Compression question

Scott Denniston · From: Hahns Peak, Colorado, USA

Could someone give me some good starting points for using compression on steel in a recording? What I'm after here is stuff like Attack--fast or slow? Ratio settings and threshold. What I'm trying to do is even out some swells in an otherwise keeper track. I don't need to hear stuff like "it's all in the volume pedal" etc. as it's already tracked. I really don't want the steel to sound at all squeezed or compressed but just tame the swells. Thanks.--Scott

Brian McGaughey · From: Orcas Island, WA USA

This advice is worth what you paid for it.

Assuming your goal is to bring down the louder passages of your track, it seems the first setting on the compressor to address would be the threshold. I would set it so the comp just starts to work at the spot these swells start.

Then I'd set the attack, release and ratio by ear. The attack should be set only fast enough so the comp reacts quick enough to catch the start of the louder stuff but sound natural, the release set to shut down naturally sounding w/o comp after the loud stuff. The ratio I'd guess would be high, 6:1 or higher, (?)I dunno. These are the concepts as I see 'em.

Use your ears.

If you're on a mixing desk that allows automation and the level changes you need to address aren't too quick, you could perhaps automated the slider to compensate for the levels during playback. I just did that on a steel track of mine to bring up a passage that dropped in volume during a RKR.

I'm a wanna be recording engineer! Take it for what it's worth.

Brian

Dave Boothroyd · From: Staffordshire Moorlands

If your compressor has a "knee" setting, the compression will sound a lot more subtle with a soft knee.
If you don't know what I'm talking about, the knee control sets how the compressor applies the gain reduction as the signal level reaches the threshold level.
With a hard knee the full reduction ratio is applied as soon as the threshold is reached. With a soft knee, the compression is applied gradually, starting a little before before threshold is reached.
If you are doing all this "in the box", with software plug-ins, you may be able to solve your problem if you have a "look ahead" compressor, that sets the gain reduction long before the threshold is reached.
Hope this helps,
Cheers
Dave

Tony Prior · From: Charlotte NC

I guess I would say, before using it, learn what it does and how it does it. Once there is a good understanding of how a Compressor works, actually using one is not that big of a deal.

First off, this is not one of those items that someone can say, USE THESE SETTINGS, the compressor settings are 100% related to the signal at hand.

The purpose of a compressor is to set a threshold where once it is reached the signal is gradually reduced. Unlike a limiter where at this point the signal is basically eliminated. The compressor is smart, it reduces level gradually above the threshold and returns to normal below the threshold. All of the settings apply to "what happens at the threshold and beyond". When a skilled engineer uses a compressor the art is to set it and use it so nobody ever notices.

Unfortunately learning to use this tool will take a few minutes of time. Compressors are probably the single most difficult recording tool to use correctly and the easiest tool to use incorrectly. I am not a pro, but I do know when I am over compressing. On my workstation, I start with one of the ON BOARD stock patches, a very mild SOFT KNEE patch, and go from there, making subtle changes.

When we hear players recordings where it sounds really compressed, effectively they have the threshold level set well below the peak levels and probably somewhere near mid point of the total signal. The ATTACK is set real fast so the reduction starts working right away and then the output gain is set very hi so the final signal level never changes. In this case it is used as more of an AUDIO effect and not really compressing anything. The entire signal sounds squashed but without reducing the overall output level, actually you can increase the final squashed level , just turn the output levelknob !

here is a nice thread/description on the subject.

http://www.recordingproject.com/articles/article.php?article=6

The best way to learn is to take a short track of your playing, chart out some settings, apply them to the track, listen and take a few notes. You will be able to tell the difference between the severe and the mild settings right away, the more moderate changes you will have to pay attention to. If you have a meter on the compressor or recorder you will also be able to SEE the peaks being managed. Change one setting at a time in your experiment, learn ONE knob at a time.

It won't take all that long, it only took me 20 years ! Sad

tp

Scott Denniston · From: Hahns Peak, Colorado, USA

Thanks for the replies--they all help. Yes Tony that's what I'll be shooting for--transparency. I just want to remove some annoying swells.

Chris Tarrow · From: Maplewood, NJ

Great article on compressors:

http://www.manleylabs.com/techpage/compressors_exposed.html

Try slow attack, medium release, ratio 2:1, and lower the threshold until you get what you're after. A little can go a long way. Also, don't overlook volume automation, sometimes it's more effective and has fewer artifacts.

Forum Index > Recording		Next oldest topic :: Next newest topic

All times are GMT - 8 Hours	Jump to: