the ART of compression

R

RecordingJedi

New member
Hello. My first post.

It has always been my thought, as well as many other engineers, that compression is an effect that should be used in small amounts. That it is something that kills the vibrancy and life of a signal.

I only use it when I have to.

But...

I was checking out this guy’s mastering website, and he said that compression was HIS MOST POWERFUL EFFECT TO SHAPE SOUND. he then said that through using this he could play a major part in exactly how you would want your recording to sound.

Along with EQ, of course. But compression is supposedly his main, best weapon in making a recording sound "near 100 percent" better.

I have also seen some posts here how compression supposedly helps make signals more present. and fatter waveforms, too... waveforms that somehow are much more full than just taking an EQ to them?

My recordings sound a little too... I don’t know. The sounds are very good, solid, but don’t sound as pro as something on the radio. I have it all EQed right, reverb. It’s pretty close. But perhaps better compression knowledge is the missing key?

So I guess I’m asking those of you who use it as a serious aid to shape the sound of a mix, to maybe tell what kind of settings you use on certain instruments [snare, kick, bass, guitar, vocal] to really change them, and describe what those settings do to the sound of them.
 
I love compressors but this guy sounds to me a little infatuated with them.
It's just another tool mot more important then anything else.

It does play a major part when mastering but near 100 percent better just from a compressor?

I'm not knocking this guy it could be he gets great results but it always make me wonder how people have the guts to make such statments. (Or perhaps I'm just gutless)

As Buck said, post some stuff with a list of your equipment
 
First of all, welcome to our humble home. :)
As far as compression goes... yes, it is essential during the mastering process in order to give your mix that "smooth" radio-friendly sound.
But, you're a bit vague on exactly what you're shortcomings are.
Are you recording digital?... or analog?
Are you using cheap mics or good ones?

There are some extremely talented and friendly (well, most of the time) engineers on this BBS that will give you excellent advice.
What you have to do though, is to list the equipment you're working with and the perceived problems you are trying to correct.
Perhaps you should put a sample of your work in the MP3 Mixing Clinic for suggestions.
There's a lot of well-trained ears willing to help. :)
 
After reading an article/interview with six mastering engineers, I got the impression that mastering consists mostly of a bit of compression, a bit of EQ, and loads of experience.
 
[a] my equipment really isn't necessary to know. hell, i don't even know it. i record with borrowed friends' gear when i do... the compressor says in big assed letters 'COMPOSER' on it, but I'm not sure if it's a Behringer or not.

the master of mastering didn't say he could get it up to nearly 100 percent better in quality JUST with compressors, but he said compressors are the tools he relies on most to shape a recording. he says you want an album to sound like such and such artist's cd, that he can do a lot to help get you that sound, through compression.

[c] what i'm basically asking for are some common settings used by engineers who use it as more than just a leveler of sound. what kind of sounds they can get from using a compressor, and how those are reached.
 
Well here's a little bit that I picked up from an article, this is just one idea out of many, and actually one that has worked for me.

Set the attack as slow as possible and the release as fast as possible. This allows transients to still come through intact and allows you to compress a little more without coloring the sound and without so much pumping and breathing artifacts. I find this idea to be especially good on program material. I can push the threshold into insane ratios without it sounding like a squash. As far as certain instruments, well, I'm still in the guessing and listening stage.

Not sure how the mastering masters do it. When talking about mastering, you're getting into mutiband compression. Sure would be nice to have a high end compressor wouldn't it?

-jhe
 
Thanks, jamesy.

I used the search function on here and kind of got some good answers to what I'm looking for. For anyone interested, a couple of people reccommended an article at www.dbxpro.com that kind of gave me the answers I was looking for. It's a tutorial kind of on compression basics.

Apparently the type of [beneficial] sound compression can give to an instrument is 'punch'. Which yeah, I think is one of the missing ingredients in my recordings. I mean, I got some, but it seems that radio recordings have much more. So I guess I'll be fiddling.

Speaking of high-end compressors, I was reading a post about some guy talking about a $12K compressor. You BETTER hear a difference,when you plug into that damn thing.

Hopefully you can get a reasonable facsimile with cheaper equipment.
 
