User manual

Gloss manual.

Use Gloss as a cleanup and finishing pass for AI-generated music: reduce harshness, steady the stereo image, smooth brittle high-end, and optionally use Automaster after the source feels cleaner.

Generate licence file Gloss overview

Quick start

The fastest safe workflow is Analyze, compare, then pull back Mix if the result is too heavy.

1.Insert Gloss on an AI-generated track, stem, bus, or final AI music bounce.
2.Start from Init for a neutral state, or pick a preset if you want a faster direction.
3.Play a representative section of the song.
4.Click Analyze and let Gloss read playback for about four seconds.
5.Compare with Bypass or A/B.
6.Adjust Fix, Space, Air, Master, and Mix by ear.
7.Use Delta briefly to check what is being removed, then turn it off before export.

Licence

The Lemon key proves purchase. Gloss.gloss-license is the offline unlock file that Gloss imports and verifies locally.

Buy Gloss

Lemon Squeezy emails your receipt, download link, and Lemon Squeezy licence key after checkout.

Generate Gloss.gloss-license

Open the Gloss licence page, paste your Lemon key and purchase email, then download the signed offline file.

Generate licence file

Import inside Gloss

Open Gloss, click Import License, then select the downloaded Gloss.gloss-license file.

Keep working locally

Gloss verifies the signed file locally and stores the accepted licence outside DAW session state.

Controls

Five main moves, plus a safety check.

Gloss is designed around clear macro controls. Stronger settings are not automatically better; use Bypass, A/B, Delta, and Mix to avoid overprocessing.

Analyze

Reads local playback and writes a starting point to the real plugin controls.

Fix

Targets harsh resonances, metallic edges, haze, boxiness, and plastic midrange buildup.

Space

Works on low-end focus, phasey sides, and stereo image stability.

Air

Adds controlled high-end presence while backing off around harshness and unstable sides.

Master

Controls optional Automaster intensity for loudness and peak control.

Mix

Blends the processed signal with the original so you can pull the result back quickly.

Delta

Lets you hear the removed signal. If you hear too much music, reduce Fix or Mix.

Analyze

Analyze needs actual playback and runs locally. If the transport is stopped or the input is silent, it may not apply a recommendation.

Automaster

Use Automaster when Gloss is near the end of the chain. Turn it off if you plan to master elsewhere.

Dither

Use Dither only when Gloss is the final processor before a 16-bit fixed-point bounce and your DAW is not already dithering.

Standalone export

Use Standalone when you want to process a file without opening a DAW.

Open the Standalone app when you do not want to launch a DAW.

Load or drag in WAV, AIFF, FLAC, MP3, M4A/AAC, CAF, OGG, or OGA audio.

Preview the file through Gloss and adjust settings.

Export a stereo WAV at the source sample rate.

Choose 16-bit, 24-bit, or 32-float output.

Troubleshooting

Common fixes before emailing support.

Gloss is silent.

Gloss locks production audio, preview, and export when unlicensed. Import a valid Gloss.gloss-license file, then reload the session if needed.

Import License does not unlock Gloss.

Generate a fresh file from /gloss/license and check that the Lemon key belongs to Gloss. Wrong-product, tampered, expired, or unsigned files are rejected.

Analyze does nothing.

Make sure playback is running and the section is not silent. Try a louder or denser part of the track.

The result is too strong.

Lower Mix first, then reduce Fix or Master if the track still feels overprocessed.

The track got too bright.

Reduce Air. If loudness is causing the edge, lower Master intensity or Output.

The stereo image feels too wide.

Reduce Space. Some sources already have unstable side energy and need a lighter setting.

Standalone 16-bit export sounds noisy.

Leave the plugin Dither toggle off in Standalone because 16-bit export already applies dither during export.

Privacy

Gloss processing runs locally. The plugin and Standalone app process audio on your machine rather than uploading it to a cloud service.

Support

Email info@spectraforgeaudio.com with enough detail to reproduce the problem. Do not include unreleased music, licence keys, or private client material in the first message.

Gloss version

macOS or Windows version

DAW and plugin format, or Standalone app

Whether the licence overlay or lock message is visible

Whether the issue is install, scan, Analyze, audio, export, or licence import

Exact error message shown by Gloss