Plugin Help . . .
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Posted on Mar 23, 2005 11:16 pm
mwellborn
Member Since: Feb 11, 2005
Let me see if I can explain what I need. I don't have an external compressor, I use the plugins in SONAR 3 P.E. I usually aply compression to my bass after the bass track is recorded. However I want to apply compression to my vocals as they are being recorded. Can I do this with a plugin? In other words, can I set the input of the plugin to add the compression as I am recording a given vocal part in SONAR 3?
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Mar 24, 2005 07:32 am If you mean, can you hear the effect of the plug as you use it, then yes, this can be done.
I do it all the time (admitedly using Cubase) but all you should need to do is enable monitoring so you can hear what you record then use the effect as an insert (dont know how this is done in Sonar).
In cubase I'd just load the effect ot an insert channel and enable monitoring so I can hear it...
Good luck to ye
Coco.
Mar 24, 2005 11:35 am keep in mind it's not affecting the accuatal sound that's being converted into digital...you signal hits the A/D converters first then gets compressed....to me that would be pointless...the whole reason i compress while recording is to get better bit depth fidelity, and to tame wild peaks to the converters.
peace
wyd
Mar 24, 2005 11:37 am but if you're wanting to hear reverb on your vocals as you record (alotta ppl do) that would work fine, but i woulnd't record the reverb track though...
Mar 24, 2005 01:48 pm wyd, I'm not sure I understand . . . You're saying that doing it this way won't actually compress the vocal track?
Mar 24, 2005 01:52 pm it will compress the recorded vocal track, but you will not get the benifits of compressing durring tracking....only the bad parts like unable to undo....
Mar 24, 2005 01:58 pm what's the best way to do it, get an external compressor and a mic pre?
pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
Mar 24, 2005 02:03 pm He means that the signal coming into your computer is just the dry signal, no effects. And the signal getting recorded is dry, no effects.
While the signal is brought inside the computer, you can monitor it's sound, so you can hear yourself. This is the part of the signal that can be compressed when you are hearing it. The original signal is still dry. Only the monitor signal gets the compression.
If you want the benefit of hardware compression, this cannot be done with the computer itself, it has to be done before it gets into the A/D converters. This could be in an outboard HW compressor, a mixer w/ compression, or some other sort of effects, like a stomp box compressor, and the like.
The compression inside the computer (plug-ins, etc) are good for balancing out an up-and-down signal, and for fattening up bass or vocals, or whatever. The two applications are different, though based on similar principles.
Mar 24, 2005 02:07 pm lol thanks yeah that's what i was sayin'...
pjkPrince CZAR-mingMember
Since: Apr 08, 2004
Mar 24, 2005 02:21 pm mwellborn, looking back at your initial query, i'd say you do the same thing you're doing with the bass. record it normally, add compression afterwards, via a plug-in. otherwise, yes, a HW compressor (in some fashion) would be needed.
Also, you would need a preamp for your mic regardless if you use compression or not.
