Compressors and vocals question

Myself, I've been using a now older DBX376 Preamp/Compressor, with a TLM103 for about 10 years.
I liked some of the Digital options it had, like S/P DIF out directly into my interface, which didn't seem all that common 10 years ago.

I eventually got the sound to where I really like it - particularly that 'breathy in your face' type of sound quality.

I do my mic technique while singing so there really isn't much variable in the levels anyway, but I do like the presence of the lightly compressed sound, without any real colouring at all.

Earlier this year, I've since switched to a new mic that I really like even better.

It's an Advanced Audio CM67se.

I'm amazed at it's clarity and brightness, which works well for me.

Imagine my surprise to find that it cost even less than the Neumann TLM103.


But after reading this thread, I may try going in uncompressed for comparison sakes and see how that goes. And then try parallel comp as well.
 
You could put the mic through a splitter and record compressed and uncompressed at the same time. Then you could directly compare plugins to the hardware compressor.
 
jamusic said:
Myself, I've been using a now older DBX376 Preamp/Compressor, with a TLM103 for about 10 years.
I liked some of the Digital options it had, like S/P DIF out directly into my interface, which didn't seem all that common 10 years ago.

I eventually got the sound to where I really like it - particularly that 'breathy in your face' type of sound quality.

I do my mic technique while singing so there really isn't much variable in the levels anyway, but I do like the presence of the lightly compressed sound, without any real colouring at all.

Earlier this year, I've since switched to a new mic that I really like even better.

It's an Advanced Audio CM67se.

I'm amazed at it's clarity and brightness, which works well for me.

Imagine my surprise to find that it cost even less than the Neumann TLM103.


But after reading this thread, I may try going in uncompressed for comparison sakes and see how that goes. And then try parallel comp as well.
Click to expand...
You've got a classic example of using it 'up front -playing into the compression, for the sound, and when successful, printing it' and coming out a step ahead in the process.
 
bouldersoundguy said:
You could put the mic through a splitter and record compressed and uncompressed at the same time. Then you could directly compare plugins to the hardware compressor.
Click to expand...
Not a bad idea.
FWIW, I've gone through enough experience - to have come full circle a bit. Got comfy' (this is with other people's tracks BTW) doing it 'on the way in, and sometimes later -this would be mix- realizing I probably hadn't made it 'better', and may actually have made it a bit worse in a few cases -as far as 'boxing a bit in to that corner created.
So lately.. I've been taking a few step back :rolleyes: Kind'a humbling actually.
-
BTW - 'Homesters' etc.. There's another difference too - when you are tracking someone else, but you do not have an isolated room from the music room..
That's a whole dif can of worms than in a 'proper studio' where you can make decisions' like this on the fly isn't it. :)
 
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mixsit said:
You've got a classic example of using it 'up front -playing into the compression, for the sound, and when successful, printing it' and coming out a step ahead in the process.
Click to expand...
Yeah - my thoughts exactly on doing it this way for so long.

Get the best sound [signal] possible coming in, so long as I'm happy with it.

No other effects though.

Just a good healthy signal.
 
Lt. Bob said:
personally I hate compressors and just about don't use them at all for anything.
I work the mic whether sax or vocals and keep the levels straight that way. I do understand that's not easy for everyone to do but I've been doing it that way for 45 years so i'm used to it and it works for me.

About the ONLY time I'll use a comp is in the mix if there's a serious peak somewhere that I just can't handle by riding the fader.
Click to expand...

I'm with you.
I hardly notice any change when I use compression, and the change I do notice I don't care for. Maybe that will change as my ears get better, but for now I don't like compression unless it's organic compression via tape, distortion, etc.

But deep down I feel there's something useful with compression that I just haven't figured out yet so I'll keep experimenting with it until something clicks.
 
I use my LA610MKII on the way in. I found a setting that sounds good for my mic and just leave it there. It does color the sound but for my taste that's a good thing. YYMV
It does smooth the dynamics without smashing it to bits, but then again, I just use low compression on the way in. I also pad the heck out of it to keep it clean.
 
ido1957 said:
I use my LA610MKII on the way in. I found a setting that sounds good for my mic and just leave it there. It does color the sound but for my taste that's a good thing. YYMV
It does smooth the dynamics without smashing it to bits, but then again, I just use low compression on the way in. I also pad the heck out of it to keep it clean.
Click to expand...

Yea - I also found I have to tame down my very highest volumes whenever I belt it out, because it was just a bit 'too much' dynamic range, and pushing into the red - even with my much practiced mic technique.
 
4tracker said:
But deep down I feel there's something useful with compression that I just haven't figured out yet so I'll keep experimenting with it until something clicks.
Click to expand...

In heavier rock styles, compression can create gentle pumping and grit. You can easily smash a vocal with over 20 dB of compression with a proper compressor and it'll sound very fat and present. You can also use it to highlight attacks and kill sustain, which is also great for heavy, fast music. Nobody needs a kick tail that trails in heavy music. It's about sharp attacks and punchyness.
Smashing chamber and room microphones can also sound really cool.
 
Schwarzenyaeger said:
In heavier rock styles, compression can create gentle pumping and grit. You can easily smash a vocal with over 20 dB of compression with a proper compressor and it'll sound very fat and present. You can also use it to highlight attacks and kill sustain, which is also great for heavy, fast music. Nobody needs a kick tail that trails in heavy music. It's about sharp attacks and punchyness.
Smashing chamber and room microphones can also sound really cool.
Click to expand...
"You can also use it to highlight attacks and kill sustain"
Converted:
Use an attack time long enough to alow the transient or peak' of interest to pass without any reduction, then when the reduction does happen, it is reducing the 'tail or later body part of the signal.
 
mixsit said:
"You can also use it to highlight attacks and kill sustain"
Converted:
Use an attack time long enough to alow the transient or peak' of interest to pass without any reduction, then when the reduction does happen, it is reducing the 'tail or later body part of the signal.
Click to expand...

That's the one.
Some compressors like 1176s are naturally good at this since even their fastest attack isn't considerably fast.
 
Schwarzenyaeger said:
That's the one.
Some compressors like 1176s are naturally good at this since even their fastest attack isn't considerably fast.
Click to expand...

I thought it was among the fastest (from the analog domain. In digi land, yeah you can have all the way down to zero MS
Anyway when we're talking general terms here, for plenty of tasks - the applications of 'accentuating the front, or AKA skipping the peaks, it's slowest is still pretty fast. Think for example a main mix compressor. The range can be 5, 10, 20 50 or more MS.
 
They could be. I've gotten used to digital compressors and their 0ms attack possibilities.
Even 1176 plugins are a tad slow. A quickly slapped bass guitar will slip through every time even on the fastest attack.
 
I just posted about this in another thread. As the time constants get very small, it starts to turn from compression into just plain distortion. Sometimes that's exactly what the track needs, but sometimes a longer A/R and/or RMS window with a bit of pre-comp/lookahead can do the same thing more cleanly.
 
I never use a compressor destructively, because there's really very little reason to IMO.

Sometimes, if I'm running through recording a track and there are really loud and really quiet parts, I'll just ride the preamp manually if there are extreme differences. . . taking note of how loud or quiet the singer tends to be (every singer tends to have a bit of a range on the pre-amp where they usually are when they're doing X or Y type of vocals). I rarely ever leave a pre-amp put even after setting a level anyway. That said, I have some pretty quiet Apogee pre's (with soft clipping) so you don't really notice much of a noise floor or clipping -within reason- when doing that.
 
It's best to avoid an destructive processing in most situations.

There are times when engaging the hi-pass on a mic rather than doing it in post would be beneficial, but it's rare.
 
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