Compressing left and right guitar tracks

N

nickson

New member
Hello guys!
I'm learning to mix my own metal songs for some time (currently working in Cubase Elements 7). But still there's a problem I haven't solved yet. So I'd like to hear some advice on this.

I'll loose some irrelevent details and I'll try to describe my question in general.
Let's say, I've got 2 rhythm guitar tracks panned left and right all the way. Both of them go to BUS track on which I have a compressor.
There are some parts in the song where the left guitar plays continually and the right one is just hitting some fast and short chords and stops from time to time. And those are the parts I talk about next.
Well the problem is that compressor works fine until one of the guitars stops. In those moments it's raising up the volume trying to match the settings (which is logically right). But what I get in a result is a bouncing volume everytime one of the guitars stops playing. So my question is how do you avoid it? I mean how to tell compressor to work with general volume and don't let it to make one of the channel all the way up while the other channel is silent?
 
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Use unlinked compressors? Or one for each. But really if you're getting large or noticeable volume jumps might that be a heck of a lot or reduction to be using?
 
You say it's a metal song so I would think the guitars are heavily distorted? If so, I wouldn't bother using compressors on them at all since heavy distortion has already limited their dynamic range.

Usually the only thing that comes from compressing distorted guitars IMO is ear fatigue.
 
Thanx for reply!
Yeah, sometimes I try to use unlinked compressors. If there are only 2 guitars within a track than it seems to be ok. But usually there also solo guitars playing simultaniously. And in this case I have to compress all guitars (rhythm and solo togather) as well, otherwise the volume will jump extremely in some parts of the song... But this also creates the problem I described.

Sometimes I watch videos online where people mix projects with dozens of tracks and I still don't get how they manage to keep the volume from jumping that much. That's why I feel like I'm moving in the wrong direction with that. Basically I'm using the compressor just to adjust the volume of overall mix or several tracks. So, is there more appropriate way to solve this problem? Maybe compression is not what I need here?

P.S. Yes, all the guitars are distored
 
Distorted guitars generally don't need compression.

If the level is changing that much the compression is probably extreme.

The small amounts of volume adjustment typically needed on distorted guitars can be done with gain or volume automation.
 
I guess I really overestimated the possibilities of compressors :D
Thanks for help! I'll try to work with automation more closely since now.
 
Also, not sure of the need to send the guitars to a buss. If you feel you still want to use compressors on your guitars, use them on the individual tracks. Compressor plugs use very little cpu resources. But like the others have said, heavily distorted guitars are already compressed.

Don't worry about volume until the mastering phase, long after you've got a good mix. Get a good mix, render it to a 2-track file. Master that and get the volume where you want it.
 
Chili said:
Also, not sure of the need to send the guitars to a buss. If you feel you still want to use compressors on your guitars, use them on the individual tracks. Compressor plugs use very little cpu resources.
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Sometimes I like a bus compressor when some parts of a group (vocals, guitars etc.) are on and off, to keep the group as a whole more even.
 
If you need to compress the rhythms, compress them individually. Keep the solo out of the rhythm buss and deal with that separately. Chances are, if you have to have the solo riding way above the rhythm in order to hear it, the solo sound probably sounds too much like the rhythm sound. EQ it so it sticks out a bit without excessive volume.

If you do need compression on a buss, make sure you aren't into the reduction more than a couple db. With distorted guitars, you shouldn't need to be more than 2db into the reduction ever. Also set the compressor so it only kicks in when it's needed. If it never ever comes out of the reduction, you are compressing way too much. That will cause the problem you are describing.
 
bouldersoundguy said:
Distorted guitars generally don't need compression.

If the level is changing that much the compression is probably extreme.

The small amounts of volume adjustment typically needed on distorted guitars can be done with gain or volume automation.
Click to expand...

Simman said:
You need volume automation not compression.
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Both of these are pretty correct. I think you're expecting too much for the compressor and not using it to the best of its abilities. By sending them both to a bus, even if they're quite dynamically different tracks at different parts of the song, is imho shooting yourself in the foot.

If you're gonna compress your distorted guitars, I would first make sure your volume automation is on point then compress separately so that the compression is as subtle and transparent as possible. Compressors are designed to even out dynamics. If you're using the same compressor on 2 dynamically different tracks, you're certainly making the compressor work harder than it really needs to.
 
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