Compressors

[rmc433]

Hi Guys, DPo1fx, audio-technica condenser mics, alesis sr18 drum mach. Recording acoustic and electric guitars, bass, vocals and drum mach. Generally pleased but bass and drums seem to "muddy" things up a bit. I'm thinking compressor?? Tell me all I need to know about buying, hooking up, and using a compressor or maybe I should forget the whole thing and take up knitting ?? Your help is much appreciated .. Thanks Rick

[Herm]

I dont think a compressor is going to fix that problem. Muddy could mean wrong mic selection, A bad room, A bad preamp, Bad eq settings, A bad instrument. Bad digital converters, Or all of them at the same time.

[rmc433]

Yeah I thought of all that, mic, room, except the bass and drums are running direct, and I'm recording a '59 Martin, '76 less paul, and fender jazz bass. Everything sounds fine till bass and drums are added. Preamp ?? maybe....

[mattr]

Ditto on what Herm said. Take a few steps back...

I think you're thinking too much about the tools and not about how to use them.
A compressor or different pre-amp isn't going to help you if you aren't even sure if or why you would need one, is it!?

Start off at the basics. How are the track levels set? Can't you simply just drop the level of the bass track?

Next is EQ... have you tried giving each track its own 'space' in the mix? Its easy for different instruments to compete for the same frequencies causing the mix to muddy up. Try cutting the lows from everything apart from the bass. Scoop out unwanted bass frequencies in different tracks, etc.

[rmc433]

Cool! Thanks for your help. Will try the eq thing but with no mid eq in the dpo1fx it's limited at best. I had a question concerning setting eq frenquencies on the tascam but nobody seemed to know how to do it, or nobody cared to respond. Anyway I thank you and will stay tuned....

[Chris108]

Originally Posted by rmc433

Hi Guys, DPo1fx, audio-technica condenser mics, alesis sr18 drum mach. Recording acoustic and electric guitars, bass, vocals and drum mach. Generally pleased but bass and drums seem to "muddy" things up a bit. I'm thinking compressor?? Tell me all I need to know about buying, hooking up, and using a compressor or maybe I should forget the whole thing and take up knitting ?? Your help is much appreciated .. Thanks Rick

A compressor could Possibly help by reducing any level peaks
and giving a more controlled balance with your low frequencies,
allowing you to playing around with your mid~higher frequency instruments.

The other option would to use a noise gate using the key input at back of unit. eg: take a split of Kick drum channel and plug into key input and set your input channel of noise gated bass and every time kick is activated it opens up N/Gate release allowing bass through at user programer levels(you)

so 1 channel Bass/G another channel N/G bass and set your levels if done properly can often tighten up the rythm section sound.

you will need to play around a bit to get your desired effect.

[rmc433]

Thanks Chris !! I have a Alesis 3630 on the way and will try your suggestions. It's nice to get some feedback. And how is "winter" where you are......??

[Chris108]

Originally Posted by Chris108

A compressor could Possibly help by reducing any level peaks
and giving a more controlled balance with your low frequencies,
allowing you to playing around with your mid~higher frequency instruments.

The other option would to use a noise gate using the key input at back of unit. eg: take a split of Kick drum channel and plug into key input and set your input channel of noise gated bass and every time kick is activated it opens up N/Gate release allowing bass through at user programer levels(you)

so 1 channel Bass/G another channel N/G bass and set your levels if done properly can often tighten up the rythm section sound.

you will need to play around a bit to get your desired effect.

How have you progressed with your Rec/levels hope? Comp & N/Gate helped.
Believe it or not winter is my prefered season (it`s been fairly mild ).

[Chris108]

Originally Posted by rmc433

Thanks Chris !! I have a Alesis 3630 on the way and will try your suggestions. It's nice to get some feedback. And how is "winter" where you are......??

How have you progressed with your Rec/levels hope? Comp & N/Gate helped.
Believe it or not winter is my prefered season (it`s been fairly mild ).