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Originally Posted by Beyersound  +1 Matt! I have maintained the "no 2 buss crush" approach for 20+ years. I just listened to the Coldplay album "A Rush of Blood To The Head" thinking I would like it. It was so over compressed(surely in mastering!) I couldn't stand to listen to it for more than 5 minutes. There were absolutely no dynamics, and it sounded really mono. This is unfortunately the case with many records today. I remember that what turned my head about a record not too many years ago(and still does) was clever use of dynamics usually through the arrangement. Those mixes really breathed well. If you squash that down to where everything is essentially the same volume, even the best engineered and mixed tracks become lifeless and boring. I call that the "mixing with compression" method. I read a Mike Shipley(he can mix a bit!) article where he said he doesn't use a 2 buss comp while mixing, only compresses individual tracks in a mix, and doesn't like them squashed in mastering. I was always enamored with the great dynamics of his mixes. I feel the same except I prefer to use a subtle 1:5 to 1 mix comp never gain reducing more than a db or two. I do use a good bit of track compression with mostly good vintage stuff, but when I start to hear something choke or sound unnatural I back it off (unless of course it is an intended effect). It is good to hear people actually talking about less crushing especially at the mastering stage. I have had about enough of the "my record has to be louder than everybody else's" approach that is so common today. Cheers  |
I assume that you mean 5:1 for a compressor if you really mean 1:5 then it is an expander and not a compressor.
Also don't be so quick to assume that it was in the mastering that everything got smashed as a lot of stuff coming it today to our mastering studio is already smashed beyond belief.
Lots of artist today FORCE the mix engineer to do things to the music to make it loud and then present that already over compressed mess to the hapless mastering engineer asking him or her to make it louder. A good well done mix without a lot of two buss compression can be made very loud very easily while still keeping a lot of dynamics in the music. Once you take the life out of the music by over compression when you are mixing it can never be put back in.
A word to the wise....
