PersonalJesus
New member
Do pros add compression to keyboard sounds?
Compression on Keyboards???
- Thread starter PersonalJesus
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TexRoadkill
Audio Bum
Pros only add compression when the track begs for it like a $10 whore.
But in all honesty, sure, why not, it just depends.
But in all honesty, sure, why not, it just depends.
dwillis45
Número sesenta nueve
It depends on a number of factors including what else is in the mix, the sound you are trying to achieve, and the type of music (classical, pop, etc.) you're recording. In addition, I find that a number of keyboard patches (organs, for example) appear heavily compressed to begin with.
Krakit
Rzzzzz!
dwillis45 said:
Well, if an organ patch is done correctly, there won't be any need for compression. There aren't supposed to be any dynamics to organs. They're binary by nature. The key is on or it's off. There are no degrees of loudness.
So, it follows that for organ sounds, compression would be a rather silly thing to add.
Carl
PersonalJesus
New member
Thanks guys. Im into electronic music like Depeche Mode, but Im tired of using softsynths like Reason to try to get a sound like there's, since its never even close. I bought a Nord Lead 3. I understand the idea of binary sounds like the organ. I looked at some of the keyboard waves in some songs I recorded and the sounds arent very dynamic. Thanks for answering my question.
Industrial
New member
Compression on keyboards?
Well, heres my music.... judge for yourself....
It's pretty pro stuff... but after almost completing about 12 songs... I can definately tell you where I went wrong (and I did) and where I went right. I'll elaborate.
http://www.recordingproject.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=4532
Yes, compression is USED.... but don't overuse it. Take a look at the three music tracks I posted (they are missing vocals...so dont ask)....
Compare the song Immortal to the other two.
Immortal may be an example of the best song I have (well, some people think the samples are very interesting, anyway), but somebody else mastered it... and it got overcompressed like hell... and I've had a hard time uncompressing it. It looses dynamics when overcompressed. The other two tracks, while not as interesting a song, have just the right amount of compression on some tracks, and no compression on other tracks.
On "Immortal"The stereo imaging also sucks on that song... which killed it. To which I'll add.... always record your synthesizer in stero mode. (Dont just output through the left channel which is normalled to mono). The people who created your synth patches spent alot of time trying to add stero effect... so use it... it makes the whole song sound better... or even add more panning carefully... without overdoing it
On any given song.... I've got like 20 - 50 tracks going (even though it might not sound like it).... and about 20 percent of the synthesizer lines are compressed.
If it needs it... use it... if it doesnt... don't touch it.
Try not to compress during tracking to a recorder, or use a very low ratio to start..... then if you think it needs to later... just run the track through the compressor again and add a tiny bit more. It's kind of complicated, and a matter of trial-and-error/experience...
If the synth patch has a very powerful dynamic... and if the synth patch is going to be a "lead" track which has the most presence (volume) in the mix... then you might want to compress it a bit with a high threshold so that only the peak gets compressed a bit... that way you can track it to the recorder even louder when compressed.. and it'll sound more powerfull as the lead track.
Well, heres my music.... judge for yourself....
It's pretty pro stuff... but after almost completing about 12 songs... I can definately tell you where I went wrong (and I did) and where I went right. I'll elaborate.
http://www.recordingproject.com/bbs/viewtopic.php?t=4532
Yes, compression is USED.... but don't overuse it. Take a look at the three music tracks I posted (they are missing vocals...so dont ask)....
Compare the song Immortal to the other two.
Immortal may be an example of the best song I have (well, some people think the samples are very interesting, anyway), but somebody else mastered it... and it got overcompressed like hell... and I've had a hard time uncompressing it. It looses dynamics when overcompressed. The other two tracks, while not as interesting a song, have just the right amount of compression on some tracks, and no compression on other tracks.
On "Immortal"The stereo imaging also sucks on that song... which killed it. To which I'll add.... always record your synthesizer in stero mode. (Dont just output through the left channel which is normalled to mono). The people who created your synth patches spent alot of time trying to add stero effect... so use it... it makes the whole song sound better... or even add more panning carefully... without overdoing it
On any given song.... I've got like 20 - 50 tracks going (even though it might not sound like it).... and about 20 percent of the synthesizer lines are compressed.
