Multiband compressors at the mix stage....

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sausy1981

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I've heard a lot of negative comments about using a multiband compressor when mastering, People are saying there should be no need if the mix is properly done. So if not using a multiband compressor at the mastering stage and instead using it during mixdown, My question is, what instruments typically would benefit from multiband compression rather that single band compression???
 
no need, if the mix is done properly.

if you have individual control of all tracks, why would you need more than one band of compression for anything?

now, if you have a signature sound, based around building that up with a MBC, that's different...
say, you have a bass tone, that want to have a really bright treble bite to it, that is never compressed....
but the low end, you want to be absolutely hammered, and 'phat'.......

i could see if for that.

but i rarely ever see or hear about PROS using MBC for tracking or mixing.
 
Interesting, So multiband compression is being used less and less except for effect, as you say getting a particular sound from an instrument by manipulating frequency bands within an instrument....
My own personal view is that proper eq at the mixing stage should eliminate the need for multi band compressors when mixing. I still use it when I do some DIY mastering to control fluctations of frequency content throughout the course of the song.... But I've heard a lot of people saying that evn this should not be necessary...
 
The biggest use for mbc is radio transmitters. The second biggest is fixing problems that, with proper recording and mixing technique, shouldn't exist in the first place.
 
So could it be that Multiband compressors are the home recordists biggest ally as we more often than not record and mix in a less than ideal space with less than ideal equipment. I've never used Multiband on an individual track in a mix, and theres a lot of times were I dint use it during mastering. I'm just interested to hear hat peoples ideas are on it.
 
I like using it on acoustic guitar. It's just my preference. I certainly don't need to do it, but I like it.
 
I have one Multiband compressor that is a hardware rack unit and very rarely gets used in the studio but comes in very handy in live sound reinforcement on, for instance, a hard to control vocal. Manley talking heads with S's that are really bad.

Which I guess could be useful in the studio that way as well.
 
So could it be that Multiband compressors are the home recordists biggest ally as we (snip)
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I wouldn't call it an "ally" -- More of an improperly applied band-aid for a broken leg in most cases.

Not that there aren't reasonable uses for them here and there - De-essing would be a type of maul-the-band -- ahem -- I mean "multi-band" compression (well, single, narrow-band) -- And again, with proper singing and recording technique, it wouldn't be necessary.
 
Interesting, So it seems multi band compressors are becoming redundant, It kinda makes sense to me that if you've got an unbalanced frequency spectrum that the best way to correct this would be to eq/compress or gain riding, which I'm getting into more and more on individual tracks which are causing the trouble.
 
Its not that they are becoming redundant, its just that they were starting to be used for purposes that they really weren't designed for and now people are wising up.

Same thing with "sonic maximizers". They were designed to counter act the effects of worn analog tape. Then the marketing department made up a few new uses for it once tape started going away. Its really good at what it was designed to do, but it isn't the magic box that the ads tell you it is.
 
My most often use is as dynamic eq. Live vocal tracks are a great example to compensate for where tone and proximity effect are shifting.

I found one dynamic eq that I really like but for it glitches in Sonar- At this point I'm not even clear on where the line blurs between 'dynamics control and eq' -if there's any sonic diff at all in having a filter dip it' or gain stage with a similar Q?
(maybe when I switch to Reaper..:)
 
It's super powerful is you know how to use it, give it a try and see what you can do from it. Don't forget, mixing is an art, not a science, there's no "RIGHT" way to mix.
 
theonlybman said:
Don't forget, mixing is an art, not a science, there's no "RIGHT" way to mix.
Click to expand...

The former statement is true, the second is not. I would say there is no ONE way to mix. But if there is a wrong way (and there certainly is), there is definitely a right way, or at least many right ways.
 
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