Oldie Newby Stupid Compressor question

[tkrinor]

I have attemped to start doing a little recording late in life without any experience (or talent). I just make a cd's for grandkids etc. Just vocal and acoustic guitar. Even though my stuff doesn't amount to much, just a hobby instead of TV, I would still like to do the best I can. I attempt to record in a spare bedroom, and on very limited budget...so that is the background..the question is;

I use a channel strip and really like the color or whatever it is, the compressor adds to by voice. But I'm don't have a dynamic voice at all so I don't want to compress it too much..need all I can get. Also, with the compressor I get some computer whine...So can I get a compressor sound without compressing too much and cutting down on the whine. I like the compressor sound at recording, not added after. I use a Groove Tube 66 mic and a Fousrite Pro Plat strip

So compressor sound with out squishing it too much? Hope this makes sense.

This is my first post but have been absorbing the info here for a while.
thanks

[scrubs]

Yes, use a lower ratio (eg. 1.5:1).

[Creamyapples1]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wouldn't a quicker attack and release time be of benefit as well in this situation?

[mixsit]

To whatever extent you lower the peaks and raise the signal so to will the background noise come up. Maybe get some baffle between mic and pc. And sometimes just a little compression off the top is plenty.

[Big Kenny]

Fast attack, slow release (or auto release) and lower ratio. If you are using the VMP disengage harmonics and tube warmth too

[killthepixelnow]

Be careful with the compressor. The right amount is when only (and no one else) know the track has been compressed. It's not an effect, it's a tool and you have to use wisely (as spices).

[daav]

And treat the room. Check out the studio building forum if you need guidance, but for your needs, it will make your recordings sound better than good compression will, most likely.

Compressors can add color, but it isn;t like the more compression the better it sounds usually. The best advice is to get as good a natural recording as you can, and only add compression, eq etc to complement that. If you don't have the budget or time or space to really do a job on your room, then youc an use the closet trick- put the mic in the closet facing out, and sing/play into the closet so the hanging clothes will help pick up some of the sound that would otherwise bounce around the room. if possible, hang some heavy quilts and blankets behind and to the side of you as well.


Daav

[XLR]

Originally Posted by daav

And treat the room... it will make your recordings sound better than good compression will, most likely.

This is true. The thickening effect that compression can give might help mask problems that occur in an untreated small room (ping-y highs, boomy lows). I bet if you did a couple simple things to the room you'd be amazed at the difference in sound quality the mic hears. That was my experience anyway.

Tim

[tkrinor]

thankyou to all for the input, and being so helpful...very good points and very much appreciated..

[e-dog]

How you use a compressor is going to depend a lot on your personal preferences and/or the sounds you are trying to emulate...

Myself, I don't usually like the sound of compression if the ratio is any higher than 2:1 or 3:1 taking only about 3 to 6 dB off the top.

ONE WAYto figure out a setting you like is to start with a slightly higher ratio (like 4:1) and have the threshold as open as it goes, then sing/play into your mic and back the threshold down until it starts to compress. I don't what the layout is like on Focusrite anything, but there's probably an option for "gain reduction" metering. If you watch that, IN GENERAL, you can get a good threshold at somewhere around 6dB of reduction (but listen for what you like)... you'll also want to lower the ratio to something more acceptable, like 2 or 3 or even less. At 4:1 it will likely seem "pumpy" or "squashed" so I just use the higher ratios for setting the threshold, usually.

If you set a longer attack (30-200ms), if it's adjustable, you can sometimes give the impression of MORE dynamics, but this can also result in overly "explosive" sounding attacks, so be careful...

The best route to take is to just experiment with different settings and see what works best for you. Generally, with compression, less is more, so to speak.

For the background noise, yes, the compressor can make it seem worse, and like everyone has said, it's best to fix the noise at the source. Try moving the computer to a different room than where you record, if possible, or somehow "block" the noise (put under a desk, behind a couch, etc).

If you're handy with computer hardware, or know someone who is, replacing the cpu fan with something quieter can be a big improvement. I put a ZALMAN brand "silent" fan in my pc and the difference is HUGE.

Good luck.


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[tkrinor]

Regarding replacing the fan, are you talking about the fan mounted on the back of the case like an exhaust fan or the fan on the inside kind of just off the motherboard sitting on top of a boxy looking thing..(I put in ram the other day and saw that fan also)...hope you get the idea..obviously don't have a clue on the teminology here....thanks

[e-dog]

The fan inside is USUALLY more of a problem, the one sticking out from the motherboard somewhere near the RAM.

That's the cpu fan and it's attached on top of the cpu (Central Processing Unit) which is the most important and usually most expensive part of the computer. You can try replacing it yourself or take it in someplace to have it done. There is a possiblity that when you try to install the new fan, you could crack the cpu and your computer will not work afterwards.

Just warning, it's possible.

But I changed mine and basically learned how by googling "cpu fan replacement" or something like that.

If you go into a shop that sells ZALMAN fans, like CompUSA or a local comp store, sometimes they will provide free intall or at least (pay) install services.

It is possible to do yourself, just be careful and do a lot of reading up...
and FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS.

good luck.


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[MOFO Pro]

And as soon as you replace the CPU fan... you'll notice how loud the Power Supply fan is... and as soon as you replace that, you'll notice how loud the chassis fan is... and after all the fans are replaced... you'll wonder why you never heard those hard drives whiring so loudly before... and when you...

[e-dog]

but when you get down to the hard drives, there's not much else you can do...

but, wait..

maybe if i build an isolation booth, just for my computer...?


.

[MOFO Pro]

You can buy or build ISO racks that do just that...

And... I've bought these enclosures for my drives... they're the same brand that came preinstalled in my Carilon Audio PC... I recommend them highly...

http://www.quietpc.ca/silentdrive.html

Sorry for hijacking the thread... I'm done

[BRIEFCASEMANX]

Put a pillow over your fan ONLY when your doing a take. It's not going to overheat if its not being properly ventilated for only a couple minutes. Longer attack might do well in your situation as you want to preserve some dynamics, or maybe not. Try it.

[knugen]

There are also harddrive slots that suspends the actual drive in rubberbands, makings sure that none of the vibrations from the harddrive resonate in the chassis. A friend of mine bought one of those once and all the low-noise fans. You could actually sleep next to his computer while it was running. My old stationary computer sounds like a 757 when it's running.

[daav]

#1 thing to reduce the noise of the comp is the CPU fan, i got my first quiet one an dit is outstanding. Like everyone said, the rest of it still makes tons of noise.

You run into trouble trying to use soft mass like pillows and blankets to quiet a PC, namely they are usually pretty good insulators and can raise the heat and heat can cut your PC lifespans and performance down quite a bit. I treat my comp box like the room, surround it with 703 or equivalant, but I got a KVM switch not long ago (this is a switch designed ot allow you to hook two or more PCs to one monitor, keyboard and mouse) and the long cords on it made it quite easy to put the PC itself in the closet, and jsut go in there to turn it on and off, or insert/remove disks now and again. The closet is a place where heat can build up as well, but has a little more space so it is less intense.

Wierd, it seems all my posts lately are telling people to get their asses int h closet...

Daav