If it needs it... use it... if it doesnt... don't touch it.
Try not to compress during tracking to a recorder, or use a very low ratio to start..... then if you think it needs to later... just run the track through the compressor again and add a tiny bit more. It's kind of complicated, and a matter of trial-and-error/experience...
If the synth patch has a very powerful dynamic... and if the synth patch is going to be a "lead" track which has the most presence (volume) in the mix... then you might want to compress it a bit with a high threshold so that only the peak gets compressed a bit... that way you can track it to the recorder even louder when compressed.. and it'll sound more powerfull as the lead track.
masteringhouse
www.masteringhouse.com
TexRoadkill said:
One of the best quotes I've seen on the forum Tex!
masteringhouse
www.masteringhouse.com
mixsit said:WTF!?
By this I think he means that there isn't the ability to make an organ louder or softer by hitting the keys harder or less. It doesn't take into account leslies and using the volume pedal however, or percussive settings like those on a Hammond.
PersonalJesus
New member
Thanks for the tips. Industrial, I listened to your tracks. I can see what you are talking about. Immortal is way over compressed, to the point where it almost sounds bad, especially compared to the other two... no offense intended. Althought, it is only at 64 kbs so thats kinda a problem when trying to analyze it. BTW, I really liked your music. What kind of synths did you use?
Industrial
New member
PERSONAL JESUS> BTW, I really liked your music. What kind of synths did you use?
------------------------
[I directly copied this answer from another message... forgive the repetitiveness if you saw already]
I usually use the following:
Alesis ION keyboard
Roland JP-8000 keyboard
(... I'd love an Andromeda... but don't have it.... yet..)
I also use Nord Lead and Access Virus... but we actually find that we get some real sweet sounds from the Roland because it has the "super saw" oscillator which is hard to reproduce on other synthesizers... The JP-8000 gets a bad-rap, because of its simplicity.... but it's really about the sounds, not the features....
I currently have no need whatsoever for 36 voice polyphony (forgive my ignorance, I know some of you guys make full use of a keyboards capabilities and are all into that midi stuff... we're not really into that... we just do keyboarding the old fashioned way... playing it); thats stuff is purely overrated and you don't need it to produce pro-quality music like the big electronic music bands.
I just got the Alesis ION not long ago, and my opinion is that despite its minor technical shortcomings... for the money it just may be the greatest Virtual Analogue synth yet made.
The ION has an ultra-sweet vocoder which I'm confidant to say may be the best vocoder on the market... which almost makes the modest $800 price of the keyboard alone worth it... It's a 40 band vocoder (most others are 8 - 12), and the sound clarity produced by it is phenomenal. You don't get that harsh unrealistic "robotic" sound like with most other vocoders.
------------------------
[I directly copied this answer from another message... forgive the repetitiveness if you saw already]
I usually use the following:
Alesis ION keyboard
Roland JP-8000 keyboard
(... I'd love an Andromeda... but don't have it.... yet..)
I also use Nord Lead and Access Virus... but we actually find that we get some real sweet sounds from the Roland because it has the "super saw" oscillator which is hard to reproduce on other synthesizers... The JP-8000 gets a bad-rap, because of its simplicity.... but it's really about the sounds, not the features....
I currently have no need whatsoever for 36 voice polyphony (forgive my ignorance, I know some of you guys make full use of a keyboards capabilities and are all into that midi stuff... we're not really into that... we just do keyboarding the old fashioned way... playing it); thats stuff is purely overrated and you don't need it to produce pro-quality music like the big electronic music bands.
I just got the Alesis ION not long ago, and my opinion is that despite its minor technical shortcomings... for the money it just may be the greatest Virtual Analogue synth yet made.
The ION has an ultra-sweet vocoder which I'm confidant to say may be the best vocoder on the market... which almost makes the modest $800 price of the keyboard alone worth it... It's a 40 band vocoder (most others are 8 - 12), and the sound clarity produced by it is phenomenal. You don't get that harsh unrealistic "robotic" sound like with most other vocoders.
PersonalJesus
New member
That's really cool. Hope to hear one of your songs with VOX someday.