The Instances Where You DO NOT Use A Compressor

J

jaynm26

New member
Name the places in mixing where most would use a comp, but you do not?

Me...I dont always use compressors on my mix bus...I KNOW!! lol I really just started doin this "sometimes" if I gain stage my mix perfect I have alot of dynamic range and IMHO I do now want to lessen or decrease my dynamic range or raise the noise floor of the mix. I also find that the peaks are more "free" I allow them to breath and show all their life which also helps with dynamic range IMHO. Real emotion in music is important to me. I also tend to think of the mastering stage when mixing I like to give the mastering engineer a track full a life not just a wall of sound with dynamic range of 2.
 
I use compressors when the dynamic range of an individual source is too wide for the dynamic range of the mix as a whole. So basically, I don't use compressors most of the time.

Too many (IMO/E) use compression as a "startup" and wind up with compressors on half their tracks (if not more on occasion) and then wonder why they *don't* "breathe" and have life in them.
 
For me, it's more a case of "when do you use a compressor" rather than "when do you not use one". If things sound good uncompressed, great. If things are getting lost because your dynamic range is too wide, then it's compressor time.

The musical style you're working in can have a big influence on this decision. On anything classical, they're used to ultrawide dynamic ranges. On modern dance music, even a hint of dynamic range is considered a failure.

(OT aside: we had Queensland Youth Ballet in the local theatre a while back, performing to pre-recorded music. I did the playback and found that if I set levels for the quiet bits to be about right, the loud bits were well over 100dB SPL "A Weighted". Or, if I set the loud bits to a comfortable classical level, the quiet bits were at about -50dB SPL, i.e. a dynamic range of more than 50 dB. this might be fine on an audiophile hifi unit in a quiet house but was hopeless in a 2000 seat theatre with moving lights whirring, people coughing, sweet packets rattling, etc. Yeah, I committed the sin of putting a compressor on classical music.)
 
I almost never compress distorted electric guitars. Occasionally I'll slap a compressor on the guitar bus and duck them with the snare or kick but that's it. I also hardly ever compress keys. They're almost always pre-cooked enough to sound good on their own. However, strings sometimes benefit from compression as they can be quite dynamic.

See, there's the question of what you're compressing FOR. Are you merely attempting to control the dynamic range? Do you want to tailor the transients? More sustain? Less sustain? Do you want it to be transparent or grabby?

Personally, there are very few instances where I can get away without compressing rock drums heavily. It just goes with the territory and has become part of the sound. I need them to pump and smack like I hear on all my favorite rock albums and this is nothing new. It's been done for decades. But, the caveat is that you can't use any compressor. Some comps suck on drums and some sound great. I definitely reach for specific comps for specific jobs because others don't tickle my ears the way they do and that's why I love compression. It is a tone, transient and dynamic shaping tool with so many more uses than merely controlling DR.

But overall, it is a balancing act where too much is too much and nothing sounds worse than over-compression without purpose. However, I'm not going stop myself from compressing if it makes the song better or because I believe in some silly philosophy like "always compress sparingly". I know my tools and I use them to the extreme if I have to. Room mics almost always benefit from a little smash and distortion. It helps bring out harmonics in the drums and room that aren't there without it.

Cheers :)
 
Bobbsy,
They committed the sin of dancing to recorded music so had broken the 1st tablet.
 
I use compression and reverb less and less as time goes by. Mistakes had to be made and lessons learnt to get here though.
 
rayc said:
I use compression and reverb less and less as time goes by. Mistakes had to be made and lessons learnt to get here though.
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I recently realised that a song I posted in the MP3 clinic (my most recent posting, which was clearly my best effort yet) didn't have any reverb on anything but vocals. This was because I simply forgot to load reverb fx onto my room reverb channel, so when I sent to it, it was just adding volume, which I was adjusting to taste!

I only compress vocals (which I squash completely), drums, bass (due to my poor playing) and sometimes on the master buss.
 
Massive Master said:
I use compressors when the dynamic range of an individual source is too wide for the dynamic range of the mix as a whole. So basically, I don't use compressors most of the time.

