The Concept
OD Finesse is a resonance reduction processor that intelligently manages resonances and spectral content with surgical precision, operating without fixed crossovers and utilizing minimum phase filtering that preserves transients and phase coherence. Unlike traditional dynamic processors that rely on crossover networks, Finesse operates across multiple frequency bands simultaneously through advanced filtering techniques, enabling precise control over tonal and dynamic character while maintaining optimal phase relationships throughout the frequency spectrum. This ensures that the natural attack and dynamic response of the source material remain intact while unwanted resonances are effectively controlled.
At its core, Finesse analyzes spectral content in real-time and applies frequency-dependent processing based on three customizable curves: Depth, Timing, and Guard. This approach enables control over problematic resonances while preserving the natural character and musicality of the source material. The system operates completely independenty of input levels, providing true “set & forget” functionality that adapts automatically to any signal.
The processor features a 100% vector-based user interface that delivers pristine visuals at any size, ensuring optimal workflow regardless of screen resolution or scaling. The underlying algorithm – whose development began in 2013 – has been refined through the years with countless hours of critical listening, resulting in a tool that responds musically and naturally to any source material.
Note: Finesse’s FFT-based meters are optimized for musical audio and may not match traditional test signals or external analyzers, as analyzer parameters like FFT size and windowing function differ from Finesse’s internal settings.
Finesse Controls
Depth
 | Controls the overall processing intensity across all frequency bands. This main control is bidirectionally linked with the Depth curve – adjusting the slider updates all curve handles proportionally, while modifying individual curve handles updates the slider to reflect their average value. Higher values result in more pronounced spectral shaping and dynamic control. Hold Shift and drag to activate multiplicative scaling mode, preserving the relative proportions of curve points. Tip: Begin with conservative settings (< 5) for transparent resonance control without artifacts. |
Bands
 | Sets the frequency resolution of the spectral processing. Higher values enable finer control over individual frequency regions, with band centers aligned to musical notes for intuitive adjustment. The 12-bands-per-octave setting provides a good starting point for diverse material. |
Timing
 | Sets the global response speed of the processor. Lower values create faster, more aggressive processing that catches transients and rapid changes. Higher values result in slower, smoother processing that preserves natural dynamics. Like the Depth control, this slider is bidirectionally linked with the Timing curve, allowing both broad adjustments and frequency-specific fine-tuning. Hold Shift and drag to activate multiplicative scaling mode, preserving the relative proportions of curve points. Tip: Match values to source material – fast settings (50–150 ms) excel at taming harsh cymbal resonances and metallic overtones, while slower values (300–500 ms) effectively control low-frequency buildup. |
Guard
 | Establishes a protection threshold that prevents over-processing of subtle resonances. Any spectral content below this threshold remains untouched, preserving the natural character of gentle peaks and preventing the “lifeless” sound that can result from excessive processing. The Guard control features the same intelligent bidirectional linking with its corresponding curve. Hold Shift and drag to activate multiplicative scaling mode, preserving the relative proportions of curve points. Note: This function preserves essential character by protecting subtle resonances from reduction. Appropriate threshold settings ensure natural sound quality is maintained while problematic resonances are still effectively controlled. |
Active
 | Enables or disables the Finesse processor. When bypassed, the signal passes through completely unprocessed, allowing for quick A/B comparisons. |
Output
 | A simple gain control for compensating any level changes introduced by the processing. Use this to match the processed and bypassed signal levels for accurate comparisons. |
Channel Processing
Finesse offers flexible channel-processing modes to suit different mixing and mastering scenarios.
L/R Mode
 | Processes the left and right channels, optionally linking them. The LINK control (0–100%) determines how much the channels influence each other – at 0%, each channel is processed completely independently, while at 100%, both channels receive identical processing based on their combined analysis. |
M/S Mode
 | Processes the mid (center) and side (stereo) components separately. The WEIGHT control (–100% to +100%) adjusts the balance between mid and side processing. Negative values emphasize side processing for enhanced stereo width control, while positive values focus on the mid channel for centered content. |
The Curve System
Finesse’s unique curve system provides intuitive visual control over frequency-dependent processing. Each curve type can be selected using its corresponding button, and all curves are displayed and edited directly on the spectrum analyzer.
