Gain Plug-in

Gain amplifies (or reduces) the signal by a specific decibel amount. It is very useful for quick level adjustments when you are working with automated tracks during post-processing—for example, when you have inserted an effect that doesn’t have its own gain control, or when you want to change the level of a track for a remix version.

Gain slider and field: Sets the amount of gain.
Phase Invert Left and Right buttons: Invert the phase of the left and right channels, respectively.
Balance knob and field: Adjusts the balance of the incoming signal between the left and right channels.
Swap L/R (Left/Right) button: Swaps the left and right output channels. The swapping occurs after the Balance parameter in the signal path.
Mono button: Outputs the summed mono signal on both the left and right channels.

Note: The Gain plug-in is available in mono, mono to stereo, and stereo instances. In mono and mono to stereo modes, only one Phase Invert button is available. In the mono version, the Stereo Balance, Swap Left/Right, and Mono parameters are disabled.

Using Phase Inversion

Inverting phase is useful for dealing with time alignment problems, particularly those caused by simultaneous recording with multiple microphones. When you invert the phase of a signal heard in isolation, it sounds identical to the original. When the signal is heard in conjunction with other signals, however, phase inversion may have an audible effect. For example, if you place microphones above and below a snare drum, you may find that inverting the phase of either microphone can improve (or ruin) the sound. As always, rely on your ears.