Compression question

  • Thread starter Thread starter Nathan1984
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Nathan1984

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Well, I'm trying to get vocal tracks using a line6 ux2. I use the compression one of the presets, more specifically comp vocal preset. But when I am trying to get a good vocal track, it does really compress anything. Wondering if I should just bypass pod farm and just try to track vocals with my daw compression? Maybe I am just using it wrong, all I know is that it peaks all the time. How do you use compression to do vocals, or better yet should I get my levels up farther first then apply compression so I don't have to compress the up so much? What to do, what to do?
 
First of all, don't compress while you're tracking. Track the vocals dry/raw. When you're ready to add compression, use the one in your DAW. There is no fixed way to use compression, but you basically want to even them out. You don't want them to be too loud in some place and too soft in other, but you also don't want to completely kill the dynamics. A common beginner mistake is to set the ratio too high, I've seen people bringing it up to 20, 25:1 which I think is kinda crazy. You also don't want too much gain reduction. If the track starts pumping, you overdid it.
 
First step is to learn how to use a comp. It could be that your ratio isnt set to anything, or the threshhold isnt set low enough.
 
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