Best freeware compression?

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SouthSIDE Glen

SouthSIDE Glen

independentrecording.net
Hey guys,

I have a nephew who's a teenager with zero budget who's just getting started in this racket. I'm trying to bring him along slowly but surely. It's time to have "the compression talk" with him :).

I'm hoping you guys with all your infinite wisdom could give me some first-hand recommendations whether there are any freeware compressor plugs (VST or DirectX) that are worth more than their price, something perhaps that has a halfway decent tube or optical type of feel to it. I know it's a lot to ask for free, but the kid just doesn't have money and I already blew my wad on him for his birthday with a new Line6 Pod for his guitar :o .

Thanks in advance for your tips,

G.
 
The Digital Fish Phones dynamics pack is pretty damn good, the Kjaerhaus Classic Compressor is cool too. And definitely search KVR to see what else you can turn up. :)

For me, I want one with real-time metering. The DFP one has a non-conventional set of controls, with a main 'compression' control with associated meter. The Kjaerhaus one just has an LED to tell you when gain reduction is actually happening. If anyone has turned up one with some proper metering, I'd be interested.
 
Thanks for the responses, gang. :)

The good news is I'll check out both the Kjerhaus and the Fish compressor. The bad news is now I have my work cut out for me to master these two plugs myself before "the talk" so Uncle G. does not look like too much of an idiot :p

Thanks again,

G.
 
C3 multiband compressor by Slim Slow Slider.
http://www.ismusic.ne.jp/slim_slow_slider/vst/

Multibands are kind of complicated for a beginner, but if he gets the hang of compression maybe in the near future he could use this. It's got excellent metering and controls. Should he try it out I'd also suggest he download the free pdf on multiband compression from Izotope (it's for their Ozone multiband which is a couple hundred $. The C3's actually better IMO in sound and control.

Tim
 
I would not be too concerned about compression if he's a greenhorn with respect to home recording. It takes some time and pratice to record naked tracks as it is. He should practice that first and feel comfortable about his mixes first. Compression is not required to make good recordings, at least for someone learning. Compression is rather advanced and is always overdone by newbies because their ears are not trained.

Bob the mod guy.
 
Multi-reply

Tim, thanks for the tip on the C3. I agree that multi-band is a bit too much for him just at the moment. As Bob says, I'm actually kind of pushing it just introducing him to compression at all at this stage. But I'll explain that in a moment.

I already have Ozone myself, including the manual. I didn't want to turn him onto that not only because of the additional complexity, but also because I didn't want to educate him that breaking software licenses was a good idea. ;) I have already lost on trying to teach him the moral issues behind copyrighted music and file sharing; I don't want to encourage software piracy any mor ethan he probably already does it behind the adult's backs. :o But I'll probably want to look at C3 myself , especially since you say you actually like it better than Ozone.

Frasier, by definition, that's not really "free" now is it? :) (one of my advertising pet peves...if you have to buy something to get something "free", then it's not free. Arrrrgh. :cool: )

Bob, you're right, it's a bit too early to expect him to master (pun intended) more sophisticathed concepts like compression, but he's really a very smart kid and has already been asking questions. He's not really doing a whole lot of recording/mixing at this point yet, he's still getting the hang of switching from trombone in his marching band to guitar as a new instrument to him.

But he is fascinated with computers (as all kids his age seem to be) and even more so with my engineering work, so I am kind of taking him through the concepts one step at a time as a kind of basic course in audio engineering theory. Having already gone through multitracking concepts, panning and EQ with him, he has already started asking questions about why some songs look different (the waveforms, that is) than others; he has already made a connection of his own between squashed-looking songs and loudness. I was rather inpressed, to tell the truth (his father/my brother was never that clever :D).

So I figured as long as he was asking, I might as well take the opportunity to teach him *a little* about it. Besides it's never too early to plant the idea in his head that squashing dynamics is not really always a good thing. I'm hoping to nip that bad habit in the bud. :)

Thanks again for all the replys, guys. I have a lot to work with hhere now.

G.
 
compression and beginners

About compression and beginners... I think the stage many of us go through when we first discover compression and over use it (speaking for myself) is actually an exciting time and one that fuels the imagination and motivation for recording. It's maybe like a recording adolescence... pimply but don't know if it's something to try to avoid necessarily. Most of us grow out of it naturally as we get more skilled and discerning and I don’t think it dulls the senses or aesthetic taste. Maybe its a somewhat natural progress to seek a magic gizmo or plug to make everything sound good (slathered with compression and reverb) then after a while discover that it doesn’t satisfy you and that there are ways to get a sound you like even more.

I guess I'm opinionated about compression because it was so exciting to me when I first discovered it. Ironically, except in odd situations I use almost no compression now.

---------------

C3 and Fishphones:
Been a while since I've used it but if I remember right, the Slim Slow Slider C3 can be set as a broadband comp too, just by eliminating all but one band. Might be a good learning tool for a beginner that way. The Blockfish by Digtalfishphones is pretty impressive but its controls and metering are quriky and overly simplified I think. I've used its limiter function mostly and for that it's excellent - the best I've used next to the Waves L2 as long as you don't push it.

