what does compression do?

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electronicdreaming

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hey guys, hope you are all having a great day!
well i make pure synthesizer music...and some vocals soon, hopefully...and i have always heard about COMPRESSION, but i have no idea what it does or how i can use it in my songs. can you guys help me out? thanks!
have a great day
peace
justin
 
> i have always heard about COMPRESSION, but i have no idea what it does or how i can use it in my songs. <

The short answer is a compressor is an automatic volume control that can turn down the level when it gets too loud. If you are recording a singer and set the record level close to zero and then the singer hits a loud note, the compressor can reduce the volume so it doesn't distort. Depending on the compressors knob settings, it can also be used as an effect to make a complete mix sound punchier. And on an electric bass or guitar it can add sustain to the notes, by raising the volume as the note decays. (Because it turned the volume down initially when the note was first struck.)

--Ethan
 
Compression changes the dynamic range (amplitude) of a recording which reduces the Highs and can enable the engineer to increase (boost) the overall loudness of a given clip/recording. Along with EQ and Reverb, it is the most important aspect of sound recording to understand.

Check out the great article by Rip Rowan in ProRec:

http://prorec.com/prorec/articles.nsf/files/B425578C027460898625661000745390

You will also find a 3 part article on ProRec by Lionel Desmond on EQ that should be read by everyone serious about recording music.

I have printed off all these articles and read the contents off the page. They reside in a book that is close to my DAW set-up.
 
Paul881,

Your use of the word "highs" in your description of compression might be confusing. When talking about audio, "highs" usually means high frequencies. Here you must mean amplitude peaks when you say "highs." Something that reduces the highs would be some kind of EQ.
 
Yes, you are right.

Compression reduces the dynamics of a clip where there is too much variability between softness and loudness of the amplitude. But volume fluctuation can also be frequency related. In which case, EQ is used.

The descriptions "Highs" and "lows" are generally used in reference to frequencies.
 
thanks

all right that helps out a LOT guys. thanks for all your help. have a great day!
justin
 
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