Creating my Patch #6: The Compression Unit.

I next began work on my compression unit, as I wanted my users to have the ability to compress their audio, and therefore manipulate it in that way. Firstly, I imported a template of a 'comp_handler' from the cycling 74 example folder, so that I was certain that the subpatch would work correctly inside of my compression unit. 

I then created 2 dials, giving my user control over the threshold and ratio that their audio would be compressed. The threshold dial had 270 degrees, with 128 steps and a minumum value of -8. I felt as though this gave my user a helpful amount of control, thus improving usability. Similarly, the ratio dial used the same degree and step number, but had a minumum value of 1, with a step mulitplier of 64.

I then created three 'flonum' objects which would control the attack, release and makeup gain of my compression unit. All three of these 'flonum' objects had a minimum value of 0 and no maximum value, therefore giving my user no limitations, allowing them to have complete control over the degree to which their audio would be compressed.

As with many of my other effect units, I wanted my users to have the option of bypassing this particular effect altogether. In order to do this, once agin I created an on/off toggle, and then labelled this with a bright blue comment object, so that it would be easily to notice for my users.

I then wanted to make it easy for my users to see the effects of my compression unit, and to be able to make sure that it was working, and so added a level meter so that the level of audio would be indicated clearly. In order to make this level meter even more clear, I changed the colouring of it to Green, Yellow, Orange and Red; making it obvious when the audio was peaking.

Finally, once all of the dials and flonum objects were correctly connected to the 'comp_handler', I labelled each of the different aspects, and placed a comment box in the top left corner of the unit, making it clear which effect unit my users were using.

Compressor