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mastering compression
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Equilizyme
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
19
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593
Posted : Dec 4, 2011 21:10
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On 2011-12-04 13:25, makus wrote:
However the most important part is to understand that you definitely hear the smallest changes while compressing the whole mix. Compressors can harm dynamics very fast.
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Makus: do you have a tip for teaching one's self how to hear these differences? I have been linking the on/off of the compressor to a hotkey and then laying on the couch and closing my eyes, listening closely and turning it on/off... kind of works but at this point all i can do is tell if I like the comp better on or off i can't say 'oh the ratio's to high' or 'attack is too fast/slow', etc, etc.. do you know of a technique to train one's self to hear these differences? Or is it just easier on monitors? I only have headphones 
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On 2011-12-04 15:21, PoM wrote:
about the topic ,sidechain filter! it can be a must for electronic music depending the comps used, to not over compress the low and get a better groove.
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From what I understand the sidechain filter on comps (or at least the comps i have) will trigger compression on the whole signal based on the input from whatever freq range is selected with the filter.
Based on what you said tho, it seems like you are talking about comps where there is a filter on the input, so just a certain freq range would be compped. is this what you mean? it makes sense how not comping the lows would yield better result, just trying to make sure i understand...
And about the m/s compression. would it be better to have the middle be more compressed than the sides? I am having difficulty think about how this would affect the sound. maybe i should just buy this elysia alpha and play with it.... but is there general methods regarding m/s?
Overall though, thank you all for the great information!! 
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http://soundcloud.com/equilizyme
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orgytime
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
120
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1703
Posted : Dec 4, 2011 21:19
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willsanquil
IsraTrance Full Member
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2822
Posted : Dec 4, 2011 21:41
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makus
Overdream
Started Topics :
82
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3087
Posted : Dec 4, 2011 22:04
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On 2011-12-04 21:10, Equilizyme wrote:
Quote:
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On 2011-12-04 13:25, makus wrote:
However the most important part is to understand that you definitely hear the smallest changes while compressing the whole mix. Compressors can harm dynamics very fast.
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Makus: do you have a tip for teaching one's self how to hear these differences? I have been linking the on/off of the compressor to a hotkey and then laying on the couch and closing my eyes, listening closely and turning it on/off... kind of works but at this point all i can do is tell if I like the comp better on or off i can't say 'oh the ratio's to high' or 'attack is too fast/slow', etc, etc.. do you know of a technique to train one's self to hear these differences? Or is it just easier on monitors? I only have headphones
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Well, not sure I have any special tips. I didn't graduate from any special audio schools, all I know comes from my experience, books and internet. My path is tightly united with trial and error and experimentation. This path took me a lot of time (more then 10 years already) and effort (now I do sound work for money) and I didn't experience any factors that made me understand everything at once. it was all about listening, trying, mistaking, trying again etc... The biggest leap forward, though, was treating my room. This and decent monitors (correctly positioned) are the two main factors of hearing what you do.
However even the perfect room and monitors aren't really useful if your ear isn't trained and used to the room and the monitors. From your post I've got that you don't have ones - train your ears with headphones and save money to get good acoustics. Blind test is good for that. Close your eyes and hit your bypass hotkey random amount of times, say 10 or 20. Don't count. After that listen. Hit again and listen. Don't open the eyes  Choose what sounds better for you and check what setting that is.
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On 2011-12-04 15:21, PoM wrote:
about the topic ,sidechain filter! it can be a must for electronic music depending the comps used, to not over compress the low and get a better groove.
|
|
From what I understand the sidechain filter on comps (or at least the comps i have) will trigger compression on the whole signal based on the input from whatever freq range is selected with the filter.
Based on what you said tho, it seems like you are talking about comps where there is a filter on the input, so just a certain freq range would be compped. is this what you mean? it makes sense how not comping the lows would yield better result, just trying to make sure i understand...
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Yes, with sidechain filter you can bypass some frequencies from compression. In dance music low end has lots of energy and power and it might be a good idea to take low end out of equation  So you apply compression only to mids and highs, bringing out the main musical data and making the world a better place.