Handle Value
 | Shows and controls the value of the selected drag handle. This field displays the current value of the selected handle and allows direct numeric input. The displayed value automatically updates when you drag handles in the spectrum display and is bidirectionally linked to the master sliders when changed here. Note: Only visible when a single handle is selected. |
Handle Frequency
 | Shows and controls the frequency of the selected drag handle. This field displays the current frequency of the selected handle and allows direct numeric input. The displayed value automatically updates when you drag handles in the spectrum display. Note: Only visible when a single handle is selected. |
Depth Curve
 | Shapes how strongly each frequency region is processed. Create gentle overall corrections or target specific problem frequencies with surgical precision. |
Timing Curve
 | Adjusts the response speed across the frequency spectrum. Set faster times for controlling harsh high-frequency transients while maintaining slower, more musical processing in the low end. |
Guard Curve
 | Defines frequency-dependent protection thresholds. Raise the threshold in areas with important musical content to preserve their natural dynamics while still controlling problematic resonances elsewhere. |
Curve Editing
The spectrum display serves as both a real-time analyzer and an interactive curve editor:
- Click and drag any handle to adjust its frequency and value
- Double-click to add new points at specific frequencies
- Double-click on a handle to remove it
- Left-click and drag to create a selection rectangle around multiple handles for grouped adjustments
- Hold Shift and drag vertically to lock the frequency
- Hold Ctrl and click to select or deselect multiple handles
Each curve maintains between 2 and 8 (in case of Depth 12) active points, automatically interpolating smooth transitions between them.
Bidirectional Link Priority System
The bidirectional connection between sliders and curves employs an intelligent priority system to prevent feedback loops and ensure smooth operation:
When you adjust the main slider (Depth, Timing, or Guard), the corresponding curve handles update proportionally while maintaining their relative positions. Conversely, when you modify individual curve handles, the main slider automatically reflects the average of all active points.
This system uses a priority mechanism that gives precedence to the most recent user action. Whether adjusting via the plugin GUI or through DAW automation, Finesse ensures that intended changes are applied without conflicts or unwanted feedback. For automation purposes, it is recommended to use the main sliders (Depth, Timing, Guard) rather than individual curve points. Hold Shift and drag to activate multiplicative scaling mode, preserving the relative proportions of curve points.
The video below demonstrates the difference between additive and multiplicative scaling mode:
Note: If you would like to automate individual curve points, make sure you’re not automating them together with the corresponding main slider. The result is a seamless workflow where both detailed curve editing and quick overall adjustments feel natural and responsive.
ReTilt System
The ReTilt feature provides automatic spectral balance and loudness compensation.
ReTilt Amount
 | Controls the strength of the tilt compensation. Lower values apply subtle correction, while higher values more aggressively maintain the original spectral balance and loudness characteristics. |
ReTilt Active
 | Enables intelligent tilt correction that monitors the spectral changes introduced by Finesse and applies an inverse tilt to maintain the original tonal balance and perceived loudness. |
Adaptive Load
Adaptive Load is a mechanism that constantly monitors the audio signal and corresponding states (such as filter memory) and frees up resources whenever possible – without any impact on processing quality. When Finesse is inserted on a guitar track where the guitar only plays during certain parts of the song, the adaptive load mechanism detects when the guitar is not playing and bypasses all of Finesse’s filters and other processing, resulting in almost 0% CPU usage. This typically happens within several milliseconds. As soon as the guitar starts playing again, Finesse re-enables its processing. The entire process is fully transparent without any drawbacks. With Adaptive Load, resources are freed when not needed, which means you can use more plugins in your project and/or you will have lower export rendering times.
Toolbar
Undo/Redo
 | Use the undo/redo buttons to recall previous/next parameter changes. The exact event is shown in a tool tip. Please note that certain parameter changes are not tracked by this function (e.g. “Bypass”). |
Preset Management
The preset drop-down list offers quick access to factory settings and user presets.
 | The next/previous buttons allow you to cycle through the presets. |
Advanced preset management options are available from the context menu (Right-click).
Reset to Original state resets the currently active preset to its original state.
Save As New Global User Preset opens a dialog used to create User Presets. Note that these presets persist across sessions and DAWs (presets are saved on your machine). The total amount of user presets is limited to 20.
Overwrite/Rename Selected User-Preset allows to overwrite or rename presets.
Delete Selected User Preset allows to delete the current user preset.
Save As Default State replaces the plugins’ default preset with the current parameter state.
Revert Default State To Factory Setting deletes an overwritten default state.
Copy State (Ctrl+C) copies the current control states to the clipboard. This allows for applying control states (i.e. “presets”) across plugin instances and plugin hosts by using the Paste State command.
Paste State (Ctrl+V) pastes the control states from the clipboard.
Share State opens a dialog with additional preset sharing options via e-mail or internet forums.