Too many (IMO/E) use compression as a "startup" and wind up with compressors on half their tracks (if not more on occasion) and then wonder why they *don't* "breathe" and have life in them.
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I couldn't agree more Massive, you are absolutely right. Well said
 
jaynm26 said:
I couldn't agree more Massive, you are absolutely right. Well said
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I have a question for you: what is behind your infatuation with compression? You ask a lot of compression questions. I'm not judging you or anything. I'm genuinely curious.
 
Greg_L said:
I have a question for you: what is behind your infatuation with compression? You ask a lot of compression questions. I'm not judging you or anything. I'm genuinely curious.
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Well it all started with the 1st ? about threshold, I sorta had a different idea about it. Then Steen and others shined the light about it which I appreciated. Then it sorta went from there, with the other 2 post following. Most of my post guys is not a "REAL" question most post is me just bouncing idea's off you guys to expand my knowledge. (Your my #1 source of new info believe it or not lol :thumbs up: dont really go on gearslutz that much any more to saturated.) Im not the only engineer that has knowledge and experience but when you do what else is there? Dose it just stop as, you know all? No! So whats next step? The knowledge and experience of other people so that you can use/adapt/change/moderate your own skills. I mean there is always people with more knowledge and experience than you. Me, I like to learn and bouncing ideas off of you guys I have been able to gain quite a bit of knowledge. Even tho I know what Im doing at some point I would like to know how to do it different or sometimes you guys here do it better which in-turn makes me better thas all.

No juke at Julez on the GS statement great guy great site Im still a member. But what ? can you ask..If you do ask a ?...Go to post # 234289 your answer or topic has already been posted...:RTFM: or RTFP rather! Here you can get an idea of who is who after been here for a little while and kinda know who is gonna post what. Who to listen to & most importantly who not to listen to lol. Little compradore is built i think could be wrong.
 
jaynm26 said:
Well it all started with the 1st ? about threshold, I sorta had a different idea about it. Then Steen and others shined the light about it which I appreciated. Then it sorta went from there, with the other 2 post following. Most of my post guys is not a "REAL" question most post is me just bouncing idea's off you guys to expand my knowledge. (Your my #1 source of new info believe it or not lol :thumbs up: dont really go on gearslutz that much any more to saturated.) Im not the only engineer that has knowledge and experience but when you do what else is there? Dose it just stop as, you know all? No! So whats next step? The knowledge and experience of other people so that you can use/adapt/change/moderate your own skills. I mean there is always people with more knowledge and experience than you. Me, I like to learn and bouncing ideas off of you guys I have been able to gain quite a bit of knowledge. Even tho I know what Im doing at some point I would like to know how to do it different or sometimes you guys here do it better which in-turn makes me better thas all.

No juke at Julez on the GS statement great guy great site Im still a member. But what ? can you ask..If you do ask a ?...Go to post # 234289 your answer or topic has already been posted...:RTFM: or RTFP rather! Here you can get an idea of who is who after been here for a little while and kinda know who is gonna post what. Who to listen to & most importantly who not to listen to lol. Little compradore is built i think could be wrong.
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Lol. Okay then. :)
 
Greg I was check in out ur music the Wal-Mart At Midnight song is amazing lol, Im from a boring old country town and when we got bored guest were we went at night lol. Yep! :laughings:
 
Mainly bass and vocals for me. I try not to use it too much as I'm only beginning to understand it. When I first started recording, like most people, I lathered my recordings with compression and reverb and made them sound like turd! Now I work on the idea that "a little dab'll do ya" as and when required.
 
Yeah....most times when I get to my mix stage, the majority of my compressors (rack gear) end up not even powered up these days.
Sometimes I'll use some light stereo bus compression, and occasionally something on bass guitar or lead guitar....and I've used a comp on drums (or some of the drums)....but it's all really light stuff.
I've just never been a "nuke it and crank the volume" kind of guy.

Last night I tracked some bass guitar, and ended up using a limiter on it just reel in the peaks, 'cuz when I went down the neck and hit some of the higher bass notes, the meters on my tape deck were getting pinned, so I wanted to knock them down but still keep the lower notes where they were.

So...looking at how lately DAW track/bus compression has become somewhat of a free for all ....I guess I don't really use it all that much or in any drastic way.
 
fix dynamics with automation or fader riding, then balance all your levels, and then see what needs compression.

treat it like any other effect like distortion, flanger, or phasing.
 
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