Snare / OH's Compression

[Pughbert]

Im just about to start mixing a track were the snare gets a lot louder in the middle 8 and end chorus. Therefore the snare track and also the OH's need some serious compression. Im doing the mix in Pro Tools using the plug-in's. I was toying with the snare compression the other day when i had a some spare time - and dew to the amout of compression im having to use - it starts to sound very distant, its there any way around this - maybe limiting rather than compression? Another option i consiered it to use a volume envelope and then compress more subtly?

Whats the best way to go here?
cheers

[Farview]

Compression will always change the sound of drums. You must be beating the snot out of it with the compressor to get it to sound like that.

You would be much better off automating the mix.

[mixsit]

Originally Posted by Farview

You would be much better off automating the mix.

For heaven sakes yes. It's ok to move the faders. IMHO, in cases where level change is the direct solution, it leaves compression that can be used because it sounds right for the task instead of the other way around. At some point, auto-gain control seems to have gotten implied as a replacement for mixing. Very interesting..
Wayne

[Farview]

Have you also noticed that you can mix a song without having to listen to it all the way through. Isn't this just grand?

[volltreffer]

Even I would say: not a job for compression; thats just the thing where DAWs shine... I really compress everything to f***, but that's probably not a job for a compressor...

The only thing that MIGHT (but that would be REALLY difficult) need some dynamic treatment could be the OH in a sense that you use a second identical track that will be sidechain gated for the snare hits. Could help you in having a similar snare balance in middle and other parts. I have to admit, that I assume this will be a heck of a work to get it done, though... I have never tried something like that.

aXel