Compressor questions

[geeq]

Uhh.. I know I've this before..
1. What do compressors do?
2. Are they necessary?
3. When are they use? During recordings or after recordings?
4. Does it make any difference from a raw recorded track?
5. Which is better? Hardware or software?
6. If Hardware, what's a decent unit? (quality and price are the issue)
7. If Software, Is Sound Forge alright? What's the best editing software rather...

 

[Jukkis]

1. someone else could give detailed answer for this... basically you can alter sound dynamics with compressor.

2. no, depends what kind of music you're making. example with Ambient music compression necessarily isn't needed and it can destroy "feeling" from the track.

3. both. during recordings you normally would use hardware compressor, but basically you could also use software compressor. after recording you could use both, but I guess mostly software compressors are used with after recording editing. it depends a lot what kind of recording system you're using.

compressing individual tracks is easier than compressing whole mixing. but this also depends little bit what kind of music and final result you're looking for. raw compression is used on many electronic music styles as "effect".

4. since it alters dynamics, yes.

5. I'm not pro enough for answering that question. I would assume that today best software compressors are really good and near quality of best hardware compressors. Possibly you get better quality per buck with software compressors. Atleast it is bit easier to use software compressors for "after recording" editing, but this also depends a lot for what people have used to use for. Some recording engineers necessary don't like using software compressors... and probably young people born to PC/Mac decade can find hardware compressors and really "antique" stuff... :=)

6. Behringer makes decent compressors on budget level, Alesis has also made some "classic" compressor models.

7. NativePowerPack is good for making final mastering, it's not just a compression software.

 

[Stefan Elmblad]

5. The best software compressors are nowhere near the quality of the best hardware compressors. Show me the plugin that acts and sounds like a Manley compressor. They do not exist, and most midrange plugins have better graphics than sound quality.

Is software compressors better quality per dollar?
Yes of course, pickup any shareware compressor and you're set.... it will sound awful on everything, but you can't beat the price/performance ratio.

 

[geeq]

How about music based on hip-hop/r&b? I guess I should give Sound Forge a try... Thanks alot folks..

 

[MISTERQCUE]

In Rap-Hip/Hop, a compressor would be suitable for controlling vocal peaks and siblance control by incorporating the unit's limiter and de-esser. The use of the comps gating function would be of little or no use (except for live recordings) as majority of rap's music uses drum machines,samplers and work-station keyboards
(such as the Triton or Yammy Motif).
I'm an outboard gear-slut/junkie, but have read excellent shout-outs to the var plug-ins such as WaveLabs, SoundForge and T-Racks RTAS.