A/B Control
 | A/B allows to compare two alternative parameter states. |
 | A>B and B<A copies one state to the other. |
Help
 | The dynamic help mode offers detailed information about the various elements of the user interface. Click “?” to activate the online help and move the mouse cursor over the control of interest. A small info bubble will appear displaying the function and details of the item. |
Sidechain
 | Toggles external sidechain input on or off. When active, Finesse analyzes the external sidechain input instead of the main input to control processing. The processing is still applied to the main input. This lets you shape one signal based on the frequency content of another signal. |
Delta Mode
 | Toggles Delta Mode on or off. When active, outputs only the difference between the original and processed signals, letting you hear exactly what Finesse adds or removes from your audio. Note: Delta Mode does not include the effects of ReTilt and Output Gain. |
Theme
 | Opens the color theme selector. Choose from different visual themes to customize the plugin’s appearance. Each theme offers a unique color scheme for interface elements and curves. The selected theme is automatically synchronized across all open instances of the plugin and saved with your preferences. |
Settings
 | The settings button opens a dialog which gives control over additional plugin options. |
Slider allows for changing the behavior of knobs and control points in response to the mouse. Under Continuous Drag, knob and controller movement relies on mouse speed when Velocity is enabled. When Linear is enabled, knob and controller movement is proportional to mouse movement. Drag Sensitivity sets the linear sensitivity of the knob and controller movement further.
Plug-in controls, knobs, and control points can be adjusted using Left-click & drag (Continuous) and Right-click & drag (Stepped) by default. Mouse Configuration swaps the Continuous and Stepped behaviors between the left and right mouse buttons when selecting Invert Left/Right Buttons. Note that the default stepped values can be customized via the product configuration file. See “Local data” below for instructions on how to access this file.
Graphics allows for changing the interface size to a fixed percentage value between 100%, 125% and 150%.
Processing shows the plug-in latency and sample rate details. Highest quality rendering enables the option to always render at the highest Processing Quality, no matter what type is enabled in the Toolbar. See the “Processing Quality” subchapter for more details on these modes.
Registration offers access to offline and online product registration options. See the “Product Registration” chapter for more information.
Local Data allows for exporting and importing user preferences, presets, and keys, to and from other systems. Local data can also be deleted for all Tokyo Dawn Labs plug-ins using the Trash button.
In addition, the Folder button opens the Tokyo Dawn Labs local data folder containing all configuration files and keys. Note that these operations affect all TDR plug-ins, and not just Finesse
Updates allows to Check for updates and to Download latest version. Automatic Lookups can be enabled to Check for updates (once per day).
Help contains Documentation and Support links.
About shows the version number, build date, format, credits, and other information.
Context Menu
Standard Context Menu
Additional options can be accessed using the standard context menu. This can be opened by Right-clicking on a blank area anywhere in the UI. A click outside of the menu closes it.
User Interface Scale sets the on-screen interface size to a fixed percentage value of 100%, 125%, or 150%.
Instance allows for renaming the specific plug-in instance.
Copy State (Ctrl+C) copies the current control states to the clipboard. This allows for applying control states (i.e. “presets”) across plugin instances and plugin hosts by using the Paste State command.
Paste State (Ctrl+V) pastes the control states from the clipboard.
Share State opens a dialog with additional preset sharing options via e-mail or internet forums.
Adjusting Plugin Controls
Resetting Controls to Default Preset Values
Any control can be reset to its default preset position and value. This default position is the value that is set in the Default preset.
 | To reset a rotary control:
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Modifying Controls Using Text Entry
Many of the displayed control values have text boxes that can be modified directly.
 | To modify control values using text entry:
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Copyright and Acknowledgements
OD Finesse was conceived and developed by Jan Ohlhorst.
Documentation by Shane Johnson.
Software evaluation by:
Ady Connor
Aleksi Vuolevi
Andrew Boult
Audiobomber | Castlemastering
Bob Olhsson
Cyril Meysson
Dan Suter | echochamber
Dan Worrall
Dax Liniere | Puzzle Factory
Dean
Dennis J Wilkins | Studio 12 Below
Diogo C. Borges
Eric Recourt
EvilDragon
Greg Reierson
Gregg Janman | Hermetech Mastering
Helmut Erler | mastering.heyrec.org
Ilya Orlov
Janne Hatula
Jean Dante
Jeffrey Rippe
Jerry Anthony Mateo
Joe Caithness Mastering
Joseph Lyons
Justin Perkins
Laurent Sevestre
Michael Wynne
Miro Pajic
Murray Campbell | Beatworld
Niklas Silen
Nil Hartman
Pete Grandison
Resoundsound Mastering
Rich Prewett
Richard Pentrose
Robi Bulesic
Roland Löhlbach
Ruairi O’Flaherty
Sean Diggins
Sergey Makeev
Thaddeus Moore | Liquid Mastering
Titanio Studios
Valentin Zvukofor
Vitaly Zolotarev
© 2025 Ohlhorst Digital / Tokyo Dawn Records. All rights reserved.
All other product and company names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective holders.