ONE OR TWO COMPRESSORS INTO DIGITAL?

[DarrenL5@hotmai]

On-line, I found out that Alanis's 1st album was recorded daisy chaining two compressors (the DBX160 to the LA-2.) What are the advantages of this compared to using one compressor?

Would I be better off going straight from a Neve1076 to an 1176 into digital OR going from the Neve1076 to an 1176 to a LA-2?

My style of music is in the vein of Coldplay, Goo Goo Dolls, 3rd Eye Blind etc...In the past my voice has sounded a bit thin. My goal is for it to sound fatter, warmer, and for it to be on par with the quality of vox I hear on hit songs.

[thethrillfactor]

Originally Posted by DarrenL5@hotmai

On-line, I found out that Alanis's 1st album was recorded daisy chaining two compressors (the DBX160 to the LA-2.) What are the advantages of this compared to using one compressor?

One does the compression the other catches the peaks.

Originally Posted by DarrenL5@hotmai

Would I be better off going straight from a Neve1076 to an 1176 into digital OR going from the Neve1076 to an 1176 to a LA-2?.

"Do whatever sounds good" which in engineering speak means try both and go with what sounds best to your ears use.

Originally Posted by DarrenL5@hotmai

My style of music is in the vein of Coldplay, Goo Goo Dolls, 3rd Eye Blind etc...In the past my voice has sounded a bit thin. My goal is for it to sound fatter, warmer, and for it to be on par with the quality of vox I hear on hit songs.

Its 2 things...

1)The mic- on these records they investigate every possible mic to find which works best for the singer.

The signal chain after is usually a bread and butter setup-Neve into a comp.


2)The mixing engineer- the bands you picked are mixed by guys like TLA, Michael Brauer and JJP.

What they get to mix vocal wise and the processing they use after can totally change the vocal sound(and usually does).

Its part of the reason they get paid so much to do what they do.

[John Suitcase]

There are a couple of advantages to chaining compressors, most notably, you'll "mask" the signature sound of them.

So, if you just use a Distressor, it'll sound like a Distressor. If you use both a Distressor and an LA-2A, it makes it much harder to say "oh, that sounds like an LA-2A".

It makes the compression sound more natural, less obvious. You can crush a track much harder without those pumping and breathing artifacts being so obvious.

Try it out, you'll probably like it...

[mtstudios@charter]

Originally Posted by DarrenL5@hotmai

On-line, I found out that Alanis's 1st album was recorded daisy chaining two compressors (the DBX160 to the LA-2.) What are the advantages of this compared to using one compressor?

Would I be better off going straight from a Neve1076 to an 1176 into digital OR going from the Neve1076 to an 1176 to a LA-2?

My style of music is in the vein of Coldplay, Goo Goo Dolls, 3rd Eye Blind etc...In the past my voice has sounded a bit thin. My goal is for it to sound fatter, warmer, and for it to be on par with the quality of vox I hear on hit songs.

My assumption is that the first one (160) acts as a compressor while the second (LA-2A) is set to limiting catching the heavy spikes. End result is putting vocal more in your face.

www.bluethumbproductions.com

[whitepapagold]

"Do whatever sounds good" which in engineering speak means try both and go with what sounds best to your ears use.

Exactly. Funny how often we worry about what should be instead of what is.

[DonPedro]

Oh, and exlamation marks and capital letters are forum equivelants to screaming, so it is a relief, as I ran to the rescue, to see you guys just chatting about compressors...

[norman_nomad]

Originally Posted by John Suitcase

There are a couple of advantages to chaining compressors, most notably, you'll "mask" the signature sound of them.

Great.. I spent $2500 on an La2a and now I gotta mask it's sound??

I usually run compressors in series to get a sound you can't acheive from just using the one.

This can work ITB as well!

[whitepapagold]

Originally Posted by norman_nomad

Great.. I spent $2500 on an La2a and now I gotta mask it's sound??

I usually run compressors in series to get a sound you can't acheive from just using the one.

This can work ITB as well!

No Doubt! Tell me that wasn't one of the best 2500 purchases you ever made. Im in LOVE with mine! I run it into an 1176ln on vocals at times- sounds amazing on the right source in the proper context. Double compressors mean double the fun (just like double mint gum! Man, Im getting old....)

[Lagerfeldt]

I also like have two almost opposite compressors in a row, e.g. Gyraf Gyratec X (tube, warm, wide) and SSL (firmer).

[DarrenL5@hotmai]

Thanks for the advice everyone! Seems like the best thing to do is to try vox using one and then try vox using two and see which sounds best - duh!

Quick follow up question...are there any compressors out there that are well known for adding more of a unique color to vocals than other compressors? I'm gonna rent the 1176 and the LA-2A to demo out 'cause they seem to be everybody's top two picks but I'm wondering about the lesser known, more obscure stuff.

[u b k]

the vox on coldplay and the googoo dolls are all about the mids imo. if i wanted to make something sound like mr. coldplay i'd run a c12 into a 1073 into an 1176, and at mix i'd hipass all the lowmids, grab a pultec mid, and crank the shit out of whatever freq makes the singer sound like he has a week-old cold... probably 1.5k but 3k might work just as well.

also, run a mono delay line, ~1/4 note with generous feedback, lowpassed into darkness, and tuck it under the vocal. ride it on the brink of audibility at all times, pushing it more and more whenever the music builds. this will embiggen the voice while at the same time keeping it connected to the mix rather than sitting on top.

if you sound thin and don't want to (coldplay is pure proboscis if you ask me) you have to 1) sing with more resonance and 2) re-examine your chain, starting with the mic as others have said. #1 is more important than #2, but this is gearslutz and people here seem to prefer buying things to improving sources, so who am i to say no?

good luck!


gregoire
del ubik

[7rojo7]

When I record a vocalist I tend to want to make them feel like they're in control and powerful, like they're the reason the band exists. Compression and a little delay helps. If all that doesn't help I put them in the CR between the monitors with a 57 or a Stedman N90. Performance rules, techniques help a little.
follow the performance some may even need a dummy mic, I keep a Large condesor handheld for such occasions (shy singers). I keep everything.

[norman_nomad]

Originally Posted by u b i k

this will embiggen the voice while at the same time keeping it connected to the mix rather than sitting on top.

I really hope you're making a Simpsons reference here.

[u b k]

Originally Posted by norman_nomad

I really hope you're making a Simpsons reference here.

it's some sort of... land cow!


gregoire
del ubik

[norman_nomad]

Originally Posted by u b i k

it's some sort of... land cow!


gregoire
del ubik

[proxy]

It's a perfectly cromulent word...

[Fletcher]

Originally Posted by whitepapagold

Funny how often we worry about what should be instead of what is.

One man's funny is another man's sad...

[Drumsound]

Running two comps in series can make a vocal sound less compressed, even though it is more compressed. You hear less of the action of each one, but the net GR is higher.

[jono_3]

FWIW I read an article or some sort of advertising propaganda around the release of the last coldplay record saying the Chris Martin was u87 ---> UA 6176. I also read that Micheal brauer had used a number of compressors including a federal and a fairchild during the mix and said that what you hear on a record is simply what he sounds like, so I wouldn't go chasing the gear dragon for this one.

A well rehearsed and practiced voice is the cheapest way to make your tracks sound more expensive.

[Peter Stengaard]

I think the last coldplay album sounded fantastic. Brian Eno is my hero.