compression for more/less percussive performance.

[ves]

hello i read recently in bob Katz book about how compressors and or expanders cam make the music material less or more percussive. Can someone please elaborate on this? i would like to know more about the subject.

ps. sorry for the noob question.

[bob katz]

Originally Posted by ves

hello i read recently in bob Katz book about how compressors and or expanders cam make the music material less or more percussive. Can someone please elaborate on this? i would like to know more about the subject.

ps. sorry for the noob question.

I don't think it's so nooby... unless you've been mastering full mixes for a while, it might not be so obvious to someone who's "only" been using compressors on individual instruments.

In simple terms, the ratio of transient information to "continuous" information can be manipulated with dynamics processors. For example, the shorter you set the attack on a standard (downward) compressor, the more you will soften the transients, which correspond especially with short transient instruments such as percussion (snare, maracas, etc). If you have a mix which cannot be remixed, but you think the vocal (for example) is being swamped or competed too much by the snare, you can help this a bit with some downward compression.

You can perform the opposite effect (emphasize transients or percussion) with an upward expander.

[ves]

Originally Posted by bob katz

I don't think it's so nooby... unless you've been mastering full mixes for a while, it might not be so obvious to someone who's "only" been using compressors on individual instruments.

In simple terms, the ratio of transient information to "continuous" information can be manipulated with dynamics processors. For example, the shorter you set the attack on a standard (downward) compressor, the more you will soften the transients, which correspond especially with short transient instruments such as percussion (snare, maracas, etc). If you have a mix which cannot be remixed, but you think the vocal (for example) is being swamped or competed too much by the snare, you can help this a bit with some downward compression.

You can perform the opposite effect (emphasize transients or percussion) with an upward expander.

thanks very much!!!!
so the concept is to soften the transient information but how about the release times? medium so it won't compete with the attack effect?

[fourvector]

Hey, while on the subject of compression, I also had something I was wondering about - would it be possible to explain how 'adaptive release' works, in particular how the compressor goes about determining what it thinks is an appropriate release time?

I read somewhere that a 2:1 ratio with adaptive release gets you 95% of the way home in terms of good-sounding mix bus compression; would you agree with this?

[bob katz]

Originally Posted by ves

thanks very much!!!!
so the concept is to soften the transient information but how about the release times? medium so it won't compete with the attack effect?

"Medium" is the way to go for this purpose.

[dcollins]

Originally Posted by fourvector

Hey, while on the subject of compression, I also had something I was wondering about - would it be possible to explain how 'adaptive release' works, in particular how the compressor goes about determining what it thinks is an appropriate release time?

The more bass the longer the release time.

I read somewhere that a 2:1 ratio with adaptive release gets you 95% of the way home in terms of good-sounding mix bus compression; would you agree with this?

No. There is never a universal answer for any gear settings.


DC