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The use of compressors
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Fometrius
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
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2082
Posted : Jun 21, 2012 15:05:55
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When using compressors myself, i have been doing it when i mainly think i want the sound to be a bit more compact and louder.
To have increased energy in a more solid and compressed way instead of being "spikey" and sharp.
So the generall use of compressors for me so far has been to get the sound to have a higher volume and being more pressed , compact ( compressed ). If the sound is fuzzy and long it seems to press it togheter and strengthen it.
I understood that the ratio is how much its compressed. I have read that the threshold is "
threshold is the level the signal has to reach to be affected by the compressor."
I also have picked up some compressor settings for different kind of percussion and leads and some genereall recomended eq settings for instruments.
When using compressors myself i mostly tweak untill i think it sounds good, going back to the "if it sounds good it is good " . But i noticed there seems to be some similiar settings that often is used for certain kind of sounds.
And i have noticed that to much use of compressors can make the sound being to boosted, it becomes "overload" and effects the quality just making it sounds smashy, undefined and loud.
I guess its different from time to time and a key thing in both mixing and mastering is to adapt to the current situation and dont throw in the same plugs and settings all the times. But there seems to some things many people do and that gives good results, such as cut low freq with a high pass filter , using reverb on pads for a more lushy sound,use compressors on thin sounds and use to get a more meaty and compact sound, raise high frequencies when wanting sparkle etc, raise around 60-80 Hz for more bass approach with bass and kick.
So when do you use a compressor ? When listening to your track , or messing with a synth etc what makes you think "aha, it would be great to have a compressor on that channel " Or do you do it by habbit because you are familiar with the thought that it usually makes it better?
So my main question is , what things in a sound makes you want to put on a compressor ?
What is it that you want to acheive with the compressor that the sound dont have without the compressor ? |
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Xsze
Started Topics :
5
Posts :
657
Posted : Jun 21, 2012 15:20
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Use it mainly to tighten up the sound, but in most cases just to gel everything together on group channels.
Depends on sound, but always aiming for more control and punch 
I use compressor when I need one on separate channels,really depends on workflow and source |
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Domi
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
36
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444
Posted : Jun 21, 2012 15:41
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Babaluma
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
18
Posts :
729
Posted : Jun 21, 2012 21:02
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Equilizyme
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
19
Posts :
593
Posted : Jun 21, 2012 22:47
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I would say I use it more or less for the purposes you described, and for sidechaining. But I agree with Babaluma, the attack setting especially I have found to be super super important as far as making the compresser sound natural and not out of place.
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http://soundcloud.com/equilizyme
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snowdogg
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
17
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482
Posted : Jun 21, 2012 23:47
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compressors are a volume control, for altering the transients in audio. so if something has dynamics that id like to change id use a compressor or transient shaper |
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snowdogg
IsraTrance Junior Member
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17
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482
Posted : Jun 21, 2012 23:48
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and not to achieve a certain sound, unless sidechaining or fx like gated reverb |
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Equilizyme
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
19
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593
Posted : Jun 24, 2012 20:05
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WOAH - just read "mixing with your mind" section on setting up compressors. I WISH I HAD READ THAT LONG AGO! Makes way more sense and I can hear how to set it up now and I understand why. Thanks for the tip Baba, best one i've had in a while 
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http://soundcloud.com/equilizyme
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Babaluma
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
18
Posts :
729
Posted : Jun 24, 2012 23:52
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it's an amazing book, and well worth the cost of admission. i use that compressor technique on a daily basis with my hardware comps. it's the ARRT of compression.
i've gone into it with detail with private students, but i wouldn't feel right disseminating all the info for free on the net.
the rest of the book is great too, maybe not so much for ITB only artists, (and some of the digital stuff is very outdated now), but the general advice for all forms of recording is spot on.
http://hermetechmastering.com : http://www.discogs.com/artist/Gregg+Janman : http://soundcloud.com/babaluma |
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equalizer
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
10
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35
Posted : Jun 25, 2012 07:42
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Babaluma
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
18
Posts :
729
Posted : Jun 25, 2012 09:43
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b0Lt
Started Topics :
7
Posts :
112
Posted : Jun 26, 2012 03:07
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babalumba uses the black magic vodoo technique were all looking after! ;P
"compressors are a volume control, for altering the transients in audio."
this is SO wrong. what do you think do the attack and release settings ? there are even settings for rising attack curves, falling attack curves, etc this isnt just fire and forget. it can take ages so find the right attack/release settings, like babalumba said, and you have to know WHERE you do listen and when. |
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Aedge
Started Topics :
1
Posts :
8
Posted : Jun 26, 2012 17:11
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dmtoad
IsraTrance Junior Member
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11
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56
Posted : Jun 26, 2012 18:37
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Thank you Babaluma for that reference book!
Really nice mixing tricks even if it's not really ITB oriented....
Peace
http://soundcloud.com/dmtoad |
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PsyGalaXy
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
68
Posts :
437
Posted : Jun 27, 2012 14:47
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