05.33 · DEVICES Dynamics
Swell
CATEGORY
Dynamics
Automatic volume swell: suppresses the pick transient and blooms each note in. Works like an inverse noise gate, giving hands-free violining without a volume pedal.
Parameters
| Parameter | Range | Default |
|---|---|---|
| Sensitivity | 0 – 100 % | 55 % |
| Attack | 0 – 4000 ms | 1000 ms |
Overview
Swell automatically fades in each new note by suppressing its pick transient. It creates bowed or volume pedal style attacks without requiring a pedal, and is useful for ambient pads, soft chord entrances, and layered lead lines.
Sensitivity determines how easily a new note triggers the envelope. Raise it for quieter pickups or gentle playing. Lower it if noise or ringing strings retrigger the swell. Attack sets the fade in time. Short values soften the pick while keeping the phrase immediate. Long values create a pronounced, slow bloom.
Tips
- For a gentle attack softener, try an Attack of 150 to 350 ms and set Sensitivity just high enough to catch normal picking.
- For violin style swells, start around 800 to 1500 ms. Play cleanly and mute unused strings so each intended note starts a fresh envelope.
- Put delay and reverb after Swell so the faded note feeds clear repeats and a continuous tail.
- Compression before Swell can make triggering more consistent, but too much compression may cause quiet noise to retrigger the envelope.
- If notes fail to open, raise Sensitivity. If the swell starts before each new pick, let the previous note decay further or reduce Sensitivity.