compression question

  • Thread starter Thread starter dick west
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dick west

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I'm setting up a home studio to record on a pc. I record midi keyboards, acoustic guitar, electric guitars, bass, lap, and vocals. I plan on using Cakewalk 2002. My question is, should I use up front "compression hardware" for all the analog stuff? I've been doing 4 track tape recording just using mixer and digital efx stuff but need more tracks.
thanks for your help
dick west
 
it would be nice to have, but definitely not a necessity....you could always do it after the fact with plugins......
 
I agree

All I do is after the fact and I own a dbx dual compressor.

Bass is the hardest to record without a compressor, but if who ever is on the bass can make an effort to play with consistent levels that is best. If you are using it to add punch there is no reason to do it as an outboard function unless you plan to buy a $2,000.00 compressor. There are some good plugins handy, and my stock pro suite 9.0 compressor is way better than my DBX as far as recording goes.
If you are using it for major level control I would say you need to work with your bass player. I play with one finger if possible when recording just for the consistancy. The less I have to fix the better, and playing it that way is way better than making it that way.
 
thank you a heap! my first post as a new member and your info helps me a lot. Actually, I'm the bass player, keyboard, vocal, and everything else. There is so much to learn about recording, midi, and pc recording, not to mention I'm learning all the instruments too. I've played keyboards all my life but recently got into plucking strings too and now the recording and pc angle. whew! I'll probably pass on the compressor and spend on a condensor mike. thanks again.
 
Dick,
If you want to hit the ground running, you could always try internet collaboration. You can't say "I did it all myself", but I find it much more fun to have others more proficient than I handle the parts at which I suck. (My english teacher is certainly rolling over in her grave on that sentence... :eek: .)

Anyhow, if you wanna try collaborating, go to Collaboration Central, its free, its fun...

Queue
 
great idea...check out the Mic Forum for great mic ideas...
 
Mic is the right Idea

You can not make up for a poor mic. You can become a better musician by learning what you can do with your body not equipment. The less you have to do after the dry recording the better.


I will say though I find a compressor very usefull live on the bass. It is harder to ignore the emotional urges live. Bass is bad about that. Dig into the guitar your a friggen rock star. really dig into the bass and you are farting to the moon and slapping metal all over the place. why do bass players have to be tastefull and guitar players can rip? Nature of the instrument?....

(this statement in no way reflect the views of the bbs, all liabilitys resulting from this post are the responsibility of the poster. It is the view of the bbs that bass players can really dig in, are Quite able to rip, and be friggen rockstars!!)

Happy new year!!!!

F.S.
 
Up front compression hardware is often the preferred way to go, espcially when recording digital. The hardware allows a hotter signal with less transients to enter the A/D converter. Thus, better resolution is obtained without digital clipping. Compressing after entering the digital domain wastes bits that could have been used for higher resolution of the recorded signal.


Some people on this BBS believe the RNC is an excellent compressor for anything under $1k and it only costs about $175. Thus, you don't need expensive compressors to do a decent job.

Matt
 
I would just add that if you need to just eliminate the occasional peak distortion from a over-excited bass player or singer, look at using a limiter rather than a compressor. Most compressor plug-ins can operate as Limiters. You can always add compression later if you want, but I try to get as natureal a sound as possible initially.
 
RWhite said:
I would just add that if you need to just eliminate the occasional peak distortion from a over-excited bass player or singer, look at using a limiter rather than a compressor. Most compressor plug-ins can operate as Limiters. You can always add compression later if you want, but I try to get as natureal a sound as possible initially.
Click to expand...

Keep in mind that a "plug in" will not remove the peak distortion that occurs due to digital clipping. Such compression/limiting must be done with an external hardware device.
 
yep!

Yep once destorted always destorted. Lopp is right about that.

F.S.
 
This is a ridiculous question I'm sure but is there any way a compressor/limiter plug in can be used at the INPUT stage during recording - ie to compress/limit the incoming signal????

Thankyou if anyone has an answer.
 
Yes some software allows it...N-Track does.....but it takes some serious CPU power to do it well.....
 
Thanks Gidge. I wonder if saving - ie destructively editing - the plug-in compressed track would be the answer to having CPU drain build up? Unfortunately I don't use N-Track but will be using Logic Audio in the near future I think. Logic may also have this N-Track feature perhaps.

Thanks very much for the tip.

Nige
 
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