...but I really want to use compression...MM?
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Posted on Jul 07, 2011 04:43 pm
Quincysan
http://www.unitedmusicians.info
Contributor Since: Nov 11, 2007
I thought the answer was, "don't squish, almost ever"...however the more I research producers I really like, Butch Vig being my favorite producer so far...the more it appears that there's some rather severe compression on guitars and sometimes drums. I don't compress vocals much (A little parallel comp sometimes), I automate like crazy instead. I find myself wanting to compress guitars, drums (parallel compression), and bass (but only compressing during busy choruses and then automating the compression to back off during more specious versus/bridges/intros/outros). Keyboards/effects I don't typically compress. Auxiliary percussion I don't compress. I think I prefer the sound of compressing guitars and then automating levels if the dynamic element is diminished by the compression. In fact, automating compression to change values throughout the song is becoming a pretty common mixing desire for me. I feel like I'm yearning for a forbidden fruit...
I know this is a tired subject but I was wondering if we could whomp on that dead horse once more.
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Dematrixhttp://www.reverbnation.com/2ndgMember
Since: Nov 27, 2007
Jul 07, 2011 10:40 pm hey man, im not MM but i recks it depends on the style of music firstly.
I cant see how yer meant to get things really loud (if thats what youre wanting) if things arent compressed quite a bit other wise levels fluctuate too much. that really limits your limiter options or it sounds like it hits a wall when you get the vol up towards the roof..
Maybe its not the best practice for other music but with what im doing im finding it increasingly necessary to compress guitar busses, drumm busses and vocal busses, then bringing the whole thing into a so called mastering session to compress more before running thru a limiter.
Last time i found i couldnt get things loud enough because i hadnt leveled things out enough in my mix first.
Im just not experienced enough to get it where i want it without killing it tho.
I not sure i ever will be. tis why i start saving for proper mastering services and get someone like MM to do it nicely.
Quincysanhttp://www.unitedmusicians.infoContributor
Since: Nov 11, 2007
Jul 08, 2011 12:18 am For screaming vocals, I agree that hard compression is best. It just hits harder. I ranted a while back about how screaming is more a rhythmic device more than it is melodic. Still believe that 100%, and the compresion helps to make it percussive as I think it should be. What would Opeth even sound like without compressed vocals? ha
What DAW do you use again? I just learned how to automate plugin parameters a few weeks ago in protools, and that's changed how I approach compressing mix busses a lot.
Dematrixhttp://www.reverbnation.com/2ndgMember
Since: Nov 27, 2007
Jul 08, 2011 12:52 am cubase 4. Yeah ido all sortsa stuff with automation, more bass freq on kicks in spots where it gets slower, delay on vox, panning fills guitars while theyre playing, anything you can think of really.
Never really messed with comp and automation.
But its not unheard of to have a few different comprssors going in a line with dif thresholds etc in a mix. either that, or just keep bouncing it and bringing it back into the mastering session till you nail all the little bit that **** you. Thats what i did last time.
I still reckon trying to master my own stuff has made me realise sooo much about my mixes its not funny.
Jul 08, 2011 01:09 am Quote:
I thought the answer was, "don't squish, almost ever"...however the more I research producers I really like, Butch Vig being my favorite producer so far...the more it appears that there's some rather severe compression on guitars and sometimes drums.
Whatever serves the mix. Compression as an effect isn't illegal or anything...
cruxTypo SzarMember
Since: Jul 04, 2002
Jul 08, 2011 03:51 am It is what serves the mix as MM said, and I think its wat serves ur particular recording situation as a whole. Im just gonna take the liberty of breaking down MMs take on gain structure how i interpret it to discuss this topic.
The proper levels and everything r great to give u dynamics and sound that isnt cluttered with the artifacts of driving things too hard and distorting waveforms, but remember that 'getting it right at the source' is very different when ur in a home recording situation as versus a big studio with tons of gear.
U might have gotten the gain just right, got all the tones and timbres as u wanted, but there is reason some preamps cost tens of thousands of dollars and some studios just HAVE to have certain EQs, they all contribute to the sound as well and usually that sound is nigh unattainable without those quality components.
This may seem like a tangent but what im getting at is that in a home recording situation, where ur rooms arent optimum, ur mics arent optimum and ur pres arent optimum, u may have to rely on other things down the chain to attain the sound that is in ur head. U might have to compress a vocal to get that body and punch that a big studio gets from its pres and mics.
Depending on the style and era ur going for, u have to factor in the differences between ur setup and that of someone like Butch Vig, who most of the time is recording to tape which has its own compression characteristics. I dont think u have to feel sinful to use a certain plug or something, if its gets u ur results. And its not a compromise, if it 'sounds right' but its squished and not dynamic, then how 'right' is it really? I'm sure at the end of the day, u know wat u want and u know where to stop compressing and where to compress further. So while its great to have a procedure to follow and a path, there r major differences that will totally warrant u take matters into ur own hands.
Dematrixhttp://www.reverbnation.com/2ndgMember
Since: Nov 27, 2007
Jul 08, 2011 07:07 am nice crux.
Quincysanhttp://www.unitedmusicians.infoContributor
Since: Nov 11, 2007
Jul 08, 2011 09:53 am Wonderful.
@ Crux: I'll be able to agree or disagree with you on the relevance of equipment vs technique stuff in the next few months. Currently, I'm working on a full length and when I'm done tracking drums, bass, and guitar I'm going to run my parallel compression tracks to a 2" tape machine before bringing them back into the session. Then a few months later I'm going all analog. I'm doing a session on a '70's MCI board, Neve clone pre's, 1176 compressor clones, and a 2" tape machine. Of course, this will be my first stab on an analog desk so it might not go exactly...right...a little nervous about it actually. The owner told me he'd kind of show me the ropes a bit and donate tape for it to help on cost. I'm very comfortable in the digital world. Blah. We'll see :-/
The studio^
cruxTypo SzarMember
Since: Jul 04, 2002
Jul 08, 2011 04:45 pm Quincy has all the fun.
Dematrixhttp://www.reverbnation.com/2ndgMember
Since: Nov 27, 2007
Jul 09, 2011 05:08 am hell yeah