Quote:
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And about the m/s compression. would it be better to have the middle be more compressed than the sides? I am having difficulty think about how this would affect the sound. maybe i should just buy this elysia alpha and play with it.... but is there general methods regarding m/s?
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Well, this is the same if you ask "would it be better to compress left channel more than right?". Mid-Side method isn't about compressing something more or less than stereo It just gives you more possibilities when you have a final mix and see that there is something wrong with it and you can try fix it with stereo compression / eq or Mid-Side. Sure you may try and use this technic creatively, experiment!
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Overall though, thank you all for the great information!!
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Welcome, man.
www.overdreamstudio.com |
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Equilizyme
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
19
Posts :
593
Posted : Dec 4, 2011 22:06
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PoM
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
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Posted : Dec 5, 2011 02:12
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you can push the compressor more to get familiar, use like 5 db of compression and stronger ratio you will hear more the attack and release change to get familiar but attack release ratio knee gain reduction all the parameters are linked toghther, so with less compression you might have to fine tune everyhting, making it not really a ideal solution... but at the begining it helps.
overcompressing a little and then back off to find the sweet spot work great
also knee is often overlooked but it s very important to fine tune it carrefuly when compressing bus if there is a settting on the comp.( if there is no knee setting it dont mean it s worst, the compressor can have just the right curve for what you compress, it can be linked to ratio too on some comp with no knee setting to adjust manually) |
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PoM
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
162
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8087
Posted : Dec 5, 2011 02:42
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the settings will totally depend of what you have in mind. soon you will be abble to know how you will set up the comp even before inserting it,and just fine tune for the specific material or try something else if it dont work.
get used to your compressors, don't use 10.. just use a few to know them well |
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Equilizyme
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
19
Posts :
593
Posted : Dec 5, 2011 03:13
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I will experiment with all these tips.
You guys have really been helpful, I can't say thank you enough!
Long road ahead. ONWARD!
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http://soundcloud.com/equilizyme
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Equilizyme
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
19
Posts :
593
Posted : Dec 5, 2011 07:17
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makus
Overdream
Started Topics :
82
Posts :
3087
Posted : Dec 5, 2011 10:14
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xoC
Cubic Spline
Started Topics :
10
Posts :
179
Posted : Dec 5, 2011 12:01
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Yes, with sidechain filter you can bypass some frequencies from compression. In dance music low end has lots of energy and power and it might be a good idea to take low end out of equation So you apply compression only to mids and highs, bringing out the main musical data and making the world a better place.
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No. With sidechain filter (highpass for example), you are taking the low end out of the TRIGGER signal, but you are compressing the full signal.
If you are compressing only Mid+High, it's not a compressor with sidechain filter, it's a multiband comp with at least 2 bands, one uncompressed for the lows, and the other one compressed.
http://www.storm-mastering.com |
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makus
Overdream
Started Topics :
82
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3087
Posted : Dec 5, 2011 12:52
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Colin OOOD
Moderator
Started Topics :
95
Posts :
5380
Posted : Dec 5, 2011 20:59
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On 2011-12-05 12:01, xoC wrote:
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Yes, with sidechain filter you can bypass some frequencies from compression. In dance music low end has lots of energy and power and it might be a good idea to take low end out of equation So you apply compression only to mids and highs, bringing out the main musical data and making the world a better place.
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No. With sidechain filter (highpass for example), you are taking the low end out of the TRIGGER signal, but you are compressing the full signal.
If you are compressing only Mid+High, it's not a compressor with sidechain filter, it's a multiband comp with at least 2 bands, one uncompressed for the lows, and the other one compressed.
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Very true; this is an important distinction. However I would say he's describing a 'split-band' compressor, which only compress a specific frequency range, although that's just semantincs 
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Contact for bookings/mastering - colin@oood.net |
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daark
IsraTrance Full Member
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58
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1397
Posted : Dec 5, 2011 21:25
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PoM
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
162
Posts :
8087
Posted : Dec 6, 2011 00:56
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logic blue compressor is really complete ,very versatile with all the option, sidechains.. really nice bundled comp.
maybe not for mastering even if it can work good runing the same signal in the sidechain input and equalize it open great possibilities. |
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