I dont know how to use a compressor

[Andrew07]

I feel like a dumbass saying it, but I don't really know how to use a compressor and hopefully other people here are like that too.

I know literally how to USE the compressor's settings (like the attack, ratio, gain and what-not), but I dont really know how to USE it...if that makes any sense. Like how do you know how to use a compressor to make things blend together/sound better? Right now I use it simply to even out some dynamics. I think it's Im just not good enough at recording yet...I have a Distressor and the only thing I've used it on that gave it the OH SHIT factor was when I nuked a Royer R121 on a drum set from 10 feet away or so. It sounded fucking HUGE and now I do it everytime I record drums. Hopefully somebody can help me out

[WillMontgomery]

Don't feel too bad, I have a compressor that's sole purpose is to boost a Shure 58's level during a live show. Other than that, I really haven't used it much in regards to my recording considering I've never really took the time to play with it.

[Deng]

I am in the same boat, so are probably 90 percent of the people in the world. My best suggestion is to do it old school and get a book on it...it will explain in depth what everything is and how to use it. I actually am gonna have to do that myself. It is worth it, good compression can be the difference between a bad and a good mix.

-Deng

[DogpitStudios]

well, you need to analyze ur tracks first off. Lets talk about a bass track to start.

EXAMPLE:

you have a bassist that doesn't play notes consistently.

Well obviously this is the "main" function of a compressor, so even out dynamics like you said. You want to ajust the ratio and threshold to find a way to make the tracks have a consistent noted sound. Don't worry about how punchy or good or what ever the tracks sound when doing this you do things in steps. Once you have found a setting that pulls everynote to sound exactly the same (more or less) we should work on the generall sound. Now in doing this you have most likely gotten rid of any naturall punch from when the bassist plucks the string so the track resembles that of a bunch of strait notes with no defonition strung together, as that is what it is. What really would be needed next is the pluck of the note or the actually dynamics of the notes. Adding attack will raise some already exsisting naturall pluck of the notes. What you are doing here is not flatting dynamics but adding them in the correct places. now comes the resolution. This is very hard to explain but the best way to put it is u gotta listen to the generall flow of the song, and let the resolution fall into that flow. I know its vague but its not as hard as it seems. You can tell when something's resolution isn't right very easily. It just doesn't sound naturall and sounds like its oddly fading in and out at random times. That is a bad effect of an over compressed track with too high of a resolution time.

Of course there are many other examples for compression considering that compression can really do millions of things. I feel like this is a great way to actually get into learning about the tool. Hope it helped.

Ben

[brandondrury]

I'm not compression expert, but I feel like compressors at least tolerate me. They used to not even let me hang out with them.

Anyway, I've got about 20 tricks I do with compressors. I'll see if I can't start writing them down. I must say that I love compression and would be totally naked without it.

Brandon

[DogpitStudios]

Originally Posted by brandondrury

Anyway, I've got about 20 tricks I do with compressors.? I'll see if I can't start writing them down.

OOOO I'd love to hear them. You gonna right an other article?

Ben

[PhilB]

Hey Brandon,

Writing is good, sounds are better. Just a few before and after clips would be really educational. Not to mention, we could download the before and try to do the same thing you did on our equipment to learn about it. You know: 'the following clip sounded really xxxx, so I did the following to get it to sound like yyyy. click here and here for the clips.'

Did I mention that you are the greatest?

pb

[brandondrury]

You didn't mention what I was the greatest at? I might be the greatest shit eater or something other similar uselessness.

I'll take you up on your offer. I'll add soundfiles to the damn thing to totally demonstrate my tricks. This is going to take some work, but it can be done. I have a bunch of mixing that I don't want to do on Wednesday, so this maybe something else I can do.

I'm writing up the article now. I'll get to the soundfiles as soon as I get the time.

Brandon