Compressor Options

[beyaRecords]

Try 'parallel compression' which allow you to add more oomph without killing your track.

Take one channel, say a kick drum, and use an insert send from that channel and feed it to a compressor. Then take the output of the compressor and bring it back on a completely different channel and viola! parallel compression.

Set your compressor using the following ratios:

Threshold: -50db to -60db
Ratio: 2.0:1 to 2.5:1
Attack: 1ms (take the smallest value possible!)
Release: 250ms
Makeup: 0dB

and then mix it back to the other 'clean' channel from -20dB to +10dB.

Beya

[abcdaniel]

Correction: It wasn't "some 90s DBX compressor" i was using, it was a DBX 160 of some flavor. More 70s-80s-stylee. It is a really great piece of hardware nonetheless!

With parallell compression you have to be aware that you could get unwanted peaks from the original uncompressed source, so maybe the slightest bit of peak limiting on the original track is a good idea. Agree on that, Beya? Haven't done it much myself...

This post has been edited by abcdaniel: Thu 24 Nov 2005, 12:21

[neesley]

abcdaniel: Thanks for the tip on the attack. Come to think of it, my rock snares have tended to get lost. I bet it's because I have the attack set too short.

Any other compressing techniques anybody want to share?

I've been using the C4 a lot on vocals to bring out the high end punch of the consonants without taking over that specific frequency range.

[beyaRecords]

so maybe the slightest bit of peak limiting on the original track is a good idea. Agree on that, Beya? Haven't done it much myself...

Well the whole idea behind parallel or upward compression is to preserve transients, but failing the fact that a slight reduction in db for the channel doesn't have the desired effect, then yes introduce slight limiting.

Beya