A transient shaper, also known as a transient designer or modulator, is a type of audio processor that is very similar to a compressor. In short, it is a level-independent dynamic processor. To understand this, one must learn about transients. A transient is a high amplitude and short-duration sound placed at the beginning of a waveform. And it particularly appears in percussion sounds. This type of processors have a non-harmonic sound content that can have great impact over brightness, character, and the perceived distance of a sound.
Transient Shaper and Percussive Sounds
Within the audio engineering universe, it’s essential to place elements right in the mix. Given this, it is extremely important to differentiate between the presence and domination with percussive sounds. Luckily, the transient shaper can be very useful in this process.
The Transient Designer Hardware Effect Processor
SPL revolutionized the music production and recording industry by introducing the transient designer hardware effect processor. This processor used a combination of voltage-controlled amplifiers, known as VCAs, as well as envelope followers to lock particular areas of a sound’s transient events. The differential envelope technology allows the production of level-independent dynamic processing.
The transient designer can transparently shape the attack and sustain of a sound’s feature. You can attain this process no matter the level they are in. Similarly, you do not have the need for threshold and other parameters found in the compressor effect. The transient shaper is extremely useful because you can achieve the desired effect at maximum speed.
Transient Shaper Today
Nowadays, the transient processing hardware unit or software plugin has two main controls: attack and sustain. Firstly, by controlling the attack level, the player has control of the presence of a sound. Secondly, by changing the sustain level, the player changes both the room and density of a sound. You can employ this effect in instruments that have clear transient in their signals. Currently, there are many hardware and software versions of this effect that operate in fairly similar fashion.
