Audio Compression

[gomanvangough]

I just found this site... very cool! Tons of questions but I'll start with audio compression.
I want to record nylon string classical guitar (big dymanic range) with a microphone. Should I use a compressor? Is an external compressor good? What sound cards have built in compressors? Is there a recording application that has compression? I'm still putting my system together. Thanks in advance.

 

[Dragon]

OK, gomanvangough (and yes, I know where that comes from!), welcome!Now pay attention here...

No, yes, none, yes.

Try reading https://homerecording.com/4trackfaq.html and using the search here to find out more about compressors (or anything else). If you want dynamic range, the last thing you want is a compressor. For the best results, record digitally and make sure your loudest notes aren't anywhere near the 0 dB mark when you record.

Almost all recording programs have compression built in, but it's the kind that limits the dynamic range of a WAV file after it's been recorded. For people who want to stop loud sounds from getting out of hand, you must have an external box, period. The generally accepted best buy is the RNC from http://fmraudio.com