Using Blue Cat's FreqAnalyst Pro

The User Interface

The FreqAnalyst Pro is bundled with a single skin for each version (stereo or mono). You may want to create your own or download new ones from www.bluecataudio.com. The included skin is composed of three panels:

• The spectrum view where you can see the spectrum of the various channels of the plug-in.

• The spectrogram view showing the evolution of the spectrum over time (2D or 3D).

• The output view where you can monitor and control the output parameters generation.

This chapter describes the functionalities offered by these views in the stereo version (the mono plug-in has the same user interface but with a single channel). Please note that the settings described in the parameters section are available below the graph view. The absolute threshold can also be controlled by the vertical slider on the right of the display in the spectrum and spectrogram views.

Spectrum View and Global Controls

This is the main display and the view opened by default. It shows the spectrum as well as the main spectral characteristics of the audio signal. You can switch to other views (desribed later) by clicking on the tabs on the top right of the screen.

1. Choose the active view.

2. You can modify the opacity of the window that contains the plug-in user interface. Note that the result depends on the host application you are using.

3. Two functions are available for the mouse on the graph view: either drag the graph when zoomed or display the coordinates of the graph below the mouse pointer and zoom by selecting an area of the screen:

   At any time, right click on the graph to unzoom.

4. Select the channel(s) to display on the screen: for the chosen channels you can choose to display either the “instant” curve or the “peak” curve (maximum over time) or “average” curve (averaged over time).

5. The four “A B C D” buttons let you store the curve to one of the proposed memory slots. The curves stored into these slots can be shown/hidden with the buttons available in (6).

6. Show/Hide curves stored in memory.

7. Reset the average or peak curves.

8. These two sliders let you control the vertical and horizontal zoom for the graph. When the zoom factor is greater than one, you can drag the graph with the mouse (click on the graph when the cursor is a small hand and drag to move in the graph).

9. Rulers can be dragged with the mouse when the graph has been zoomed. They display the scales for the x and y axis.

10. This meter shows the value of the center, minimum and maximum frequency output parameters. It lets you visualize the instant bandwidth and spectrum energy center at a glance.

Spectrogram View

The spectrogram view shows the evolution of the spectrum over time. You can choose between the 2D and 3D modes depending on your preferences.

2D Mode

In 2D mode, the spectrum is represented as a 2D color plot, the color representing the value of the spectrogram for a given frequency at a given time. In the default color scheme, the closer to red the louder, and the closer to dark blue, the quieter.

1. Choose between 2D and 3D modes.

2. Two functions are available for the mouse on the graph view: either drag the graph when zoomed or display the coordinates of the pointer and value of the spectrogram and zoom by selecting an area of the screen (see the spectrum view for details).

3. Choose the channel(s) to display on the screen.

4. for the chosen channels you can choose to display either the “instant” curve or the “peak” curve (maximum over time).

5. Reset the average or peak curves.

6. These two sliders let you control the vertical and horizontal zoom for the graph. When the zoomed, you can drag the graph with the mouse (click on the graph when the cursor is a small hand and drag to move in the graph), or drag the rulers (7) anytime.

7. Rulers can be dragged with the mouse when the graph has been zoomed. They display the scales for the x and y axis.

8. The vertical color scale lets you choose the absolute threshold (see the parameters description).

9. When the mouse is in selection mode, you can see here the values for the coordinates under the mouse pointer.

3D Waterfall Mode

In 3D mode, the spectrum is represented as a 3D surface with the same color scale as the 2D plot.

This 3D spectrogram view lets you move the 3D graph within the screen so that you can choose your favorite viewpoint. Please note that the measurement tool is not enabled in this mode.

You can use the following controls for 3D movement:

• Mouse drag: rotate the object.
• Hold Ctrl key and mouse drag: translate the object.
• Rotate mouse wheel: zoom / unzoom (you can hold the shift key for higher precision).
• Mouse right click: reset position to default (as shown above).

Custom 3D viewpoint

It is still possible to use the zooming capability offered by the two sliders on the top left corner of the view. It will have the same effect as in the 2D view: zooming either the time axis or the frequency axis. Note that when the surface has been rotated, these two axis may not be in the same direction as the sliders anymore.

Output View

The output view presents graphs representing the evolution over time of the parameters that are computed by the plugin. They also offer the ability to transform the output parameters values so that they fit your needs.

1. These graphs show the evolution of the transformed output pitch values over time for each channel.

2. MIDI pitch value scale.

3. Equivalent Frequency scale.

4. Controls to modify the output envelopes: reverse, amount and offset. They let you customize the values generated for the transformed output parameters that can be later used as MIDI or automation controllers.

The various elements of the user interface (knobs, sliders, button...) are simple and intuitive to operate, but more information about how to interact with them is available in the "Plugins Basics" chapter of this manual.

Operation

This plug-in allows you to visualize the spectral content of the audio signal and also to generate MIDI CC messages or automation curves based on the frequency content of the signal. The illustration below shows the principle of this system.

Spectrum and Spectrogram Visualization

There are many situations where you need to be able to vizualize the content of the signal, when your ears are not enough (bad monitoring, ear fatigue, subtle spectral issue that requires visual confirmation). This is the main purpose of the FreqAnalyst Pro: it provides visual assistance for what your ears cannot detect. It is also a convenient way of comparing your audio tracks with reference material, as shown in this tutorial.

