Compress while tracking?

[EddieRay]

I play nylon string guitar and like to spank it (the guitar!) on some songs. My mic'ing technique consists of an AT4041 over-the-shoulder next to me ear and a MK219 about 6' out n front. It sounds pretty damn good. But the guitar spanking thing seems to be too much to compress after tracking. Should I try compressing while tracking?

I don't have a compressor (other than plug-ins). I've been thinking about getting a dual channel mic pre/compressor. Something like a DBX 586 would be about perfect I think. What other such products (dual channel/preamp/compressor) are available?

 

[shackrock]

presonus bluetube/bluemax

well, i'm selling my presonus "bundle"

it is, specifically:
presonus blue tube (2 channel pre)
presonus blue max (2 channel compressor)

they can be seperate units, or put together with the rack mount connecter...kinda tite.

anyway, i'll sell it all (w/ rack mounter) for 200 if you're interested. the bluetube was recently fixed up by presonus, a few weeks ago - they put a ruby tube in there.

 

[The Green Hornet]

Yo Ray, not Jay, not, Faye, not Hay, but RAY:]

Try out the RNC. I use it to compress while recording; you need to experiment with your axe to see what works and what doesn't work. But, if you push the "Real Nice Compressor" button, and adjust the "gain" knob, you might have some fun.

I also use the RNC to compress while doing vocals -- this takes a bit of time to round-off each voice you record to the proper levels; however, it does have a good effect on the mix-down before CD.

As I've said, I like to experiment and if Elvis had his drummer play a cardboard box with brushes on "Heartbreak Hotel," I love it.

Green Hornet

 

[randyfromde]

But the guitar spanking thing seems to be too much to compress after tracking.

In what way? Too hard to level out the sound because the db range is so far from one another? Digital distortion?

The only compression I like to use while tracking is hard limiting to keep my signal from clipping the inputs to my soundcard. Now of course, depending on how often the ceiling kicks in, it almost becomes a variable compression ratio. I just try and set my compressor so that the gain reduction LED's don't light up too much, then go back later and use software plugins. Essentially, it pushes the peaks down a 'smidge', until I figure out just how far I want to take them down.

I think for the home user (like myself!), it's better this way. Gives you ample opportunity to undo until you get it right. Don't want to ruin a one in a million guitar performance due to your settings...

 

[Fletcher]

It's better to use no compression than crap compression... the DBX and the Presonus qualify for using no compression... the RNC in "super nice mode" should work pretty well for you.

Best of luck with it.

 

[EddieRay]

In what way? Too hard to level out the sound because the db range is so far from one another? Digital distortion?

The only compression I like to use while tracking is hard limiting to keep my signal from clipping the inputs to my soundcard. Now of course, depending on how often the ceiling kicks in, it almost becomes a variable compression ratio. I just try and set my compressor so that the gain reduction LED's don't light up too much, then go back later and use software plugins. Essentially, it pushes the peaks down a 'smidge', until I figure out just how far I want to take them down.

I think for the home user (like myself!), it's better this way. Gives you ample opportunity to undo until you get it right. Don't want to ruin a one in a million guitar performance due to your settings...

Yeah, the difference between the spikes and regular playing levels is pretty wide. I haven't tried using volume envelopes in my tracks on all the spikes cuz there's too many. I just figure compressing or limiting while tracking would be the solution. And your idea of limiting the peaks just enough and then using plug-ins from there is probably what I would do.

 

[EddieRay]

It's better to use no compression than crap compression... the DBX and the Presonus qualify for using no compression... the RNC in "super nice mode" should work pretty well for you.

Best of luck with it.

So DBX is not the step up from Presonus I thought they were?

 

[chessrock]

Depens on which model . . . and how it's used.

 

[fenix]

It's better to use no compression than crap compression... the DBX and the Presonus qualify for using no compression... the RNC in "super nice mode" should work pretty well for you.

Best of luck with it.

a dbx 586 does not sound better than an rnc.