Audio, explained · 19 / 36

Duck

Lower this branch when another signal or a supported game phase triggers it.

Visual walkthrough11 configuration controlsSynced audio walkthrough

At or above Trigger level, Duck reduces by Amount using Attack. Hold bridges short pauses and Release restores volume. A trigger with no published level for 100 ms counts as silent. Siege round mode follows Stats.cc locally; missing, unknown or stale state releases to full volume.

01 / Understand

The idea, before the settings.

Put Duck on the audio that should get quieter, such as music. In level mode, choose another node as the trigger, such as a voice chain. The trigger controls level reduction but is not mixed into this branch.

Music target + voice keyDuckMusic output

Use it in AudioRouter

Wire music through Duck as the target.
Choose a separate voice node as the trigger; the key controls attenuation and is not mixed into Duck's output.
Set Threshold so speech triggers the detector, then adjust Amount for the music reduction.
Tune Attack, Hold and Release to bridge short pauses. Mix voice downstream only if you want it in the final output.

What success looks like

Music lowers during key phrases and recovers afterward. Changing music level alone should not be your speech trigger.

If it does not work

If music never ducks, verify the trigger node and its level against Threshold. If voice is missing from the final mix, connect its audible branch separately.

Select the node to open Properties. Click its name to rename it. While playing, supported parameter-only edits save after a short pause. For structural edits, use Save when the canvas marks a change. Enabled and Bypass are distinct live controls; see the in-app help for their behavior.

02 / Explore

Make the behavior visible.

Input A is music; the trigger reference is a different voice-like phrase with pauses. Output contains only music following that key. Audition the key separately to understand the timing.

Target attenuation6 dB

The example repeats until you press Stop, and control changes are heard immediately. The traces are drawn from that audio, and the line marks the moment you hear. This is not a DSP measurement or control for your running AudioRouter session.

03 / Configure

Every control, with a reason.

Trigger level

thresholdDb

Peak level of the selected trigger at which ducking engages.

Range / choices-80 dBFS → 0 dBFSDefault-35 dBFS

↓ Lower / alternativeEngages for quieter trigger sound, potentially room noise.

↑ Higher / alternativeRequires a louder trigger.

Try thisPut it between room noise and voice level.

Keep in mind Used in Level mode; absent trigger telemetry counts as silent.

Amount

amountDb

Positive amount subtracted from this audio while Duck is engaged.

Range / choices0 dB → 40 dBDefault6 dB

↓ Lower / alternativeKeeps it closer to normal level; 0 dB makes no reduction.

↑ Higher / alternativeMakes this branch quieter during the trigger.

Try this6 dB is about half amplitude; 12 dB is about one quarter.

Keep in mind These amplitude examples are not perceived-loudness guarantees.

Attack

attackMs

How quickly the target is lowered when the separate trigger crosses Threshold.

Range / choices1 ms → 500 msDefault20 ms

↓ Lower / alternativeMakes engagement faster.

↑ Higher / alternativeMakes engagement slower.

Try thisTry 10 ms for prompt lowering at the start of a phrase.

Keep in mind For Gate this is opening; for Compressor and Duck this is increasing attenuation.

Hold

holdMs

How long target attenuation remains after the trigger falls below Threshold.

Range / choices0 ms → 2000 msDefault300 ms

↓ Lower / alternativeAllows disengagement sooner.

↑ Higher / alternativeBridges longer gaps.

Try thisTry 300 ms to bridge short speech pauses.

Keep in mind Release follows the hold interval.

Release

releaseMs

How gradually target volume recovers after the trigger and Hold end.

Range / choices20 ms → 5000 msDefault500 ms

↓ Lower / alternativeMakes recovery faster.

↑ Higher / alternativeMakes recovery slower.

Try thisTry 500 ms for a smooth return of music.

Keep in mind Extremely quick changes can sound like pumping or distortion.

Trigger

trigger

Source of the Duck engagement decision.

Range / choiceslevel · siegeRoundDefaultlevel

↓ Lower / alternativeChoose Level to follow another node’s level.

↑ Higher / alternativeChoose Siege round for supported local game-phase triggering.

Try thisUse Level for voice-over-music.

Keep in mind Siege round depends on the configured Stats.cc feed.

Triggered by

keyNodeId

Another audio-producing node in the same session.

Range / choicesDepends on your selectionDefaultChoose explicitly

↓ Lower / alternativeChoose a different node to follow a different signal.

↑ Higher / alternativeChoose the intended signal by name.

Try thisChoose processed voice rather than the music being ducked.

Keep in mind The referenced node controls gain but is not mixed into Duck output.

Planning, operator selection and preparation

duckPrep

Whether non-action preparation phases engage Duck.

Range / choicesOn / offDefaulttrue

↓ Lower / alternativeOff leaves preparation at normal volume.

↑ Higher / alternativeOn reduces this branch during preparation.

Try thisEnable for a quieter operator-selection period.

Keep in mind Only used in Siege round trigger mode.

In a round, playing

duckAction

Whether a round being played engages Siege round Duck.

Range / choicesOn / offDefaultfalse

↓ Lower / alternativeOff leaves rounds at normal volume.

↑ Higher / alternativeOn reduces this branch while you play a round.

Try thisEnable on a music or stream branch to quiet it while you play.

Keep in mind Off by default, so the game itself stays at full volume during rounds.

Between rounds and results

duckBetweenRounds

Whether results/between-round phases engage Duck.

Range / choicesOn / offDefaulttrue

↓ Lower / alternativeOff leaves results at normal volume.

↑ Higher / alternativeOn reduces this branch between rounds.

Try thisEnable to quiet score/result screens.

Keep in mind Unknown, disconnected or stale feed state releases to full volume.

04 / Put it to work

Start with a useful example.

Example 1

Put speech over music

Place Duck on the music branch.
Select your microphone or processed voice as Triggered by.
Set Trigger level between room noise and speech; start with Amount 6 dB, Attack 20 ms, Hold 300 ms and Release 500 ms.

Example 2

Prevent pumping between words

Increase Hold if music returns between syllables.
Lengthen Release if the return is too abrupt.
Check that room noise alone does not engage the trigger.

Example 3

Follow Siege phases

Choose the Siege round trigger and run the configured Stats.cc local feed.
Tick the phases to turn down: menu, preparation and between rounds by default, or In a round, playing to quiet music while you play.
Check the feed state; unticked phases and an unavailable feed play at full volume.

These are starting points. Compare at a comfortable monitoring level and adjust for your own source.

05 / Get unstuck

Small details that matter.

Put Duck on the sound being reduced, not accidentally on the voice trigger.
6 dB is approximately half amplitude; perceived loudness is not a fixed fraction.
Stats.cc integration is a specific local dependency, not general application detection.