Dynamics effects

These are modules you can add inside a Grid patch. Open Search modules, enter the browser name shown under a device below, add it, then select it to see its full controls in the inspector. Wire the left and right audio inputs and outputs into your patch. Adding a module alone does not put it into the sound path. A card shows only its first three controls. Widen the window to at least 760 pixels to use the full inspector.

These tables use the Grid inspector’s exact labels, including short labels such as out_db. A switch is a numeric control: 0 is off and 1 is on. Unless a row says otherwise, a range is continuous. Values such as mix use 0–1: 0 is dry, 1 is wet. Width 1 preserves normal stereo; 0 makes the processed part mono.

Easy Compressor#

Grid browser: easy-compressor.

Use Easy Compressor to reduce peaks above threshold_db. ratio sets how strongly levels above that point are reduced. Attack sets how quickly reduction starts; Release sets how quickly it eases. The detector follows the louder side, keeping the stereo channels together. auto_makeup adds gain based on Threshold and Ratio; makeup_db adds your manual adjustment as well. Use mix for parallel compression. The gr output carries gain reduction if you want to connect it elsewhere in the patch.

Dynamics Compressor#

Grid browser: dynamics-compressor.

Dynamics Compressor offers three behaviours: compress reduces sound above the threshold, expand reduces sound below it, and upward lifts quiet sound. Peak, RMS and hybrid detectors react to different aspects of level. character changes the response and colour; auto_timing chooses timing for that character. knee_db softens the transition around the threshold.

lookahead_ms delays the audio so the detector can react ahead of it. link blends independent left/right detection into linked detection. ms chooses stereo or mid/side processing. Input, makeup and output are separate gain adjustments; automatic makeup applies in Compress mode. Compression reaches limiting at Ratio 100. Expansion stops getting stronger at 8:1 even though the knob can turn further.

For an external detector, wire a sound to sc and choose external in sc_src. With the sidechain on, its high-pass, low-pass and gain shape what the detector hears. sc_listen lets you hear that detector signal. The gr output reports the size of the gain change.

Bus Glue#

Grid browser: bus-glue.

Bus Glue compresses a group of sounds with a small set of stepped ratios and times. Release offers auto, which recovers quickly after brief peaks and more slowly after sustained reduction. range_db limits the allowed gain reduction: 0 allows none; more negative values allow more. sc_hp_hz stops low frequencies from dominating the detector. soft_clip adds output soft clipping; oversample enables 2x processing. Adjust makeup_db to compare levels fairly.

Peak Limiter#

Grid browser: peak-limiter.

Peak Limiter reduces peaks toward ceiling_db. Raise gain_db to drive more signal into the limit. lookahead_ms trades extra delay for advance detection; auto_release adapts recovery to recent limiting. true_peak uses a more detailed peak detector. link controls how tightly the channels share detection. Mode selects standard, soft clipping before limiting, or mid/side.

The ceiling applies to the processed path. Keep mix at 1 when you need the complete output to follow that ceiling: mixing dry signal back in can exceed it. This module is separate from Studio's final output protection.

Gate & Expander#

Grid browser: gate-expander.

Use Gate & Expander to reduce quiet passages. Gate opens at threshold_db; return_db sets how far below that threshold it must fall to close. Hold delays closing; Attack and Release shape the changes. Expander reduces quieter sound progressively according to ratio. floor_db sets the lowest level; its −80 setting represents silence. flip reverses the action so loud passages are reduced instead.

sc_on enables the internal detector filters; sc_listen lets you hear what they select. This module's gate detector follows its main stereo inputs. Lookahead delays the audio ahead of the detected gain change.

Three-Band Dynamics#

Grid browser: three-band-dynamics.

Three-Band Dynamics splits the sound into low, mid and high bands. Each band has independent levels, thresholds and timing. Above-threshold ratios compress; below-threshold ratios below 1 expand quiet sound downward, while values above 1 lift it. A band's on control bypasses its processing and passes that band through. Solo controls decide which bands you hear.

xover1_hz and xover2_hz set the splits; the upper split stays at least 1.5 times the lower one. time_scale changes all attack/release times together. amount scales the dynamics action, reaching 1.5 for more than the normal amount.

Bands 1, 2 and 3 are low, mid and high. Each band has these ten controls. The shared controls follow.

Transient Designer#

Grid browser: transient-designer.

Transient Designer changes a hit's beginning and its body separately. Positive attack brings out its initial impact; negative values soften it. sustain changes the body after the hit. speed_ms changes the detector's speed and sens changes how strongly quiet signals participate. The detector follows both channels together. clip softens output peaks, then out_db and mix set the final balance.

De-Esser#

Grid browser: de-esser.

De-Esser reacts to a chosen high-frequency band. Set freq_hz and width_q around the harshness, then enable listen to hear that band. Turn Listen off to hear the result. amount controls the maximum reduction, up to 12 dB at 1. In wideband, detection reduces the whole signal; split reduces the selected band. Attack and Release shape the response.

For the normal track effect cards and chain controls, see Effects. For shared effect channels, see The mixer.