What to compress?

[maddrummer]

Stereo drum overheads, keyboard, bass, guitar. It's mainly like funk grooving stuff, some jazz. But i have one dual channel compressor so for tracking which do you think would be the best to compress?
Thanks

 

[Blue Bear Sound]

You compress if a track needs some dynamics controlled.... not "just because"!

 

[gascap]

You compress if a track needs some dynamics controlled.... not "just because"!

It's good to be reminded.

Thanks!

 

[Lopp]

All that being said, compression on bass and guitar is great for funk. For jazz, more dynamics are often desired, so less compression is used. Compression on overheads is rarely, if ever, used.

Also, it can be easier to employ compression during mixdown instead of tracking. This gives you a better idea of how much compression is actually needed.

 

[crosstudio]

are you recording digital?

although, it will degrade your sound from D/A conversion and blah, blah, blah... if you have a track that needs compression after you record it, send it through the compressor to another track.

[edited note]
what difference does it make if you are recording digital as long as your analog has enough track you can still do the above.