In Summary
Living in its own virtual lunchbox, 6034 Ultimate Multi-band is McDSP’s dynamics toolkit offering original designs and old favourites too. With so many multiband processors out there, what if anything does it do differently? We find out…
Going Deeper
Why Multiband?
Although conventional compressors set out to treat all signals equally, as new engineers quickly learn this isn’t always the case. With some frequencies going seemingly uncompressed with others hitting harder, one threshold for them all doesn’t always deliver.
One simple and effective way to get a more even spread across the spectrum is to filter the low end out of the compressor sidechain, but that only works when a more even compressor action across the spectrum is the goal.
For the ultimate in technical and artistic control, engineers have the multiband compressor. With the audio fed through a crossover, each band can have its own compressor with all the control that brings. This kind of treatment can excel at processing complex musical signals such as entire mixes or submixes.
McDSP 6034 Ultimate Multi-band
While there are no end of multiband compressors out there, few if any are modular. Being able to swap out individual modules has its advantages. Different compressor designs’ characteristics can be deployed for effect in any given band. Want a quicker, snappier action in the top and a more rounded low end? Try a VCA design in the upper band and an opto lower down. Or experiment with topologies for quicker feed-forward sidechains versus less reactive feedback designs.
In the video we use 6034 Ultimate Multi-band on a drum submix, and a full mix alternative. We show how its modules can be easily swapped and auditioned as well as band-solo’d to hear into individual modules’ characters. We also show how splitting the signal across multiple modules effectively controls the tonal balance of signals via dynamic control.
McDSP 6034 Ultimate Multi-band Modules
iC2 - All original McDSP design with adaptive attack and release times linked to threshold and ratio values.
SST'78 - solid-state circuit model with Compressor with feedback, feedforward, and negative compression modes.
C671 - Fairchild 670 inspired with slightly faster signal tracking and ‘warmth’.
MT2 - All-valve design with output frequency response reacting to compression amount.
Opto-C3 - Optical compressor with feedback detection.
Opto-L3 - Optical limiter with feedback detection.
BC-23 - Classic british compressor with feedback compression mode.
Over EZ3 - smooth knee and feedback mode compressor, with negative compression mode.
D359 - Compressor with feedback, feedforward, and negative compression modes.
FRG446 - Compressor known as ‘The Frog’ by McDSP engineering staff, with the same modes as the D359.
FRGX - Upwards and downwards expander with adjustable side chain filtering.
EZG - Noise gate with adjustable side chain high pass and low pass filters.
iX - Expander with similar functions as the EZG with added Ratio control.
McDSP 6034 Ultimate Multi-band Features
Modular compressor, gate, expander, saturator, and filter modules.
Easy drag and drop, on the fly module auditioning.
Double precision processing.
Zero latency.
Input and output control.
Mono and stereo versions.
Collection of presets from award-winning mix engineers.
Time To Split?
It’s true to say that many great recordings have survived without breaking out the multiband big guns. That said, there is no doubt that engineers selecting the right tool for channels in a mix is nothing new, so why not extend those choices to within a channel as well?
The sheer choice of modules available for 6034 Ultimate Multi-band might also head off something often mentioned as the enemy of ITB mixes: homogeny. With so many mixes often featuring the same tools on the same platform, mixes in the box don’t always enjoy the sheer number of permutations that OTB productions enjoyed by default. While differences between compressors might be harder to spot buried in a mix, those differences become more noticeable across the mix.
Whether you’re a veteran formulating diverse chains for dynamic supremacy, or new engineer trying out mix alchemy for the first time, a palette of swappable sounds will be enough to keep anyone busy. Added to those features such as upwards expansion and negative compression ratios should be enough to let anyone do things differently.
A Word About This Article
As the Experts team considered how we could better help the community we thought that some of you are time poor and don’t have the time to read a long article or a watch a long video. In 2023 we are going to be trying out articles that have the fast takeaway right at the start and then an opportunity to go deeper if you wish. Let us know if you like this idea in the comments.