Compressor Question
- Thread starter rjbriggs
- Start date
Shailat
New member
What is your set up?
Are you using plugins to compress if you are going to use it during mixdown?
Are you mixingdown to a 2 track format? ( Dat,Tape etc..)
Are you using Analog or Digital formats?
If you are using Calkwalk then you are probably mixing
in your computer so how do you plan on useing the Alesis?
Please give some more details.
With Analog tape it is commen to compress while recording becuase you want to have the hotist signal possible and compressing during mixdown would make the tape noise louder
also known as pumping breathing.
How ever since you seem to be using a digital format I don't see the advantage in - before vs after only if... you can compress each track seperately during mixdown.If you can't then you should do it prior to mixdown.
What you CAN use before is a limiter so you can record to your digital format without cliping.
[This message has been edited by Shailat (edited 01-05-2000).]
Are you using plugins to compress if you are going to use it during mixdown?
Are you mixingdown to a 2 track format? ( Dat,Tape etc..)
Are you using Analog or Digital formats?
If you are using Calkwalk then you are probably mixing
in your computer so how do you plan on useing the Alesis?
Please give some more details.
With Analog tape it is commen to compress while recording becuase you want to have the hotist signal possible and compressing during mixdown would make the tape noise louder
also known as pumping breathing.
How ever since you seem to be using a digital format I don't see the advantage in - before vs after only if... you can compress each track seperately during mixdown.If you can't then you should do it prior to mixdown.
What you CAN use before is a limiter so you can record to your digital format without cliping.
[This message has been edited by Shailat (edited 01-05-2000).]
sonusman
Banned
Whether you use compression at all depends upon the track needing it.
As far as recording with compression, once again, only if needed.
A case where compression could help. If a vocalist is running the extremes dynamically while recording. A compressor can help assure a more constant record level.
In the case of like a distorted guitar, compression really is not neccessary while tracking, and I have seldomly found a reason to apply a compressor at mix either.
Shailat. Seldomly have any of my analog friends talked about using compression going to tape while recording analog. The reason is that mid-to-high end analog recorders running at +4 record levels will offer a certain amount of compression while tracking if the input levels are hot enough to saturate the tape. As opposed to that, with digital, compression while tracking is totally neccessary to like you say stop clipping, but also to assure hot enough record levels to use all the bits of resolution the A/D converters will offers. In digital, the lower the record level, the less bits of resolution you have. So, sometimes a compress or limit to assure better bit resolution on a track. In analog, I would be able to skip the compressor in most cases and just record hot to tape.
Always, the shortest signal path will produce the best results. If a component is not needed at tracking, it should not be inline even in bypass mode. It is just another connector corrupting the signal path. Pre amp to tape is the shortest signal path available and should always be used to assure the best signal. If compression is needed to assure better recording levels, then a modest amount of compression could possibly be used. Although, I have found that it is usually more beneficial to work with the artist on improving their dynamic range to a point that it is appropriate for recording on the format that is being used.
So definately, compression after the track, if needed, and only before if needed. Depends on the recording format and the goals of the track in the mix.
Good luck.
Ed Rei
Echo Star Studio www.echostarstudio.com
As far as recording with compression, once again, only if needed.
A case where compression could help. If a vocalist is running the extremes dynamically while recording. A compressor can help assure a more constant record level.
In the case of like a distorted guitar, compression really is not neccessary while tracking, and I have seldomly found a reason to apply a compressor at mix either.
Shailat. Seldomly have any of my analog friends talked about using compression going to tape while recording analog. The reason is that mid-to-high end analog recorders running at +4 record levels will offer a certain amount of compression while tracking if the input levels are hot enough to saturate the tape. As opposed to that, with digital, compression while tracking is totally neccessary to like you say stop clipping, but also to assure hot enough record levels to use all the bits of resolution the A/D converters will offers. In digital, the lower the record level, the less bits of resolution you have. So, sometimes a compress or limit to assure better bit resolution on a track. In analog, I would be able to skip the compressor in most cases and just record hot to tape.
Always, the shortest signal path will produce the best results. If a component is not needed at tracking, it should not be inline even in bypass mode. It is just another connector corrupting the signal path. Pre amp to tape is the shortest signal path available and should always be used to assure the best signal. If compression is needed to assure better recording levels, then a modest amount of compression could possibly be used. Although, I have found that it is usually more beneficial to work with the artist on improving their dynamic range to a point that it is appropriate for recording on the format that is being used.
