who compresses here while tracking?

  • Thread starter Thread starter jugalo180
  • Start date Start date
jugalo180

jugalo180

www.moneyistherecipe.com
i'm getting mixed comments about compressing while tracking, so i came here to the people who are in the style genre of music as i am. some people say don't compress because you will ruin the dynamics. in hip hop there aren't too many dynamics in the vocals, am i right? i was told by someone at a record store, that also does recording, to get a compressor, because it will give me the best signal to noise ratio. i also hate when i have to keep monitoring the mixer to make sure the artist doesn't go too high or too low on the meter. i can be doing something else. someone told me a limiter would suit me better.

what's anyones opinion, and technique, that they would like to share?
 
I dont compress while recording , but thats only on the vocals
If you want to play it safe and you dont want to worry about the singal while monitoring you should compress

a limiter is the same thing as a compressor , but with an extreme ratio to keep higher signals down

also of course compression will make take away some of the dynamics (the feel), but this isnt really a problem when dealing with hip hop or rap (steady dynamic)

monitoring the vocals , drums, samplers, keyboard, signals,all that shit is a part of recording , if YOU ARE recording the music, you probably want it to sound good, that takes work
 
monitoring the vocals , drums, samplers, keyboard, signals,all that shit is a part of recording , if YOU ARE recording the music, you probably want it to sound good, that takes work
Click to expand...


thanks for the advice. what was stated above is true, but i only track vocals nothing else through the mic. i was wondering if the compressor/limiter will allow me to set the ratio and threshold to where no matter how loud or low he gets the signal will be strong. that way i don't have to worry about riding the the mixer, while tracking, and when i'm recording myself, i can hold back and let go as much as i want without fear of a retake.
 
yo spin

i've been to those articles a countless number of times but never took time to look over them. i underestimated them. it would have been a long time before i would have until you made it imparitive that i read through em. good job. i only read like three and decided that i'll go ahead and get a software compressor. thanks
 
Cool Edit 2.0

Go out and buy cool edit 2.0. Get the best recording you can with out the compressor. Compress in cool edit and do all your mixing down in cool edit. I will have some songs posted here before too long so you guys can hear my quality
 
Listen Homie

Listen Homie, you need a compressor/limiter
(both come in the same package depending which one you buy)

This will help you keep the (MC, SINGER) leveled and not peaking into the red. But remember it isnt a MAGIC BOX, so for every MC, SINGER that comes in front of that mic, the setting on the compressor/limiter will differ---keep in mind --DIFFERENT PEOPLE, DIFFERENT VOICES, DIFFERENT ATTITUDES, DIFFERENT SETTINGS
(simple as that)


It's not necessary to track with Compression going IN (DAW, HD RECORDER etc..) but some people do.

If you do -- what it does is this: makes the kick more rounder, broadened, sharp on point hitting, with limited noise- which might be made my ground loops, bad cabling etc.. whatever
(doing this'll give you that BIG BANG DRUM like DR. DRE TRACK)

If you dont-- that's cool too, if your sound is exactly how you like it, (wipe ya hands clean) fuck-it that's it, record it, mix and level it later. But far as you monitoring the mixer to check the artist,
THAT'S WHAT ENGINEERS DO FAM -- that's yo job, deal wit it, if you doing something else while the artist vocal is going on, you aint doing ya job --- that means they will be all over the place, going HIGH, LOW, and after the fact trying to fix it is hell------
a plain and simple theory: GET IT RIGHT THE 1ST TIME GOING IN

and it'll sound right where ever you play it OUT

whether you use a PLUG-IN or a piece of HARDWARE, you will have to do exactly what "SPINSTERWUN" stated

READ
 
bet

good advice. i read a lot but i need to focus on one subject at a time. i'm running the waves platinum bundle with vegas video. i have an ass load of plugins, i just wanted to get a hotter signal going into the mic with the compressor. with out the compressor i just assumed that i would have to track at a lower volume, and with it i can track at a louder volume getting a stronger signal and not worrying about clipping.


thanks for the advice, i will learn to read more.
 
use a good mic into a good preamp into a good sound card and don't worry about compressing during recording. especially since you are recording in 24bit. there's no tape hiss to overcome and no benefit from tape saturation so you don't need a compressor/limiter on the way in unless you are having serious problems with a vocalist who has no dynamic control or mic savvy.

as long as your signal is relatively hot, don't worry about losing bits and stuff. i like to get it so that my peaks hit between -6 and -12 while recording.

if you've got the waves gold bundle then don't even sweat using a compressor or limiter on the way in. that's all you need is another piece of gear coloring your sound before you can even print it.
 
aiight cross

yo, when i finish my next project i'll appreciate it if you check it out. i went out and got the boom stand, shock mount, and popfilter after seeing the pic in your studio. i had a makeshift shockmount and popfilter that was being held by a perpindicular mic stand. i saw your pick and was like whoa, rapping in front of that will definitely make me feel more professional about my work. i believe as an artist you have to be psyched.

i have the at4050 so my set up is all black, but the grey looks sweet as hell. as a matter of fact you posted to one of my threads a while back that helped me make the decision to go with the at. i believe you steered me away from the at3035. if you had any experience with the 3035 can you tell me your dislikes? i believe you mentioned red roaster as your cd burning software, why does that sound better than burning in nero, or adaptec? holla back whenever you get a minute.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top