GainAim is a vocal rider plugin by NoiseWorks with five speed modes for automatic volume adjustment, suited for live and studio use across vocals, bass, and other signals.
Purpose
GainAim is designed to automatically adjust the volume of audio signals, primarily vocals, to a consistent target level. It acts as a vocal rider, saving time during mixing and ensuring balanced levels without manual automation. The plugin offers five distinct speed modes that determine how quickly the gain responds to the input signal, allowing it to adapt to different musical genres and dynamic content, from opera to rap.
The primary goal is to free the engineer from constant fader adjustments, providing a reliable way to keep vocals present and intelligible. By automating gain, it helps maintain a stable mix, whether in a live setting or during studio production. This purpose is supported by features like Target Loudness, which lets users define the desired output level, and the various modes that tailor the response to the material.
Speed Modes
GainAim includes five modes, each with a different speed characteristic. The Rider mode preserves the natural sound of vocals, making it suitable for studio and live use. The Leveler mode functions as an autogain for individual vocal tracks, smoothing out level variations. The Fast mode is a bass rider for highly dynamic signals and fast-paced vocals like rap.
The Squash mode aggressively compresses the signal for a consistent, dense sound, turning the signal into what the source describes as a ‘sausage’. The Locked mode fixes the current gain setting, holding it in place until changed. These modes allow GainAim to react appropriately to different genres and vocal dynamics, giving the user precise control over volume adjustments.
Workflow
GainAim streamlines the mixing process by automatically managing volume, reducing the need for manual fader rides. It can be used to prepare vocals and bass before compression, helping to prevent over-compression due to automatic processing. The plugin includes a NoiseFloor control to exclude sounds below a threshold, such as breathing or noise, from triggering gain adjustments.
A Channel Link control adjusts the amount of stereo linking applied to the trigger signal, allowing for mono or stereo operation. The user sets a Target Loudness value, and GainAim works to match the actual volume to that target. This workflow is time-saving, as it eliminates hours of manual automation and ensures consistent levels across a track.
Practical Applications
GainAim is suitable for live performances, where it provides real-time processing with no perceptible latency, ensuring consistent vocal levels without delay. It also works well in studio mixing for various genres, from opera to rock, hip-hop, and rap. Beyond vocals, the plugin can process other signals like guitar and drums, using the modes to match the material’s dynamics.
The Fast and Squash modes enable quick loudness control for very dynamic signals. The plugin can be used on individual vocal tracks as an autogain, or on a mix bus for overall leveling. In a live context, the low latency is critical, while in the studio, it prevents over-compression and preserves natural dynamics. This makes GainAim a versatile tool for engineers and musicians.
Key features
- Five speed modes: Rider, Leveler, Fast, Squash, Locked
- Target Loudness selection
- No latency for live events
- NoiseFloor threshold to exclude low-level audio
- Channel Link for stereo trigger control
- Time-saving automatic volume control
- Suitable for vocals, bass, guitar, and drums
Best for
GainAim is best for audio engineers and musicians who need quick, automatic vocal leveling in live or studio settings, especially when working with dynamic genres like rap or rock, or preparing tracks for compression to avoid over-compression.