Maybe I'm tone deaf?

Xcaliber

Xcaliber

New member
I don't really think I'm tone deaf, but I've been watching a ton of videos online from different people explaining how to use compression/EQ when mixing and they always clicking the bypass button on and off and saying "See? See how different that sounds! It's amazing!" and I'm thinking "What? I don't hear anything different?" I have to really crank the knobs when playing with plug-ins myself to hear any difference most of the time. EQ I can hear very clearly though. Is it just me or do you guys hear some amazing difference when applying compression to a track and listening to it in the mix?

Maybe it's time to sell all my studio gear and take up knitting.
 
I'm with you, I usually don't hear the difference other than some dynamics of how an instrument or the mix sounds. I use so sparingly, the difference is very subtle anyway. Maybe that is what you are missing, the very subtle dynamics. I don't think it is tone deaf, but maybe more depth/dynamic hearing.
 
Thanks, the tone deaf thing was an attempt at humor. I know I'm not tone deaf (oh god I hope not anyway! ;) ). I've just been watching these videos and it's kinda frustrating when they make it sound like it's this amazing change and I can't hear anything. Pensado is one of the worst offenders. Maybe if I had a professional studio with thousands of dollars of plug-ins I could hear it? <starting Internet search for Pro Audio gear in 3, 2, 1...> :)
 
Mate, if you can't hear it then just stop giving a shit about it. Simple.

Stick a decent mic in front of a decent amp and rock. Simple.
 
Xcaliber said:
But how will I learn how to properly use compression whilst mixing?!?!?!?
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If you can't hear a need for compression then don't bother with it.

I've only felt a need to use compression on drum samples or vocals. But then my singing is so shit, that by the time I've autotuned and compressed it, its barely recognisable as human anyway.
 
The trouble with listening to the dynamics on a YouTube video, most of the time the audio has been compressed all to hell (either by the author or by YouTube itself), so most of the dynamic content is gone...it's just a brick wall of sound. So it doesn't surprise me that you can't hear a difference when A/B checking a compressor. I bet that when the author was listening to it on his nice, punchy headphones or monitors in his studio, the difference was marked. But after post-processing the audio and submitting to YouTube's compression algorithms, I bet all you might be able to hear is a little coloring.
 
Greg_L said:
By just doing it. Why do you think you need to use compression?
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Well, I was trying to mix a song that found on a forum (used to "practice" mixing) and the vocals have some really loud parts. I know the singer was looking to add emphasis to those parts of the song, but there's too big a spike in the volume and I was looking to even it out and take some of the edge off. The compressor I was using didn't seem to be "fixing" the problem so I went to look at videos on how to use a compressor "properly".

I think I might need to use automation to just lower the volume on the track in that spot and then push it back up.
 
Xcaliber said:
Well, I was trying to mix a song that found on a forum (used to "practice" mixing) and the vocals have some really loud parts. I know the singer was looking to add emphasis to those parts of the song, but there's too big a spike in the volume and I was looking to even it out and take some of the edge off. The compressor I was using didn't seem to be "fixing" the problem so I went to look at videos on how to use a compressor "properly".

I think I might need to use automation to just lower the volume on the track in that spot and then push it back up.
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You got it in the end. :)
 
Ok. That would be an instance where compression could even things out. Automation could work too, but you gotta do it just right or it's noticeable. You could isolate the loud parts and drop just those words down with a volume envelope, then compress to smooth it out.
 
Greg_L said:
Ok. That would be an instance where compression could even things out. Automation could work too, but you gotta do it just right or it's noticeable. You could isolate the loud parts and drop just those words down with a volume envelope, then compress to smooth it out.
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That's the part I've been missing. I'll need to do some research on using a volume envelope.

The good and bad thing about mixing music someone else has recorded as a beginner is some of them were recorded with gain staging in mind and some weren't. I'm using them to learn about mixing and the tools involved and since I don't have a full band to play and record with myself it gives me different scenarios/issues to work with.
 
Steenamaroo said:
You got it in the end. :)
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Thanks! It didn't occur to me at first to just turn down the volume at that part, but I think that will be the right thing to do. Greg's suggestion of using compression to even it out will help a lot too (another thing I didn't think about).
 
RAMI said:
How did we get on to gay pron?
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It was inevitable.

The easiest way, IMO to hear what a compressor is doing is to apply it to a drum track, minus all other tracks.
Mess around with the different settings while doing the in/out thing (there's the pron again), and listen to the transients and also how the background is affected, the ambiance.

Once you get a handle on that...then add the rest of the music and keep dialing in the comp on the drums so you can see how it affects the drums within the mix.

After you get familiar with the sound of compression working...it's easier to hear it when used on guitars, vocals, etc.
 
Xcaliber said:
do you guys hear some amazing difference when applying compression to a track and listening to it in the mix?
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Yes. It takes a lot of critical listening to pick out things that are subtle and compression is something that's a lot harder than other signal processing. It's not an "amazing difference" but sometimes when you're doing a mix, a tiny change can help more than you would think. It could be just that tiny push you need to get the mix over the hump.
 
With compression I think the point is what you don't hear: sounds that are too loud unless you turn down to the point where other sounds are too soft. Properly applied, it gives a more even signal that is easier to mix. Too much compression and it sounds lifeless or has strange artifacts like sounds that start soft and get louder when you would expect them to do the opposite, or sounds that sustain in an unnatural way. For me, subtle compression is easier to hear on bass than any other instrument.
 
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