Originally posted by John Sayers:
I understand that to mix the Savage Garden CD the engineer had a compressor on every track!! give you any ideas??


yes, it makes me want to set fire to my compressor.

heh.
Click to expand...
 
As far as mastering goes (and yes, i have a amstering studio, aswell as recording studio), for mastering, compression is absolutely vital. It's probably one of the main tools for mastering, if not, THE main tool. You can get away with sticking your final mix through a 3630 or a Composer, but if you have a bit more cash lying around, invest in something like the 96k Finaliser. I tend to use a bit more pro gear cus my mastering tends to end up on radios and stuff so you can't really get away with just using a finaliser. But i have used it and the results are amazing. get one if you have the cash.
 
I've been doing home recording for only a short time but I find that the most important thing is moderation. Also, I think it's most important to start at the source if you're not completely happy with your results. I was working on a project the other day and the drums weren't happening. The drummer kept insisting that I put more and more compression on the drums. Luckily I knew to insist that we instead find someone who knew how to tune drums better than this guy. Once we changed the heads, tuned them right and started over, we needed a LOT less compression, EQ, etc. I've seen lots of people keep throwing compression on things like a band-aid...but maybe it's because they don't have their tracks sounding their best to begin with?
 
Yeah, I'm pretty much with you guys - set it up right when you're tracking, and then don't use much when you're mixing.

I think the value of a mastering engineer though is a new set of experienced ears. New ears hear things you're missing because you've listened to your own stuff so much, and experience knows how to apply (compression, for instance) in moderation. It's like you make some soup and someone comes in the kitchen and you say: "Here, try this. Does it need anything?"
 
I agree Dobro - but if they have to do heaps you've done something wrong. Hey internet explorer 5.5 is faster!! it's available for download now.


[This message has been edited by John Sayers (edited 07-23-2000).]
 
<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, Arial">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by John Sayers:
I understand that to mix the Savage Garden CD the engineer had a compressor on every track!! give you any ideas??<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yeah, it gives me the idea that he was using an SSL mixerboard. They have a compressor on every channel (at least som of their models do).
 
I work on recording projects with Nikki7 a lot. I gotta say that what she lacks in experience she way makes up for in attention to detail. She's always getting on musician's cases for not having their rig totally happening when they come in to record. I've really learned the value of listening to everything totally stripped of EQ, compression, etc.. first and getting it as happening as possible that way. That really seems like the key to a clean punchy recording. Well, that and guys who can play.
 
The tracks were recorded at Charlie Fisher's (producer and my ex partner) home on a Mackie!!! (Note sonusman!) and an ampex 2" 24 track (The late model without a capstan - best 2" 24 track ever made) It was then mixed at a studio in Melbourne on an SSL - the compressors were the ones the mix engineer brought in from the states.
 
In my opinion....

I think that you also have to consider exactly where your music is going... ie: TV, Radio, Hi end stereo, Boom Box... There are arguments in both camps about the use of compression...

People advocating massive use of compression at mixdown are generally the ones that are looking for that "polished-mix-radio-flat-for-nothing" type of sound...

People who use compression sparingly are the ones that are a bit more concerned about the "sonic quality" of their mixes...

Avoiding a flame war here - It's a matter of taste and what you want to accomplish... Lots of compression = less variation in the subtleties much like live music... Little compression yields more realistic results but requires you to have a little more substantial playback system to handle the intricacies of the sound you're producing...

Ever wonder why home recordings aren't quite as "loud" as the ones you hear comercially produced? It's because a lot of the sound is compressed radically to produce a higher output...

My adivice? Use your ears - decide what you're trying to "say" with your music as well as with your mastering technique, and let er rip...

Riverdog
http://www.members.home.com/bkriverdog
 
Whoops

Bonked the last reply...

I meant -

Lots of compression = Little variation in the subtleties of the music UNLIKE the experience of sitting in a live concert...

When you listen live, you're getting every bit of the sonic quality of what's happening because you're sitting right there...

Riverdog
http://www.members.home.com/bkriverdog
 
Riverdog - if you want to, you can change/correct something you've written and already posted by clicking on the edit/delete icon in that post.
 
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