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[rocksure]

Many people who are starting out with recording and mixing struggle to understand compressors. What do all the controls do, and what do the numbers mean? Questions about when to use them and how to use them properly can be a bit confusing if you are not an experienced user. I decided to write a tutorial on the subject recently in order to give an introduction to compression and limiting. I hope reading it will help people with grasping the concepts of threshold, attack, release etc. Here is a link to it:
http://rocksuresoundz.com/2012/03/12/understanding-compressors/

[Fletcher]

Nice primer... think it'll help?

[saint]

A large part of the problem for 'newbies' to recording these days is that they do not have the opportunity to work their way up through the studio ranks and gather the knowledge over a few years that comes from working with several real professionals in numerous recording & mixing situations that encompass all genres of music by having to sit (patching, etc.) with them in the control room and actually listening and observing exactly how, when and why things are done. Like any newbie, they inevitably end up having to 'over do' everything (e.q., compression, limiting, etc.) simply because their ears are not yet trained (educated?) and they MUST over do it in order to simply HEAR the effect! This trend has driven the 'threshold' of compression to rise to unacceptable amounts because, most often (except in those instances where 'over doing it' specifically FOR that effect), the dynamics of the vocal, bass, guitars (whatever) is totally destroyed and simply can NOT ever be recovered. Keep in mind that compressors & limiters have already affected the signal an average of 2 to 3 db BEFORE you ever SEE it on a VU or led meter! It takes TIME to hear compression, etc. BEFORE you get a 'visual' indication of it (on a meter or light)! The 'visual' component to modern recording is, IMO, one of the BIGGEST problems of 'modern recording' because it robs brain power from our HEARING component. Your eyes will ALWAYS fool (distract) you when it coms to critical listening. I find it is IMPERATIVE to close your eyes when checking a mix... do not look at the DAW, the moving faders or meters... just LISTEN like a blind person! This will also improve your imaging an ability to create more depth and texture in your mixes. (Note: IF you can't hear it, turn it DOWN!!! This will FORCE you to listen harder and over time (in addition to saving your hearing) you will increase your hearing range & sensitivity!). Rupert Neve used to call his early compressor/limiters "Neve Correction Units"... an excellent 'cue' from the MASTER on how to approach compression... begin by doing ONLY what is absolutely necessary to reign in those spurious transients that leap out in to the red. Pay serious attention to your gain structure BEFORE you reach for the compressor... with 24 bit recording, there is really no need (or sonic benefit) to EVER get closer than -6 db from the over light! Less is more! You can ALWAYS add more, you can NEVER remove 'too much'. Err on the side of caution and stay OUT of clipping! Just do NOT do it... Once it's clipped it is BROKEN. Don't be afraid to keep your '0' right at that -6 mark and you should have plenty of headroom & have to do much LESS compression.

[jaykadis]

Dynamic range compression works because of the psychoacoustic principle of masking.  The ear breaks incoming sounds into separate components, each of which forms a critical band - a range of similar frequencies that overlap to produce a single output to the brain.  As sound components build in each critical band, they fight for attention in a manner that sends only the louder components onward to the brain.  As components of a mix pile up in each band, the softer components are masked and not "heard" by the brain.  Differences as small as 3-6 dB can completely eliminate some sounds from our perception.


Dynamic range compression tries to overcome the masking effect by boosting softer sounds relative to the louder ones.  Usually, only a small increase - 3 dB or less - can undo some of the masking and allow previously unheard elements to pop out.  This means that compressors should be used gently, restoring only the few dB necessary to overcome the masking.  Carelessly slamming things just makes masking worse.  Subtlety is the key to using compression effectively.  Of course the same is true for equalization - and just about everything else.

[rocksure]

Nice replies you guys. You are dead right in saying that there is no substitute for experience. I remember some of my early drum recordings from years back where the snare sounded like a cardboard box being hit by a rolled up newspaper after I finished compresing it too hard while tracking! However, I think there is still a place for explaining to people basic principles of what the controls do, what happens to a drum if the attack is too hard for instance, before you start, and this is what I attempted to do  with the tutorial I wrote.

[Fletcher]

Like I said... nice primer... think it'll help?  As an industry we've seemingly become compression addicted without a whole lot of requisite ear training [as the Saint pointed out].  Hopefully a few kids on the way up will start to step back and take more time to listen... and adjust their dynamic range processing devices accordingly... I'm just not holding my breath.

Peace

[rocksure]

Like I said... nice primer... think it'll help?  As an industry we've seemingly become compression addicted without a whole lot of requisite ear training [as the Saint pointed out].  Hopefully a few kids on the way up will start to step back and take more time to listen... and adjust their dynamic range processing devices accordingly... I'm just not holding my breath.

Peace

Squashed to the max, that's the object of today's mixing/mastering isn't it? Did I hear the word dynamics? Sorry this is 2012..that's a dirty word in this decade! Please replace it in your psyche with the words "Brick walled, loudness, clipping, maxed out, distortion, ear fatigue". There now that's more like it! That's what we must do. Aim to be the loudest mix on the block. sarcasm....sarcasm

Still maybe there are still some up and coming people out there who still want to compress sensibly, and let things breathe a little. Maybe the loudness trend will moderate one day. Or maybe I am just not "hip" with the times.

