These three track audio fx does NOT take any power or performance as long as you don't modify their settings. They are there because they are the most often used ones and it is kind of "here you already have them placed - if you need them - adjust them - if not - don't care". Unmodified they do absolutely nothing (except as being there).

The normalize value of -0.1 dB is a freely adjustable predefinition. It only affects audio if you use the normalization option out of the right click menu on timeline events.

Marco

Pick an audio track. Eliminate the existing FX, add more, whatever you want. Then right-click the track header and choose Set Default Track Properties.

Then right-click the track header and choose Set Default Track Properties.

This true for all NEW projects then?

Garzie

GRAZIE ( seesshhh . . . can't even type my handle now . . )

Yes.

Unmodified they do absolutely nothing (except as being there).

I suspect they would still impose some load on the CPU. When things get sticky I get rid of them. Can't say I've noticed anything dramatic changing however if there was lots of tracks might be different.

Bob.

I've always removed them and set the default track FX to none as a general principle. I'm a visual person too like Grazie. I like glancing at my track headers to see what's going on. The way Vegas defaults, i see all the audio track effects chainer icons 'lit up' green. My eye says "you have audio effects applied to all the tracks" and my brain scoffs and says "wait, no you don't!" Such eye/brain discontinuity is bad for the creative process.

So, removing the default effects leaves all those little chainer icons light grey instead of green, except for the track i really did add an effect too. Eye says "ooooooh, look, there's a special track! see? it's green!" and brain says "yep, you added compression to that one." Eye/brain harmony, all is joy and peace.

I agree it's completely annoying. Also, I'd rarely require an EQ before a Compressor.... that setup is arse-about.

> Each time I add a new audio track it automatically defaults to add 3 plugins 1. - noise gate 2. - EQ 3. - compressor. Why is this done?

Probably because Vegas was an Audio application before it was a Video application and most audio consoles have some kind of EQ, etc on each track strip so it made perfect sense for software to emulate this.

> I agree it's completely annoying.

Not sure I follow why this is annoying? It's complete customizable which I find to be absolutely brilliant. It does what you personally want it to... no more... no less. You don't find that in a lot of NLE's. It's usually their way or the highway.

> I'd rarely require an EQ before a Compressor.... that setup is arse-about.

Normally you place a compressor after an EQ so that you don't allow the EQ to blow out your audio. The compressor in this case is a final smoothing step to ensure you don't exceed 0dB (or whatever you have it set at) because of EQ adjustments to an ever changing audio track. I always EQ first then compress the final output.

If you work differently, you can always switch them and save that as your default. The fact that you determine what the default is, is what makes this a great feature.

jr

>> Normally you place a compressor after an EQ so that you don't allow the EQ to blow out your audio.

Oh, so sorry, I've only been engineering for 38 years, with a couple of hundred records, 50 or so 5.1 feature films and 5 Imaxes under my belt.... definitely I can tell you that if the eq is before the compressor the effective threshold changes when the eq changes.... so when you change the colour of the sound, the dynamic also changes.... not exactly desirable or normal.

"Oh, so sorry, I've only been engineering for 38 years, with a couple of hundred records, 50 or so 5.1 feature films and 5 Imaxes under my belt.... definitely I can tell you that if the eq is before the compressor the effective threshold changes when the eq changes.... "

The way you started your statement above was quite condescending and suggests that anyone the puts EQ before a compressor is an idiot. "Oh, so sorry, I can definitely tell you that you're full of yourself."

If you have a large low-frequency component in the audio track, the gain reduction of a wide-band compressor will track the low frequency energy and generally that's not what you want. Applying EQ before the compressor is a perfectly valid method depending on the circumstance. In fact, I'd say that when "taming" a track recorded in the wild, placing EQ before the compressor might be the preferred method. For example, you wouldn't want traffic rumble causing gain modulation of the voice in a track recorded on location. Nevertheless, if you change the EQ before the compressor, of course you're going to have to adjust the threshold.

One thing about audio is that there aren't hard and fast rules about anything depending on the end result that you're after. You have to know the rules in order to break them.

not to disagree, but this is an old debate like the chicken and egg. there is no "standard" regarding the order of eq / compression, particularly on a track level... both have practical applications.

it is certainly easier to hear how a signal flow is working by compressing first and then applying eq, as the eq is working from a more flattened plane so to speak so any emphasis placed by the eq is more clearly heard. but it is equally possible to overload a signal by placing eq after compression; notching undesired frequencies before compression is common also.

eq is often placed first if high-end content is the focus. compression often first if boosting bass frequencies. compression and eq are the most fundamental (and musical) tools we have in audio effects. i would not want to limit (excuse the pun) myself to a specific order until i heard the content and knew where i was wanting it to go.

that said, i think having the gate first is a pretty good call... most of the time. :)

Great responses - thanks everyone this has cleared up a lot plus I now know how to change it to what I would like to run it.

Footnote - and please don't anyone be offended -
Its quite disappointing to have peoples responses and all the great info and opinions peppered with bad moods/insults/"I know better" attitudes and so on. I love reading and contributing to this forum but I seldom want to add to a thread once these things start. Maybe its like driving a car - drivers are far more prepared to push in front of you or be rude because they are protected within their car, these same people very seldom would do the same to you walking down the street. I'm certainly no saint but I just don't see the need for these attititudes on a vital forum like we have.
I value every single response - they all seem to add to our knowledge base.Enough said!!
Cheers

I have tried in vain to get of those 3 default audio Fx a long time.
I saw this thread today and tried tididits advice:

"Pick an audio track. Eliminate the existing FX, add more, whatever you want. Then right-click the track header and choose Set Default Track Properties. "

And then?
Whatever I choose in the audio track properties window
it still lights green with those 3 fx I don´t want when I open a new audiotrack.
What am I doing wrong ?
Can you describe it more?
Aje

> definitely I can tell you that if the eq is before the compressor the effective threshold changes when the eq changes.... so when you change the colour of the sound, the dynamic also changes.... not exactly desirable or normal.

I guess it depends on the reason you are using the EQ in the first place (to sweeten or repair) and also why you are using the compressor (to smooth, boost/maximize, hard limit, etc.)

I definitely have to admit that using the word Normally as the first word in my post was opening myself up for a flame. Touche’ ;-)

John Cline said it much better than me:

One thing about audio is that there aren't hard and fast rules about anything depending on the end result that you're after. You have to know the rules in order to break them.

The point of my post was in response to your comment that you'd rarely require an EQ before a Compressor and I was just trying to point out that there are times when you do and that Vegas allows you to save your own defaults so that you can rearrange and save the chain however it makes sense to you. Someone editing an indie film will have different requirements than someone editing a TV commercial or someone editing a live event/performance. So "normally" was a badly chosen word on my part.

> Its quite disappointing to have peoples responses and all the great info and opinions peppered with bad moods/insults/"I know better" attitudes and so on.

It is quite possible that ChristoC took my post as being an attack and I apologize if it was taken that way. It was certainly not my intent but I can see now how it could have been interpreted that way. No hard feelings.

~jr