When not to use Compression?

S

sicrecords

New member
I've been tracking a heavy band and it seems i get the best sounding mixes when I compress each track! Like bass, guitars, vocals, and drums.

I get a much "thicker looking" wave when I do but I'm wondering if that's bad :)

I normally need to compress and normalze two or three times to get the sounds at the 0db level. But i've been doing it for each instrument.
 
A "thicker looking wave" means nothing. It's what the mix sounds like that counts.

If you are happiest when everything is compressed, then obviously compression is the way to go in your case. I try to stay away from compression, at least when tracking because I am not experienced enough to know when I would be applying too much that can't be removed later. I focus more on recording with the instruments playing as evenly as possible, with the levels in the appropriate ranges to be captured accurately. So far, with this approach I have felt no need to normalize anything.

Cy
 
Since every song/track is a world alone, there is no point in giving a detailed description.

Some basic concepts are important though to understand before you compress.

When not to compress...

1. If you harm the freq. content were the highs sound pinched are you roll off the lows. When the sound becomes dull and lifless.

2. When you suck the life out of the track/mix and it becomes boring.

3. When you have unwanted pumping and breathing.

Other problimatic side effects can include:

* Smearing the attack/losing articulation
* Unwanted Sibilance
* Added artifacts
 
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