O MPC Console Compressor is the most advanced compressor developed by Harrison, with a full suite of professional-grade digital console features, including:

A scrolling history of your compressor's action; a Program (Pgm) button that controls dynamics while holding PUNCH; an innovative depth control to limit maximum gain reduction, a 7-way Sidechain EQ to focus your compressor's sensitivity, and an external Sidechain input that lets you choose any other track as the 'key' source for the MPC Console Compressor.

Controls

The main input meter and threshold slider (on the left) control how much material is passed to the plugin (-60dB – 0dB). Moving the threshold slider lower (a lower threshold) will increase the overall compression effect.

Reduction history

The red meter indicates the gain reduction applied, while the graph on the right provides a history view, helping you see “exactly” what the compressor is doing to your signal.

depth

The Depth knob sets the maximum gain reduction the compressor will apply. In some cases, this allows you to use a lower threshold and higher ratio, but prevents excessive compression when the signal is momentarily too loud.

Attack, Release and Pgm (Program)

The Attack knob controls how long it takes for the over-threshold signal to reach full compression.

The Release button controls how long it takes for the signal, once below the threshold, to return to an uncompressed state.

The Pgm (Program) button triggers 3 parallel signal detectors, each adjusted to operate at different speeds. This helps the compressor operate more consistently when applied to signals with a high dynamic range. If the signal remains high for a long period of time, the compressor will not decay fully, but will remain at a lower gain reduction, primed to operate at the next peak.

The term 'program' alludes to radio broadcasting; a signal that often alternated between the announcer/dj's voice and the music. When receiving such varied signals, a compressor needed a special adjustment to work correctly on both.

Ratio, Knee

The Ratio control defines how much gain reduction is applied when the signal exceeds the threshold. Increasing the knee will make the compressor effect stronger.

The Knee control changes the start of the ratio, so that a progressively louder input signal results in a progressively louder ratio. A 'Knee' of 6dB means the signal must exceed the threshold by 6dB before the full ratio setting takes effect. Using the knee control can result in a smoother sound effect that is comparable to older opto-coupled compressors.

Makeup Gain

Because the main effect of a compressor is to reduce the level of 'loud' parts (and thus increase the perceived volume of quieter parts, whether instrument sustain, reverb or noise), the Makeup Gain control allows you to apply additional gain to the output signal, to 'compensate' for the attenuation applied by compression and bring more noisy volume of reverb and sustain.

Side Chain Controls

The External Key button allows you to select a separate signal, provided by the DAW, to trigger the compressor's detector circuit.

If External Key is enabled, then:

The main input meter and threshold will be referenced to the KEY (sidechain) input, not the plugin's main input.
Clicking “Key Listen” will listen to the external sidechain signal, not the compressor input signal
Sidechain EQ is applied to the main input signal.

Side Chain EQ

The sidechain equalizer is a single-band equalizer. By defining the band format (high/low pass filter, peaking or shelfing), you can modify the signal that triggers the compressor's detector circuit. the side chain input uses only low-frequency energy to drive the compressor bands.

Interestingly, here are some tasks you can perform with the sidechain equalizer:

• Boost high frequencies with a 'bell' or 'shelving' filter, to make compression more sensitive to harsh or hissing vocals.
• Decrease low frequencies with a high-pass filter or shelfing: this prevents compression of the kick and bass elements of a complete musical mix and keeps the mix sounding fuller/stronger.
• Increase a 'peak' filter for a troublesome/ringing note. The compressor will engage more