So definately, compression after the track, if needed, and only before if needed. Depends on the recording format and the goals of the track in the mix.
Good luck.
Ed Rei
Echo Star Studio www.echostarstudio.com
Shailat
New member
Ed,
Of course you don't have to compress if not needed. How ever from my expereince It is a rare case NOT to compress on vocals bass and guitar for example.
You need to be a exellent PRO session player or singer to record and get a consistant with healthy dynamics track down.
In my good amount of years spent in Pro studios It has been extremly rare for me to see it happen.
I'm not saying compress the hell out of every track quite the opposite !. Compression is a hazard if used wrong and for the wrong reasons.But have you ever heard of a slap thunmb bass line not limited?.
9 out of 10 bass lines are compressed- limited and most vocal lines
are to. In audio television and video it is a must, due to their limited dynamic range.
In a DAW system you can compress only problematic spots
And leave the rest.
If you have all the time in the world or money you can coach a singer into a better dynamic level of recording, but I find this to be the very hardest, in many cases impossible way to work. Can you teach a bass player in a couple of hours to play in a almost perfect technique that only top session players can do?. Can you coach a singer
to concentrate on giving a life performance, stay on tune,
Good diction, good vocal production and after all that to move the head from the mic at certain distances in order to forget compression ?. Isn't that why the compressor-limiter was made in the first place? In the old days the engineer would move the fader back and forth to compansate and still do it till today but on limited short sections !.
and even lightning fast hands can't deal with every chamge.
As for Analog tape - True "saturation" does give you a lot of space but you do have to take care of oversaturation.
It is not always needed but you can get a consistant !hotter signal to analog and help eliminte tape noise.
I prefer to do a part of this while recording and not leave it all to mixdown becuase of tape noise. I do try to make it very gentle as not to sqaush the dynamics or leave me with less options during mixdown.
I also find it commen to compress parts of a mix sometimes just drums to bring up their level compared to the rest of the mix. Not to mention in the procsess of mastering.
Some times the difference between amateur sounding and pro sounding tracks lays in the essential tool called compression.
[This message has been edited by Shailat (edited 01-05-2000).]
Of course you don't have to compress if not needed. How ever from my expereince It is a rare case NOT to compress on vocals bass and guitar for example.
You need to be a exellent PRO session player or singer to record and get a consistant with healthy dynamics track down.
In my good amount of years spent in Pro studios It has been extremly rare for me to see it happen.
I'm not saying compress the hell out of every track quite the opposite !. Compression is a hazard if used wrong and for the wrong reasons.But have you ever heard of a slap thunmb bass line not limited?.
9 out of 10 bass lines are compressed- limited and most vocal lines
are to. In audio television and video it is a must, due to their limited dynamic range.
In a DAW system you can compress only problematic spots
And leave the rest.
If you have all the time in the world or money you can coach a singer into a better dynamic level of recording, but I find this to be the very hardest, in many cases impossible way to work. Can you teach a bass player in a couple of hours to play in a almost perfect technique that only top session players can do?. Can you coach a singer
to concentrate on giving a life performance, stay on tune,
Good diction, good vocal production and after all that to move the head from the mic at certain distances in order to forget compression ?. Isn't that why the compressor-limiter was made in the first place? In the old days the engineer would move the fader back and forth to compansate and still do it till today but on limited short sections !.
and even lightning fast hands can't deal with every chamge.
As for Analog tape - True "saturation" does give you a lot of space but you do have to take care of oversaturation.
It is not always needed but you can get a consistant !hotter signal to analog and help eliminte tape noise.
I prefer to do a part of this while recording and not leave it all to mixdown becuase of tape noise. I do try to make it very gentle as not to sqaush the dynamics or leave me with less options during mixdown.
I also find it commen to compress parts of a mix sometimes just drums to bring up their level compared to the rest of the mix. Not to mention in the procsess of mastering.
Some times the difference between amateur sounding and pro sounding tracks lays in the essential tool called compression.
[This message has been edited by Shailat (edited 01-05-2000).]
Recording Engineer
Moderator
In regards to tracking: Most people I know will (nearly) always lightly compress (most) things while tracking to digital. Not nearly as often if tracking to analog.