As always thanks for great response
When should i really use compression?
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 157 posts since 13 Feb, 2015
I have read about basics of compression bet never found out when to use compression?
As always thanks for great response
As always thanks for great response
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- KVRist
- 68 posts since 23 Mar, 2015
Use it on anything that you feel has too much dynamic variation. The thing about compressors is that they can absolutely destroy your sound if not used properly. Make sure you understand exactly what you're doing before you do it, and know what you're listening for.
When I first started using compressors I didn't have a good idea of what they were supposed to do to the sound, but I used them because I knew they were important. Compression effects are generally supposed to be very subtle - the change in the sound can be difficult to discern to the untrained ear.
As a rule, low end instruments should usually be compressed more heavily than mid and high end instruments/sounds. Too much dynamic variation in the low end can be unsettling and can mess with your levels. I always parallel compress my kicks to give them power and presence in the track. PC is not always necessary, most of the times a regular compressor will work just fine on kicks, but make sure your attack and release settings are set so that the transients are not being compressed.
It's a good idea to compress vocals too. The human voice is one of the most dynamic instruments which can create issues when you want a fairly level sound.
A lot of VSTs and Synths won't require much or any compression because they are usually processed to give even levels. Again, if it sounds like it needs it, then it probably does.
Finally, it can be a good idea to slap some light compression over your entire track during mixdown (emphasis on the word "light").
Hope that helps!
When I first started using compressors I didn't have a good idea of what they were supposed to do to the sound, but I used them because I knew they were important. Compression effects are generally supposed to be very subtle - the change in the sound can be difficult to discern to the untrained ear.
As a rule, low end instruments should usually be compressed more heavily than mid and high end instruments/sounds. Too much dynamic variation in the low end can be unsettling and can mess with your levels. I always parallel compress my kicks to give them power and presence in the track. PC is not always necessary, most of the times a regular compressor will work just fine on kicks, but make sure your attack and release settings are set so that the transients are not being compressed.
It's a good idea to compress vocals too. The human voice is one of the most dynamic instruments which can create issues when you want a fairly level sound.
A lot of VSTs and Synths won't require much or any compression because they are usually processed to give even levels. Again, if it sounds like it needs it, then it probably does.
Finally, it can be a good idea to slap some light compression over your entire track during mixdown (emphasis on the word "light").
Hope that helps!
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 157 posts since 13 Feb, 2015
Oh yeah it helped! Thanks a million times man!Duncster94 wrote:Use it on anything that you feel has too much dynamic variation. The thing about compressors is that they can absolutely destroy your sound if not used properly. Make sure you understand exactly what you're doing before you do it, and know what you're listening for.
When I first started using compressors I didn't have a good idea of what they were supposed to do to the sound, but I used them because I knew they were important. Compression effects are generally supposed to be very subtle - the change in the sound can be difficult to discern to the untrained ear.
As a rule, low end instruments should usually be compressed more heavily than mid and high end instruments/sounds. Too much dynamic variation in the low end can be unsettling and can mess with your levels. I always parallel compress my kicks to give them power and presence in the track. PC is not always necessary, most of the times a regular compressor will work just fine on kicks, but make sure your attack and release settings are set so that the transients are not being compressed.
It's a good idea to compress vocals too. The human voice is one of the most dynamic instruments which can create issues when you want a fairly level sound.
A lot of VSTs and Synths won't require much or any compression because they are usually processed to give even levels. Again, if it sounds like it needs it, then it probably does.
Finally, it can be a good idea to slap some light compression over your entire track during mixdown (emphasis on the word "light").
Hope that helps!