The analysis can be fine tuned in details to exactly fit your needs. This chapter describe in details how you can tweak the analysis:

Tweak the precision

It is possible to tweak the precision of the analyzer both in time and frequency. The higher the "presision" parameter, the better precision for the spectrum computation. The plugin also offers the unique capability of tweaking the frame rate of the spectrum analysis thanks to the "speed" parameter. With high precision, the frame rate of FFT analysis tends to be very low. The speed parameter and our unique frame interpolation algorithm compensate this issue.

Please note that the higher the precision and speed, the higher CPU consumption. It not uncommon that at low latencies setting the precision to 10 might cause drop-outs, depending on your system.

Customize the time response

The attack and release times control how fast the analyzer respectively responds to audio amplitude increase or decrease. For example, when pushing both parameters to their maximum the instant curve will show a local average of the audio spectrum.

The "Max Reset" speed control how fast the maximum spectrum curve is reset to the instant curve. This lets you tweak the max curve so that it follows the instant curve or shows the absolute maximum value of the spectrum.

Adjusting the response

Thanks to the offset and slope controls, the curve can be tweaked to show the exact response you are looking for. Offset will typically be necessary when the incoming audio signal is too loud or too quiet and the curve does not fit in the screen. The slope parameter can compensate the attenuation of higher frequencies and can thus make comparisons easier. A typical usage is to set the slope to +3dB per octave so that a flat spectrum corresponds to pink noise instead of white noise (for 0dB/Oct).

Threshold controls

In order to isolate the loudest parts of the signal and to control how the min and max frequencies are computed, it is possible to set an absolute as well as a relative threshold on the curve. If the signal is below the threshold (absolute value for the absolute thresold - for example -60 dB, or value relative to the maximum value - for example 30% of the maximum value in the current curve) it is reset to the minimum value.

Envelopes Generation

Thanks to this unique capability, you can create unique side chain effects controlled by the frequency content of the audio signal. The idea is to measure the minimum, maximum and center frequencies of the spectrum and reuse them as controller values for other effects. The exact response for these values can be customized in the "output" pane of the user interface. Special controls for MIDI and automation generation are available in the settings window of the plugin.

For more information about how to use this capability in your favorite host application, see our Digital Peak Meter Pro tutorials page: this plugin has a similar MIDI CC and automation output capability. The Blue Cat's FreqAnalyst Pro Tutorials will give you some more ideas about what to use the generated envelopes for.

Blue Cat Audio Plugins Basics

This chapter describes the basic features that are common to all our plugins. If you are already familiar with our products, you can skip this part.

User Interface Basics

About Skins

Like all Blue Cat Audio plugins, Blue Cat's FreqAnalyst Pro uses a skinnable user interface. It means that the appearance and behavior of the user interface can be entirely customized.

Especially with third party skins, the experience may be very different from the one offered by the default skins that we provide and which are described later in this manual. Our plugins and our skinning engine however have several standard features that will be available whatever your favorite skin. This is what this chapter will describe.

More information about custom skins can be found in the skins section.

Main Toolbar and Menu

Menu

If you right click on the background of the plug-in, the following pop-up menu appears:

The description of the commands associated to each menu item are available below.

Toolbar

In some skins, an optional toolbar gives you access to the some of the functionalities of the main menu.

Icon	Name	Function
	Menu	Open the main menu
	Undo	Undo
	Redo	Redo
	Load	Load Preset
	Save	Save Preset
	Manual	User Manual
	About	About
	Website	Opens our website

Commands

The Commands available from the main menu or the toolbar are:

• Set Preset Skin: change the skin for the current preset.
• Use Global Skin: use the skin defined in the global settings for the current preset. This item is enabled only if a skin has been defined for the current preset.
• Undo/Redo: undo or redo the latest modifications. This includes all changes made to the current preset settings.
• Load Preset: load preset from file.
• Save Preset: save current preset to file.
• Presets Settings: open the presets settings window. It enables you to change the skin and MIDI settings for the current preset.
• Global Settings: open the global settings window. It enables you to change the skin and MIDI settings that are used by default in all instances of the plugin.
• User Manual: open this user manual.
• Check Updates: check the updates for this software on our website.
• Get More Skins: get more skins for this software.
• About: displays the “about” dialog box.

MIDI control

Blue Cat's FreqAnalyst Pro can also be remotely controlled via MIDI using MIDI CC ("Control Change") messages if your host application supports it. It is possible to customize the channel, control numbers and range used for each parameter in the MIDI settings panel available from the main menu (see the Plugin Settings chapter for more details).

Controls

Examples

Here are a few examples of typical controls you will encounter in the user interface of our plugins:

slider	slider	knob	button	Text control

Interacting with Controls

You can interact with the controls of the plug-in interface either with the mouse or the keyboard.

Setting the keyboard focus on a control (so that it reponds to key strokes) may be automatic (when you pass the mouse over it it gets focus) or manual (you have to click on the control to set the focus on it). Note that all host applications behave differently regarding keyboard handling. In some applications you may not be able to use all keys described later in this manual to interact with our plugins. It is usually made obvious to you to know the active surfaces of the skin (the places where you can click with the mouse): the mouse cursor usually changes when you can do something on a control. In the default skins delivered with the plug-in, the cursor changes to a small hand or an arrow to tell you when your mouse is over an active control.

