Compressing a typical SSL compressed mix

[audiovisceral]

I was taking a look at the Chris-Lord Alge presets on the Waves SSL plugs and I noticed his standard output is through a 10 ms auto-release 4:1 ratio bus compressor.

In a typical project compressed thus (perhaps 3-4 db reduction let's say), how would you generally go about compressing it further? Let's say it's well balanced and doesn't need any specific correction through multibanding.

It's something that I find peculiar - the way mixes are compressed at mix and then re-compressed at master. It would seem more logical to me to only use one compressor once and leave it at that. Otherwise, I guess I could see using a faster attack and release compressor to catch transients missed by the ssl ...

[Animus]

I think people generally use light compression on the mixbuss to provide a "glue" to the mix. I often use mix compression, but never more than 2 to 4 db of gain reduction.

[audiomichael]

I read a CLA article that he and Tom just barely tap the 2bus compressor. On the Focusrite Red the needle is barely moving, I'm sure it's the same with the SSL.

[studjo]

Originally Posted by audiovisceral

It's something that I find peculiar - the way mixes are compressed at mix and then re-compressed at master. It would seem more logical to me to only use one compressor once and leave it at that. Otherwise, I guess I could see using a faster attack and release compressor to catch transients missed by the ssl ...

it's mainly becaues it sounds different The mix compressor helps to keep the mix together (dynamically) - master compressor is for getting the mix louder. For me it's not uncommon to use 2 comressors on the 2bus - I get 2 flavors and 2 compressors working only a bit is allways better sounding than one compressor doing all the work IMO


Jo

[bob katz]

Originally Posted by audiovisceral

I was taking a look at the Chris-Lord Alge presets on the Waves SSL plugs and I noticed his standard output is through a 10 ms auto-release 4:1 ratio bus compressor.

In a typical project compressed thus (perhaps 3-4 db reduction let's say), how would you generally go about compressing it further? Let's say it's well balanced and doesn't need any specific correction through multibanding.

It's something that I find peculiar - the way mixes are compressed at mix and then re-compressed at master. It would seem more logical to me to only use one compressor once and leave it at that. Otherwise, I guess I could see using a faster attack and release compressor to catch transients missed by the ssl ...

Are Alge's mixes really re-compressed at Mastering? Only if someone is going for the bullsh****t of monster levels for a self-defeating prophecy.

[Andy Krehm]

Originally Posted by audiovisceral

It's something that I find peculiar - the way mixes are compressed at mix and then re-compressed at master. It would seem more logical to me to only use one compressor once and leave it at that. Otherwise, I guess I could see using a faster attack and release compressor to catch transients missed by the ssl ...

It's a myth that mixes are automatically compressed in mastering. Sometimes a lttle, sometimes a lot and sometimes not at all. I recently mastered a CLA mix (single for radio) and used a little Weiss compression before my analog chain (and maybe a tiny bit of analog compression here but mostly for the sound and gain) and my usual end of line limiting techniques and no problem matching it up to the album which was done by a well-know LA ME.

I also think you will find that most experienced mastering engineers use don't use multi-band compressors on a regular basis. Here it is almost never. Sometimes I'll use two devices to compress different areas of the mix but usually far enough away from each so that cross-over points are not a consideration.