"To compress or not to compress" that is the question

nave

nave

Cave Relic
OK, you Compress on the way in (while tracking), compress only after tracking, do both, or don't compress at all..

............Aaaaaaaahh! I try all of these out and by the end of my session I can't even tell what the frig im listening to anymore (you know the ears equivelent of the eye "seeing double").......

All I want is to get the tracks recorded as hot as possible....I'm thinking that Compressing on the way in is the best way to do that but I here alot of people saying nay? What's the deal?

-nave
 
compress as little as possible going in...try limiting to help you get the signal a little hotter......you can always compress during mixing if its needed.....waiting only gives you more control.......
 
I almost always compress a little when going to 'tape'. I also get the limiter to flash ocationally..
 
Gidge is correct sir. If you track with compression and you have it set wrong, you can't take it off. Better to leave it till mix time for more options.
 
I know that that is the reason they say to avoid doing it on the way in ie more control........

But what I'm wondering is who the heck is going to notice that the music is lifeless and over compressed other than us who spend hours listening to the same tracks over and over again a thousand times in a thousand different ways.......Afterall aren't all the cd's (or at least the new ones) we listen all over compressed and lifeless? It doesn't seem to bother me when I listen to them, I think I'm starting to grow accustomed to the "lifeless" sounds of recordings.....I am being brainwashed I think.....It really pisses me off when I pop in a cd after just listening to my own recording how much louder they are........I know that my equipment is the real issue.......But the reality is that right now I'm going to have to deal with the equipment and need to make a relatively "good" sounding demo...... Maybe I am naively thinking that I will make up for the volume difference and equipment gap between me and the pros with compression......After all they all abuse the hell out of it anyway..........So, why the frig shouldn't I?
In the end the higher volume will perhaps come at the expense of the "life" of the music......But maybe it's worth it for me too get that hot signal? I dunno, I just starting to confuse myself....

Thanks Gidge (don't worry you didn't confuse me I'm already confused)

-nave
 
Dolemite said:
IMO, I'd rather have a bit of unwanted limiting/compression than digital clipping.
Click to expand...

Yeah. Digital clipping sounds worse.

Initial compression and limiting allow a hotter signal and more bits if you're digital. If you don't like the result, you may be compressing too much or with poor setting choices. You could also try getting a RNC and using it in "super nice" mode.



Matt
 
I compress the shit out of everything...

I love compression, in my opinion it's the glue that holds rock recordings together....

I find too much dynamics make rock sound messy (well to my ears at least)

Of course, compression is like beer.... Everyone has there amounts and limits and brands....

Highly opinionated subject compression is.... And Rightly so, as we all have different tastes and ears....

Sum 41's "Fat Lip" is my Idea of what a nicely squashed song should sound like...
 
I think I'm starting to agree with you Vox, and I think my backup point would be, you can go into the Mp3 mixing clinic and download a hundred songs and read all the critiques and you won't ever find a critique that says "you used too much compression."


-nave
 
Just don't forget that when you're talking compression and limiting you're not just talking dynamics. Compression and limiting also add harmonic and intermodulation distortion. The more you compress the more you add. You may happen to like the effect, but just be aware that it's there.

barefoot
 
nave said:
I think I'm starting to agree with you Vox, and I think my backup point would be, you can go into the Mp3 mixing clinic and download a hundred songs and read all the critiques and you won't ever find a critique that says "you used too much compression."
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You're right! I searched for the phrase and couldn't find it. :)
 
Well - it depends...

I agree for the most part with Gidge with ONE exception...

I ALWAYS use a little outboard compression when tracking my vocals. When I say a little I mean about a 3dB reduction on the really loud stuff. If I'm singing a soft passage I WANT the dynamics!! Turn that sucker off!!

VOX makes a great point as well for rock music...compression rules! It really depends on the style and outcome which is wanted however. Squash the dynamics on a Pink Floyd recording and you kill it.

Sometimes dynamics are good...in PF's case...VERY GOOD!!!

During "mastering"...I always compress some. Sometimes a lot - depending on what I want to hear.

zip >>
 
If you are recording 24 bit,it gives you enough headroom with a -100 dB noisefloor to back off a touch on the input levels without risking an "over" and get a good uncompressed take.I do vocals and bass this way now,which previously at 16 bit I would automatically compress because of the difference in headroom.
Tom
 
barefoot said:
I found a few with a very quick search:

https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?postid=302476&highlight=compress*#post302476

https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?postid=293545&highlight=overly+compress*#post293545

https://homerecording.com/bbs/showthread.php?postid=109410&highlight=overly+compress*#post109410

And I'm sure there are other criticisms where the person didn't realize it was compression that was bothering them.

barefoot
Click to expand...

Damn Barefoot. You are the the king of search engine!

However, I still can't find the phrase, "you used too much compression." :p
 
Tom Hicks said:
If you are recording 24 bit,it gives you enough headroom with a -100 dB noisefloor to back off a touch on the input levels without risking an "over" and get a good uncompressed take.I do vocals and bass this way now,which previously at 16 bit I would automatically compress because of the difference in headroom.
Tom
Click to expand...

Good point. Also, as Alan pointed out in another thread, you can set up a limiter to avoid digital clipping without using compression. For me, I like using it because I mainly record rock.
 
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