Basic questions from a n00b

Jae_

New member
I have been trying to learn how to mix my own songs (used to have someone who did it for me, no idea what he did exactly). They are not complicated songs, often just piano and vocals.

I have read a few things on mixing, but I don't understand what I am reading. Can someone please explain to me, as someone without a lot of technical background or skill, what all the terminology means and what it is used for?

I am mostly curious about EQ and compression. What exactly do these things do and when and why would you use them? I've read stuff about using certain filters, so I would also appreciate an explanation on what these filters do and how to use them.

Thanks very much in advance!!!
 
There are countless videos on mixing. EQ compression etc... If you've read articles and can't grasp the basics, I'm not sure reading more here will help. I'd suggest trying tutorials on YouTube where you can actually hear the changes.
 
Get some sample tracks (Google for them but there is a demo in Reaper).
Make sure you make a copy then play around for a year or so. Put VERY simply, 'EQ' is just a posh word for Tone Controls.

Dave.
 
I have read a few things on mixing, but I don't understand what I am reading.

Compression is just what it says, it compresses the signal, so things get squashed and soft sounds become louder and loud sounds become softer. You can tame transients and things like that, or a spikey guitar part, etc. Basically anything with uneven volume. There are other uses if you use it as an effect and mess with attack/release, but that's going to be what you most likely use it for. Go for the default attack/release until you can hear what's happening.

EQ allows you to cut gnarly frequencies. A high pass and low pass is popular, too, to say cut mudd from a sub/kick or bass or fizzy high end from a distorted guitar, etc.

YT this stuff, though, because there's a ton of info out there.
 
Strictly speaking a compressor does not increase the level of lower sounds although by reducing the dominance of the louder signal, that can be the subjective impression.

To make low level sounds louder you need an 'expander'.

Dave.
 
To make low level sounds louder you need an 'expander'.
Oh Dave no!

Maybe things are different in your part of the world, but everything I've ever seen that's labeled as an expander makes quiet sounds quieter. This is how it "expands" the dynamic range. Exact opposite of a compressor.

There is such a thing as "upward compression" - kind of common in guitar pedals - that turns up quiet stuff a lot and loud stuff less if it all. That's opposed to "downward compression" like many studio compressors that turn the loud stuff down more than the quiet stuff. In the end, it's the same thing - the difference between loud and quiet is smaller - once you apply appropriate makeup gain.

I guess there are also upward and downward expanders, but again they always make the quiet stuff even quieter compared to the loud stuff.
 
Oh Dave no!

Maybe things are different in your part of the world, but everything I've ever seen that's labeled as an expander makes quiet sounds quieter. This is how it "expands" the dynamic range. Exact opposite of a compressor.

There is such a thing as "upward compression" - kind of common in guitar pedals - that turns up quiet stuff a lot and loud stuff less if it all. That's opposed to "downward compression" like many studio compressors that turn the loud stuff down more than the quiet stuff. In the end, it's the same thing - the difference between loud and quiet is smaller - once you apply appropriate makeup gain.

I guess there are also upward and downward expanders, but again they always make the quiet stuff even quieter compared to the loud stuff.

Yes Ash' well I am not talking about a device working on complex signals. I think we can agree that a compressor with the 'knee' set at say 20dB below max levels WILL leave stuff at -30dB alone?

An example of an expander is the DBX noise reduction system where the whole dynamic range is compressed* 2:1 Then expanded back on replay. Another is the basic Dolby B. On encode it expands low level HF in a progressive way.

*Note, unlike a studio "for effects" compressor, DBX is a linear, 'no kinks' system and thus needs no reference levels for decode, unlike Dolby of course.

Jusfort.. An example of a 'takes no prisoners, S or Bust 'compressor' is a noise gate. That certainly makes things quieter! Most do indeed turn sound completely off but they don't HAVE to. The FET (or whatever) can be setup to just get the signal below ambient noise level. Circuitwise a gate is pretty much a compressor and flip a control signal and you have got an expander!

I don't know how old you are Ash' but back in the noisy, 'squashed' days of vinyl, there were quite a few 'expander' systems about that claimed to 'Restore concert hall dynamics'! Mostly they sounded dreadful, one even worked by the non-linear properties of festoon lamps!

Dave.
 
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You're kinda just going all over the place and using non-standard terminology in a thread that says noob in the title.

Grab a compressor plugin. Whatever mechanism it uses, it makes the difference between loud and quiet smaller.

Now grab a plugin labeled as an expander. It will make that difference larger.

A noise gate is an expander with a very high ratio in the same way that a limiter is a compressor with a very high ratio.

Let's not muddy the waters too much here with esoteric whatnots.
 
Decreased Dynamic Range.
Downward (most common?) compressor - Decreases the level of audio which exceeds the threshold.
Upward compressor - Increases the level of audio which is beneath the threshold.
Limiter - Heavy Handed downward compressor.

Increased Dynamic Range.
Upward Expander - Increases the level of audio which exceeds the threshold.
Downward Expander - Decreases the level of audio which is beneath the threshold.
Noise Gate - Heavy handed downward expander.
 
^^^Yep.

In fact the Dolby systems make the point of how compression and expansion are opposite effects. It is a complimentary system where the dynamic range is compressed as it's recorded and then expanded on playback.
 
I guess they'd have to use downward compression and upwards expansion with matched algorithms, or the exact opposite, for it to work?
 
So, like I said, go watch some YT videos where you can actually see AND HEAR these effects as they're applied and explained.
 
Thanks steam/ash - read that bit about expanders and suddenly everything I learned was in question... except it wasn't.

To the OP - while compressors don't actually make soft sounds louder, by making louder sounds softer, you get the same effect because when you then boost up the quieter signal (i.e. to make it as loud as it was before compression), indeed the soft stuff will now be louder.

Fact is, one of the most common uses of compression is to get quieter stuff (like breathes and sibilance in a vocal) to be louder in the track. Don't let the technicalities confuse you as to the actual use cases.
 
Don't let the technicalities confuse you as to the actual use cases.

There's a line, I agree, but you've described the action of a downward compressor and the result of an upward compressor.

A downward compressor and makeup gain may effectively make sounds below the threshold louder,
but the result will not be identical to the result of using an upward compressor.

It might sound like a technicality but say you were to use a downward compressor, as you describe, to raise ambient noises on an extremely dynamic operatic performance,
you're going to mangle the upper dynamics of the performance in order to get your result,
whereas an upward compressor get the result and preserve the dynamics of the performance.
 
WOT's a 'Compander then?

Heh! I think the whole issue is a bit like the impedance of a transformer which can be two values at the same time depending on which way you are looking! Similarly, if you were 'riding' on a signal at say -30dBFS what is going up or down depends on whether you are coming or going!

Sorry OP, I'll get me coat.

Dave.
 
I have read a few things on mixing, but I don't understand what I am reading.

So, let's not confuse him anymore. Keep it simple, perhaps? That's why I suggested some videos on YT. Basic info. This got out of hand, from a technicality standpoint. I wouldn't doubt he's thrown his interface in the garbage at this point.
 
I doubt if the OP is still listening. Or didn't anyone sense the trolling? I mean...who hires a mixer for piano/vocal tracks? Unless we're talking major releases. And I thought it was quite hilarious that third or fourth post was about compression and then the entire explanations about companding and 'other' relatively difficult to understand devices. Funny!
 
I have about three guys for whom I 'mix' piano.
Might sound silly to those who know, but to those guys I did something magicy and the out sounded better than the in.
I'll take it! ;)
 
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