Mouse

Various mouse movements will let you interact with the controls:

Mouse Interaction	Action
Left Click	Acquire focus and start dragging or push (button)
Left Click + Alt Key	Set the value to default
Left Double Click	Acquire focus and launch the “fine tuning” edit box (except button):
Right Click	Set the value to default
Mouse Wheel	Increment or decrement the position (focus required)
Mouse Drag	Change the control position depending on mouse movement (except button)

Keyboard

All control widgets support the following keys (note that some of them are caught by the host and thus never forwarded to the control. For example in Steinberg Cubase SX you cannot use the arrow keys to control the plugin):

Keys Common to All Controls

Key	Action
Up Arrow	Small increment of the position (up or right)
Down Arrow	Small increment of the position (down or left)
Left Arrow	Same as Down Arrow
Right Arrow	Same as Up Arrow
Page Up	Large increment of the position (up or right)
Page Down	Large decrement of the position (down or left)
+	Small increment of the value of the control
-	Small decrement of the value of the control
d	Set to default value (same as mouse right click)
e	Opens the 'fine tuning' window to precisely set the parameter:
SHIFT	When the key is down, the fine tuning mode is on, and you can modify the value with better precision when moving the mouse, the mouse wheel or using the keyboard. Just release the key to get back to the normal mode.

Keys Specific to Buttons

Key	Action
Enter	Pushes the button

More

Check our online tutorial for more screenshots and more examples of our plugins user interfaces.

Blue Cat's FreqAnalyst Pro Parameters

All parameters described below can be automated and controlled via MIDI if your host application supports it. You can precisely define this behavior in the settings panels described later in this manual.

Input

The input parameters of this plug-in are described below. They can be used to modify the way the plugin analyzes the audio signal.

Param id	Name	Unit	Description
General
dsp.input0	Bypass		Bypass the effect.
dsp.input1	Precision		Precision of the audio to frequencies transform. The higher the setting, the higher the frequency precision, and the higher the CPU consumption
dsp.input2	Speed	%	Rate of the audio to frequencies transform. The higher this value, the better time resolution (and perceived smoothness). Beware that above 100% CPU consumption might increase, especially when the precision is high.
dsp.input3	Attack	ms	Attack time for the frequencies envelope follower.
dsp.input4	Release	ms	Release time for the frequencies envelope follower.
dsp.input5	Peak Reset	dB/s	Rate of the peak curve reset. If set to 0, the peaks will never decrease and will represent the maximum value.
dsp.input6	Abs Threshold	dB	Absolute threshold for spectrum display. All frequency bins which value is below this threshold are set to -120 dB)
dsp.input7	Rel threshold	%	Relative threshold for spectrum display (percentage of the maximum value). All frequency bins which value is below this threshold are set to -120 dB)
dsp.input8	Slope	dB/Oct	Slope added to the frequency response curve. Can be used to correct the response curve (for example tune the plug-in so that pink noise frequency response is flat)
dsp.input9	Offset	dB	Offset added to the frequency response curve. Can be used to correct the response curve.
dsp.input10	Reset Peak		Command to reset peak curves (value changes are considered as reset commands)
dsp.input11	Reset Average		Command to reset average curves (value changes are considered as reset commands)
Output Transformation
dsp.input12	Center Pitch Reverse		Reverse the transformed center pitch envelope.
dsp.input13	Center Pitch Amount	%	Amount for the transformed center pitch envelope.
dsp.input13	Center Pitch Offset	%	Offset for the transformed center pitch envelope.
dsp.input14	Min Pitch Reverse		Reverse the transformed min pitch envelope.
dsp.input15	Min Pitch Amount	%	Amount for the transformed min pitch envelope.
dsp.input16	Min Pitch Offset	%	Offset for the transformed min pitch envelope.
dsp.input17	Max Pitch Reverse		Reverse the transformed max pitch envelope.
dsp.input18	Max Pitch Amount	%	Amount for the transformed max pitch envelope.
dsp.input19	Max Pitch Offset	%	Offset for the transformed max pitch envelope.
dsp.input20	Stereo Mode (stereo version only)		Stereo operation mode: you can choose to analyze either left-right or mid-side channels.

Output

The plugin also provides output parameters for automation or MIDI CC generation as described in the operation chapter.

Mono Plugin

Please find below the output parameters of the mono version:

Param id	Name	Unit	Description
General
dsp.output0	Center Freq	Hz	Center Frequency of the spectrum (computed as the spectrum energy center)
dsp.output1	Min Freq	Hz	Minimum frequency of the spectrum above thresholds.
dsp.output2	Max freq	Hz	Maximum frequency of the spectrum above thresholds.
dsp.output3	Center Pitch	MIDI units	Center Frequency of the spectrum expressed as a MIDI pitch value.
dsp.output4	Min Pitch	MIDI units	Minimum frequency of the spectrum above thresholds expressed as a MIDI pitch value.
dsp.output5	Max Pitch	MIDI units	Maximum frequency of the spectrum above thresholds expressed as a MIDI pitch value.
Transformed
dsp.output6	Transformed Center Pitch	MIDI units	Center Frequency of the spectrum expressed as a MIDI pitch value.
dsp.output7	Min Pitch	MIDI units	Minimum frequency of the spectrum above thresholds expressed as a MIDI pitch value.
dsp.output8	Max Pitch	MIDI units	Maximum frequency of the spectrum above thresholds expressed as a MIDI pitch value.

