How do you put theory into practice

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adude

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ive read the theory of compression over many times..same with reverb and eq.i read the theory once, come back to it a while later but i am still confronted with the same problem.

How to put the informations ive read into practice.

I know what compression is but though do not how to use it effectively and know how to set threshold, attack, release etc.

so how to you guys put theory into practice?

compression is one of my main problems..so how do u guys set your compressions settings. For example do you determine your threshold by levels by another way. Or is it simply through your ear.

if someone could break down how they set attack, release, threshold and ratio that would really help.

Also if any one has general guidelines for compression for hiphop vocals
 
Yes, the application of all that theory really is mostly by ear, though your eyes should be getting info from the meters too. On the vocals, try starting out with a ratio of 4:1, a pretty fast attack, and a pretty slow release. Start with the threshold all the way up so there's no compression happening, then slowly bring the threshold down and listen as more and more of the signal reaches threshold and compresses. Bring up the makeup gain a little as you go. You're looking for the right balance of the vocal sitting nice and full without losing all of it's life. Play around with going too far and then coming back into the zone. Try the same with different ratios.

Have fun.
 
The book, Mastering Audio the art and the science has a very good illistrated section on compression. It also has good info on reverb etc.

I can say that that first you need to decide what you want to accomplish.
EG: make the bass guitar line more even volume wise, make the kick drum have more impact, etc.

Once you decide what your going to do, begin the trial and error phase of learning;) Eventually you will get it.

Your best bet is to learn by doing, along with referrancing books, etc.


Good Luck.

F.S.
 
I would not add compression unless you hear a specific problem that needs to be fixed with it. I firmly believe that the less you do, the better it will sound.

Start with everything in mono, then adjust only the faders until everything sits right. If after a long time of trying you just can't do it, then start considering EQ and compression. If, in this process you hear something that get louder and softer and need to be evened out, then compression may be the right tool. Now play with the compressor settings until the dynamics even out without unwanted side effects. Listen for things like "pumping", distortion, or losing too many transients.

It is REALLY easy to go overboard with too much. Speaking for myself (and many others I'm sure), my goal is to avoid ANY EQ or compression. It's usually not possible, but that's what I shoot for anyway.
 
You know, often I feel the same way. I use a lot of volume envelope edits to do most of the dirty work. But then, I really love the LA2A plug. Practically speaking, it's just one knob and a switch (discounting the makeup gain knob). And that's a beautiful thing.
 
adude said:
ive read the theory of compression over many times..same with reverb and eq.i read the theory once, come back to it a while later but i am still confronted with the same problem.

How to put the informations ive read into practice.

I know what compression is but though do not how to use it effectively and know how to set threshold, attack, release etc.

so how to you guys put theory into practice?

compression is one of my main problems..so how do u guys set your compressions settings. For example do you determine your threshold by levels by another way. Or is it simply through your ear.

if someone could break down how they set attack, release, threshold and ratio that would really help.

Also if any one has general guidelines for compression for hiphop vocals
Click to expand...

get hired by a band that has a singer who belts it out, and go on tour and try to make that voice be heard through every shitty wrongly tuned and set up with no headroom pa system all over the country and make it work and you will know much about compression! if you don't want to do that every one else had good advice ! just realize that your main purpose of using compression is to change the overalldynamic range of the scource so it can be used effectively in the recorded realm , and that includes playback systems as well, use it effectively it really shouldnt be heard unless you desire the adverse effects of more extreme compression!
 
mshilarious said:
You know, often I feel the same way. I use a lot of volume envelope edits to do most of the dirty work. But then, I really love the LA2A plug. Practically speaking, it's just one knob and a switch (discounting the makeup gain knob). And that's a beautiful thing.
Click to expand...

I agree about the LA2A plug. It sees more use than the 1176LN, Fairchild, or Neve 88RS plugs on my UAD card.

The other plug I love is Voxengo's Soniformer. Technically, it's an MBC, but because it has so many bands it can be used very surgically - trimming only the frequency spikes you don't want without compressing everything. Helps keep the transients intact and lessens the amount of limiting you will need.
 
To put Theory into Practice you must put Practice into Theory. :)

Eck
 
leddy said:
I would not add compression unless you hear a specific problem that needs to be fixed with it. I firmly believe that the less you do, the better it will sound.
Click to expand...
I disagree. I would use alot of compression to bring out the ambiance of the overheads which in turn actually makes the mix sounds more natural!
Funny how adding a shit load of an effect can make something sound more natural. :)

There was nothing wrong with the OHs in the first place but by adding compression it made them sound better.

Compression is an effect, not just a correction tool.

Eck
 
ecktronic said:
I disagree. I would use alot of compression to bring out the ambiance of the overheads which in turn actually makes the mix sounds more natural!
Funny how adding a shit load of an effect can make something sound more natural. :)

There was nothing wrong with the OHs in the first place but by adding compression it made them sound better.

Compression is an effect, not just a correction tool.

Eck
Click to expand...

I think we would agree that after you add the effect, you have to A/B it with the original signal to make sure it was an improvement. I would still caution people against adding compression out of habit without listening if it's really needed. In your case, it must be needed. :)
 
leddy said:
I think we would agree that after you add the effect, you have to A/B it with the original signal to make sure it was an improvement. I would still caution people against adding compression out of habit without listening if it's really needed. In your case, it must be needed. :)
Click to expand...

Very good advice.

Just to add, make sure you use the make up gain so the compressed and uncompressed signals are at the same level.
This is very important when doing A/B comparisons.

Eck
 
I usually use volume automation on highly dynamic tracks to even it out, and if it needs an extra level of "smoothness" for lack of a better term, I'll throw a compressor on there to fix the changes that would take forever to do using volume automation surgically. Without volume automation, I find it's hard to get the compressor to do enough without pumping, but then again I'm no expert using a compressor.

Some people will add 2 or even more compressors in a row, but it's hard enough using one. :p

If you're using a compressor, not for dynamic control, but for a certain color/effect on the sound then there are no rules for threshold, attack/release, etc., just have to experiment and have some sort of idea what you're doing.
 
It depends on what you're trying to do. I approach compression differently, depending on how I want it to affect the track. For example, if I just want to tame spikes, I'll start with the threshold and bring it down so that the compressor is catching those spikes, and those spikes only. Then I'll whip the ratio way up and adjust the attack and release to make sure it's doing what I want, then I bring the ratio back down and add some knee if I feel it will do anything to improve the sound. But again, it still depends on the source.

The trick is to know what every tool you have available does, and then use the ones that you think will help your sound. There's a difference between mixing and playing with knobs.

I'd recommend sitting down with some audio and a compressor, then just turning knobs and figuring out what every control does so you can then use it in an objective fashion.
 
Yes, Dannyguitar--skip the compression, and use the automation (on the wave-form) to get what you need volume-wise. Same with anything, really. I just goosed up the volume of two closely spaced tom hits in a stereo drum mix. It worked out fine; the current (amateur?) wisdom going around now is to compress everything and anything--especially vocals. Recording magazine has a feature called Reader's tapes in which the reader can send in a track for review by the pros at the magazine. Overwhelmingly, the problem cited most often is too much compression--usually on vocals. (Both entries last month were cited for this, and a couple month's previous, the editors commended a person for no "esses"--that is, he didn't go bananas with the compressor.)
 
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