Imager Audio insert doesn't have side chain - Is Automation the only other option?

Hi!

I’m trying out Imager recently, I’m using it to push the mid-range of a piano out to the sides a bit to make the vocals in the center stand out a bit. It seems like a nice plug in.

It would be nice if there were some kind of ducking of that function, so that when there were no vocals then the piano in the center of the image might bump up a dB or two.

I’m thinking automation is the only way to do that, shy of some Rube Goldberg kind of routing that maybe might work but is probably guaranteed to cause some big deal operator error at this end sending me down another rabbit hole …

Does that seem about right (I should use automation for this purpose), or am I missing something basic (ahem, not again …)?

Thank you!

One technique I use in the studio is stereo delay, one delay set to 0 mix and the other side set to 23 to 25 milliseconds, full mix. Pan the first side full left and the second side full right. It spreads it out. You can then adjust the high pass low passes to get the mid-range you’re looking for.

Thanks, @Wickham_Sky !

I am actually doing the “staggered delay” thing now, amazingly enough (for me).

I am not seeing in your kind response/explanation how to make the process dynamic in terms of having the center of the stereo field have 1 or 2 dB more piano when the vocals are quiet.

But your answer did trigger a thought: maybe i could insert Frequency in M/S mode on the piano track, with the vocals as a side chain, and use dynamic EQ to duck the piano “Mid” signal by 1 or 2 dB whenever the vocal track has a signal … ?

Will try it …

Thanks again!

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