Understanding the MTK

MTK stands for Mastering Tool Kit. If you have one or two of the VS8F-2 effects cards installed inside your VS studio, you will have access to nineteen MTK effects patches. These patches are numbered on the card from 210-228 and they will have "MTK" after the patch number, followed by a specific patch name .

The MTK effects patch is not just one effect, but a powerful multiprocessor that combines several different effects processors. The different effects processors that make up an MTK patch are:

• Four- Band EQ

• Bass Cut Filter

• Stereo Enhancer

• Multiband Stereo Expander

• Multiband Stereo Compressor

• Stereo Limiter

• Soft Clip Processor

Tone-Shaping Processors

The MTK gives you three different tone-shaping processors to manipulate the overall tonality or "spectral balance" of the signal.

Four-Band EQ

The first tone-shaping processor in the MTK chain is the Four-Band EQ. Each band (or part) of the EQ can be designated as one of two types of EQ. The two types of EQ are Peak and Shelving:

• Peak EQ: This type of EQ allows you to target a specific frequency and then raise or lower its volume.

• Shelving EQ: This type of EQ allows you to raise or lower all the frequencies above (high shelf) or below (low shelf) a specified frequency.

Use the four-band EQ to help clean up your mix. Use it to reduce unwanted frequencies while trying to boost weak frequencies.

Bass Cut Filter

Bass Cut is the next tone-shaping processor in the chain. This is basically a high pass filter with a very deep slope. In mastering, this is mostly used to reduce or remove "subsonic" frequencies. These are sounds that are not detectable by the human ear.

The Bass Cut filter is very simple to use. There are only two controls for it:

• ON/OFF: Turns the Bass Cut filter on or off.

• FREQ: Sets the cutoff frequency (where all frequencies are removed). For most types of music, the default setting of 20 Hz is fine.

Stereo Enhancer

The final tone-shaping processor in the chain is the Enhancer. It works by adding musical harmonics at and above a selected frequency. Depending on the setting, the enhancer adds brilliance, edge, or "air" to the sound. There are four controls in the Enhancer:

• SW: The on/off switch. It turns the Enhancer on or off.

• Sens: Sets the intensity of harmonics added to the signal.

• Freq: Sets the frequency where the Enhancer begins to act. This can be set from 1 kHz to 10 kHz.

• MixLv1: Sets the amount of the Enhancer effect that is blended with the mix.

Dynamic Processors

Many mixes are made up of instruments and sounds that are loud and soft. These variations are referred to as musical dynamics. A dynamic processor is basically an automatic volume control. Changes in the signal's level trigger the processor to act, adjusting the volume according to the processor's settings. There are four powerful dynamic processors in the MTK chain to control them.

Expander

The first multi-band dynamic processor in the chain is the Expander. The Expander works by reducing the volume of signals that fall below a specified threshold. The Expander contains the following controls:

• SW: The on/off switch. It turns the Expander on or off.

• Lo, Mid, and Hi: Selects the desired band for editing.

• Thre: Sets the threshold for the selected band.

• Ratio: Sets the ratio of volume reduction applied to the selected band once the signal falls below the threshold.

• Atk: Sets the attack time for the selected band.

• Rel: Sets the release time for the selected band.

Compressor

The second dynamic processor in the MTK chain is the Compressor. The Compressor works in the exact opposite way as the Expander. The Compressor works by reducing signal volume levels that rise above a specified threshold. The Compressor has the same controls as the Expander.

Limiter

The Limiter is the third dynamic processor in the MTK chain. You can use this to maximize the overall volume and impact of your mix. There are four controls to the Limiter:

• SW: The on/off switch. This turns the Limiter on or off.

• Thresh: Sets the Limiter's threshold.

• Attack: Sets the Limiter's attack time.

• Release: Sets the Limiter's release time.

Soft Clip

Soft Clip is the final dynamic processor in the MTK chain. This is basically a limiter that kicks in at the last minute to reduce high signal levels that might overload the MTK's output section. Soft Clip rounds off the "knee" or point when the limiter attacks the audio signal as it surpasses the threshold setting to make the limiting effect "softer" or less harsh to the ear. The Soft Clip also adds a bit of warmth to the sound that is similar to vintage tube-type processors.

There is only one setting in Soft Clip, the on/off switch. Once on, it does all the processing automatically.

Dynamics Mixer

There is one more part to the MTK. It is called the Dynamics Mixer. This allows you to adjust the volume of each frequency band after processing. The Dynamics Mixer is positioned right after the compressor in the MTK chain. There are only three settings in the Dynamics Mixer:

• Low: Adjusts the volume of the low frequency band.

• Mid: Adjusts the volume of the mid frequency band.

• High: Adjusts the volume of the high frequency band.