Compressors ?

[arsenaultk9]

I've a got a question about compressors. Are they usefull while recording and if so then why ? I've got a compressor and I'm willing to use it for my personnal recording experience, but I need more information. Will it help it be more professionnal for the final result ? I need just the basic facts.

 

[ikabodd]

I'm still fairly green with sound design myself, so I won't try and go into all the details of compression. (There are others on this board much more qualified to answer questions). However, I will say that every engineer I've come across, from major studios down, has agreed that compression is crucial. As my old teacher put it, if you were trapped on a desert isle with only one form of signal processing (comp, eq, reverb) take the compressor. It is a tricky art form to master (I'm still trying myself), but some decent compression, to me, can make all the difference in the world on a track. Definately a good thing to study up more on.
You may want to start by using the compressor as a mic pre (in line between your mic and mixer) and just experiment to see how different things can sound. Good luck.

 

[chessrock]

I've got a compressor and I'm willing to use it for my personnal recording experience, but I need more information. Will it help it be more professionnal for the final result ? I need just the basic facts.

If used properly, then yes.

 

[LRosario]

It's really simple to understand.


If you look at a natural and unaltered soundwave profile, you'll notice a bunch of peaks and valleys, respectively called compression and rarefaction.

As with any naturally occuring sound, lets say your vocals, they aren't exactly perfect in level. You'll have lower volumes and higher volumes. Thats just the nature of the beast.

All compression does is mash the wave down so the ratio of high levels to low levels are closer together. I think the common mistake people make is when they first hear this, they tend to get excited and over do it with compression; which will completely distroy your song.

Thats why its important not to over compress.

It's a matter of trial and error until you get a sound you want.


Compression is great for alot of things. For example, it allows the vocals to come out more powerful and present than by itself. It can be used to give instruments certain "punch".

Some people over compress vocals on purpose to create a distorted effect. A good example is Trent reznor from Nine Inch Nails.

 

[Ronan]

You may want to start by using the compressor as a mic pre (in line between your mic and mixer) and just experiment to see how different things can sound. Good luck.

This might be an interesting experiment, but not really recomdended. A compressor is expecting a line level signal to operate properly. A mic signal is much lower than line level, thus the need for a mix pre amp to bring up the signal.

I agree with one of the previous posters. If I had only one piece of processing gear to make records it would be "good" compression"

 

[earz]

Using compression while recording isnt recommended, I usually make an exception
when I record vocals. same goes for EQ or any form of processing for that matter
( distorted guitars is another exception )
Use Compression in the mix to make tracks fit into the mix better, or as an effect.
but compression isn t gonna make your recording good if it doesn t sound good from the source, the secret in professional recording is a combination of good players, good instruments, good tuning. Each of those are equaly important.
I started my career in audio in a big professional studio as a runner, going to assistant engineer, to full engineer, I had everything you could dream of to play with, but it was only until I also started working on my own projects in little studio's with sometimes no outboard gear at all that I learned how to track properly and recognize the importance of the sound BEFORE it hits the mic ( ok I admit, seeing other experienced engineers working helped me aswell :-D ).
Of course, good miking techniques are also important.
Once you master these, then worry about putting money into outboard gear
So my advice is: learn to listen, learn to track and make it sound good without
all the wistles and bells you have.
It is just the musician, his instrument, the mic ( + position) and your ears...
the rest is just like the topping on the icecream

 

[ssscientist]

Using compression while recording isnt recommended, I usually make an exception when I record vocals.

If you really do have the amount of experience detailed in the rest of your post you must know that this is basically a forum for those trying to get started in recording to learn from those with more experience.

Laying down ANYTHING as a hard and fast rule can be very destructive, as it can take years for an impressionable recordist to shrug off bad habits.

For example, there are still people recording to cassette tape on this BBS and trying to get a decent signal without compressing the input is tricky at best. Please keep your platitudes to yourself, or figure out a better way to present them.

 

[earz]

What hard and fast rule?
I just pointed out that these things have far more impact on the result
But I agree with you when it comes down to recording media with limited dynamic range
I failed to point that out in my post.

My initial reply wasn t meant to be a 'hard and fast rule' but more something to think about, since IMHO using a compressor to make up for poor sounds ( or playing ) IS a bad habbit

So Arsenaultk9, in addition to the reply of Lrosario raising the lower volumes also gives you the advantage that it helps to keep those low volumes well above the noise and hiss generated by the media.
But beware, cause compression also raises the unwanted background noises (hum from an amp, hiss from the mic pre-amp, crosstalk from other instruments, etc ... ) that was already there before it enters the compressor

You can use a compressor also to emphasize or flatten certain characteristics of a sound,
for instance to make a funky guitar to be more percussive sounding, get more resonance from a snare drum or make it sound more snappier, etc...

Hope this clarifies my earlier post

 

[NYMorningstar]

If you really do have the amount of experience detailed in the rest of your post you must know that this is basically a forum for those trying to get started in recording to learn from those with more experience.

Laying down ANYTHING as a hard and fast rule can be very destructive, as it can take years for an impressionable recordist to shrug off bad habits.

For example, there are still people recording to cassette tape on this BBS and trying to get a decent signal without compressing the input is tricky at best. Please keep your platitudes to yourself, or figure out a better way to present them.

Hey man there's no reason to jump in anyone's shit because they express their opinion and it differs from yours. The only thing destructive here is your attitiude. Mind your manners.

Oh ya and by the way WELCOME to the BBS earz!

