Terminology question

[famous beagle]

I'm looking to expand my palette of tools a bit with some "character" pieces, and I've read a lot that the Alesis Micro Limiter, for example, is really great when you want to "smash," "crush," or "destroy" something. I don't have a ton of experience with limiters yet, and I'm trying to imagine sounds that this is describing so I have an idea about whether it's something that'll be useful to me.

Would the drum sound in Radiohead's "Airbag" be an example of this?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NvTNWWL4CW4


If not, can you provide some examples?

Thanks!

 

[antichef]

Those drums do sound pretty smashed -- seems like these days with the volume wars everything is getting the limiter

when I looked into it, my impression was that, when it comes to brick wall limiting (that is, the whole song - last signal processor in the chain), software is just as popular or more popular than hardware. I don't want to go OT, but there's a sale on my personal favorite, the FabFilter Pro-L going on - I think for the next week or so.

For drums, my sense is that hardware compressors are still popular. I recently started using an API 2500, and it can have a really dramatic impact on a drum bus, not unlike that song you linked to.

 

[Steenamaroo]

Hey Beagle.

I'd look up some youtube tutorials or download some free plugs if you have a computer based setup.
Ok, they might not be great, but they'll introduce you to the tools and what they do.

Reaper comes with a load of free use plugs AFAIK.