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Official effect

Slow Attack

Attack-swelling envelope shaper that fades the front edge in by opening according to a very slow envelope follower.

This patch multiplies the input by a slow low-passed absolute-value envelope scaled by `squeeze`, then clamps that control so the attack ramps in instead of appearing immediately. After that it only applies a high shelf, and the shared `contour` control is currently declared but unused in the code.

  • Compression, Gate & EQ
  • Library #55
  • Preview 8s

Waveform preview

Static peaks come from the compiled FAUST preview render. The live scope is drawn from the browser playback output in real time.

Timeline
0:00 / 0:08
Source
Compiled browser preview
Live oscilloscope from the browser playback output.AnalyserNode keeps the signal path unchanged while exposing the waveform.

How It Works

Technical view

This patch multiplies the input by a slow low-passed absolute-value envelope scaled by `squeeze`, then clamps that control so the attack ramps in instead of appearing immediately. After that it only applies a high shelf, and the shared `contour` control is currently declared but unused in the code.

  • Compression, Gate & EQ
  • waveshaping / saturation
  • delay processing
  • oscillator / LFO modulation
  • DC blocking

Signal Path

Compiled preview chain

Preview source: An internally generated picked-string phrase is widened to stereo with a 19-sample right-channel delay and slight left/right shelf-EQ offsets before it hits the dynamics or EQ core.

  1. 1internal picked-string demo phrase
  2. 2stereo spread with a short right-channel delay
  3. 3slow low-passed envelope swell stage
  4. 4post-swell high-shelf tone shaping
  5. 5dry / wet mix
  6. 6DC blocker
  7. 7output gain trim
  8. 8final tanh limiter

Preview source

An internally generated picked-string phrase is widened to stereo with a 19-sample right-channel delay and slight left/right shelf-EQ offsets before it hits the dynamics or EQ core.

Effect core

Slow-envelope swell stage followed by simple high-shelf tone shaping.

Signal path

The static waveform and the live player both reflect this compiled signal chain.

  • internal picked-string demo phrase
  • stereo spread with a short right-channel delay
  • slow low-passed envelope swell stage
  • post-swell high-shelf tone shaping
  • dry / wet mix
  • DC blocker
  • output gain trim
  • final tanh limiter

Controls that matter

These are the currently active controls detected in the FAUST source for this effect.

  • mix: Blends the untouched stereo preview source with the processed path after the core effect.
  • output_gain_db: Applies final post-effect level trim after DC blocking and before the output limiter.
  • squeeze: Raises the multiplier applied to the very slow envelope follower that opens the swell stage.
  • tone: Adjusts the post-swell high shelf.
  • contour: Declared in the shared control set but unused in the current preview code.

Code-backed analysis

The generated description is tied to the active helper blocks and routing found in the current DSP.

  • demo
  • fx
  • outputStage
  • leftDemo
  • rightDemo
  • gateCore
  • phraseMono
  • previewShiftSamples

Controls

Audible controls in this DSP

  • mix

    Active

    Blends the untouched stereo preview source with the processed path after the core effect.

    Lower settings keep more dry attack and natural dynamics; higher settings push the processed behavior forward.

  • output_gain_db

    Active

    Applies final post-effect level trim after DC blocking and before the output limiter.

    Matches loudness without changing the actual dynamic or EQ structure.

  • squeeze

    Active

    Raises the multiplier applied to the very slow envelope follower that opens the swell stage.

    Changes how quickly and how fully the attack blooms in.

  • tone

    Active

    Adjusts the post-swell high shelf.

    Keeps the swelled sound darker or lets more brightness through.

  • contour

    Active

    Declared in the shared control set but unused in the current preview code.

    Changing it currently has no effect on the sound.

Analysis

Code-derived notes

Current implementation is distinct from the compressor and gate groups, but the shared contour control is inactive.

Active blocks

  • demo
  • fx
  • outputStage
  • leftDemo
  • rightDemo
  • gateCore
  • phraseMono
  • previewShiftSamples
  • slowCore
  • pickedVoice
  • fund
  • pickEnv
  • ampEnv
  • triggerAt
  • maxDelaySamples

Inactive helpers

  • synthVoice
  • organVoice
  • bellVoice
  • softsat
  • quantize
  • combLP
  • echoOnly
  • diffuser

Warnings

No current warnings are attached to this effect.

Source

  • library/compression-gate-eq/slow-attack.dsp
  • Output stage: DC blocker -> output gain trim -> final tanh limiter
  • Library position: 55

More In Compression, Gate & EQ

Continue through the library

Each effect page uses the same generated description pipeline and compiled waveform preview assets.

Studio Compressor

Balanced envelope-controlled leveling with mild low-end contour shaping and a restrained high-shelf finish.

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Optical Compressor

Smooth envelope-leveling compressor that currently uses the same gain-scaling core as Studio Compressor.

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Parametric EQ

Three-stage EQ with low shelf, one sweepable mid peak, and a final high shelf.

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