Ramp
Purpose
The ramp device applies gain that ramps linearly in dBs between two setable Target Gains. The ramp is triggered by pressing one of the two Ramp Buttons. The ramp rate can be set independently for each ramp direction.
Beginning with MWare 3.3, there is optional functionality available for the Ramp device to solve some issues that some users have had with saving Presets and with the Current Gain control's range. See below for details.
Controls
Current Gain
Indicates the current gain through the device. This value is not updated if you are running without hardware.
Overload
Indicates clipping within the device. This is only possible if one or both of the Target Gain settings are greater than 0dB.
Buttons
Pressing the A ramp button will cause the device to ramp the gain to the A Target Gain setting using the A Ramp Time setting. Pressing the button a second time before the gain has reached the A Target Gain setting will stop the gain ramp at its current level. Pressing the B ramp button will cause the device to ramp the gain to the B Target Gain setting using the B Ramp Time setting. Pressing the button a second time before the gain has reached the B Target Gain setting will stop the ramp at its current level.
Rate
Displays the rate in dB/sec of the gain ramp. This control is automatically updated whenever you change the corresponding Ramp Time control or either of the Target Gain controls.
Target Gain
These two controls select the A and B target gain settings.
Time
These controls select the time required for the device to ramp the gain from one level to another. The A ramp time controls how long the device takes to ramp from the B gain to the A gain, and the B ramp time controls how long the devices takes to ramp from the A gain to the B gain. Adjusting this control will automatically update the corresponding Ramp Rate control.
NOTE: Starting in MWare 3.3, new functionality exists in the Ramp algorithm. This new functionality was carefully structured so that any view files constructed with the standard Ramp device will continue to perform as usual and as expected. To enable this new functionality, you must add information to the "Algorithm String" field in the Properties of the Ramp device. Again, with only 'RAMP' in the Algorithm String, the device will perform exactly as it always has.
Current Gain Preset Save Ability
In the original device, the Current Gain control can be copied out and changed into a knob or fader for direct control of the Ramp's gain. The caveat was that when a Preset or SubPreset was created, it didn't affect or record the control from the Ramp device.
To enable the setting of the Current Gain to be saved within a Preset (or SubPreset) device, place a '1' in the Algorithm String field following the 'RAMP' algorithm name like this (anything following the name is known as an "argument"):
To have preset save ability type: RAMP 1
Current Gain Range Limiting
In the original device, the Current Gain control can be gestured beyond the A and B Target Gains. This can be a problem if someone moves the Current Gain to a position above the higher limit (let's say for example that this is 'B') and then presses the B button. You would expect the Current Gain to ramp higher, but since the Current Gain is already higher than the upper range, the Current Gain ramps down toward the B Gain's Target. The same can happen in reverse with Current Gain lower than the lower limit. This results in the level ramping in the wrong direction.
To limit and remap the Current Gain's range (just like the Trim Max and Min work with the Trim knob in a Level device), you must supply a second numeric argument to enable this feature. Since the first argument is required to choose the ability to save presets, you must supply a '1' or a '0' as the first argument before supplying the second argument like this:
To Limit Gain Range and NOT have preset save-ability type: RAMP 0 1
To Limit Gain Range AND have preset save-ability type: RAMP 1 1
Remember:
To have preset save-ability but NOT limit the Gain Range type (no second argument): RAMP 1
To have NEITHER
preset save-ability NOR Gain Range
Limiting type: RAMP
(No arguments; this is the original RAMP functionality.)