob and field: Set the modulation amount. This determines the intensity of the control signal sent from the envelope follower.
At a value of 100%, with a sine wave, white noise, or another signal that frequently reaches zero dB (and Attack set to zero), the output signal will reach the maximum amount. Most signals, however, are quieter than this and won’t reach zero dB, so the extended Depth knob range between 100% and 1000% helps to make the envelope effect sufficiently sensitive on quieter signals. When loading presets which use the envelope follower, you should experiment with the Depth parameter.
LFO 1/2 parameters
LFO 1/2 On/Off buttons: Enable/disable LFO 1 or 2.
Target pop-up menus: Choose a modulation target from any active effect processor or Master control for LFO 1 or 2.
Shape pop-up menus: Set the waveform type used by LFO 1 or 2.
Rate knobs and fields: Set the modulation speed of LFO 1 or 2. Values are in hertz—cycles per second. When the Sync button is on, bar/beat values—synchronized with the host tempo—are shown.
Sync buttons: Enable or disable synchronization of LFO 1 or 2 with the host application.
Note: The ability to use synchronous bar values could be used to perform a filter sweep every four bars on a cycled one-bar percussion part, for example. Alternatively, you could perform the same filter sweep on every eighth-note triplet within the same part. Either option can generate interesting results.
Depth knobs and fields: Set the amount of LFO 1 or 2 modulation.
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