Stereo Plugin

For the stereo version of the plugin, the outputs are:

Param id	Name	Unit	Description
General (Channel 1: left or mid)
dsp.output0	Center Freq(1)	Hz	Center Frequency of the spectrum (computed as the spectrum energy center)
dsp.output1	Min Freq(1)	Hz	Minimum frequency of the spectrum above thresholds.
dsp.output2	Max freq(1)	Hz	Maximum frequency of the spectrum above thresholds.
dsp.output3	Center Pitch(1)	MIDI units	Center Frequency of the spectrum expressed as a MIDI pitch value.
dsp.output4	Min Pitch(1)	MIDI units	Minimum frequency of the spectrum above thresholds expressed as a MIDI pitch value.
dsp.output5	Max Pitch(1)	MIDI units	Maximum frequency of the spectrum above thresholds expressed as a MIDI pitch value.
Transformed (Channel 1: left or mid)
dsp.output6	Transformed Center Pitch(1)	MIDI units	Center Frequency of the spectrum expressed as a MIDI pitch value.
dsp.output7	Min Pitch(1)	MIDI units	Minimum frequency of the spectrum above thresholds expressed as a MIDI pitch value.
dsp.output8	Max Pitch(1)	MIDI units	Maximum frequency of the spectrum above thresholds expressed as a MIDI pitch value.
General (Channel 2: right or side)
dsp.output9	Center Freq(2)	Hz	Center Frequency of the spectrum (computed as the spectrum energy center)
dsp.output10	Min Freq(2)	Hz	Minimum frequency of the spectrum above thresholds.
dsp.output11	Max freq(2)	Hz	Maximum frequency of the spectrum above thresholds.
dsp.output12	Center Pitch(2)	MIDI units	Center Frequency of the spectrum expressed as a MIDI pitch value.
dsp.output13	Min Pitch(2)	MIDI units	Minimum frequency of the spectrum above thresholds expressed as a MIDI pitch value.
dsp.output14	Max Pitch(2)	MIDI units	Maximum frequency of the spectrum above thresholds expressed as a MIDI pitch value.
Transformed (Channel 2: right or side)
dsp.output15	Transformed Center Pitch(2)	MIDI units	Center Frequency of the spectrum expressed as a MIDI pitch value.
dsp.output16	Min Pitch(2)	MIDI units	Minimum frequency of the spectrum above thresholds expressed as a MIDI pitch value.
dsp.output17	Max Pitch(2)	MIDI units	Maximum frequency of the spectrum above thresholds expressed as a MIDI pitch value.
General (Both Channels)
dsp.output18	Center Freq	Hz	Center Frequency of the spectrum (computed as the spectrum energy center)
dsp.output19	Min Freq	Hz	Minimum frequency of the spectrum above thresholds.
dsp.output20	Max freq	Hz	Maximum frequency of the spectrum above thresholds.
dsp.output21	Center Pitch	MIDI units	Center Frequency of the spectrum expressed as a MIDI pitch value.
dsp.output22	Min Pitch	MIDI units	Minimum frequency of the spectrum above thresholds expressed as a MIDI pitch value.
dsp.output23	Max Pitch	MIDI units	Maximum frequency of the spectrum above thresholds expressed as a MIDI pitch value.
Transformed (Both Channels)
dsp.output24	Transformed Center Pitch	MIDI units	Center Frequency of the spectrum expressed as a MIDI pitch value.
dsp.output25	Min Pitch	MIDI units	Minimum frequency of the spectrum above thresholds expressed as a MIDI pitch value.
dsp.output26	Max Pitch	MIDI units	Maximum frequency of the spectrum above thresholds expressed as a MIDI pitch value.

Note: the param id field is used when designing a new skin. See the skins section of this manual for more information.

Blue Cat's FreqAnalyst Pro Curves

The FreqAnalyst Pro plug-in provides visual feedback about the frequency content of the audio signal thanks to output curves.

Mono Plugin

Curve id	Name	Description
dsp.output_curve0	Instant Spectrum	Instant frequency content of the audio signal.
dsp.output_curve1	Peak Spectrum	Maximum value of the frequency content over time.
dsp.output_curve2	Average Spectrum	Average value of the frequency content over time.

Stereo Plugin

The stereo version offers more choice (combinations of the left and right or mid and side channels):

Curve id	Name	Description
dsp.output_curve0	Instant Spectrum(1)	Instant frequency content for the first channel.
dsp.output_curve1	Peak Spectrum(1)	Maximum value of the frequency content for the first channel over time.
dsp.output_curve2	Average Spectrum(1)	Average value of the frequency content for the first channel over time.
dsp.output_curve3	Instant Spectrum(2)	Instant frequency content for the second channel.
dsp.output_curve4	Peak Spectrum(2)	Maximum value of the frequency content for the second channel over time.
dsp.output_curve5	Average Spectrum(2)	Average value of the frequency content for the second channel over time.
dsp.output_curve6	Instant Average Spectrum	Instant frequency content (first and second channels average).
dsp.output_curve7	Peak Average Spectrum	Maximum value of the frequency content ( first and second channels average) over time.
dsp.output_curve8	Average Average Spectrum	Average value of the frequency content (first and second channels average) over time.
dsp.output_curve9	Instant Maximum Spectrum	Instant maximum values of the frequency content for the first and second channels.
dsp.output_curve10	Peak Maximum Spectrum	Absolute maximum values of the frequency content for the first and second channels over time.
dsp.output_curve11	Average Maximum Spectrum	Average maximum values of the frequency content for the first and second channels over time.

