T
Titanship
New member
When tracking, isn't it best to compress coming from the insert? Is there ever a good use for using the compressor as an effect?
titan
PEACE
titan
PEACE
HangDawg
bUnGhOlIo
I was under the impression that comp, eq, verb and the like were not supposed to be used when tracking. This stuff gets done during the mix. But, if I had to guess I would say comp is used as an insert not an effect.
Blue Bear Sound
New member
It depends what you're trying to do.....
Via inserts is more common, but there may be times when via a mult, buss or aux makes sense (such as when adding a compressed version of a track back in with an uncompressed version for some color)
And you use compression, EQ when you need to, either at tracking or afterwards.... there are implications to your choice and reasons why you either would or wouldn't, but it completely depends on the context of what you're doing....
It's typically not advisable to use EQ or compression to compensate for poor recording technique, but other than that, use it when it makes sense to use it during tracking or mixdown....
Via inserts is more common, but there may be times when via a mult, buss or aux makes sense (such as when adding a compressed version of a track back in with an uncompressed version for some color)
And you use compression, EQ when you need to, either at tracking or afterwards.... there are implications to your choice and reasons why you either would or wouldn't, but it completely depends on the context of what you're doing....
It's typically not advisable to use EQ or compression to compensate for poor recording technique, but other than that, use it when it makes sense to use it during tracking or mixdown....
Track Rat
Just Your Average Sized Member
If you're asking where's the best place to patch a compressor, the insert is prefered over an aux or effects send. If you're asking about when to use compression, it's subjective but the way I do it is at mix time rather than tracking. It's easy to compress or not compress when you're mixing but if you track with it, it's a mother fucker taking it off if you used too much.
longsoughtfor
Searching for the sound
Personally, I prefer to patch compressors and effects in-line with the send from the deck (or pre if recording it). This leaves the signal path entirely balanced (TRS/XLR). The insert (on my board anyway) is not balanced.
Keivn.
Keivn.
V
Vurt
New member
I always track with light compression and save any extreme compression settings for the mixing stage when I have more time and less distractions.
D
dbc
New member
I agree. Sometimes it's good to put a little compression on the track to take the "edge" off. Bass gets smoothed out a little, snare has a little more controled level, etc...
Again, this is all subjective...
Again, this is all subjective...
T
Titanship
New member
I basically see it like Vurt and dbc. I have only one compressor, so I use it when I KNOW I need it(while tracking), like on bass and percussion. I use it on most everything else too, but as little as possible.
Thanks,
titan
PEACE
Thanks,
titan
PEACE
V
Vurt
New member
I think too much fuss is made around here about overuse of compression (I mean on individual instrument tracks, not the final stereo tracks). Seems like every day I read "only if you have to" or "as little as possible ", or whatever. Well, not only does that not make a whole hell of a lot of sense as a blanket statement intended to cover the personal tastes of thousands, but I think it's wrong anyway.
Personally, I think just about everything benefits from some level of compression except for drums. Except for a few instances with the kick, I can't think of a single time a drum sound has been improved by compression.
On the other hand, I can't think of a single vocal track that was not improved by light compression, but too much here will definitely be counter-productive.
For guitars, keys, bass, etc... I think there is a lot of 'freedom of compression', and if you don't happen to be in a perfect room with perfect mics and mic techniques, chances are you will benefit from using that freedom.
There goddamnit - I said it.
Personally, I think just about everything benefits from some level of compression except for drums. Except for a few instances with the kick, I can't think of a single time a drum sound has been improved by compression.
On the other hand, I can't think of a single vocal track that was not improved by light compression, but too much here will definitely be counter-productive.
For guitars, keys, bass, etc... I think there is a lot of 'freedom of compression', and if you don't happen to be in a perfect room with perfect mics and mic techniques, chances are you will benefit from using that freedom.
There goddamnit - I said it.
T
Titanship
New member
Limiting
I was talking with my gear sales rep today about limiting, instead of compressing. He said that though he likes compression, limiting could be what is needed in many cases.
