Overall compression settings????

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Member Since: Jul 14, 2002

Wazzup HRC whats a good setting for the overall mix or is it just to taste....

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Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Dec 19, 2002 09:07 pm

it's always to taste, compression has no hard and fast rules...too many factor that it depends on...

The fat one always watches us.
Member
Since: Nov 08, 2002


Dec 20, 2002 07:01 am

Db, there must be like 30 threads talking about compression. even an old timer like me would like to know more. is there a difinitive guide to the in's and out's of compression?

Administrator
Since: Apr 03, 2002


Dec 20, 2002 07:15 am

This is probably one of the most commonly asked questions here...I wish there was hard and fast rules, I have written an article or two in the recording tips about dynamic effects like compression, gating and limiting, but honestly, I really know nothing else to say other than what each of the controls do (which is what the article are) and try to illustrate what they do.

Though I am sure there are tutorials and such, I myself really have a hard time putting into words how to use compression. If it's loud, turn the ratio up, if it has soft spots, turn the gain up and the threshold up...it's kinda hard to explain.

If anyone has good teaching skills and can explain this I would be more than happy to post an article about it, but I really honestly can't myself...it's one of those things I just use by instinct...

Member
Since: Nov 12, 2002


Dec 21, 2002 11:29 am

www.studiocovers.com has many great articles on compression. You may want to check out the section on mastering too. Overall compression after the final mix is done is a part of the mastering process and is usually done with multi-band compressors. If you have the waves plugins, I think it is the C4 you would want to use. With Multi-band compression, you can compress the offending frequencies with out squashing the whole signal.

Contributor
Since: Sep 09, 2002


Dec 22, 2002 10:57 pm

madhatz, you're producing hiphop right? the general rule with rap is *loud*. If your mix isn't "in your face", then compress it until it is. If you burn it off and play it in your stereo (home, car, whatever you listen to most) and it sounds a little quiet or distant, then there's still room to compress.

watch that you don't over-compress or it'll sound unnatural and distorted.

one trick that works for me is to prepare 2 versions or something that i cannot decide which one is better, and let someone else listen: "which one sounds better, A or B?"

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