MBM Audio Pluginmagic.ride
Precision Vocal Leveling
Automatically rides the gain of vocal recordings to maintain consistent levels — like a skilled engineer riding a fader.
magic.RIDE v1.2.0 — What's New
Released February 26, 2026
✦ New Features
- Dual Range Knob with Lock/Unlock — Independent boost and cut rings. Lock for symmetric range (default), unlock for boost-only, cut-only, or asymmetric configurations.
- Adaptive Display Zoom — Toggleable zoom mode that centers the waveform around your target level. Much easier to see gain riding on quieter vocals.
- RMS Waveform Display — Scrolling waveform now shows short-term RMS (matching what the rider reacts to) instead of peaks. Output meter also shows RMS.
- Extended Target Range — Target can now go as low as -50 dB (previously -40 dB) for quieter recordings.
- Noise Floor — Adaptive noise floor detection for more precise vocal leveling. Prevents boosting room noise, bleed, or low-level artifacts.
- Updated Factory Presets — New presets showcasing boost-only, cut-only, and asymmetric range configurations.
✓ Bug Fixes
- Cubase Automation — Fixed Write, Latch, Touch, and Read automation modes. Automation now prints and plays back correctly.
- Attack/Release/Hold Persistence — Custom A/R/H settings now persist when closing and reopening the plugin. Previously reset by the Speed knob on reload.
- Tooltip Improvements — Range tooltip dynamically shows full "+X.X / -Y.Y dB" values. Added status bar tooltips for zoom toggle and lock button.
⬡ Distribution & Compatibility
- Universal Binary (macOS) — Native support for both Apple Silicon and Intel Macs.
- Pro Tools AAX Support — Signed and verified AAX plugin for Pro Tools on macOS. Windows AAX coming March 6.
- Signed & Notarized macOS Installer — PKG installer with AU, VST3, and AAX, code-signed and Apple-notarized.
- Windows Installer — Installer with VST3 & AAX for Windows.
Quick Start
- 1
Insert on your vocal track
Add magic.ride as an insert effect on your vocal channel, early in the chain (before compression).
- 2
Click AUTO-TARGET
Play a representative section (verse + chorus) and click AUTO-TARGET. The plugin analyzes your vocal for 3 seconds and sets optimal TARGET, RANGE, and SPEED.
- 3
Fine-tune and let it ride
Adjust TARGET ±2-3 dB if needed. Set SPEED based on tempo (faster for rap, slower for ballads). Watch the gain curve in the waveform — you're done!
Main Controls
TARGET
Sets the target level where you want your vocal to sit consistently. Uses RMS/LUFS detection to measure average vocal level and adjusts gain to maintain this target. Extended range down to -50 dB supports quieter recordings.
RECOMMENDED SETTINGS
Use the AUTO-TARGET button to analyze your vocal and automatically set this. Lower values = quieter vocal, higher values = more prominent.
RANGE (Dual Knob)
Sets the maximum gain adjustment. Features a dual-ring knob with independent boost (outer ring) and cut (inner ring) controls. By default, the two are locked together for symmetric range. Click the lock icon to unlock and set boost and cut independently — enabling boost-only, cut-only, or asymmetric configurations.
RECOMMENDED SETTINGS
Unlock the range for surgical control. Boost-only is great when the vocal just dips occasionally. Cut-only is useful when peaks are the main issue. The tooltip dynamically shows full +X.X / -Y.Y dB values.
SPEED
Controls how quickly the plugin responds to level changes. Automatically adjusts attack and release times.
RECOMMENDED SETTINGS
Faster speeds catch quick level changes but can sound more 'worked'. Use NATURAL mode with fast speeds to maintain musical feel.
GAIN Meter
Shows real-time gain changes being applied. Center = 0 dB, cyan = boost, purple = cut.
If constantly at max/min, increase RANGE or adjust TARGET. Minimal movement means the vocal is already well-balanced.
Feature Toggles
NATURAL
Preserves the natural dynamics and expression of the performance by reducing gain adjustment during intentional dynamics (crescendos, emphasized words).
Turn ON for expressive, dynamic singing. Turn OFF for consistent speech or maximum leveling.
SMART SILENCE
Automatically reduces gain during silence or very quiet passages to prevent amplifying noise floor.
Turn ON for recordings with breath noise or room ambience. Turn OFF for clean studio recordings.
AUTO-TARGET
Click to activate 3-second learning mode. Analyzes your vocal and automatically sets TARGET, RANGE, and SPEED based on the audio.
Use at the start of your session. Play a representative section including both quiet and loud moments.
NOISE FLOOR
Adaptive noise floor detection. When enabled, the plugin ignores audio below the noise floor threshold, preventing it from boosting room noise, bleed from other instruments, or low-level artifacts. Adjust the threshold knob to set where 'silence' begins.
Turn ON for recordings with audible room noise, headphone bleed, or when tracking alongside other instruments. Adjust threshold until the noise floor is excluded but quiet vocal passages are still captured.
Advanced Panel
Click the gear icon in the plugin to access these controls.
LOOK-AHEAD
OffEnables the plugin to 'see ahead' in time for smoother gain changes. Higher values = smoother automation curve.
