Compression?????????????????????????????????

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royalb

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Compression?

Why do you compress?(even out volumes?)
When is it needed?(on the final mix? on seperate tracks?)
What settings shoud be used?(is there a standerd?)
What is the sound that people look for when using compression?
any examples/comparison songs?
 
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In order:

---(You've answered your own question)

---Both. Depending on the circumstances and the nature of the material.

---This would be a good way to open up the wonderful world of compression --- it has presets for various instruments.

---Controlled but natural. Not squished, not squashed. Unless you are using compression as an effect, then all rules go away.

---Nope. Sorry
 
im using a
ma200->sessionpack220->rossetta800->002r->rossetta800->centralstation->Bm15a's-> ME


the session pack has a compresser but i really dont know where to set it at.
right now i have it Attack all the way slow. release all the way fast. ratio 4-1
and threshold ??????it sounds ok but is that how i should take advantage of it?
 
Get a book on compression specifically, or one on mixing that has a few good chapters on the uses, purposes and abuses of compression. And then experiment for a while on various sources using one of the principles you've read about at a time.

If you've invested that much and have that little knowledge of what you're doing it's certainly not something you can come to a BBS and expect to get an easy one- or two-paragraph answer to.
 
Depends on the material and what your compressing. With most effects and dynamics processors you have to be very careful if compressing going in. The are no presets for compression, it even varies from one song to another. What works on this song, may not work on the next. Just listen to the mix or individual tracks and apply what it's asking for.

However, if your recording in 24bit and have proper mic placement and technique you really shouldn't need compression to level out the sound. You also shouldn't need compression to avoid clipping either. I use it more as an effect than anything, certain compressors have a "signature" sound that people are looking for.

The way I usually start out is a fast attack, medium release, 0 threshold, ratio 2:1 and start adjusting everything from there by ear. The threshold usually really varies from source to source. With my vocals I usually end up between 2:1 and 4:1 depending, a semi fast attack, medium release.

This probably doesn't help much, but do some reading online and even check out some of the different manuals for other compressors at their manufacturers websites... sometimes there's some useful info there also. Good Luck!
 
I gotta admit I dont know anything about compression at all. But I'll be reading up on it now.
 
Read up a bit and then just do.

It takes a while before most people can even hear a compressor working. You just need to play around with one for a long time and note how the different parameters change the sound of various sources.

Yes, it just squashes the dynamics a bit but with attack and release controls you can do a lot more than just control the volume.

I got more excited when the use of compression started to click into place than with any other effect or processor, i still have a lot to learn though.
 
I think trial and error is the key. Your only problem will be if you think things sound awesome, but really they sound awful.

But as long as it's ok with you, then you're alright I suppose
 
i think trial and error after reading a bit would be a lot better though.

the purpose of compression is to recreate what the ear hears. what a mic 'hears' can peak and transient in ways the ear would hear more even.

compression has attack, release, threshold, ratio, and makeup gain.

okay...say a wave comes into your compressor at 8 db. your threshold is set to 10. the compressor does not pick up.

same wave of 8db comes in and the thresh is at 6db. ok...so when that wave arches over the 6db mark, it will decrease that volume at a ratio of whatever you set it to. say its 2:1. ok...so for every 2 db's it is over it will decrease it to 1 db. so...4 db over...2 db...6 db over...3db.

but how fast will it start doing that? that's where your attack comes in. if it is set to .5 seconds, .5 seconds after it breaks the threshold it will start compressing the db's according to the ratio.

how fast will it stop compressing? that's the release. usually this will be higher than the attack. basically always. you adjust the attack according to how normal it sounds....but if its something short like a snare...you're going to want a short attack. if its something you want sustained...you may want the release long.

during this whole process the compressor has been lessening the peaks, and you can up the volume by using the makeup gain to "make up" for the lost volume.

that's compression in a nutshell
 
cello_pudding said:
i think trial and error after reading a bit would be a lot better though.

the purpose of compression is to recreate what the ear hears. what a mic 'hears' can peak and transient in ways the ear would hear more even.

compression has attack, release, threshold, ratio, and makeup gain.

okay...say a wave comes into your compressor at 8 db. your threshold is set to 10. the compressor does not pick up.

same wave of 8db comes in and the thresh is at 6db. ok...so when that wave arches over the 6db mark, it will decrease that volume at a ratio of whatever you set it to. say its 2:1. ok...so for every 2 db's it is over it will decrease it to 1 db. so...4 db over...2 db...6 db over...3db.

but how fast will it start doing that? that's where your attack comes in. if it is set to .5 seconds, .5 seconds after it breaks the threshold it will start compressing the db's according to the ratio.

how fast will it stop compressing? that's the release. usually this will be higher than the attack. basically always. you adjust the attack according to how normal it sounds....but if its something short like a snare...you're going to want a short attack. if its something you want sustained...you may want the release long.

during this whole process the compressor has been lessening the peaks, and you can up the volume by using the makeup gain to "make up" for the lost volume.

that's compression in a nutshell
Click to expand...

WOW! That was one sweet post brother! Thanks! :D
 
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