Note: the curve id field is used when designing a new skin. See the skins section section for more information.

Plugin Settings

In addition to the controls offered in the main user interface, Blue Cat's FreqAnalyst Pro has various settings that let you fine tune the behavior of the plugin. You can choose to change these settings either for the current preset or globally for all instances of the plugin.

The Global Settings Window

The settings available in this window apply to all instances of the plug-in, for all presets. Consider these settings as “default” settings.

Global Skin

You can change the default skin for all instances of the plug-in: write the skin file path in the text edit box or click on the button to open a file chooser dialog. If you have several instances of the plug-in opened in your session, you will have to re-open the user interfaces of these plug-ins to see the skin change.

Global MIDI Input Settings

For each parameter you can define a default MIDI channel and CC number. You can then control the plug-in with an external MIDI controller or one of our plug-ins that generate MIDI messages.

The following settings are available for each plug-in parameter:

• Channel: MIDI Channel for the parameter control. If set to 0, the plug-ins will accept Control Change Messages from all MIDI Channels (MIDI Omni mode).
• CC: Control Change Number.
• Learn: click on this button to activate the MIDI learn functionality. When it is activated, you can move your MIDI controller, and the plug-in will automatically set the MIDI Channel and CC Number.
• Enable MIDI: enable/disable the MIDI control of the parameter.
• Response: response curve of the MIDI control: from very fast to slow control.
• Min: minimal value of the parameter when MIDI controlled.
• Max: Maximum value of the parameter when MIDI controlled.

(generic screen shot, does not correspond to the actual plug-in parameters)

Note: if the Min value is higher than the Max value, the response curve will be reversed: increasing the MIDI controller value will decrease the parameter value.

Note: if you double click on the parameter text control boxes for the max and min values, a “fine tuning” edit box will appear and let you change the min and max values with more precision:

Global MIDI Output Settings

You can set the same properties for the output parameters: they may trigger MIDI CC messages when modified. Since it's output, you cannot set the channel to MIDI Omni, you must choose a channel:

(generic screen shot, does not correspond to the actual plug-in parameters)

Note: if the Min value is higher than the Max value, the response curve will be reversed: increasing the MIDI controller value will decrease the parameter value.

Note: if you double click on the parameter text control boxes for the max and min values, a “fine tuning” edit box will appear and let you change the min and max values with more precision:

Global Automation Output Settings

If your host application does not let you choose which parameters to record as automation curves, you may need to choose the automation enabled parameters in the plugin itself. In this pane you can decide which output parameters of the plugin will record automation, for all instances of the plugin:

(generic screen shot, does not correspond to the actual plug-in parameters)

All parameters are enabled by default. Click on the check box to enable/disable automation for a parameter.

The Current Preset Settings Window

This window lets you change the settings for the current preset of the current plug-in only.

Preset Skin

You can choose to use the global skin setting or to change the skin for the current preset. This way you can have different skins for different instances of the plug-in in the same session in order to differentiate them.

Preset MIDI Input Settings

Use the global settings or override them for the current preset. The parameters are the same as for the global MIDI input settings.

(generic screen shot, does not correspond to the actual plug-in parameters)

Preset MIDI Output Settings

Use the global settings or override them for the current preset. The parameters are the same as for the global MIDI output settings.

(generic screen shot, does not correspond to the actual plug-in parameters)

Preset Automation Output Settings

Use the global settings or override them for the current preset. The parameters are the same as for the global automation output settings:

(generic screen shot, does not correspond to the actual plug-in parameters)

About Skins

Blue Cat's FreqAnalyst Pro integrates Blue Cat's skinning engine that allows you to customize the user interface. You can download new skins for your plug-in at the following address:

http://www.bluecataudio.com/Skins/Product_FreqAnalystPro

If you don't find a skin that fits your need or if you want a really custom one, you can choose to create your own skin.

Changing the Skin

You have two ways to change the skin of your plug-in: you can change the default (or 'global') skin in the global settings, or change the skin for the current preset only (either in the preset settings page or from the main menu). The global skin applies to all plug-in instances, whereas the current preset skin only applies to the current preset of the current plug-in instance.

See the main menu for more information abour how to access these options.

On some hosts the plug-in window won't resize automatically when you choose a skin with a different size. In this case, just close the window and re-open it: it will be displayed with the right size.

Create a Custom Skin

You can create custom skins for your plug-in in order to adapt it to your exact needs. You can change its look and feel and make it completely integrated in your virtual studio!

Just read the Blue Cat's Skinning Language manual and download the samples for the tutorial on http://www.bluecataudio.com/Skins. You can get ready to create your own skins in a few minutes.

You can then share your skins on our website.

FAQ

Automation Output

When I use the plugin, my host application is slowed down and I get audio drop-outs. How can I solve this problem?

If your host application does not let you select the parameters for which you want to record automation, it might be doing some extra work for handling the output parameters generated by the plugin. A solution is to disable the output parameters you do not use in the Preset or Global settings/Automation Output pane.

