I hate multiband compression

  • Thread starter Thread starter pingu
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masteringhouse said:
SSSSSaying that you don't like MBsssC is like sssssaying that you don't like de-essssssersssss.

SSSSSilly, it'sssss jusssst a tool that hassss it'sss right plasssse for a particular sssset of problemssssssss.
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I think de-essers definitely have their place :D

Tom has it right, I think. Don't blame the tool, blame it's user. Can we blame faders for excessive clipping? Can we blame limiters for the volume wars? Can we blame digital project studios for Moby?

Don't blame the MBCs, blame those inexperienced fader jockeys who think that MBCs can do their job for them.

G.
 
I should have said at the onset that

I HATE THE HYPE MULTIBAND COMPRESSION HAS GENERATED IN MASTERING!

How ever i still feel that MB compression in mastering should only be used

when a remix is IMPOSSIBLE!


How often these days is a remix impossible?

With the ease of recall these days it should never be left up to multiband to

fix what ever, at the mastering stage.

Go back to the fukin mix and fix it there.


Lets mix a song and leave the hi hats flying out all over the place cause weve

got multiband.

Lets let the bass sound like mushy hoarse shit cause ive got Lin Mb.

Give me a break.
 
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pingu said:
How often these days is a remix impossible?
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When the budget for studio time can't hold it.

pingu said:
Lets mix a song and leave the hi hats flying out all over the place cause weve got multiband.

Lets let the bass sound like mushy hoarse shit cause ive got Lin Mb.

Give me a break.
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That's not the multiband's fault, is it?

G.
 
SouthSIDE Glen said:
When the budget for studio time can't hold it.

That's not the multiband's fault, is it?

G.
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What a load of shit. Who pays for studio time these days and if they do you

would think that it would be done with enough professionalism that multiband

bullshit would not be needed after the fact.
 
Hi_Flyer said:
are any of you guys using Voxengo Soniformer? What exactly is it? I mean, its a multi-band compressor, but its pretty different than the other ones I've seen. If I could figure out how to use it properly I might buy it... Its very intriguing.
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I have it. I play upright bass, and I find Soniformer a great tool to cut down boominess but still leave good low end presence. (I record live gigs, and sometimes the room creates issues you can't control) I guess it's a lot like dynamic EQ, but you can also adjust attack and release for greater flexibility. I tend to leave the threshold flat, rather than selecting certain bands or frequencies. That way, only the offending notes get tamed.

I occaisionally use it on a mix; mostly for fixing low end problems similar to what I described above. All in all, a very useful tool when you need it, and Voxengo is good stuff.
 
pingu said:
What a load of shit. Who pays for studio time these days.
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Every one of my clients does.

Look, all I'm saying is it's not the compressor that the problem, it's the engineer that misues them in ways like you describe. I hate that over-used MBC sound myself, but that's not the fault of the machine, it's the unskilled person using it.

G.
 
SouthSIDE Glen said:
Every one of my clients does.

Look, all I'm saying is it's not the compressor that the problem, it's the engineer that misues them in ways like you describe. I hate that over-used MBC sound myself, but that's not the fault of the machine, it's the unskilled person using it.

G.
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I love you and i love feynman and i cant let multiband come between us.




I understand also that tools get abused and then guys complain that there shit.
I just find that careful eq and single band compression gets me there with a lot less damage done.
 
pingu said:
I should have said at the onset that
I HATE THE HYPE MULTIBAND COMPRESSION HAS GENERATED IN MASTERING!
Click to expand...

MBC isn't the only tool that's been hyped in mastering. What about Finalizers? Har-Bal and it's ilk has me bugging out even more.

When most people think of MBC they think of some plugin that's a magic bullet for a bad mix. There are actually some very professional units like the TUBE-TECH SMC 2B:
http://www.proaudioeurope.com/london/products/new/outboard/Tube-Tech/SMC2B.htm

pingu said:
How ever i still feel that MB compression in mastering should only be used
when a remix is IMPOSSIBLE!

How often these days is a remix impossible?

With the ease of recall these days it should never be left up to multiband to

fix what ever, at the mastering stage.

Go back to the fukin mix and fix it there.

Lets mix a song and leave the hi hats flying out all over the place cause weve

got multiband.

Lets let the bass sound like mushy hoarse shit cause ive got Lin Mb.

Give me a break.
Click to expand...

Agreed, the "fix it in mastering" philosophy is just as bad as the "fix it in the mix" philosophy.

MBC is not a substitute for good mixing technique anymore than autotune is a substitute for singing in tune, digital editing for having the talent play in time or play a part correctly, etc. They are all just tools to make the best of things when you have to deal with what you got.
 
masteringhouse said:
MBC isn't the only tool that's been hyped in mastering. What about Finalizers? Har-Bal and it's ilk has me bugging out even more.

When most people think of MBC they think of some plugin that's a magic bullet for a bad mix. There are actually some very professional units like the TUBE-TECH SMC 2B:
http://www.proaudioeurope.com/london/products/new/outboard/Tube-Tech/SMC2B.htm



Agreed, the "fix it in mastering" philosophy is just as bad as the "fix it in the mix" philosophy.

MBC is not a substitute for good mixing technique anymore than autotune is a substitute for singing in tune, digital editing for having the talent play in time or play a part correctly, etc. They are all just tools to make the best of things when you have to deal with what you got.
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Well said.
 
Voxengo stuffs are good. I downloaded all their free stuffs especially the Stereo Touch and Tube Amp. Oh.. yes and the MBC too.

Got one silly question, what the ideal RMS for a pop song? And how to achieve them? (sorry, did i say one silly question...:))
 
The ideal RMS for any song is what the song is asking for.

The average level for a RMS pop song is about -9 RMS
 
staring said:
What the ideal RMS for a pop song?
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What is the ideal flavor for a meal? What is the ideal volume setting on an amplifier? What is the ideal color for a race car?

There is no "ideal" RMS for pop songs or any other kind of song. It totally depends on the content of the song, the density of the sonic material, and the quality of the mix.

G.
 
SouthSIDE Glen said:
What is the ideal flavor for a meal? What is the ideal volume setting on an amplifier? What is the ideal color for a race car?

There is no "ideal" RMS for pop songs or any other kind of song. It totally depends on the content of the song, the density of the sonic material, and the quality of the mix.

G.
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I think im falling in love with you.
 
Thanks guys. I agree with you G.

I always have the tendency increasing the RMS to -8db all the time regardless of its genre. Newbie like me always make a silly mistake :(.

Someone suggested (I'd read the article somewhere on the Internet, can't remember where) that your mix should not exceed -6db, is that correct?
 
staring said:
Thanks guys. I agree with you G.

I always have the tendency increasing the RMS to -8db all the time regardless of its genre. Newbie like me always make a silly mistake :(.

Someone suggested (I'd read the article somewhere on the Internet, can't remember where) that your mix should not exceed -6db, is that correct?
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They are talking about average peaks here on the master fader not rms levels.
 
Sorry.. it an argument about the average peak level should not exceed -6db. What was the explaination for it? Could I just mix it at -3 or 0db?
 
Wow, its a long thread.... i'll read them. Thanks for the link, pingu.
 
No worries.

Its a recommended read and a great place to learn there also.
 
One tip with multibands, you don't have to use all of the bands. Sometimes controlling transients is frequency specific. Applying compression to the whole range usually isn't required or, if it is, a standard compressor may be in order. There are exceptions however.
 
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