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Sustainbeatz
New member
I have compressors installed on my computer system, but how can i use them for recording? Should i apply them before rec? Or after rec? Somebody please help me out in details thanks.
kip4
Well-known member
Are these compressors ITB (In the box) plug ins in your daw or are they External (hardware compressors)?
What is it your looking to compress and why?
There's Loads of compressor tutorials on the web, you tube and written articles etc.
I mostly compress ITB. Rarely if ever use my hardware compressor before rec as you put it.
What is it your looking to compress and why?
There's Loads of compressor tutorials on the web, you tube and written articles etc.
I mostly compress ITB. Rarely if ever use my hardware compressor before rec as you put it.
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Sustainbeatz
New member
I mean software compressors and how should i use them? Should i insert them on my channel before recording? Or after recording.
Dags
New member
Hi there.
Compressing once the signal goes into your computer system isn't going to help prevent digital overs (& therefore clipping) during tracking.
A hardware compressor used as an insert or as part of the direct signal path prior to the A/D converter is your best bet.
Without the ability to compress prior to the signal hitting the converters, your best bet is to record at a conservative level and add compression to taste later.
Set your recording environment to 24bit and you have the ability to raise the volume later without adding too much circuit noise (depending on the quality of your converters, mic & mic preamp)
I'm not even sure if dynamic processing plugins work on an input channel! I think that the audio gets recorded without the compression control applied, so you're only really monitoring through the processor and not actually doing anything to the signal.
Compressing once the signal goes into your computer system isn't going to help prevent digital overs (& therefore clipping) during tracking.
A hardware compressor used as an insert or as part of the direct signal path prior to the A/D converter is your best bet.
Without the ability to compress prior to the signal hitting the converters, your best bet is to record at a conservative level and add compression to taste later.
Set your recording environment to 24bit and you have the ability to raise the volume later without adding too much circuit noise (depending on the quality of your converters, mic & mic preamp)
I'm not even sure if dynamic processing plugins work on an input channel! I think that the audio gets recorded without the compression control applied, so you're only really monitoring through the processor and not actually doing anything to the signal.
Steenamaroo
...
Yeah, plugins are all post-processing. They don't affect the recorded signal on the way in, unless you record to a compressed track whose output is being recorded to another track.
Just record without plugs and deal with it compression later.
That's one of the beauties of digital recording; The flexibility after tracking.
Plus, hearing a compressed vocal in real time while your recording could be quite off-putting.
It might throw your awareness of your dynamic range and mess up the way you're singing.
Just record without plugs and deal with it compression later.
That's one of the beauties of digital recording; The flexibility after tracking.
Plus, hearing a compressed vocal in real time while your recording could be quite off-putting.
It might throw your awareness of your dynamic range and mess up the way you're singing.
Massive Master
www.massivemastering.com
There are programs that you can force routing at the input -- But as mentioned, they're still acting on the already-digitized signal (which is VERY dangerous to the audio if you don't know EXACTLY what you're doing and have a very good handle on your input voltage).
Long story short to the O.P. -- Don't. Even if your system allows it. There is NO advantage, there are several ways to screw everything up (especially if you're not paying attention to PROPER RECORDING LEVELS in the first place) and even if your system DOES allow it, you're then stuck with the result.
Armistice
Son of Yoda
As Massive says, even if you can, don't, unless you know absolutely what you're doing and why - and by the nature of your question, that's a ways off yet... I'll compress DI bass on the way in using a hardware compressor but that's about it, and I also know exactly what settings to use to get the effect desired given my bass, and bass playing...
It's too easy to stuff it up and not realise until later when you're mixing.
It's too easy to stuff it up and not realise until later when you're mixing.
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clntgn
New member
I have a quick add-on question to this thread, since it's really closely related. I have a Focusrite Saffire pro 24 firewire interface. I'm trying to record my bass guitar through input 1 just using an instrument cable directly into the input. If I buy a bass compressor pedal, or even just any compressor pedal, will this work? And do I need to get a DI box or anything like that? I have a Squier P-Bass.
ido1957
9K Gold Member
Bass->Compressor->Focusrite line in.
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clntgn
New member
Thanks!
JimmyS1969
MOODerator
It sounds like you have illegally downloaded compressors installed on your computer. You would not have paid for them, unless you knew how to use them. You are skating on thin ice here buddy. Prepare to be banned, unless you can show me that you are not a pirate.
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dzara 4
New member
My best advice is just do some general reading on what recording and mixing are. Even if we tell
you where to place a plug-in you are going to have no idea how to use it
Seeker of Rock
Proud fucking American
My answer will be regarding hardware compression, not itb post input compression, but I use light compression on two things pre-input: Bass guitar and vocals. I'll add more later if needed, but I suck at maintaining proper vocal levels when I sing, same with laying bass tracks so I do what I have to do to compensate. It may not be proper, but it's what I do and it works for me, fwiw. I wouldn't even consider doing this if I was recording itb, though.
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nagol5178
New member
You do this after recording. I am just now getting into outboard compressors. But even learning the proper way to use software compressors was probably my most difficult challenge in recording music. Really study how compressors work. It's very easy to ruin your track with a compressor. Of course with a plug in, you can turn it off and on. I'd research what all of the buttons do carefully or you could end up with an over compressed track and trust me, it sounds like crap on most thing. Also, most compressors go up to a high enough ratio to be used as limiters and if you don't know what you're doing you might end up limiting it and not wanting that.
Start slow learning, and experiment. It took me a while to fully understand how to properly use it. I use outboard compressors. Sometimes I even use them on the way in, but only when I know for sure where the settings are and what I want. Such as my Taylor acoustic guitar. I know exactly where I want it going in. But it took me a while to figure that out. At first I over compressed it.
Start slow learning, and experiment. It took me a while to fully understand how to properly use it. I use outboard compressors. Sometimes I even use them on the way in, but only when I know for sure where the settings are and what I want. Such as my Taylor acoustic guitar. I know exactly where I want it going in. But it took me a while to figure that out. At first I over compressed it.