When I use the plugin, my host application draws many automation curves on the current track and yet I have not touched any control on the plugin. How can I avoid that?

If your host application does not let you select the parameters for which you want to record automation, it will record automation for all the output parameters generated by the plugin. You can disable the output parameters you do not use in the Preset or Global settings/Automation Output pane.

I am trying to record automation curves as shown in the tutorials but it does not work. What do I have to do?

If your host application lets you select the parameters for which you want to record automation, check that the parameters you want to record are enabled. You also need to check that the plugin automation output is enabled for these parameters. Check the Preset or Global settings/Automation Output pane and select the parameters you want to record.

When I use the plugin in a project, every time I save the project, my application shows it as unsaved right away. How can I solve this issue?

This plugin produces automation output, and some host applications consier that any change to one of the output parameters is a change for the project. In order to solve this problem, and if you do not use the automation output capability of this plugin, you can disable automation output from the plugin settings panel (Global or Preset Settings/ Automation Output pane: uncheck all parameters).

MIDI Output

How can I enable the MIDI output of the plugin?

If your host application supports it, you can choose to send MIDI CC messages based on the output parameters computed by the plugin. The feature is not enabled by default, so you need to go to the current preset settings (of the global settings if you want to enbale this for all instances - not recommended) and open the "MIDI output" pane. For each parameter you are interested in, enable MIDI output and select the appropriate channel and CC number. The plugin will then send MIDI messages to the host application. Check our tutorials for a detailed explanation of MIDI output routing in your favorite host.

Plug-ins Formats

What are DirectX (DX), Audio Unit (AU), RTAS and VST plugins?

VST, Audio Unit, RTAS and DirectX plugins are software components than can be used in "Host" Software (such as Cakewalk Sonar, Steinberg Cubase or Wavelab, Sony Vegas, Logic Pro, Garage Band, Ableton Live, Pro Tools...) in order to perform some MIDI and/Or Audio real-time Processing tasks. To be more precise what we usually call directX plugins is actually a "DirectShow Filter". VST is owned by Steinberg, DirectX by Microsoft while Audio Units is the property of Apple Computers and RTAS is owned by Digidesign.

How can I use your plugins?

Download and install a host software, then download and install the plugins from our page. They will appear in the host "effects" menu. If you are using a DirectX host with our MIDI controllable plugins and they do not show up in you host list, you might need to use our freeware DXi Manager. Note that our plug-ins are sometimes shown in the "MIDI controllable audio effects" or "soft synths" sections in some host applications.

Where can I find a host?

There are many commercial or freeware hosts that will suit your needs. You can find a long list of applications here. You can also use demos of Cubase, Wavelab, Ableton Live, Tracktion, or Sonar software, which are usually available on the companies websites. On the Mac, Garage Band is part of the system and can be also used to host our Audio Unit plugins.

What are the main differences between DX, VST, RTAS and Audio Units?

VST is a protocol that works on several platforms (Mainly Windows, MacOS, BeOS, and some Linux platforms use it as well) whereas DirectX is Microsoft Windows only, and Audio Units are available only on the Mac. RTAS is available on Mac and PC, but only for Pro Tools products (Digidesign). VST, RTAS and Audio Units are dedicated to Audio processing whereas DirectX (DirectShow) enables you to manage any kind of streamed media (audio video, compressed data...).

What is the difference between DXi and DX effects?

DXi effects are MIDI controllable DirectX plugins. It's the same as DX effects plus MIDI control.

Which version (VST, Audio Unit, RTAS or DX) should I use in my host application?

Here is a list of host software and the version we recommend you to use. Many other applications are supported, check your application user manual to choose the best version (AU stands for "Audio Unit" and DX for "DirectX"):

Host Application	Plug-in Version
Cakewalk Products (Sonar, Project5...)	DX
Sony Products (Vegas, ACID, Soundforge)	DX for old versions, VST for new
Steinberg Products (Cubase, Nuendo, Wavelab)	VST (Mac or PC)
Ableton Live	VST (Mac or PC)
Adobe Audition	any
EnergyXT	VST
Magix Samplitude	VST
Digidesign Pro Tools	RTAS if available, any otherwise (RTAS adapter required)
Apple applications (Logic Pro, Logic Express, Garage Band...)	AU
...

In general, we recommend using VST over Audio Unit on Mac (when both are supported), particularly for the plugins that can output automation or MIDI CC messages.

Where can I find more information about this topic?

• www.steinberg.net
• www.microsoft.com
• www.kvraudio.com
• www.apple.com
• www.digidesign.com

Installation

I have installed my software and it is not listed as an application. Why? What can I do? How can I launch it?

Most software you can purchase on this website is plugins for host applications. It means you need another application to use it. See the "Plugin Formats" section in this FAQ for more information.

I have installed my plug-in and it does not show up in my host application. What can I do?

First check that you application supports DirectX, Audio Unit or VST plug-ins.

If you are using the DirectX version, check that your host application supports DXi plug-ins (MIDI enabled DirectX plug-ins). If it does not, it may remove it from the DirectX plug-ins list (some applications such as Sony Vegas 5 and Cool Edit Pro are known to do this). In this case, use our DXi Manager free utility and disable the MIDI capabilities of the plug-in. You may need to reinstall the software again before it shows up into your host application. For more information about this topic please read our DXi in Sony Vegas tutorial (it is applicable to other applications than Sony Vegas).

