Anderton strikes again

  • Thread starter Thread starter dobro
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dobro

dobro

Well-known member
For those of you who, like me, (or, for those of you who like me :)) have heard of multiband compression but haven't used it, here's a link (with an audio file to listen to as well) to an interesting article on that very subject by the illustrious Craig Anderton:

http://www.musicplayer.com/CDA/Player/Main/1,2000,Lessons-Keyboardist-92,00.html#TOP

My post ain't just a public service, though - I've got two questions about Anderton's article. First, he talks about 'expansion' at one point rather than compression. So, what's expansion? Second, what are your thoughts regarding the A/B on the audio file he provides? I prefer the first one (A) and I know why I prefer it, but I'd like to hear your impressions.
 
I can do an impression of John Wayne. Or do you want to hear 'The Impressions'? Or do you want to hear just one of 'The Impressions'? My cat came home.
 
I could'nt get to the page you wrote (most probably a bad link)

But with out reading the article he wrote he must mean using an Expander.

An Expander is like a gate only it will turn down the noise rather then shut it off like a gate.
 
expander

I thought an expander was the opposite of a compresssor to restore some of the dynamics, can't remember for sure.
 
Re: expander

Stan Williams said:
I thought an expander was the opposite of a compresssor to restore some of the dynamics, can't remember for sure.
Click to expand...

It is.
If you compress severely and then set your expander to turn the soft parts down,
you are expanding the difference between the softer parts and the louder ones.
Therefore you are basicly restoring a reasonable amount of dB you compressed.

There are expanders that turn the louder part even louder.
These are called upward expanders, but are less common.
 
Monty - I'm impressed!

Shailat - I'm impressed, I didn't know that was possible - so you can retrieve some of the dynamic range you lost through compression. First, the good news: my Behringer compressor's got an expander/gate control (the ratio setting determines whether it functions as a gate or an expander). Now, the bad news: it's an analog unit which I only use for tracking. I can't see a use for expansion when I'm tracking - it seems to me that you'd only use expansion when mixing/mastering, yes? Unless you knew you were compressing the hell out of a signal and wanted to balance that by extending the dynamic range downward using the expander. Anybody ever do that - compress and expand at the same time?

I'll try to fix that link - thanks for the heads up.
 
Okay, let's see if the new and improved link works:

http://www.musicplayer.com/CDA/Player/Main/1,2000,Lessons-Keyboardist-92,00.html

Okay, for some reason the entire URL isn't getting highlighted, but if you highlight, copy and paste it into your location window, you can get to the page that way.
 
oh.. I just stopped by to pet monty's cat and I got to see this.. :) :)
 
Hey Meshuggah - my metal freek son has heard of you. You must be famous??
cheers
John
 
dobro said:


I didn't know that was possible - so you can retrieve some of the dynamic range you lost through compression.
Click to expand...

You can some what, But... I would'nt compress thinking I can save my music every time by expanding. It's not an "undo" button.


I can't see a use for expansion when I'm tracking - it seems to me that you'd only use expansion when mixing/mastering, yes?
Click to expand...

It has the same policy as a gate. To track with it might be a mistake as you might lose some of your notes.
An Expander (being more gentle then a gate) can be more musical then a gate,
and give smoother results.

Meshugga - Do you know what your name means in Hebrew?
 
John: Your son is referring to the awesome Swedish metal-act that stole my nick even BEFORE I decided to use it... How could they know?!?!

Shailat: Yes :D :D :D
 
I don't know what it means in Hebrew, but it always *sounded* Hebrew to me, and sort of naughty in a playful way. "Wow, what a meshuggah!"
 
Well, meshuggah is practically English now, like "cafe". It's Yiddish actually, and means crazy. A clinical term.
 
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