Compress the bus or each track?

[Canobliss]

I like to run my vocals through a common bus. When mixing vocals that are doubled or parts where there are multiple voices panned evenly on each side is it more common to put a compressor on each track or just use a stereo one on the bus or both. I figure with multiple voices, lets say 4, where 2 are panned to each side, it is the overall level of vocals that matters and so to me it makes more sense to just hit the stereo bus. Or does it make more sense to comp each track then fine tune it with a stereo comp on the bus?

Also Ive been doing a lot of hip hop where they love to double up verses then do a power track on key words or phrases. Ive been panning the doubled parts to somewhere between 30 and 40 each side (in ProTools) then panning the power track out to 60-80 or so on one side and maybe sending it through a delay to the other side as well. Does this sound about right?

 

[FALKEN]

damn I've been sending the vox to a bus just because I only have so many compressors! I would rather put one on each track separately cuz the busses are noisy (I'm using aux sends cuz my mixer sux). I guess you're talking about mixing in the computer though.....nevermind. that sounds about right for hip-hop....just make sure the vocalist is TIGHT or else it sounds like garbage and you may as well just use one vocal.

 

[Massive Master]

It's completely dependent on what you want it to sound like...

If you're compressing a buss, the loud voice is still going to be the loud voice. One voice can then "duck" the whole vocal mix.

Processed independently, you'll have greater control over individual levels.

But then again - No one ever said you can't compress both judiciously...

 

[Kainz]

This is what I usually do:

I don't usually compress double/backing vox as a single tracks. I do however automate them so that the buss where I'm sending those is having at least somewhat balanced signal. At the buss I glue them and treat them pretty much as a single instrument. I compress/limit etc. them at the buss.

Of course this is just my basic approach that doesn't work always and it depends very heavily from the material (classic backing vox vs. rappers doubling some words; totally different approach). Sometimes I eventually end up having compressors etc. on every one of those 8 vox channels..

Point is, everything is okay if it sounds good!

 

[Canobliss]

Point is, everything is okay if it sounds good!

Lol, i knew someone would say that. Thanks for the advice, and good point Massive Master about the ducking.
Ill probably go with individual comps for leads and bus comps for backups.

 

[ecktronic]

If you have the prcoessor power then I would compress each seperatley. For main vox i would use totally different settings of compression compared to backing and harmonies. I would use a higher ratio and a lower threshold ( compressed more) and let the main vox have the dynamical space. But if it is a main vox with a tightly folowing harmony then i would use the same compresion settings but bring the harmony fader down a bit.