Compression
- Thread starter Fariz
- Start date
Dogbreath
Im an ex-spurt
Hey dude...
Compression can be used as an effect or (it's main use) to tame peaks and bring cohesiveness to a track or a mix.
Most comps have 4 settings...
Threshold is like the door that tells the comp when to start working. A threshold of say...-10...tells the comp to start compressing the signal whenever it hits -10. What it does and how much it does it depneds on the rest of your settings...
Like the Ratio...
Ration is how much.
Like a ratio of 4:1 means that for every 4 db's that go over your threshold, it'll let one db thru.
Attack.....is how fast (or slow) the compressor starts clamping down on the signal.
Release is how fast the comp lets go of the signal.
Do a search cuz there's lots of tutorials out there.
Compression can be used as an effect or (it's main use) to tame peaks and bring cohesiveness to a track or a mix.
Most comps have 4 settings...
Threshold is like the door that tells the comp when to start working. A threshold of say...-10...tells the comp to start compressing the signal whenever it hits -10. What it does and how much it does it depneds on the rest of your settings...
Like the Ratio...
Ration is how much.
Like a ratio of 4:1 means that for every 4 db's that go over your threshold, it'll let one db thru. Attack.....is how fast (or slow) the compressor starts clamping down on the signal.
Release is how fast the comp lets go of the signal.
Do a search cuz there's lots of tutorials out there.
Massive Master
www.massivemastering.com
A simple "COMP" knob on a mixer would be used mostly in live situations to reel in the dynamic range of the source (typically, an out-of-control vocalist).
itaughttremonti
Paul McCartney died?
bouldersoundguy
Well-known member
Compression reduces the difference in volume between the loud parts and the quiet parts. If one instrument of vocal is sometimes too loud and sometimes too quiet you could use a compressor to keep that from happening as much.
Captain Ego
New member
Sorry to ask a side question, but it's similar enough that I don't want to start a whole new thread about it.
I know how the studio settings work (kind of) but I have wondered how does that translate to a guitar effect pedal? My little multi-pedal has a setting between just 1 and 10 I guess is for the entire "amount" of compression, whatever that means, and my friend has a compressor pedal with settings for "level", "tone", "attack" and "sustain". Level and tone are obvious but what's up with "attack" and "sustain"?
I know how the studio settings work (kind of) but I have wondered how does that translate to a guitar effect pedal? My little multi-pedal has a setting between just 1 and 10 I guess is for the entire "amount" of compression, whatever that means, and my friend has a compressor pedal with settings for "level", "tone", "attack" and "sustain". Level and tone are obvious but what's up with "attack" and "sustain"?
Armistice
Son of Yoda
Essentially it does the same thing, reducing the dynamic range - your device obviously has preset parameters, and your friend's has more normal functionality...
Attack and sustain are terms used a lot in music to describe a sound "envelope" - to get a good understanding, just do a google of the terms, but roughly, attack is the amount of time from the start of a note to when you want something to change (ie. compression applied) and sustain is the length from when a change starts to when that change ends (or another change starts).
So a slow attack means that the sound is allowed to go on for a time before whatever the change / effect, is applied, and a long sustain means that the change is allowed to occur for a long time. So a slow attack will vary in millisecond terms, depending upon what effect / change is being applied...
They're not just used for compressors, they're general terms you'll come across a lot. Suggest you do a bit of research - there are lots of compression primers hereabouts...
And google decay and release too, you'll need to know those terms as well..
Clear as?
Cheers
Attack and sustain are terms used a lot in music to describe a sound "envelope" - to get a good understanding, just do a google of the terms, but roughly, attack is the amount of time from the start of a note to when you want something to change (ie. compression applied) and sustain is the length from when a change starts to when that change ends (or another change starts).
So a slow attack means that the sound is allowed to go on for a time before whatever the change / effect, is applied, and a long sustain means that the change is allowed to occur for a long time. So a slow attack will vary in millisecond terms, depending upon what effect / change is being applied...
They're not just used for compressors, they're general terms you'll come across a lot. Suggest you do a bit of research - there are lots of compression primers hereabouts...
And google decay and release too, you'll need to know those terms as well..
Clear as?
Cheers