Some Help with compression.

[RAMI]

Glen, I sent you a little note thanking you for your post. I understand compression enough that a little math error wouldn't ruin how good a post it was.

 

[acorec]

Actually, the compressor ratio works on linear absolute units and the dB scale is logarithmic based on a ratio to reference value.

The article I linked to has a Part 2 (link at the end of part 1) that shows the transfer functions that might illustrate it.

There are also some links to articles on EQ at the top of the page.

I know, I am trying to tell this guy in the simplest terms I know. Getting into too much math and explainations will probably just frustrate him.

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

This is exactly why I said earlier that Glen gave us 3 years worth of free advice - it's so subtle and easy to miss. EQ both before and after compression - but before only if you are 'fixing' something. The only 2 repairs I like to do right now before compression (always learning so this can change) are hum notching and gently adjusting the slope of the audio (wide bandwidths). In other words if the general slope is a little bass heavy (2db/octave) or treble heavy (5db/octave) I'll throw a shelf or 2 on there to get the slope I like before the compressor. Then put the 'sweetening' EQ on post compressor (as Glen calls it). Fix - Compress - Sweeten (just like a good cup of coffee)

For some of you guys with great recording skills there won't be a need for 'Fix'. I rebalance old tapes so by definition I'm always fixing...

In an ideal world it would be "Record - Do Nothing - Do Nothing - Do Nothing" .
One thing I'd like to amplify on that point is that (in my style, anyway) all three steps are entirely optional and, with a little skill and a lot of luck in the tracking and early mixing phases, the amount of any compression or EQ needed in the final mixing stages will approach zero. Then again if we lived in a perfect world, every kernal of Paul Newman popcorn would pop into the shape of Paul Newman. So some easy EQ and compression is called for more times than we'd like. So, if you need to do the EQ and compression dance, that's the order that I'd recommend most of the time. It might be that you don't need the first EQ, or maybe even the compression, or whatever. But just don't take the fix-compress-sweeten thing as a green light to automatically do all three.

Also note the implication the "fix" EQing done before compression is 99.9% of the time in the form of cuts or notches and not boosts. As acorec rightly pointed out, boosts are best left for post-compression.

It's amazing how often folks forget that EQ's, like guitar amplifiers, go down as well as up. And they both usually sound better that way too

G.

 

[RawDepth]

I wanted to jump in on this one but, it looks like everyone pretty much got the point already. We were talking about the differences between compression and limiting in another thread and we nailed most of the same descriptions on compression.

A limiter does similar work but does not need a ratio because all parts of the signal that exceed the threshold is reduced completely down to the threshold point. In other words, a compressor can lower volume down to "near" the threshold but never below it, and a limiter lowers volume exactly "to" the threshold. If the ratio on a compressor is turned to its maximum, it will behave like a limiter.

RawDepth

 

[Paranfer]

Compression ?

God Damn guys, with all these posts,
i can say i've read * advice and tips about EQ and Compression * Ha!Ha!
Ha!..... Some people here have good information and guidelines to notice.
Catch up here, and here, and here.... some answer to your question.
Really helpful guys.

 

[stash98]

the first post made it sound like he was using a multiband compressor....dude, don't even mess w/ that until you can use a regular one with ease.

a lo of people start busting out rules..especially w/ drums..don't assume that your attack should be set low..a lot of time it will take the "crack" right out of a snare...you just have to mess with the comp more, and learn how it sounds..itwill take a long time..if you start trying to apply rules to compression, you will be in a corner.

 

[d(-_-)b-Phones]

I ditched the multiband compressor, it was nuts, please keep posting help.. all of you have helped so much.. and btw im american.. and i have a hard time typing my mind without dots...

 

[SouthSIDE Glen]

please keep posting help.. all of you have helped so much.. and btw im american.. and i have a hard time typing my mind without dots...

That's OK, I have a hard time typing without typos, so we're even . Use all the dots you want, though I have to warn you; if you add too many dashes with them, my Morse code is pretty rusty outside of "SOS". ...

You have started what seems to be a pretty popular thread here, 'Phones. There have been several excellent posts which have added to the Stone Soup of Compression knowledge and I think have touched upon the basics of "Compression 101-110" pretty well. Maybe here you (and others) might want to throw in what old questions have not yet been answered and/or what new questions come to mind based upon the posts so far. Sound good?

G.