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Mister Natural Mister Natural https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=164174 - KVRAF
- 2834 posts since 28 Oct, 2007 from michigan
I think it depends on the performance of each instrument/track as to "when"
If the drummer slaps his snare too hard on the 4 vis a vis the 2 beat - compress that snare
If the singer really belts out the second line vs the first - compress her whole take
If the guitar player really lays down an interesting line the second time thru, but it's much softer than his straight level - compress that take & bring it's final level up
peace
If the drummer slaps his snare too hard on the 4 vis a vis the 2 beat - compress that snare
If the singer really belts out the second line vs the first - compress her whole take
If the guitar player really lays down an interesting line the second time thru, but it's much softer than his straight level - compress that take & bring it's final level up
peace
expert only on what it feels like to be me
https://soundcloud.com/mrnatural-1/tracks
https://soundcloud.com/mrnatural-1/tracks
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 157 posts since 13 Feb, 2015
Thanks you too for great response, you guys are truly showing that this forum is helpful!:>
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el-bo (formerly ebow) el-bo (formerly ebow) https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=208007 - KVRAF
- 16369 posts since 24 May, 2009 from A galaxy, far far away
don't forget you can also use compressors in extreme, and heavy-handed ways, to destroy that shit 
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- KVRAF
- 5813 posts since 17 Aug, 2004 from Berlin, Germany
1.) For sounds/instruments with a big dynamic range. This are often the lead sounds.. (including vocals).
Pads or similar sounds with not such a big dynamic range don't need in most cases compression.
2.) For "glueing" sounds together... the compressor works more as a big volume knob (longer release times) and the idea is that louder sounds are a bit compressed so they fit besser to the rest of the sounds. Volume automation would do the the job too but a compressor is easier to use. Such "glueing" works of course only on groups, so that similar sounds are routed to the same group.
3.) As an effect like sidechain compression ("Ducking") or to (re)form the sounds (give it more impact and bring it more "into the face", shorten the release, smooth transients etc). But there are sometimes better tools like a Transientshaper.
4.) As a "colouring" effect or to smooth a bit the overall sound. This is often used with vintage emulations (or hardware) to add this vintage "dust" to the sound
The compression is not the important part (it's often only max 1dB)... often used on the master bus.
Pads or similar sounds with not such a big dynamic range don't need in most cases compression.
2.) For "glueing" sounds together... the compressor works more as a big volume knob (longer release times) and the idea is that louder sounds are a bit compressed so they fit besser to the rest of the sounds. Volume automation would do the the job too but a compressor is easier to use. Such "glueing" works of course only on groups, so that similar sounds are routed to the same group.
3.) As an effect like sidechain compression ("Ducking") or to (re)form the sounds (give it more impact and bring it more "into the face", shorten the release, smooth transients etc). But there are sometimes better tools like a Transientshaper.
4.) As a "colouring" effect or to smooth a bit the overall sound. This is often used with vintage emulations (or hardware) to add this vintage "dust" to the sound
The compression is not the important part (it's often only max 1dB)... often used on the master bus.
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 157 posts since 13 Feb, 2015
Thank you
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- KVRAF
- 9800 posts since 18 Aug, 2007 from NYC
Something to help illustrate what's being done with compression...
You can do this with any instrument, but it is a more predictable example using percussion... Play a drum track, a very simple drum loop will be best. Place a reverb plugin with a 50% dry/wet setting and change the decay on the reverb to something short (not so long that it is washed out, but no so short it sounds metallic or like slap back delay)... Then place a compressor and begin lowering your threshold and try playing with the ratio and makeup gain.
***Edit*** Go for extreme settings on the compression first and work your way backwards.
You can do this with any instrument, but it is a more predictable example using percussion... Play a drum track, a very simple drum loop will be best. Place a reverb plugin with a 50% dry/wet setting and change the decay on the reverb to something short (not so long that it is washed out, but no so short it sounds metallic or like slap back delay)... Then place a compressor and begin lowering your threshold and try playing with the ratio and makeup gain.
***Edit*** Go for extreme settings on the compression first and work your way backwards.
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- KVRAF
- 3089 posts since 4 May, 2012
In addition to all the above, compressors are also used for transient shaping. Parallel compression can be applied when you want to keep the natural envelopes of a sound whilst slightly bolstering the RMS.
