Multi-Band Compressor - When Do You Use It?

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mbouteneff

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I know the Ultrafunk Sonitus Multi-Band Compressor is an incredible tool, but I haven't used it yet; at this point, I've only used the multi-band EQ tool and the generic compressor (in Sonar 3).

I was wondering, when and how do YOU use the Multi-Band Compressor? Would you recommend ditching the generic compressor in favor for the multi-band in all cases, or only in specific instances? What's it most useful for?

Looking to learn....

Thanks!

-Mike
 
I just use it when something sounds a bit boomy, tinny or mid bland. I don't really know what I'm doing, it's all trial and error to change the sound until it sounds alright. There's no procedure or circumstance where I am compelled to use it though.
 
With caution. :)
I think it can tend to be seductive, eq mixed with dynamics.
 
I have a couple of guitar tracks that are mostly OK except for a couple of boomy spots. I can fix this with a low cut, but it thins the sound on the whole track, not just the boomy bits. I haven't tried it yet but it does seem like a candidate for a multiband
 
ALWAYS in the mastering chain when the band wants LOUD.
You can't get LOUD on someone elses tracks without one in most cases. An L2 just wont do it alone.
Put a Waves mastering multi band inline, play the song through, and then set each fader down to what the peak for each faders channel was. Now, drag down the master fader until your squiggles in the graphic are playing around in the middle or just above the middle. Make sure you have auto makeup gain on too.
Put an EQ in front of that and roll out all the bottom around 50-60hz, and an L2 behind it set to -0.1 output and shaving about 4-5db off. NOW you have a loud track, and a more even freq response, and a happy rock band.
 
If it's just loudness you're after, a brickwall limiter will do a better job with no risk of overshoot
 
Awesome, thanks everyone! TubeDude, I'm psyched to try what you recommend, even if I'm not sure what everything means. :) Just to clarify, is the chain then:

EQ (50-60hz rolled out) >> L2 (set to -0.1 output and shaving about 4-5db off) >> Multiband Comressor (playing with channels)

While reading around, I found a couple decent articles about the subject, if anyone's interested:

Sound on Sound
MULTI-BAND WORKSHOP: Practical Multi-band Compression
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/aug02/articles/multiband.asp

Cakewalk
Sonitus Multiband Compressor
http://www.cakewalk.com/tips/Mar05_SonitusMultiCompressor.asp

Thanks, y'all!

-M
 
Multi-Compressing Guitar?

One quick question -- Qould it make sense to use a multiband compressor on a guitar? A guitar's got such a complex mix of frequencies happening at any one time, it seems to make sense...to prevent sudden boominess or a few off string hits from the entire guitar track from being compressed...?

Btw, also, can you "dither" in Sonar? (I just learned about that yesterday... :) )

Thanks!

-M
 
mbouteneff said:
Btw, also, can you "dither" in Sonar? (I just learned about that yesterday... :) )

Thanks!

-M
Click to expand...
Yes, but the dithering algorithm in the earlier versions of Sonar was pretty poor. Newer versions use POW-r dithering which is reputedly pretty good (I'm still on 3.0, so I can't speak from experience).

I trust you understand you should only dither when reducing the bit rate, and it should be the very last step before burning to a CD.
 
You use multiband only when necessary... just like anything else. There are times when I use multiband to take out harshness or boominess (although I usually just use a de-esser for such things), and when I do resonant filter sweeps on synth lines as multiband just compresses wherever it peaks, but keeps the rest of the frequencies pretty much intact, so it tends to be more transparent. I almost never use multiband on an entire mix. If you need to use a multiband on the entire mix, then most likely there is something wrong with the mix itself.
 
Dachay2tnr - You mentioned "dithering" is poor in earlier versions of Sonar...is Sonar 3 included in that "earlier version" group? :) I assume yes. Hm. Are there any free, decent quality alternatives, or is dithering with Sonar 3 still better than not dithering at all?

Noisewreck & TubeDude - N. suggested NOT using the multiband on a final mix, and T. sugested using it. :) Any thought on what kinds of final mixes WOULD be appropriate for multi-band compression?

Thanks for all your help!

-M
 
Well, if you read carefully, I said "I almost never use multiband on an entire mix". I didn't say "don't ever use multiband on the final mix" ;)

Obviously there are instances where you WANT to use or have not choice BUT to use multiband compression.

Tubedude suggests to ALWAYS use multiband when the band wants loud. I say, there are better ways to mix that will translate to loud masters to begin with. We can start going into all the issues when trying to get everything loud, which then makes everything sounds thin... but that's a whole different story... I suggest you listen to Rammstein's Rosenrot for example of an extremely crushed master... just listen to how brittle the cymbals sound and tell me that's a pleasure to listent to... YUCK!
 
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