If you are using the Direct X version and your host application supports DXi, check that the plug-in does not appear in the 'virtual synth' or 'synthesizers' category. If you wish not to use the MIDI capabilities of the plug-in and use it as a regular Direct X plug-in, you can download the freeware DXi Manager and disable the MIDI capabilities of the plug-in.

Why are there two plug-ins called xxxx(Mono) and xxxx(Stereo) installed ?

"Mono effects" (which are effects that do not make any difference between left and right channels) are bundled this way for performance reasons. Some developers just deliver a stereo Version which also processes (twice) mono streams. The "(Mono)" plug-in is to be used with mono streams, and the (Stereo) one with stereo streams. The effect itself is the same in both cases but the number of processed channels is different: this may drastically improve performance for CPU intensive plug-ins.

How do I uninstall my plug-ins?

Open the Windows configuration panel/ Add Remove Programs, and choose 'Remove' on the corresponding plug-in. If you have installed the VST plug-in zip file version, just delete the corresponding dlls.

Why do your plugins need an installer on Windows? Do they modify the registry or system settings? Why not providing just a dll?

Our plugins require several additional files for default settings, skins and miscalleanous data. We provide an installer for our customers convinience. Our installers do not modify the system settings settings or the Windows registry, except for the DirectX versions registration. Our installers won't harm your system.

Software Version

How do I know the version of the plug-in I am using?

You can see the version information in the about box: right click on the background of the plug-in user interface and select "About". The product version is also available in the Windows Add/Remove Programs Window.

Why do newer versions of a plug-in override older ones (they have exact same name and IDs)?

Because newer versions improve previous ones. When a new version is released, older versions are not supported anymore. In some cases the new versions may be installed as new products (compatibility reasons, major changes...), but it is explicitly documented on the product page.

A new minor version of a product I purchased some time ago is available. Where can I download the update?

The new version can be downloaded from the same place where you downloaded the original version. All information is contained in the email you received when you purchased the product. Your registration number has not changed either.

Upgrade

A new minor version of my plugin has been released. Where can I download it?

When you purchased the plugin, an email containing the information to download and register your software has been sent to you. You can download the new version from the exact same location as the first time.

I have downloaded a new version, do I need to uninstall the previous version?

No, you don't, except if it's specified on the product page, in the "history" section. Just run the installer and it will upgrade your software.

Automation

What is "Parameters Automation"?

The parameters of an effect can be automated in most host software. It means that you can record the changes you do during playback or recording so that it's replayed when playing back again. It's a way of sequencing parameters changes the same way you do with Audio or MIDI data.

What is "Smooth Update"?

When changing parameter values in real time or replaying a song where parameters have been automated, our plugins compute intermediate values between parameter changes in order to avoid "clics" and "pops" that may occur otherwise. It results in a non audible smooth parameters update and lets you freely use automation or MIDI control to change the effects in a song.

Do your plug-ins support MIDI Control?

Yes they do. They offer precise control over the mapping of MIDI Control Change (CC) messages to parameter values: you can adjust both the channel and CC number as well as the response curve of the control. Since some of our plug-ins are also capable of creating MIDI CC from the audio signal, they can all be connected for real time signal-dependent audio effects. See our MIDI Control in Sonar tutorial for an example.

More...

This manual only covers the basics of Blue Cat's FreqAnalyst Pro. Our website offers many additional resources for your Blue Cat's FreqAnalyst Pro plugin and is constantly updated, so keep an eye on it! You will find below a few examples of available resources.

Extra Skins

We encourage our customers to propose their own skins for our products and we often propose alternative skins to let you choose the one that best suits your needs. You can check Blue Cat's FreqAnalyst Pro skins page to get the latest skins.

Fire

Product: FreqAnalyst Pro Description: Fire colors for the mono version of Blue Cat's FreqAnalyst Pro. Author: [Blue Cat Audio] Download: Skin_Fire.zip

Spectro Blue

Product: FreqAnalyst Pro Description: Spectrogram view uses blue gradient instead of stock multi-color gradient. Author: [Blue Cat Audio] Download: Skin_SpectroBlue.zip

Tutorials

Many Tutorials are available on our website. They cover a wide range of topics and host applications. You will find below a list of tutorials that are related to the Blue Cat's FreqAnalyst Pro plugin. An updated list is also available online.

Tutorial - Customize the Colors of your Plugins

This tutorial shows how to customize the FreqAnalyst Pro plugin's user interface by changing the color of the displayed curves. It is a very basic skinning tutorial. All you need to know is how to exp...[Read More...]

Tutorial - Using DXi plug-ins in Sony Vegas

This tutorial will teach you how to use any DXi plug-in in Sony Vegas: Sony Vegas does not support MIDI automation, so if your plug-in supports the MIDI Dxi protocol, it is removed from the plug-ins l...[Read More...]

Tutorial - Export Plugin Presets to Share them with the Community

This tutorial shows you how to export your presets in order to share them with the community on the Blue Cat Audio website. This tutorial uses Blue Cat's Stereo Triple EQ for the demonstration bu...[Read More...]

Tutorial - Compare the Audio Spectrum in Several Projects

This tutorial shows how to use the FreqAnalyst Pro spectrum analysis plugin to compare the spectrum of several tracks in different projects, using the save/restore capabilities of the plugin. The f...[Read More...]

