The Audio Plug-In Window

From the View menu, choose Audio Plug-In to toggle the display of the Audio Plug-In window. This window displays effects chains for the events, tracks, busses, assignable FX chains, and soft synths in your project. Use the Audio Plug-In window to enable/bypass effects, add/remove DirectX and VST effects, edit effect parameters, and configure effects automation.

WARNING

Be aware that using non-in-place plug-ins (such as Time Stretch, Pitch-Shift without preserving duration, and some Vibrato settings) will cause audio to play out of synchronization with the waveform display in the timeline and with other tracks. If an effects chain includes non-in-place plug-ins, the effects chain icon will be displayed in yellow ().

When using Acid software as a ReWire device, any effects chain that includes non-in-place plug-ins will be automatically bypassed to prevent synchronization problems with the ReWire mixer application. The effects chain icon will be displayed in red (). Apply the plug-ins within the ReWire mixer application.

Enable or bypass effects Closed

Select the check box for each plug-in you want to apply to the track, or clear a check box to bypass an effect without removing it from the chain.

TIP The effect of plug-ins on a chain is cumulative, so you may need to rearrange the plug-ins so that one plug-in's processing does not adversely affect other plug-ins in the chain. To reorder the plug-ins within the chain, drag a plug-in button to a new location.

TIP You can bypass, enable, or delete all plug-ins in the chain by right-clicking the button in the track list or Mixing Console window and choosing a command from the shortcut menu.

Edit effect parameters Closed

Click the plug-in's button to select it, and use the bottom half of the window to adjust the effect's parameters. For more information about using a specific plug-in, click the Plug-In Help button .

Add or remove effects Closed

  1. Click the Edit Chain button to display the Plug-In Chooser.

  2. Select a plug-in button, and then click the Add or Remove button. The modified chain is displayed at the top of the window.

  3. DirectX Effects that can be automated are indicated by the icon in the Plug-In Chooser.

  4. VST plug-ins are indicated by the icon in the Plug-In Chooser.

  5. Click the OK button. The Audio Plug-In dialog is displayed.

TIP Tips:

  • You can bypass, enable, or delete all plug-ins in the chain by right-clicking the button in the track list or Mixing Console window and choosing a command from the shortcut menu.

  • You can remove a plug-in from the Audio Plug-In dialog by selecting the plug-in and clicking the Remove Selected Plug-In button .

Load an effects chain or plug-in preset Closed

Loading a plug-in chain preset

Choose a setting from the Chain drop-down list. The preset chain is loaded using the saved settings for each DirectX and VST plug-in in the chain.

Loading a preset for an individual DirectX plug-in

Choose a setting from the Preset drop-down list. The plug-in settings stored in the preset are loaded.

Loading a preset for an individual VST plug-in

  1. Click the Open VST Preset button .

    The Open VST Preset dialog is displayed.

  2. Browse to the .fxp file that you want to use.

  3. Click the Open button.

    The current VST preset is replaced with the settings stored in the .fxp file.

Loading a bank of VST plug-in presets

  1. Click the Open Effect Bank button .

    The Open VST Preset Bank dialog is displayed.

  2. Browse to the .fxb file that you want to use.

  3. Click the Open button.

    All presets for the current VST plug-in are replaced with the settings stored in the .fxb file, and the first preset in the bank is loaded by default.

Create or delete an effects chain or plug-in preset Closed

Create a plug-in chain preset

  1. Add the effects that you want to use and adjust the settings for each plug-in.

  2. Type a name in the Chain Preset box.

  3. Click the Save Chain Preset button . The order of the effects in the chain and the settings for each plug-in are saved.

Create a preset for an individual DirectX plug-in

  1. Adjust the settings for the plug-in.

  2. Type a name in the Preset box.

  3. Click the Save Preset button . The settings for the current plug-in are saved.

Saving a preset for an individual VST plug-in

  1. Type a name in the Preset box.

  2. Click the Save VST Preset As button . The Save VST Preset dialog is displayed.

  3. Browse to the folder where you want to save the .fxp file and type a name in the File name box.

  4. Click the Save button. The current plug-in settings are saved in the .fxp file.

Saving a bank of VST plug-in presets

  1. Click the Save VST Bank As button . The Save VST Preset Bank dialog is displayed.

  2. Browse to the folder where you want to save the .fxb file and type a name in the File name box.

  3. Click the Save button. All presets for the current plug-in are stored in the bank.

Delete a preset

Choose a preset from the Chain or Preset drop-down list and click the Delete button .

NOTE Notes:

  • You cannot delete built-in presets.

  • VST plug-in settings are loaded or saved using .fxp and .fxb files as described above. Individual presets and banks cannot be deleted from the Audio Plug-In window.

Automate effect parametersClosed

If a plug-in supports it, you can use envelopes to automatically adjust effect parameters over time. Automation envelopes can be added to tracks and bus tracks to control individual effect parameters for track effects, bus effects, and assignable effects.

For more information about using automation envelopes on tracks, see Adding Audio Track Envelopes.

When you add a plug-in that supports automation, the Bypass FX Automation button is displayed in the Audio Plug-In window:

  • After you've added effect automation envelopes, the Bypass FX Automation button is deselected, and effect parameters are automated using the envelope settings.

  • When the button is selected, effect automation envelopes are ignored and the effect's initial state is used for the duration of the track.

  • If you delete all automation envelopes from a plug-in, the Bypass FX Automation button is unavailable.