Tim
 
A little clarification?

Timothy Lawler said:
C3 multiband compressor by Slim Slow Slider.
...
The C3's actually better IMO in sound and control.
Click to expand...
Tim, just taking a look at the link you gave me for the C3. They have two current versions listed: v1.2.10 and v1.2.10(SSE supported).

I thought I knew all the three letter abbreviations there were, but I'm unfamiliar with the term "SSE supported." As I cannot read Kanji, I'm not sure what it says in the description :).

Could you (or anyone) tell me what the difference is between the "SSE" version and the vanilla version, and which one I should download?

Also, Tim, just from looking at the graphic of the front panel, I think I'd agree with you that the control at least "looks" (for what that's worth) more sensible than Ozone (whose fancy graphic displays are "k3wl", but for me serve little utility and just eat up CPU cycles). But could you describe just a little more what it is that you like better about the sound? You don't have to get too fancy with an explanation, just maybe what type of music you typically work with (if applicable) and how the C3 sounds better than Ozone for you in that regard.

I'll D/L the plug myself (as soon as I know which version to go with) and listen for myself. But I'm just curious in the meantime as to how you hear them as different.

Thanks again for the tips,

G.
 
comp

One of my favourite goodies is called t-sledge. Way comlpex, but great presets.
 
Tim, just taking a look at the link you gave me for the C3. They have two current versions listed: v1.2.10 and v1.2.10(SSE supported).
Click to expand...

I have version 1.2.10. Not the SSE type. Don't know what SSE refers to.

could you describe just a little more what it is that you like better about the sound? You don't have to get too fancy with an explanation, just maybe what type of music you typically work with (if applicable) and how the C3 sounds better than Ozone for you in that regard.
Click to expand...

My Use:
My own use of multiband compression is usually a very gentle application on acoustic guitar - nylon and steel string. Usually in the lows and lower mids, and rarely on anything above 1 kHz. I use the Waves linear multiband on my rec studio system and use the Slim Slow Slider C3 on the system in my guitar teaching studio. Discovered the C3 because I have students who do home recording projects as part of their lesson work with me and the C3 is good for them because it's freeware. With a little coaching on its use it can be a big help to getting good solo guitar tracks. Especially when mic’s, rooms, and recording skills are at a beginner level. And a multiband device is a good educator about frequency related issues on the instrument and with recording techniques.

Difference in Sound:
The main thing I don't like about Ozone's multiband comp (I’ve got versions 3 and 2) is the sound of the crossover filters - both the analog modeled and digital. With no gain reduction happening just engaging the filters themselves clouds the sound too much. The C3's crossover filters are much better sounding to my ear. It's got both analog modeled and digital also and each type sounds better than Ozone to me. Its digital filters are really good. So when you bring the C3 into the signal path with no gain reduction you can tell it's there but it doesn't muck it up.

They differ too in their sound when actually working to reduce gain in a band. (Keep in mind I usually use it just on the lows and low mids.) The C3 seems to respond in each band more fully and more controllably. Its ratio, attack and release seem to correspond to the sound of similar settings I use with other plugs. It can have a tight or loose compression sound depending on how you set it. Ozone's odd that way, where regardless of the settings or the gain reduction happening, the lower end tends to sound loose and indistinct. Now this could be just a factor related to acoustic guitar, or my own ear... and may be different for others and in rock mix applications. I'm just describing my own experience.
YMMV.

Tim
 
There are also a set by voxengo i think. Called gran comp and something else that i cant remember at the mo.
I dont know if they are any good but thay are another option.

Dave
 
Very nice description and reply, Tim. Hopefully I'll have time to try it between live gig nights over the weekend. I'll at least have time to download and install it. :)

G.
 
An odd thing that the C3 installation requires is that you also download the msvcr71.dll file and install it in the windows/system32 folder in XP or the windows/system folder in earlier versions. It comes with instructions about that but it's easy to miss.

Tim
 
Timothy Lawler said:
An odd thing that the C3 installation requires is that you also download the msvcr71.dll file and install it in the windows/system32 folder in XP or the windows/system folder in earlier versions. It comes with instructions about that but it's easy to miss.
Click to expand...

That's kind of strange. If I'm not mistaken, that file is the runtime interpreter for Microsoft Visual C++, which is probably the language the plug is written in. Why he's using an interpreted version of C++ and not a compiled version (which can run anywhere) is beyond me. Oh well, no biggie; I already have that file anyway. Thanx again.

G.
 
SouthSIDE Glen said:
Could you (or anyone) tell me what the difference is between the "SSE" version and the vanilla version, and which one I should download?
Click to expand...

SSE is some kind of advanced command set that the newer processors use. Pretty much anything newer than 1gb AMD should support SSE. If your processor supports it, it's supposed to give you a bit better performance so just download that one and give it a try. If it doesn't work it will just give you some error message.
 
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