ChromaGlow in MainStage

ChromaGlow is a saturation plug-in designed to replicate the warmth and coloration of analog audio equipment. By introducing harmonic distortion to incoming audio signals, it emulates the nonlinear response and subtle compression found in analog gear. This process enriches the harmonic content of the audio, resulting in a more nuanced and textured sound with enhanced character and depth. Additionally, the subtle compression effect helps to smooth out dynamics and tame transients, contributing to a polished and professional-sounding end result.

ChromaGlow is available on Macs with an M1 or later Apple silicon processor.

To add ChromaGlow to your concert, choose Distortion > ChromaGlow in a channel strip Audio Effect plug-in menu. See Add and remove plug-ins in MainStage.

ChromaGlow parameters

Model pop-up menu: Choose from a range of saturation models that emulate vintage audio equipment.
- Retro Tube: Replicates the warmth and even-order harmonics characteristic of vacuum tube equipment, offering a smooth and pleasant distortion that infuses audio with warmth and a vintage ambiance.
- Modern Tube: Imparts the harmonic richness, gentle compression, and pleasing distortion that is typical of tube-based gear. This type of saturation can add warmth, character, and a vintage vibe to audio signals, making it a popular choice for enhancing the sound of individual tracks or entire mixes.
- Magnetic: Mimics the saturation and compression qualities of analog tape machines. It introduces a warm, organic, and slightly compressed sound, with added harmonics. It’s great for achieving a vintage, analog feel.
- Squeeze: Replicates the saturation achieved through intentional pushing of a compressor, which introduces harmonic distortion and modifies the tonal characteristics of an audio signal. This imparts warmth, character, and color to the sound.
- Analog Preamp: Provides an assertive, vibrant, and punchy sound characterized by a distinctively sharp and edgy quality, in contrast to the smoother distortion of tubes or the gentle saturation of tape.
Style pop-up menu: Choose an alternative style for the selected model to impart a different colorization to the sound.
- Retro Tube: When selected, the following styles are available:
  - Clean: Subtly and smoothly adds a touch of warmth to the sound along with a slight muddiness.
  - Colorful: Introduces a significant amount of character to the sound while also imparting a noticeable sense of muddiness.
- Modern Tube: When selected, the following styles are available:
  - Clean: Delivers a pristine and transparent sound with a touch of warmth. It preserves the clarity of the audio while subtly enhancing it with the characteristics typically associated with tube amplification.
  - Colorful: Blends classic warmth with modern clarity, offering rich, harmonically nuanced audio reminiscent of vintage amps, but with with improved fidelity.
- Magnetic: When selected, the following styles are available:
  - Colorful: Turns on the transformer component to deliver a saturated, warm, and character-rich sound.
  - Clean: Turns off the transformer component for a cleaner signal with less harmonic content.
- Squeeze: When selected, the following styles are available:
  - Soft Press: Delivers smooth, natural compression with gentle characteristics, enhancing warmth and richness. This option is ideal for achieving subtle, musical compression.
  - Hard Press: Generates assertive, punchy compression with evident distortion. Use this style for a more dramatic impact, particularly on percussive sounds, or to attain a pronounced and bold vocal presence.
- Analog Preamp: When selected, the following styles are available:
  - Clean: Turns on a transistor-based saturation circuit, resulting in a cleaner signal with reduced distortion.
  - Colorful: Provides a vintage, woolly sound with soft clipping, offering a subtly compressed and warm tone.
Drive knob and field: Set the amount of saturation applied to the signal.
Bypass Below button: Turn the Bypass Below control on or off.
Bypass Below field: Set the frequency threshold below which the effect is bypassed. Frequencies below this threshold will remain unaffected, while the effect is applied to frequencies above it.
Level In field: Set the amount of gain applied to the plug-in input signal.
Level Out field: Set the amount of gain applied to the plug-in output signal.
Mix field: Set the percentage of the effect signal mixed with the original signal.
Display: Shows the intensity of the saturation settings on the signal.

Low Cut parameters

Low Cut button: Turn the low cut filter on or off.
Slope pop-up menu: Choose a slope to determine the extent of frequency reduction. Increasing the slope to a higher number results in more extreme filtering.
Frequency field: Set the cutoff frequency of the lowpass filter.
Resonance field: Set to emphasize frequencies surrounding the cutoff frequency.
Pre/Post buttons: Apply low cut equalization adjustments to the audio signal before or after the saturation effect is applied.

High Cut parameters

High Cut button: Turn the high cut filter on or off.
Slope pop-up menu: Choose a slope to determine the extent of frequency reduction. Increasing the slope to a higher number results in more extreme filtering.
Frequency field: Set the cutoff frequency of the highpass filter.
Resonance field: Set to emphasize frequencies surrounding the cutoff frequency.
Pre/Post buttons: Apply high cut equalization adjustments to the audio signal before or after the saturation effect is applied.

Download the guides:

MainStage User Guide: PDF

MainStage Instruments: PDF

MainStage Effects: PDF

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