Compression 101

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Crayon Boy

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I'm ashamed to say that I have been recording for nearly a decade and still know very little about compression. I'd like to learn more. I understand that it shrinks dynamic range. I also have a grasp on what ratio is... and that the higher the ratio is the more a signal gets squashed. I understand that a fast attack evens the signal, and slow attack can add some punch, but that's the extent of my compression knowledge. Anyone out there willing to give me some good tips for where I'm at?
 
Well I think your best option is to do a search. I think you will find some good links on the subject. I think Sounusman did an artical on it on the home page too. Compression can either shrink the dynamic range or expand it. It is the toughest thing I have had to learn about. Much like you I have been around live sound for a long time but failed to grasp all of the things compression could do (let alone how to do it).

The best learning tool I found is my computer and cakewalks dynamic processor. This way I make a change and then I can see it in the wave form. After this I can listen for clipping, artifacts, pumping and breathing ect.

With out the ability to see what I was doing it would have taken me much longer to get any grasp on it.

Don't get me wrong some times I wonder If I have a clue but, there is always the undo function:D


Compression...... ARRRRRGHHHH! but you will never get close to a studio sound/level with out it.


F.S.
 
was that a demonstration of the beta version of gidge? or just the regular one?
 
Yeh, I've read all those articles & I'm convinced I know "what it is & what it does". However, I have a Barringer Comproser Pro & no matter how I screw with the settings, I can't get the vocal compression effect I want.

I've tried recording an un-compressed vocal -- then running it thru the compressor. That was TERRIBLe.

I've had only limited running the mic thru the compresser to my BR-8.

I'm frustrated. I can't afford "Professional Studio" time, I've got too much money invested in "home" recording shit.

Maybe one of these days.

cj
 
cjmusicman said:
Yeh, I've read all those articles & I'm convinced I know "what it is & what it does". However, I have a Barringer Comproser Pro & no matter how I screw with the settings, I can't get the vocal compression effect I want.

I've tried recording an un-compressed vocal -- then running it thru the compressor. That was TERRIBLe.

I've had only limited running the mic thru the compresser to my BR-8.

I'm frustrated. I can't afford "Professional Studio" time, I've got too much money invested in "home" recording shit.

Maybe one of these days.

cj
Click to expand...

What is the vocal compression you want.
 
What compression effect am I trying to achieve???:

Well I've read all the articles & stuff, with the "advised starting point settings".

What I'd be happy/ or could live with is: NO or very little vocal dynamics. (You know little or no difference between softest & loudest note) thereby maximizing volume when I transfer a song from my BR-8 to CD.

Any one with the Barringer Comp Pro that might suggest "There" initial setting so I have a "Barringer" starting point rather a "compresser" starting point as suggested in various articles.

Tried auto mode - manual - without success.

cj
 
I don't own a Behringer Compressor so I cant tell you what to move there but all compressors basicly work the same.
Explain to me why it sounded terrible when you ran it through the compressor or what was the sound you achieved and I'll help you get closer.


I dont understand why you want to compress it so hard just so you can transfer it to a CD. Do you want to kill all the dynamics in your vocals?
If your vocals were recorded at a proper level during your recording session then I wouldnt worry as much about the "loud"
issue.
 
Mmmmm. Im going to add to this thread by asking about side chaining a 5 band parametric eq on the stereo buss?

Pro's=?

Cons=?

Any ideas on budget pricing on outbd paraQ's?

Thanks,
SoMm
 
Mmmmm. Im going to add to this thread by asking about side chaining a 5 band parametric eq on the stereo buss?
Pro's=?

Cons=?
Click to expand...

Pros= Many

Cons= Few

What are you trying to accomplish?

Tom Cram
dbx Senior Technical Support
(801) 568-7530
tcram@dbxpro.com

"I would rather be exposed to the inconveniences attending too much liberty than to those attending too small a degree of it."
-Thomas Jefferson-
 
OK, here is some more info: (In my previous post there should have been "their". Hard to believe I was once a correspondence editor. "Once" is the key here.

I have no problem with volume levels or dynamics on any instruments I record on my BR-8. However, that is not the case when I add a vocal track.

Despite efforts to control the dynamics (using the compressor, squeezing my balls while turning my head to cough - moving head away from the mic during loud parts), I still get either vocal distortion (faders too high) or I have to turn the entire mix down when I transfer it to CD. The later results in piss-poor over-all volume on the CD.

It doesn't matter if I'm singing or someone who actually HAS a voice, it's always the same result.

That said, I have found something that seems to work>.

My BR-532 has a "sensitivity" knob (BR-8 does not). I have found that by turning the "sens" knob down low & cranking the input knob up a bit, I get what seems to me to be a compressed effect (reduction in the dynamic range). This is the result I'm trying to achieve.

*** However, I don't want to have to start EVERYthing I do that contains vocal on a FOUR track (BR532) when I have an 8-track I mainly use.

You know Record guitar & vocal on 4-track then transfer to 8-track.

DO EVEN THINK ABOUT GOING THERE. I NOT GOING BACK TO 4-TRACK RECORDING.

OK so that IS my issue. Any ideas.

Peace,

cj
 
Sounds like yhou have multiple compression issues.

First of all, you need to track your vocals without distortion, whether that means just turning down your mic/mixer preamp or using a compressor.

Now that you have an undistorted vocal (that may be too soft) you need to use a compressor on the vocal track at mixdown to get the vocal to sit where you want it in the mix.

Finally, you need a stereo compressor on the whole mix to act as a limiter so you can raise the overall volume to be competive with commercial CD's (or at least in the ballpark).
 
It doesnt sound like a compression problem but more of a gain staging problem.

If you read little dogs thread, you'll see the stages which you need to go through in order to get a solid vocal down.
If you have distortion then your not setting the your "gain staging" properly. If it creeps in a drop only here and there then you might need a drop of light compression while recording although you can again set the gain to help as well with out compression.
If you are "gain staging" properly and have huge fluctuations between low and high levels then definitly the aid of a compressor is needed.
 
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