FabFilter User Forum
Adjusting Pro-C lookahead more precisely?
I was wondering if I am somehow missing anything here on how to get more precise sidechain lookahead values in Pro-C.
I've noticed the lookahead control doesn't actually shorten the lookahead, it simply smooths the curve across ~18ms. I know 18ms isn't much but, if a 16th note at my current tempo is only 103ms, thats a decent chunk of it.
Regardless, at 18ms lookahead the effect of sidechain lookahead sounds a bit too pronounced since I'm knocking the signal down 60db using very aggressive volumes ducking settings.
If there a way to alter the lookahead further or is this something to request for Pro-C3 :D
IB — Jan 28, 2020
EDIT: I've tried using Pro-G for this in Ducking mode using a midi trigger, and that gives me the precise lookahead controls I'd want in Pro-C, but the release time in Ducking mode even when set 0ms, is actually more like 100ms! Otherwise I'd just layer Pro-G with a volume ducking plugin
Hi,
If I understood your needs correctly -
What you can do is duplicate the track and take the signal in this track a few miliseconds back. Afterwards,send it to the sidechain path of the original track Pro-C2, and set it to compress according to the sidechain.
This should give you as much lookahead you need.
Cheers
I did a quick test of this since it interests me too. What seems to be happening is that the lookahead time itself is more or less exact, but the attack time is effectively increased by that same amount (although it may actually be implemented by a fade-in of the gain reduction). So you cannot use lookahead to abruptly pre-duck the signal. Using a side chain doesn't seem to make any difference to it. I'm not convinced this is actually a problem for real world use cases though.