I bought an APHEX 207 pre-amp/limiter. I'm looking forward to trying it out in some instances where I might have used compression in the past.
titan,
PEACE
I was talking with my gear sales rep today about limiting, instead of compressing. He said that though he likes compression, limiting could be what is needed in many cases.
I bought an APHEX 207 pre-amp/limiter. I'm looking forward to trying it out in some instances where I might have used compression in the past.
titan,
PEACE
Blue Bear Sound
New member
er, FYI...
A limiter IS a compressor, with a very high ratio and fast attack....
A limiter IS a compressor, with a very high ratio and fast attack....
T
Titanship
New member
Re: er, FYI...
You've GOT to be shittin me! I'll sue for misrepresentation! That rat bastard.
uh, titan
PEACE
Blue Bear Sound said:
You've GOT to be shittin me! I'll sue for misrepresentation! That rat bastard.
uh, titan
PEACE
Blue Bear Sound
New member
Re: Re: er, FYI...
I shit you not....Titanship said:
pipelineaudio
Well-known member
back to part of the original question, compression can be used as an aux effect for certain things. A popular trick , especially lately among the fad followers who claim to hate compression so much ( but use compression CONSTANTLY) is to split a copy of the drums off, by aux send or by buss, compress the hell out of it, and bring it back and play it WITH the original uncompressed drums
sonusman
Banned
Re: er, FYI...
Errrrrrrrr...the knee is quite different between compression and limiting and is mostly responsible for how different they sound when applied.
Ed
Blue Bear Sound said:
Errrrrrrrr...the knee is quite different between compression and limiting and is mostly responsible for how different they sound when applied.
Ed
Doug Quance
2006 Cave Roast Chairman
Re: Re: er, FYI...
Big Ed:
You know Blue Bear is fucking with everyone, don't you?
For the record, a limiter is a compressor that exceeds 10:1
sonusman said:
Big Ed:
You know Blue Bear is fucking with everyone, don't you?
For the record, a limiter is a compressor that exceeds 10:1
Sennheiser
New member
I usually do track with mild compression on almost everything. I really have no choice unless I want to compress the entire mix at mixdown.
That wouldn't do to use the same compressor setting for the entire mix. Some tracks need more, some less.
It'd be nice to have one compressor to use on each channel for mixdown, but the budget is not going to allow for that right now.
If I find a trackl during the mix that might need a bit more I have the option to tweak it a bit. Hopefully no more than two tracks will need an adjustment.
Oh, to answer your question, you use inserts for compression.
A send splits the signal so you have one compressed and the other not. What's the use? I read above that some use it on drums. Doesn't make any sense to me.
That wouldn't do to use the same compressor setting for the entire mix. Some tracks need more, some less.
It'd be nice to have one compressor to use on each channel for mixdown, but the budget is not going to allow for that right now.
If I find a trackl during the mix that might need a bit more I have the option to tweak it a bit. Hopefully no more than two tracks will need an adjustment.
Oh, to answer your question, you use inserts for compression.
A send splits the signal so you have one compressed and the other not. What's the use? I read above that some use it on drums. Doesn't make any sense to me.
pipelineaudio
Well-known member
"A send splits the signal so you have one compressed and the other not. What's the use? I read above that some use it on drums. Doesn't make any sense to me"
try it. Some love it some hate it. Sometimes people rolloff the his on the compressed one, and when they are mixed together, the hi's of the uncompressed track show the dynamics while the lows are solid
try it. Some love it some hate it. Sometimes people rolloff the his on the compressed one, and when they are mixed together, the hi's of the uncompressed track show the dynamics while the lows are solid
Doug Quance
2006 Cave Roast Chairman
pipelineaudio said:
Works pretty good in live sound reinforcement as well.
A band that used to frequent my club had a drummer that taught me that one. He would play a pattern that sounded like a Harley... mean and fat.
Blue Bear Sound
New member
Re: Re: er, FYI...
If I set a compressor with a hard knee, fast attack, and low ratio, that won't make it a limiter.......!
Yes... the knee is harder, but that alone doesn't differentiate a limiter and a compression setting....sonusman said:
If I set a compressor with a hard knee, fast attack, and low ratio, that won't make it a limiter.......!