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[pluto]

Hi, I don't know a thing about it, or almost any other.. thing. I'm just a bass guitarist you see, which I am very good at, but everything else, is just over my head. Anyway, I'm having to work with people in the music business who know soooo much more about... everything.

For instance, I have an amp, and a compressor, and an aural exiter, and all of those other things. Now, I don't know what any of them do, but I know that if I turn one knob this way, and one knob the other way, I get a sound that I like.

So, I'm standing there, listening to guys say, that needs more compression, this needs more reverb, and how about some of this some of that, and I don't know what they're talking about. I mean, this compressor I have, I don't even know what it does, and I can't even describe the difference it makes to my tone, although I know it's there, but all it does is 1, make my tone go quieter and deader, 2 nothing, or 3 make it louder and slightly distorted. Bassists always talk about this compression thing. So can anyone explain what it does, and how do you tell if something needs it? In a way that I can understand though, I mean, I found this on Wiki "A compressor reduces the dynamic range of an audio signal if its amplitude exceeds a threshold." I can't understand that...

[archtop]

As a start I'll go for the ratio part.

Lets say 3:1  or 3 to 1

If the original signal raises 3 db,  the compressor output will only let it rise 1 db,

if it rose 6 db the compressor output will show 2 db of rise.


Now if we were using 10:1 or 10 to 1 ratio

you will need the signal to be 10 db hotter in order for the compressed output to be 1 db hotter.


Next week : Threshold

[Andy Peters]

ftp://ftp.dbxpro.com/pub/PDFs/WhitePapers/Compression%20101. pdf

[ratite]

I don't think you need understand it.And I don't mean to be patronising.There is a philosophy that suggests leveling the bass is appropriate,but I think in general a compressor is used to alter the envelope of the bass and play around with the tone colour.To me these are aesthetic choices and not directly related to controlling the dynamic range of the recorded instrument.In this sense if the use of a compressor pleases your ear and adds to the song then I think it's the right choice.FWIW if you smack a bass thru a 1176/sta-level/federal I find you get a more pleasing sound.Though this is open to interpretation.

[sonny]

Read a book called "Mixing With Your Mind".  It's written in a really easy to understand way by a very experienced engineer (Michael Stavrou) and he explains ways of working with all types of audio equipment that will help you understand what each thing does.  It goes into more than just compress, but I think to understand fully the appropriate uses of Compression its good to know about all the other stuff - even if only a little.

http://www.mixingwithyourmind.com/

[max cooper]

Agree here about compressors being for changing the sound of things.

I think riding the fader is how to control the dynamic range of things.

[Larrchild]

Unless, of course, you like the way the sound is changed.

In the early 50's, engineers had to know the song really well, so they could grab the knob when someone blew a loud note or sang louder.

The compressor and limiter were invented purely for utilitarian reasons, but throughout the years, the choice has become more about coloration and effect, while altering dynamics.

But with automation, many times, a few peaks can be knocked down or low parts brought up and it's a purer path without a limiter.

You need both, fader rides and limiters.

[RSettee]

I only compress bass a little. Compression just evens the signal out so that the quietest part of the signal matches the loudest part of the signal more. Note that the perceived dynamic can still seem like it's there, ie: an undistorted guitar will still sound like it's quieter, even though when brought up to 0 dB, it will technically be as loud as the same distorted guitar signal that is brought up to 0 dB.

Great players don't really need compression. Or they usually tend not to need it, anyways. It's the players that vary wildly in their pick/ attack technique and overall playing. Same thing with drummers; live, they might sound fine, but on recordings, certain frequencies or elements might get lost; compression helps with that.

[theremin]

wikipedia baby

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_level_compression