Really dumb question about compression

[Revmuddy]

This is beginner stuff I know, but.....I need help here.
I have a Tascam TSR-8 and an Alesis XT-20 with a 1604 Mackie VLZ Pro mixer. I have been doing various home recording for over 20 years, don't have a compressor, and don't really know what a compressor does. Do I need one? Does it compressthe signal so you can get more signal to noise on the tape? I have used one on my guitar for years for sustain....is this the same thing? Will the one in my Boss ME-50 work with my mixer? What is a good brand to buy for the TSR-8 and XT-20? I WILL GREATLY APPRECIATE any help! Thank You.............

[earworm]

what kind of music did you record for 20 years ?

classical music ?

or just accoustic projects without drums and stuff ?

..and YES... you do need a compressor....even if you just wanna mown the grass...even then.... know what i'm saying.... i don't record without one !

[mshilarious]

Originally Posted by Revmuddy

I have used one on my guitar for years for sustain....is this the same thing? Will the one in my Boss ME-50 work with my mixer? What is a good brand to buy for the TSR-8 and XT-20?

Well the compressor gives your guitar sustain because you are boosting the gain using the compressor, and the compressor itself quiets down your attack so the peak volume doesn't become offensive with the increase in gain.

Yeah, you can use your Boss compressor with your mixer, but you probably won't be happy with the quality of the sound. Still, the principle is the same, so you might as well experiment with it to learn what compression does. However the dials on the ME-50 don't have standard compressor labelling on them, so consult your manual to see if it tells you exactly what they do.

You CAN record without compression. However nearly all modern records are (heavily) compressed. Come over to the dark side of the force!

[Light]

You can record without compression, but you are limiting your sonic possibilities.

There are many threads on this board about compression, so use the search function to find the information about it.

As for which one to buy, the best value out there (as you will see in thread after thread) is the FMR Audio RNC.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

[Revmuddy]

Originally Posted by earworm

what kind of music did you record for 20 years ? Blues and Jimi Hendrix....

classical music ? Never

or just accoustic projects without drums and stuff ? A lot without drums..All I ever had before was a Tascam 234 cassette deck run through pawnshop stereo equipment in the 80's......

..and YES... you do need a compressor....even if you just wanna mown the grass...even then.... know what i'm saying.... i don't record without one !

OK so WHICH ONE is a good and reasonable $ brand?????????????
Thank you for your reply!

[Revmuddy]

Ooops! I didn't see your reply light...Thank you!

[earworm]

yes, of course you can record without copression,
but then you really got to keep an eye on the peaks !

so basicly, compression is really important in the digital world,
you wanna record real loud shit on a tape recorder ? fine,
won't be as dangerous as doing that with a computer...

so a compressor makes a sound...stable....if you compress a sound real hard, than every part of that sound sound even hard...
the beginning..the end...there are no peaks...A constant volume,
and when you do that, then its safe to turn UP the gain (volume),

so thats why lots of people think compression makes things louder,
it doesn't, it makes sure there aren't TOO many differences between the dynamics in a sound....(i'm trying to keep it simple...)

i love to make a comparison with a GUITAR string,
when its loose, and not under tension, then it vibrates like hell,
and it doesn't sound good, out of tune,,,,,,, this is like using NO compression on an audio track...

naw,,,you can start tuning that guitar string, give it tension, make it hard, make it move less but give it a louder and harder sound,
this is like using more and more compression,

so you may not use TOO MUCH cause then you just make things TOO HARD,
and if you don't use enough, then you might have ennoying CLICKS and peaks in your digital recording....

this should make everything a bit clear,n no ?



the stuff i used is:

DBX 166a ---- a dual channel (stereo or dual mono) compressor
very nice machine in my opinion, buy this one and you won't regret,
its not too expensive, but its a killermachine for the price....i think

then....if you want a more special sound, something wamr and stuff,
try some JOEMEEK stuff, the little green pieces of equipment.

they also got some cheap and small compressors, or preamps...
and i don't think you can go wrong with joemeek, i got one (vc8) and its real nice...


OH, dude, if you want PDF manuals, books, tutorials, ...about mastering,
just contact me....i got shedloads...all in english ...and a bit in dutch


regards,
earworm

[Revmuddy]

Now....that's what I call a REPLY.....I learned alot.....I am looking at the RNC but will look at the one you mentioned. I tried the compressor in my Boss ME-50....(gwitar pedal) but it was rather noisey and unpredictable...but it worked enough to get the general idea...Of course now I NEED a good one bad!

[PapillonIrl]

Compression Article by Sonusman

Loads of other compression articles

Read before you buy anything.

Having said that, the RNC is a very good unit, as is the DBX mentioned above. I would rather the RNC on vocals or a full mix though. The DBX sounds better to me on bass and guitars, I usually use a couple live.

Nathan.