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Author Topic: Fast Attack Times; WHO NEEDS 'EM!  (Read 8480 times)

bob ebeling

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Re: Fast Attack Times; WHO NEEDS 'EM!
« Reply #15 on: January 21, 2009, 08:44:53 AM »

The old one.  I've owned one before, I just can't remember that much about it, but I know it's closely related to the 160 vu.

How do you like the 160s?  What do you like it for?
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Bob Ebeling
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Fig

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Re: Fast Attack Times; WHO NEEDS 'EM!
« Reply #16 on: January 22, 2009, 02:09:18 PM »

bob ebeling wrote on Wed, 21 January 2009 07:44

The old one.  I've owned one before, I just can't remember that much about it, but I know it's closely related to the 160 vu.



Yeah.  We had an old 162 a while back.  Its effectively a stereo 160VU - unable to use it as two 160VUs (kinda like how the 1178 is a stereo 1176 - not (2) 1176es in on box).  Never tried the new one (162SL), but it sure "looks" good   Rolling Eyes

They're ok for that (strapped stereo comp/lim) - no time constants, though...

Quote:

How do you like the 160s?  What do you like it for?


Its good, too.  There's nothing in particular I would slate it for.  It DOES have time constants, and sounds nothing like our 160VUs.  When we run out of 1176, LA4, etc - we use the 160S.

It works just fine - its just not a "go to" until the "go tos" are gone.

Fig
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bob ebeling

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Re: Fast Attack Times; WHO NEEDS 'EM!
« Reply #17 on: January 22, 2009, 08:24:17 PM »

Yeah, that rings a bell.  I've heard that complaint before.  Seems alot of people are hoping to at least have a 160vu mode on all those new ones and can't find it.  It's kinda cool how usable the one preset is on those.  I would like to know what the attack and release time actually is on the 160vu and 162vu.
That guy that 'upgrades' 'em might know.
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Bob Ebeling
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mattrussell

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Re: Fast Attack Times; WHO NEEDS 'EM!
« Reply #18 on: February 06, 2009, 06:18:42 PM »

fast attack times are critical for many things.  a common thing i do on acoustic guitar is first running a waves renn. compressor to adjust the amount of pick (often using a very fast attack time with a fast release time) followed by my favorite compressor for Agtr, an LA-3A.  the combo has worked well for me for many years.


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matt russell
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bob ebeling

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Re: Fast Attack Times; WHO NEEDS 'EM!
« Reply #19 on: February 07, 2009, 09:17:13 PM »

In a mix session today several instruments (a bell track, a synth sweep, and some claps) we're done twice.  I took one of them and opened a compressorbank basic comp, dragged the attack time to it's fastest and then used the release time to create a 'fade/pan' away from the middle.  Great way to get some movement happening in a mix.
But the champion fast attack time  of the month award goes to the 808 kick.  There was a pair of slightly different sounding 'tuned' melody line 808's (club banger) both doing the same thing.  Cranking a super fast attack on one caused a nice HIT at the top of the notes, while the other uncompressed one eventually took over the sustain.  Both the client and I we're loving what was going on there and it became quite a feature of the song.  
Fast attack times can create very punch, tight, controlled tones.
Part of the key to quickening the attack time is usually that the release time also has to be pretty quick, or you're just squashing it down and drowning it.
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Bob Ebeling
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Jonah A. Kort

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Re: Fast Attack Times; WHO NEEDS 'EM!
« Reply #20 on: July 28, 2009, 12:48:05 PM »

I prefer to use the fastest attack time

then dial in the release time to the tempo of the song or the vibe of the source

hmmmm....

-jonah
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jonathan jetter

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Re: Fast Attack Times; WHO NEEDS 'EM!
« Reply #21 on: July 29, 2009, 12:29:21 AM »

grantis wrote on Wed, 14 January 2009 18:07

Quote:

What comps do you typically use on your vocals?


First compressor varies.  Usually I start with the Digidesign Dyn3 plugin.  If that doesn't do it, I'll try the Massey comp.  90% of the time, one of those will work well.

Second compressor, is almost always an 1176.  



i think it bears mentioning that even the slowest attack time on an 1176 is still pretty damn fast.
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Nicky D

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Re: Fast Attack Times; WHO NEEDS 'EM!
« Reply #22 on: August 05, 2009, 02:05:19 PM »

About the 162.  I use one all the time..that's a pretty special comp...nothing else sounds like it to me...great on drum buss, toms, OHDS, room....bass...always wondered what the attack and release settings were...they do seem to change depending on the input and ratio...but I might just be outta my mind!
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Etch-A-Sketch

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Re: Fast Attack Times; WHO NEEDS 'EM!
« Reply #23 on: August 05, 2009, 02:42:59 PM »

bob ebeling wrote on Fri, 09 January 2009 19:39

I've been engineering for 20+ years and 90% of the time I use a compressor I go to the fastest release and the slowest attack.  

In recent years I've explored and managed to speed some attack times up, as well as slow some release times down.  However, the fast attack thing is still somewhat of a mystery to me.  It always seems weird to hear mastering guys talk about needing faster times.

Part of this could be just defining fast I guess.  For instance, my Alan Smart C1, when at it's slowest attack is at 30 milliseconds, which is pretty fast.  But then there is the Tube Tech CL1B, where I love to have that attack knob fully clockwise usually (especially for vocals).  I like to set that knob near the middle of the range (12 oclock) for drum overheads.  Grabs quite violently then.

So my question to all is; When do you use fast attack times?  On what sounds?  AND with what compressors?  How much gain reduction?  What release times in conjunction?





 



Fast attack times work great for nylon string guitar or Pizz Violin/cello and upright bass.  Anything that is really "plucky".  It tames the attack and brings out the tone.

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Derek Jones
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Nicky D

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Re: Fast Attack Times; WHO NEEDS 'EM!
« Reply #24 on: August 05, 2009, 09:24:43 PM »

I also think that fast attack times are best served in a back buss capacity, but maybe I'm missing something too.  I generally always lean towards slow  as I don't like the way a compressor tames(squishes) the transient...now transient designers are a different beast...I generally like using them as room/tail killers...
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