Anyway, if my tutorial gives people a "primer" that gets them delving further into learning to do compression properly, and use their ears, then that will make it worth the time spent writing it. Ofcourse it doesn't  cover types of compressors ( vca, opto, FET, tube etc) and their behavioural characteristics, but I am sure there are people on this forum who are better equipped to explain those things than I am.

[Fletcher]

Squashed to the max, that's the object of today's mixing/mastering isn't it?

Actually - most mastering engineers I know hate that... unfortunately, its what they feel they need to do to get work... and working is MUCH better than not working.  On the bright side... it seems that more and more musicians are starting to hear the destructive force in "black block" presentation [Metallica excepted] and have been asking for things to "breathe" a bit more.  Then again, in some ways it seems that "famous mix dudes" have failed to get the "music should breathe" memo... perhaps in time but who knows.

Peace

[always_ending]

One of my favorite mixing engineers, Michael Brauer, who's on this forum, should throw his weight into this discussion.

That man seems to have figured out that the "trick" with compression in "punchy" mixes that everyone loves these days has a significant amount to do with parallel compression.

I've followed his routing for parallel compression and used it as a guideline when doing quite a few mixes of my own. I've managed to get the "pumping" compression sound down and mixed within the project alongside the un-compressed track with great results doing so!

And I'm not sure that I can agree with the notion that we shouldn't be hitting compressors "hard" and seeing more than -10 db of compression.... at least not since I bought my UBK Fatso  Gregory Scott is another man that I love to listen to his work and hear how his compression techniques work to bring about "grove" in tracks he's mixed. If it sounds good, it is good.

but I do agree with the premise that "newbies" compress quite often without either parallel compression being used or other techniques and they end up "killing" dynamics in their mixes... there's no "breath" to it. they will learn, as myself and you have. if not, they will obviously not get the work, and I can't fault the musicians for choosing the "better" M.E. for the job.

It definitely takes time and mixing many times over to really grasp what's going on, and I feel I'm only just starting to arrive there..... much further to go as I do compare my mixes to the "top" engineers such as Michael and gauge my mixes effectiveness next to theirs. Of course, it would help me greatly to have tracks played by the likes of John Mayer, My Morning Jacket, and the likes of the killer musicians he has the pleasure of mixing 

Maybe one day! Till then, I will pump hard on compressors when/if it sounds good, and lightly "kiss" the db's on them when it's effective!

[rocksure]

One of my favorite mixing engineers, Michael Brauer, who's on this forum, should throw his weight into this discussion.

That man seems to have figured out that the "trick" with compression in "punchy" mixes that everyone loves these days has a significant amount to do with parallel compression.

I've followed his routing for parallel compression and used it as a guideline when doing quite a few mixes of my own. I've managed to get the "pumping" compression sound down and mixed within the project alongside the un-compressed track with great results doing so!

And I'm not sure that I can agree with the notion that we shouldn't be hitting compressors "hard" and seeing more than -10 db of compression.... at least not since I bought my UBK Fatso  Gregory Scott is another man that I love to listen to his work and hear how his compression techniques work to bring about "grove" in tracks he's mixed. If it sounds good, it is good.

but I do agree with the premise that "newbies" compress quite often without either parallel compression being used or other techniques and they end up "killing" dynamics in their mixes... there's no "breath" to it. they will learn, as myself and you have. if not, they will obviously not get the work, and I can't fault the musicians for choosing the "better" M.E. for the job.

It definitely takes time and mixing many times over to really grasp what's going on, and I feel I'm only just starting to arrive there..... much further to go as I do compare my mixes to the "top" engineers such as Michael and gauge my mixes effectiveness next to theirs. Of course, it would help me greatly to have tracks played by the likes of John Mayer, My Morning Jacket, and the likes of the killer musicians he has the pleasure of mixing 

Maybe one day! Till then, I will pump hard on compressors when/if it sounds good, and lightly "kiss" the db's on them when it's effective!

Michael Stavrou, the guy who wrote "Mixing with your mind" used to be a regular contributor to a magazine we had in New Zealand and Australia called Audio Technology. The magazine may still be available in Oz but we don't get it in NZ any more. He wrote some really cool articles on compression that I know I have in magazines round here somewhere.... about the order to place compressors of different types, ratios, thresholds and so forth when you place more than one compressor on a source.
There's always stuff to learn, and different ways to approach things.

[always_ending]

There's always stuff to learn, and different ways to approach things.

Damn right... there's a good reason it's a never ending addiction! 

[Senad]

in New Zealand and Australia called Audio Technology. The magazine may still be available in Oz but we don't get it in NZ any more.

yes, still kicking around OZ. Pretty sure you'd be bale to subscribe and get it delivered to NZ.

[rocksure]

yes, still kicking around OZ. Pretty sure you'd be bale to subscribe and get it delivered to NZ.

We used to have in the book stores here, but a couple of years ago I went to the local magazine shop to see if they could order it for me. They came back to me a few days later and said they couldn't get it. That was a bit of a bummer as it was a good magazine...at least back when we used to get it here anyway. Don't know how hard they tried though.

[gpiccolini]

The 'visual' component to modern recording is, IMO, one of the BIGGEST problems of 'modern recording' because it robs brain power from our HEARING component. Your eyes will ALWAYS fool (distract) you when it coms to critical listening.

+1

[Fletcher]

Indeed... just having the TV on in the control room is an issue in my world!!  I really like my control room as dark as possible because as the eyes shut down, the ears open up.

Peace