Tutorial - Analyze and Enhance the Spectrum of your Mix

This video tutorial shows how to use Blue Cat's FreqAnalyst Pro plugin to check the spectrum of your mix and help you modify it. The gearwire.com team demonstrates some of the functionalities of the...[Read More...]

Tutorial - Getting Started with Plugins User Interface

Get used to the user interface features of Blue Cat Audio products! They have been designed for an optimal workflow, so here are the tips and tricks to save time. All these functionalities are explain...[Read More...]

Tutorial - Using MIDI Control in Sonar

This tutorial will help you understand how to use parameters MIDI control in Cakewalk Sonar. It is applicable to any DXi plug-in (MIDI enabled DirectX plug-in)....[Read More...]

Tutorial - Using MIDI Connectivity in a Modular Host (Plogue Bidule)

This tutorial shows you how to use the MIDI connectivity of our plugins in a modular host such as Plogue Bidule. We are using the Mac version of Bidule in this tutorial. The scenario here is very sim...[Read More...]

Tutorial - Using Blue Cat Audio plugins connectivity in Reaper

This tutorial shows how to use our plugins MIDI connectivity within Reaper. We use Blue Cat's Dynamics plugin as an example, but you can use any other audio plugin which provides output parameters, su...[Read More...]

Tutorial - Connecting plug-ins together in Logic for advanced side chain effects

This tutorial shows how to use the connectivity capabilities of our plugins within Logic. We use Blue Cat's Peak Meter Pro plugin (DPMP) as an example, but you can use any other audio plugin which pro...[Read More...]

Tutorial - Using Blue Cat Audio plugins connectivity in Pro Tools

This tutorial shows how to use the MIDI connectivity of our plugins within Pro Tools. We use Blue Cat's Peak Meter Pro plugin as an example, but you can use any other audio plugin which provides outpu...[Read More...]

Tutorial - How to Use the Free Presets Available on this Website

This tutorial shows you how to get and load free presets for your favorite Blue Cat Audio plugin. This tutorial uses Blue Cat's Dynamics for the demonstration but is applicable to all our plugins...[Read More...]

Updates

As you can see in the history log below, we care about constantly updating our products in order to provide you with the latest technology available. Please visit often our website to check if Blue Cat's FreqAnalyst Pro has been updated, or subscribe to our Newsletter to keep you informed with the latest news about our products.

Versions History

2010/02/25	V1.81
	Demo version now displays a nag screen only once per session, and only when opening the user interface of the plug-in. Mac: fixed crash with demo version in Ableton Live 8.1.1. Mac AU: output parameters routing now works for more than one instance in Logic Pro's Environment. Mac AU: fixed output parameters that could exceed defined range and not record properly as automation curves.
2010/02/15	V1.8
	RTAS plugin format support for Pro Tools (Mac and Windows). 64-bit applications support for Windows DX and VST under Windows x64. Mac AU 64-bit format support (compatible with 64-bit Logic 9.1 on Snow Leopard) Fixed MIDI learn issues. Space bar does not trigger plug-in buttons anymore (avoids conflict with transport control in most applications). Mac: fixed user interface crashes in some hosts under Snow Leopard. Mac: fixed keyboard/mouse focus issues in some hosts. Mac: fixed user interface crashes in some hosts, when used with particular display settings. Mac: fixed multiple screens issue. Mac-AU: fixed user interface resizing issue when changing skin in some hosts (Logic). Mac-AU: fixed settings lost issue when doing offline rendering in some applications.
2009/08/10	V1.7
	New 3D waterfall view to monitor the evolution of the spectrum over time. Drag the rulers to move the curve when zoomed (can keep measurement/selection mode and still drag the curves). Output automation is now disabled by default. Updated documentation. Bug Fix (PC): Cubase freezes when loading a preset using a different skin while the plugin window is open.
2009/05/05	V1.61
	Mac VST update: fixed incompatibility issues with Cubase 5 on Mac.
2009/02/27	V1.6
	Mac Audio Unit support. Improved accuracy of MIDI output. Automation output can now be disabled for hosts that do not propose automated parameters choice. New Windows Installer (you should uninstall any previous version before installing this new one). New documentation format.
2008/12/10	V1.5
	Now available for Mac in VST format. Added Mid/Side analysis capability. Minor user interface changes.
2008/02/25	V1.4
	Fixed a crash on certain configurations while opening the global settings window. Settings window is now faster to open. Minor skin changes.
2007/12/13	V1.3
	Improved display refresh rate. New "zoom by selection" feature: analysis is now even smoother! Spectrum analysis normalization improvement: absolute values comparison with different precision settings is now more accurate.
2007/10/18	V1.2
	Undo/Redo. Load/Save presets in a host-independent format: you can now share presets between the directX and VST versions. New toolbar to access main functionalities. Improved skin loading speed. Improved user interface performance. It is now possible to choose wether displayed curves are filled or not. Improved the display of parameters values in the MIDI settings panel and the host application.
2007/04/16	V1.1
	Skin loading performance improvement (up to 80% faster). Reduced memory consumption when using several instances. Offset range has been increased to 80 dB (instead of 40dB). Blue Cat's Skinning Language 1.3.1 support.
2007/03/05	V1.0
	First version.

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See you soon on www.bluecataudio.com!