 

[earz]

Hey man there's no reason to jump in anyone's shit because they express their opinion and it differs from yours. The only thing destructive here is your attitiude. Mind your manners.

I like people to comment, or correct me if I am wrong as long as it is done in a polite way.
I am far from being mister know it all
Always on the look for new idea's, other ways at tackling problems or situations, afterall if I would know everything, what would be the point of being here?

Ok this was rather off topic, sorry for that

Oh ya and by the way WELCOME to the BBS earz!

Thanks NYMorningstar

 

[kanga]

http://www.recordingproject.com/articles/article.php?article=6


full stop.

 

[ecktronic]

I use compression to stop any signal going over 0db while recording. I use as little compression as possible with a low ratio and low threshold, maybe around 1:2 or is it 2:1 and threshold of around 4db.
I also use compression to make certain things stand out, like snare and kik drum. I compress them alot usually. Bass sounds good when compressed a good bit, around 6:1. Not sure with compressing guitars yet, would maybe use a bit, but too much and it kills the guitar sound.

 

[Ronan]

For example, there are still people recording to cassette tape on this BBS and trying to get a decent signal without compressing the input is tricky at best.

Cassettes actually naturally compress really well. They sound much better when you hit the tape hard and take advantage of the inherint compression in the medium.

I wish there a lot more people on this BBS recording to cassette. 4 track cassette is still a totally valid recording medium and I truly believe it is a much better way to learn recording than jumping straight into computers. I honestly believe that a newbie spending a year with a 4 track cassette and a bunch of Shure SM57s, will become a MUCH better engineer than a newbie spending a year with $40,000 ProTools HD rig. But I totally understand the gear lust to want the lastest gear as a newbie ( hell, even us dinosaurs deal with it.)

It really can not be over stated how much more valuable it is for a new engineers to seriously dig into simple tools, than to bury yourself with lots of options.

OK off my preacher box now.

 

[ikabodd]

I definately agree with Ronan, there. I was recording on a simple old 8-track (it was an old Korg hard drive system, but nothing too fancy about it) for a couple years. Then I was lucky enough to have alot of great pro tools gear practically land in my lap. However, with the learning curve for all the "computer stuff", I kinda miss the days of just one mic, a couple knobs and faders, and learning by listening. I can say from experience, a newb who's on an equipment bender can easily get in over his head when he should be focusing on the basics.
Also, Ronan's earlier post about in-line compression. I agree with that as well. I, myself, use just a touch of compression going in to keep the signal cleaner (mostly on vox), then use compression plug ins to clean up the mix.

 

[junplugged]

I can't hear mild compression, I can hardly hear heavy compression. The pro's can actually hear the difference not only with mild compression, but they claim they can hear the difference between different compressors. Personally, I don't print any effect or dynamic process b/c since I don't really hear it and I can't change it once it's down.

I have experimented by bouncing thru a compressor and since I don't really know how to use it effectively I never keep it. Sure I'll do a mix w/ it but, I can't decide if I like it any better than if it wasn't there. I'm also using a cheapo compressor. I'd like to demo 10 different compressors and I could tell you all the names I'd like to try, but that ain't gonna happen....

Play with it, audition it, experiment with it, see if you find a setting that you like. If it doesn't improve your sound then leave it out.

As far as a majic bullet to help to 'professionalize' recordings, it doesn't exist. That fact may be the most important thing I've learned about home recording.

 

[Ronan]

The pro's can actually hear the difference not only with mild compression, but they claim they can hear the difference between different compressors.

Yes this is true. I can very rarely listen to a track and say which compressors were used etc, but once your ears develop (it took me years!) you can hear the difference between compressors and even hear the sound of different tubes in a compressor etc.

I bet if you had a chance to A-B various compressors and maybe had some one soft of explain what to listen for you would be able to hear this to. Its sort of like a non musician might think all acoustic guitars sound the same.

 

[Agent47]

Compressors are vital - imagine Frank Sinatra without his compressor. It'd be like Robbie Williams without his Autotune...

 

[talontsiawd]

I just got a free compressor (more or less-i'm borrowing it indefinately) and i find it very useful if not vital for vocals. Although i haven't messed around with it much once i found the settings i liked, i always use it. I use light compression but my vocals stay at a constant volume so it yeilds great results. I used to always have to set my gain according to my mood, time of day, how much energy etc. Even during recording, i'd get tired or more into it and constantly adjust things. Now I can usually get away with not touching anything. Before i would try to compress things digitally in sound forge with similar settings but the results were medicure in comparison. I would only part with mine for a better one (meaning a decent one).

 

[Ronan]

Compressors are vital - imagine Frank Sinatra without his compressor. It'd be like Robbie Williams without his Autotune...

Not that I am contributing much to the discussion here, but I saw Robbie Williams play in a small club in Seattle and he was pretty amazing live.

 

[junplugged]

Ok, what I said before, forget it. I've been recording solo acoustic guitar and vocals for way too long and That's why I've had a hard time using compression. A lot of times, it's not used for that, for some reasons. But yesterday I plugged in and man, did I need compression. (drums, bass, 2 electric guitars jam) So I used it across the whole mix and it helped, but I may need to use it on individual tracks instead. But this was just a little diversion, not a project so it's gonna stay that way for a while.

My little diversion jam taught me some stuff about compression, and the first thing is that I sure need it if I'm doing a mix of more than solo ac/gt & voc.

I have it posed up at NWR and let me know if anyone cares to hear it uncompressed. But that's almost impossible to listen to it's full of nasty spikes that scare the hell out of me!