Options: Off, 5ms, 10ms, 20ms
DETECTION
RMSRMS for music production. LUFS for broadcast/podcast (EBU R128 standard).
Options: RMS, LUFS
ATTACK
Auto (SPEED)How quickly gain increases when the vocal gets quieter. Auto-set by SPEED knob.
Range: 1ms to 500ms
RELEASE
Auto (SPEED)How quickly gain decreases when the vocal gets louder. Slower release prevents pumping.
Range: 10ms to 2000ms
HOLD
50msMaintains current gain level before releasing. Prevents rapid gain changes during brief pauses.
Range: 0ms to 500ms
BREATH
0 dBReduces breath sounds and quiet passages. Light (3-6 dB), Medium (6-9 dB), Heavy (9-12 dB).
Range: 0 dB to 12 dB
TRANSIENT
0%Preserves transient peaks (consonants like 't', 'k', 's') during gain reduction. Great for rap vocals.
Range: 0% to 100%
OUTPUT
0 dBOutput trim applied after all processing. Adjust to match bypassed level or add makeup gain.
Range: -12 dB to +12 dB
Workflow Examples
Quick Start
- 1 Load magic.ride on your vocal track
- 2 Play a representative section (verse + chorus)
- 3 Click AUTO-TARGET and let it analyze for 3 seconds
- 4 Fine-tune TARGET if needed (±2-3 dB)
- 5 Adjust SPEED based on song tempo and vocal style
- 6 Monitor the gain curve in the waveform display
Podcast/Voiceover
- 1 Load 'Broadcast Voice' preset
- 2 Turn ON SMART SILENCE
- 3 Set BREATH to 6-9 dB in Advanced panel
- 4 Set DETECTION to LUFS
- 5 Adjust TARGET to -16 dB
- 6 Set SPEED to 60-80% for natural speech
Dynamic/Expressive Vocal
- 1 Start with 'Gentle Vocal' preset
- 2 Turn ON NATURAL to preserve dynamics
- 3 Increase RANGE to 15-18 dB
- 4 Set SPEED to medium (40-60%)
- 5 Set TRANSIENT to 30-50% for punch
- 6 Use A/B compare to check processed vs. natural
Understanding the Waveform Display
RMS Waveform Display
The scrolling waveform shows short-term RMS levels — matching what the gain rider actually reacts to — instead of raw peaks. The output meter also displays RMS. This gives you much more intuitive visual feedback of what the plugin is doing to your signal.
Adaptive Display Zoom
Toggle the zoom icon in the status bar to enable Adaptive Display Zoom. This automatically zooms the waveform to center around your target level, making gain riding activity much easier to see — especially on quieter vocals where the waveform would otherwise appear tiny.
Color Guide
White/Gray Waveform
Input signal RMS level (original audio before processing)
Purple Target Line
Your TARGET setting visualized. Click and drag to adjust in real-time.
Cyan/Blue Gain Curve
Gain boost — plugin is making the vocal louder
Purple Gain Curve
Gain cut — plugin is making the vocal quieter
Dashed Range Lines
Maximum boost/cut boundaries based on your RANGE setting. When unlocked, boost and cut lines may be asymmetric.
Pro tip: Flat gain curve = no adjustment needed. Smooth curves = natural processing. Jagged/extreme curves = consider adjusting SPEED or RANGE. Enable Adaptive Zoom on quieter vocals for a clearer view.
Tips for Best Results
Recording
- Record vocals averaging around -18 dB before processing
- Use good mic technique — consistent distance from mic
- Clean recordings give the best results
Mixing
- Place magic.ride early in your chain (before heavy compression)
- Use it for macro dynamics, follow with compressor for micro dynamics
- The two tools work together beautifully
Avoid Common Mistakes
- Don't over-range (>18 dB can sound unnatural)
- Don't set TARGET too high (risk clipping)
- Don't ignore the waveform — visual feedback is your friend
- Always check bypassed sound to ensure improvement
magic.RIDE Lite (Free)
magic.RIDE Lite is the free version of magic.RIDE, designed to give you the core vocal leveling experience at no cost. It includes the essential gain riding engine and is a great way to experience automatic vocal leveling before upgrading to the full version.
Included in Lite
- Real-time gain riding engine
- TARGET level control
- RANGE control (symmetric)
- SPEED control
- Scrolling RMS waveform display
- Gain meter
- AU, VST3 & AAX (macOS) · VST3 (Windows) · Windows AAX coming March 6
Full Version Adds
- NATURAL mode (phrase-based leveling)
- SMART Silence detection
- AUTO-TARGET analysis
- Noise Floor detection
- Dual Range knob (lock/unlock)
- Adaptive Display Zoom
- Advanced controls (Attack, Release, Hold, Look-Ahead, Breath, Transient)
- DAW automation writing
FAQ
System Requirements
macOS
- macOS 10.13 (High Sierra) or later
- AU (Audio Unit), VST3, AAX
- Intel & Apple Silicon (Universal Binary)
Windows
- Windows 10 or later
- VST3, AAX (coming March 6)
- 64-bit (x86_64)
Compatible DAWs
Need Help?
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