To Compress or Not to Compress

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BassMan53

Member
OK. So it seems that the general opinion around here is to record everything dry and add effects later.

Sounds logical since once you've recorded a track with effects in place, they can't be removed. Not true when recorded dry.

Recently, I found an instructional video that demonstrated a dramatic difference in tracked vocals using a two button stomp box style compressor pedal. The difference in the two recorded tracks was very pronounced and cleaned up the vocals quite nicely.

So, what advice do you have for this semi-newbie? Track with or without compression?

Is a stomp box type compressor pedal really sufficient? I mean, isn't a compressor triggered by audio "level" rather that audio "frequency"?


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There's no rule that says you can't add processing or effects at the tracking stage or before it reaches your DAW. The issue is really that most people can't properly use and set things like a compressor or EQ that would actually benefit the recording in that stage. Consequently, making a bad recording that they can't go back and just fix by taking a plugin off, that'd have to redo the track. It's just something that a newbie really shouldn't be worrying about at that point.

With that said, experimentation and practice is the name of the game. There's no way to learn how to use a compressor at the beginning of the signal chain if you don't try it out and learn how to get a good sound out of it. If you don't understand the features of a compressor, how those features interact with each other, and how to use those to address something your hearing; it's best to leave it alone for actual recording until you have practiced using it and know how to use in a way that would actually benefit the track and mix.
 
Capt Hair said:
There's no rule that says you can't add processing or effects at the tracking stage or before it reaches your DAW. The issue is really that most people can't properly use and set things like a compressor or EQ that would actually benefit the recording in that stage. Consequently, making a bad recording that they can't go back and just fix by taking a plugin off, that'd have to redo the track. It's just something that a newbie really shouldn't be worrying about at that point.

With that said, experimentation and practice is the name of the game. There's no way to learn how to use a compressor at the beginning of the signal chain if you don't try it out and learn how to get a good sound out of it. If you don't understand the features of a compressor, how those features interact with each other, and how to use those to address something your hearing; it's best to leave it alone for actual recording until you have practiced using it and know how to use in a way that would actually benefit the track and mix.
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Thanks. Since I started down this road about 6 months ago, I'm starting to see that experimentation is key in lots of areas and for lots of reason.

And that's sort of where the second question was leading. Would a stomp box type of compressor be sufficient to begin to understand the basics of using compression? I mean, I'm an "old school" kind of guy and prefer bass, middle and treble controls over a graphic EQ so would it be out of the question as a learning tool?
 
BassMan53 said:
And that's sort of where the second question was leading. Would a stomp box type of compressor be sufficient to begin to understand the basics of using compression? I mean, I'm an "old school" kind of guy and prefer bass, middle and treble controls over a graphic EQ so would it be out of the question as a learning tool?
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A stomp box would be a good way to get started with compressors, but probably not a good option when you want to precisely control the signal. It would be frustrating much like trying to do finish carpentry with a framing hammer.
 
I use a compressor on things when recording if I think a track needs it to get the sound I want.
I find this can lead to less analysis paralysis later on because I recorded the sounds I wanted the way I wanted them at the tracking stage rather than record everything dry and then mess around in the mix stage

This relies on 1) knowing the sound you want to get before you start tracking and 2) knowing how to set a compressor (or other signal processor) with a live vocal or other track to achieve that result

If you can't do item 2) it's better to record dry and then mess with a compressor afterwards to learn how to set it so you can use it live in the future

As far as using a stomp box type compressor, it can be done but you need to be careful. The stomp box comp I use for my guitar is set for guitar levels and guitar impedence
If I were to use this for vocals I would need to be very careful with the levels I feed to it. If I were to feed it a mic signal it would be way to low and the noise would be unacceptable, If I were to feed it a line level signal from my normal vocal preamps I'd be about 7dBV at my RMS levels over the maximum input level that the pedal can accept and would get all kinds of distortion.
So I would need to re calibrate my recoding chain accordingly.
If I were to do it this way my vocals would be significantly lower in level than my other recorded tracks and the signal to noise ration would be higher so that when I turn up the levels to my normal RMS levels there could be a lot of audible compressor noise in the background

It may be worth a try if you have a good stomp box and can get the levels right though

as always YMMV
 
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It could sound cool and be a cool effect.

Experiment and see what you like. That said, I think the best way to learn is to do things dry and get them as good as possible at the source then add effects during mixing. But there's also something to be said for experimenting and learning what different tools can do. So, my generic advice to all newbies (and usually to myself too) is get it good from the beginning, don't use much if any effects until mixing. And if you like it as a cool effect see it as just that, an option...in general you're not gonna want to use a stompbox compressor on most vocals.
 
BassMan53 said:
Recently, I found an instructional video that demonstrated a dramatic difference in tracked vocals using a two button stomp box style compressor pedal. The difference in the two recorded tracks was very pronounced and cleaned up the vocals quite nicely.:
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But when you say " The difference in the two recorded tracks was very pronounced", do you mean the difference between the compressed track and the dry track? Because if that's what you mean, well of course the difference will be pronounced. You have compression on one track and no compression on the other. Nobody ever said that you won't hear the compression if you compress on the way in. But like you said, you're stuck with THAT compression whether you like it or not. You'll also hear a pronounced difference if you record both tracks dry and added compression to one of them after. But the advantage there will be that you can change it if you don't like it.
 
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