COMPRESSOR A MUST(new folks look)
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Posted on Mar 05, 2003 08:14 pm
Milky Mark
Member Since: Feb 20, 2003
I just picked up this here Alesis 3630 Compressor, and let me tell you. I've been trying to get that proffessional vocal sound for ages. They had this thing for 99 small dollars at guitar center, and since i kept hearing pre-compression, pre-compression, pre-compression, i decided to spend the money and get a damn compressor. I'd been trying to do compression on vocals thru software since i record in cubase, and could never get it to sound quite right. I even bought a new microphone in hopes of improving vocal sound. If I would have known it was as easy as dropping a penny on a compressor i would have done it ages ago. For any new comers to recording, if you are going to do vocals, get a good mic, but MORE importantly, get a compressor, a hardware one, not a software one. Just a word of advise.
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WaltChief Cook and Bottle WasherMember
Since: May 10, 2002
Mar 05, 2003 08:52 pm They are also very versitile for any sound with large variations in volume. Often used with bass and drums for example. I would be hard pressed to prioritize the compresser above the mic, however, dependant on volume fluctuation that may be quite valid.
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Mar 05, 2003 09:04 pm Yep, an outboard compressor is a must have. I have learned to use a DSP comp very well, especially on drums and bass and guitar. But vocals are a tough call, I have come close a couple of times, but never gotten it quite right.
Mar 05, 2003 09:18 pm You're right... not quite right, but compared to NOT using one, it sounds perfect.
WaltChief Cook and Bottle WasherMember
Since: May 10, 2002
Mar 05, 2003 09:36 pm Yow, I hate stiking my neck out to be chopped off, especially when someone finds something that works very well for them. I am truely happy to see that. I do however feel some god awfull need to present the other side of the coin. It would be easier not to be me! I have one woman that sings on some stuff I do that I would not subject to a compressor. Her voice qualities are as such that her volume control is for the most part exquisite as are her tonal qualities. I have made minor adjustments to segments of her recordings to adjust the volume a little. In her case I find that compression diminishes the performance. I have also laid bass lines that again did not respond well to compression. I will say that these are the exception, however the compressor is not the do all end all.
Back behind the chicken wire.
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Mar 05, 2003 09:48 pm Very true Walt. I have rarely compressed my own vocals on recording. I have however done a tweak on occasion to the track via DSP. My voice does not take to compression well at all. I know several people who are the same. I think by golly though it is maybe just a mindset. I want to hear the subtle changes as opposed to an even squashed wimpering. Now get out form behind the dang chicken wire, these tomatos are to unrippened to squish thru that there wire mesh.
WaltChief Cook and Bottle WasherMember
Since: May 10, 2002
Mar 05, 2003 09:57 pm He who fights and runs away, lives to fight another day! I hate tomatoes! The english where right you know, they are really poisonous! It wasn't really an apple in the garden. Yup that's right a tomato!
Mar 06, 2003 08:35 am On the inside of the 3630 manual, it reads under uses:"to even out a vocalist's dynamics to compensate for poor mic or vocal techniques." I have the poor techniques, i guess thats why I am digging this thing!
Mar 06, 2003 08:42 am Noize is one of the few peeps I know that rarely compresses vox. I use a compressor on every single vocal I have ever recorded, maybe not a lot of it, but it's always in the chain and doing something no matter how minor.
stupeMember
Since: Apr 03, 2002
Mar 06, 2003 10:53 am db, now that i am using oboard compression on my digital mixer. does it still count as a hardware compressor or is it software now?
juesContributor
Since: Dec 30, 2002
Mar 06, 2003 11:34 am It's software I'm afraid - because it won't stop the analouge signal clipping before it reaches the A-D converters.
jues
Mar 06, 2003 11:56 am But I will lay pretty good odds it will still work a bit better than a software based compressor on your PC, however, technically jues is right, it will still be converted to digital data before it gets to the compressor.
Best bet, stupe, get a little dbx 266 and put it on an aux loop of your mixer or other vocal preamp if you use one (I thought I remembered you saying you used a different one)
Mar 06, 2003 12:07 pm Yeah, Mark, I felt the same way after I got a compressor! I had just recently bought a really nice condenser mic, but something still didn't sound right untill I finally bought a Behringer Composer Pro. It doesn't fix everything, but it does sound a heck of a lot better :-)
Mar 06, 2003 12:19 pm The whole trick to a compressor is not to over use it. What makes your recording sound smoother and more consitant, if over used, can suck all the life and emotion right out of the recording.
Enjoy in moderation. :-)
stupeMember
Since: Apr 03, 2002
Mar 06, 2003 01:44 pm would you guys recommend outboard compression on tracks other than vocals like drum tracks?
Mar 06, 2003 01:45 pm If it needs to be controlled, yes. It's nice on a snare at time as well as other things, I compressor dirty guitars at times...it's all in what the sound calls for.
WaltChief Cook and Bottle WasherMember
Since: May 10, 2002
Mar 06, 2003 02:44 pm Especially drummers per my experiance. Very few can keep a solid even volume especially when they start really movin or get excited about the tune. Our drummer will keep an ear on things and rap a littler harder when folks get out of sink as well. This is great for keeping the performance on track, but a nightmare for recording!
