Dynamics Plugins

Compressors, limiters, gates, expanders. Control the dynamic range of audio. Essential for mixing and mastering.

Overview

Property	Value
Control Count	5-8
Complexity	Medium
Visualizer	Meter Gradient or Meter Segments
Layout	Minimal or Clustered

Typical Controls

Control	Widget	Range	Evocative Name
Threshold	Knob	-60 to 0 dB	CRUSH, SQUEEZE
Ratio	Knob	1:1 to 20:1	SLAM, SQUASH
Attack	Knob	0.1-100 ms	SNAP, PUNCH
Release	Knob	10-1000 ms	BODY, SUSTAIN
Makeup Gain	Knob	0-24 dB	BOOST, LEVEL
Mix	Knob	0-100%	BLEND, MIX
GR Meter	Visualizer	-	Shows compression

Recommended Visualizer

Primary: Meter Gradient

• Shows gain reduction
• Users need to SEE compression happening
• Essential for dynamics

Alternative: Meter Segments for vintage aesthetic (1176, LA-2A style)

Layout Pattern

Recommended: Minimal or Clustered

Minimal Layout

┌─────────────────────────────┐
│          CRUSH              │
│                             │
│  [THRESH] [RATIO]  [meter]  │
│                             │
│  [ATTACK] [RELEASE]         │
│                             │
│  [MIX]    [BOOST]  [bypass] │
└─────────────────────────────┘

Clustered Layout

┌─────────────────────────────┐
│          PUNCH              │
│                             │
│ DETECTION      TIMING       │
│ [CRUSH][SLAM]  [SNAP][BODY] │
│                             │
│ OUTPUT    [GR meter]        │
│ [MIX][BOOST]                │
└─────────────────────────────┘

Example Plugins

• Compressor - Standard dynamics control
• Limiter - Brick wall limiting
• Gate - Noise gate
• Expander - Downward expansion
• Transient Shaper - Attack/sustain control
• De-esser - Sibilance control
• Multiband Compressor - Frequency-specific compression

Design Tips

GR Meter is Essential

• Users must see how much compression
• Position prominently
• Real-time response

Group Related Controls

• Threshold + Ratio together (detection)
• Attack + Release together (timing)
• Mix + Makeup together (output)

Vintage vs Modern

• Vintage: Meter Segments, warm colors, evocative names
• Modern: Meter Gradient, clean design, technical labels

Control Names

Technical	For Vintage Style	For Modern Style
Threshold	CRUSH, SQUEEZE	THRESH, THRESHOLD
Ratio	SLAM, SQUASH	RATIO
Attack	SNAP, PUNCH	ATTACK
Release	BODY, TAIL	RELEASE
Makeup	BOOST	MAKEUP, OUTPUT
Mix	BLEND	MIX

Color Suggestions

Vintage Compressor

• Accent: Orange, amber, warm brown
• Background: Dark brown
• Vibe: Warm, analog, hardware

Modern Compressor

• Accent: Blue, cyan
• Background: Dark gray
• Vibe: Clean, precise, digital

Common Mistakes

❌ No gain reduction meter ❌ Attack/Release not logarithmic ❌ No mix/blend for parallel compression ❌ Too many controls (keep it focused)

✅ Clear GR feedback ✅ Logarithmic time controls ✅ Parallel compression option ✅ 5-8 essential controls

Variations

Simple Compressor

Controls: Threshold, ratio, attack, release, output, meter
Control count: 5 + meter
Size: Medium (340×380)

Vintage Style (1176-like)

Controls: Input, output, attack (stepped), release (stepped), ratio buttons
Visualizer: Meter Segments (VU style)
Style: Vintage
Size: Medium (400×340)

Modern Transparent

Controls: Threshold, ratio, knee, attack, release, mix, output
Visualizer: Meter Gradient
Style: Minimal, digital
Size: Medium (380×400)