L
little z
New member
somebody tell me about using compression while tracking and why this is a good/bad idea. thank you,
little z
little z
Shailat
New member
Have you tried the search button ?
Wide Awake
New member
Compression is used to increase or decrease a signals dynamic range. To make a performance more consistant from beginning to end.
It's not complicated to understand but you have to learn by trial and error when to use it.
Buy a book on the subject because you won't learn enough on this website. People can recommend good compressors to buy, but to explain how and when to use them is too involved. This months(February) Electronic Musician magazine has a great article on the subject. Paul Wiffin has a good book available at Amazon.com
[Edited by Wide Awake on 02-17-2001 at 14:56]
It's not complicated to understand but you have to learn by trial and error when to use it.
Buy a book on the subject because you won't learn enough on this website. People can recommend good compressors to buy, but to explain how and when to use them is too involved. This months(February) Electronic Musician magazine has a great article on the subject. Paul Wiffin has a good book available at Amazon.com
[Edited by Wide Awake on 02-17-2001 at 14:56]
Shailat
New member
uppsss
I deleted my own post by mistake.
The article is at http://www.Geocities.com/Shailat2000
Now I will answer your question.
There are different opinions on this.
The first question you have to ask yourself is "Does the track even need compression at all?.
Some will claim why hurt tracks and leave youself less options for mixdown ?.
A compressed track can not be uncompressed after (although an expander can help undo some of the damage).
Some use it during tracking in order to get hotter signals to the multitrack.
Many engineers will use compression during tracking depending on the situation.
Is the singer an untrained screamer ?
Does the Bass player control his playing and does it sound solid?
Etc..etc...
When these engineers use compression it will mostly be a light compression
just to control the dynamics a bit, with a Threshold that makes sure the compressor is not working constantly but rather a bit here and there.
Recording to Analog with out compression and then needing it despratly during a mixdown can lead to a problem of more tape noise on the track during mixdown.
Pumping and Breathing can become more apparent.
Don't be fooled into the cliche of "A compressor will ruin your tracks as it kills dynamics - depth - life - and all human beings".
If used improperly all that can happen (or if a junk compressor is used).
The Truth (as heard on 60 min.) is that it is one of the major tools in keeping some of your track alive-understood-in the pocket.
I deleted my own post by mistake.
The article is at http://www.Geocities.com/Shailat2000
Now I will answer your question.
There are different opinions on this.
The first question you have to ask yourself is "Does the track even need compression at all?.
Some will claim why hurt tracks and leave youself less options for mixdown ?.
A compressed track can not be uncompressed after (although an expander can help undo some of the damage).
Some use it during tracking in order to get hotter signals to the multitrack.
Many engineers will use compression during tracking depending on the situation.
Is the singer an untrained screamer ?
Does the Bass player control his playing and does it sound solid?
Etc..etc...
When these engineers use compression it will mostly be a light compression
just to control the dynamics a bit, with a Threshold that makes sure the compressor is not working constantly but rather a bit here and there.
Recording to Analog with out compression and then needing it despratly during a mixdown can lead to a problem of more tape noise on the track during mixdown.
Pumping and Breathing can become more apparent.
Don't be fooled into the cliche of "A compressor will ruin your tracks as it kills dynamics - depth - life - and all human beings".
If used improperly all that can happen (or if a junk compressor is used).
The Truth (as heard on 60 min.) is that it is one of the major tools in keeping some of your track alive-understood-in the pocket.
L
little z
New member
uppsss
thanks for feedback, all of you. is the nanocompressor
by alesis an alright unit? got one but am open for suggestions on trying something new. thank you,
little z
thanks for feedback, all of you. is the nanocompressor
by alesis an alright unit? got one but am open for suggestions on trying something new. thank you,
little z
S
Sir Lee
New member
The RNC(Really Nice Compressor) is an excellent little unit for only $175.00 at Mercenary Audio.
S
Sound Cracker
New member
Wide Awake said:
Very interesting that the link Shailat supplied seemed to explain things fairly well eh?
Speaking of which. Shailat, I inquired in another thread about this Sonusman guy and never got a reply from you. Maybe you just didn't get a chance to read it yet. You have a link in your essay there to an essay he supposedly wrote, but the link does not work it would seem. Any idea where I might find the essay somewhere else?
Good day!
Shailat
New member
Hmmmm....... the link doesn't work for me as well.
I'll have to ask him and find out. I think he mentioned he is moving his site some where else.
I'll find out and post it here.
Although it pains me to say ....... Ed gave me a hand on the compression article and did quite a bit of the dirty work like correcting my english my grammer the HTML, as well as some good advice on compressors and I have to give him credit as well.
As to the topic - I know Ed doesn't see eye to eye with me on the use of compression while tracking. He is more of a pureist and will use compression during tracking only in extreme cases when you can't do with out it,
I'll have to ask him and find out. I think he mentioned he is moving his site some where else.
I'll find out and post it here.
Although it pains me to say ....... Ed gave me a hand on the compression article and did quite a bit of the dirty work like correcting my english my grammer the HTML, as well as some good advice on compressors and I have to give him credit as well.
As to the topic - I know Ed doesn't see eye to eye with me on the use of compression while tracking. He is more of a pureist and will use compression during tracking only in extreme cases when you can't do with out it,
Shailat
New member
O.K,
Ed's site is down currently so I asked him to upload his articles to my site.
I hope to have 2 more articles up there in the near future.
One on editing the reverb unit and one on mixing the Drum kit.
Both with Audio examples attached.
Ed's site is down currently so I asked him to upload his articles to my site.
I hope to have 2 more articles up there in the near future.
One on editing the reverb unit and one on mixing the Drum kit.
Both with Audio examples attached.
S
Sound Cracker
New member
Service with a smile?
Wow! I didn't expect to see such a speedy fix!
Mr. Sonusman's writing seems to be a bit more elusive in the actual uses of the tools of the trade, but the information contained within is solid. A very nice offset to your more tutorial tone. I wonder why more engineers don't collaborate in this way.
Good day!
Wow! I didn't expect to see such a speedy fix!
Mr. Sonusman's writing seems to be a bit more elusive in the actual uses of the tools of the trade, but the information contained within is solid. A very nice offset to your more tutorial tone. I wonder why more engineers don't collaborate in this way.
Good day!