Do I need a compressor????

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JPlush76

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I just set up a little home studio to record my band and I've been reading up on compressors, especially for vocals.

Should I get an outboard compression system to record vocals into my pc or should i just record flat and do the compression using my recording software(cakewalk sonar)?

thanks for the help!

I just bought a good vaccum tube condenser mic and preamp so I'm looking to get a really nice, warm vocal sound
 
If I were you, I'd use the compression software in Sonar to start. Compression would make recording a little easier IF (and that's a very BIG if) you know how to use it. I'd recommend learning how to apply compression effectively with the plugins well before you sink any cash into a hardware unit. Especially since you've already paid for the plugins and they work fine, for the most part.

Just make sure that your tracks don't clip (hit the red- in Sonar that means going over 0dB) as you are recording them. Then use your compression plugs if you need them. f you record with consistent levels (i.e. not too loud at one part and too soft at another) you won't need to compress, depending on the style of music.

You can also use fader animation to tame the louder parts and raise the quieter parts. This often leads to a better sound than trying to use the compressors to even out a track.

Enjoy!
Chris
 
hey thanks Chris
yea, I have no clue how to use a compressor :)

I guess I'll stick with the plugins for now
 
High!

If you have the possibility, try to record in 24bit. Then you will have the possibility of recording with a big enough 'safety margin' to the 0dB = clipping without loosing too much 'accuracy' caused by coarse a/d conversion...

I don't know how to say this properly now -- too tired ;)

Ciao

Axel
 
High!

If I were you, I'd try to record in 24 bit then. That makes it much easier to record with a 'safety margin' to the 0dB = clipping AND having a high bit-resolution. Then a SW-compression should not push the digital noise up too high...

Ciao

Axel
 
I am one of those guys that likes to use a hardware compressor/limiter on the way in (I know, I know, just stop throwing the tomatoes.....), but only for vocals. Very little compression, mostly limiting.

Maybe it's just an obsessive compulsive disorder, but when laying down vocal tracks, I feel much better KNOWING I'm not going to clip, no matter how loud I sing and KNOWING that my noise floor isn't going to sky rocket if I'm singing softly. I perform better with that added bit of confidence ...and I can use all the performance improvements I can get :)

I don't ever recall not needing to compress vocals before all was said and done, hence I'm doing a bit of it up front to alleviate clipping/noise floor/lost resolution. And, I do end up using compression plugins as well once the tracks are laid in.

Call me crazy, but that's what works best for me.
 
Seanmorse79 said:
I am one of those guys that likes to use a hardware compressor/limiter on the way in (I know, I know, just stop throwing the tomatoes.....)

Call me crazy, but that's what works best for me.
Click to expand...

Why should anyone call you crazy? That's how most of the great vocal tracks in history have been recorded. I use the Millenia Media TCL-2 while tracking 95% of my vocals. The artists generally love what they hear in the phones, and consequently give a more inspired performance.
 
Hey littledog,

Ignorant newbie question. What is it about the Millenia Media TCL-2 that the artists like so much? What exactly does it do to the sound to inspire them so.

Ignorant newbie question 2: I assume that this is a piece of "pro" gear and as such, expensive. Would you recommend this to a newbie? And if not this piece exactly then which, for a starter/low-budget system?

When was the last time you remember it being this freaking hot/humid around these parts? I know I'm suffering. It's got to be that much worse down your way.

Take care-thanx,

lou
 
Why should anyone call you crazy? That's how most of the great vocal tracks in history have been recorded.
Click to expand...

LD,

Thanx for the comment. :) I remember being disagreed with (fairly adamantly) about compression when I'm tracking vocs in a thread a while ago. Of course, I'm stuck with a little Nanocompressor ('jus a humble homerec'er), but it's good to know folks with more serious studios do this too.

..and it's hot as all get-out here too :mad: :D
 
JPlush76 said:

Should I get an outboard compression system to record vocals into my pc or should i just record flat and do the compression using my recording software(cakewalk sonar)?
Click to expand...

Outboard compressors won't set you back too much and eventually you will need one. I say get one now.
 
actaully I just went out last night and got a behringer composer pro for $99

I couldn't pass up a 99 dollar compressor :)
 
Sky Blue Lou said:
Hey littledog,

Ignorant newbie question. What is it about the Millenia Media TCL-2 that the artists like so much? What exactly does it do to the sound to inspire them so.

Ignorant newbie question 2: I assume that this is a piece of "pro" gear and as such, expensive. Would you recommend this to a newbie? And if not this piece exactly then which, for a starter/low-budget system?

When was the last time you remember it being this freaking hot/humid around these parts? I know I'm suffering. It's got to be that much worse down your way.
Click to expand...

I'm recovering from surgery in air-conditioned comfort. Given a choice, I'd much rather be out on my boat. The hotter it gets, the better for boating, as far as I'm concerned. With my luck, by the time I'm able to get out it will probably turn cool and rainy!

One advantage compression does while tracking is keep the vocals "fat" in the mix, so they don't get swallowed up by other instruments when the vocalist gets reall soft. I don't use extreme settings while tracking, and the reason I use the Millenia is because it is so transparent. But, yes, it is an expensive piece, probably way out of budget for a lot of us. On the other (more affordable) hand, at the risk of sounding like I'm chanting a mantra:

FMR RNC... FMR RNC... FMR RNC... FMR RNC... FMR RNC... FMR RNC... FMR RNC... FMR RNC... FMR RNC... FMR RNC...
 
That seems to be a fairly popular chant. Think I may just point myself in that direction.

Hope you're feeling well. Speedy recovery my friend.

Thanx,

lou
 
I've gotten a chance to use the compressor and I must say I'm happy I bought one!

When I tracked vocals everything was even and clear and I didn't have to keep looking at my computer screen to see if I was clipping or not.

thanks for everyone's help!!
 
JPlush76 said:
I've gotten a chance to use the compressor and I must say I'm happy I bought one!

When I tracked vocals everything was even and clear and I didn't have to keep looking at my computer screen to see if I was clipping or not.

thanks for everyone's help!!
Click to expand...

Damnit Jim, quit hopping forums on us!! We miss you back on FTJ. And don't pull that "rockstar" crap on us. :-P

You got a compressor for $99? Good call...

We had a Digitech S100 effects unit we used on a bunch of our songs (We had FUUUUN with vocal effects).. I had never known how to use a compressor either, however I knew the basic idea of one... We tracked this one song, "Volume Pedal" (I think it was that one... either that or "High Above"), and Darren's vocals were ALL OVER the place in the dynamics area... Instead of me having to memorize EVERY SINGLE FADER RIDE for his vocal tracks ON TOP of all the other fader rides and whatnot for mixing it (and believe me, i would've torn my hair out first!), I taught myself how to use the compressor on the S100 (I wish I did that a LONG time ago...), and slapped it on the vocal track... Only had to make like one fader ride on the vocal track, and that was it. Period. It made life SO much easier...

If you've got some really up and down vocal tracks, or even bass guitar, honestly, slap a compressor on it... Just don't compress it TOO much, otherwise you squash the top end of signal and it gets all harsh... Compression takes a LOT of experimentation...

If you want to see how our stuff came out with the compression, check out http://www.mp3.com/toefinger5 and download "Volume Pedal"... at least I'm fairly sure that's what it was.

Oh yeah, Jim. Get your ass back on FTJ. We were just talkin' about you. Dork. :-P
 
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