Parallel Compression

[TYPHY]

Originally Posted by Itsmorning

This also goes by the name of new York compression, if that helps.

My preference is to not use the dry wet knob on compressors because it keeps the same volume and doesnt make the drums huge, sounds too 80s for my taste.

I like having one completely wet compressor and one dry signal. So I use a compressor as a send. Sounds better to me and it gives me that huge drum sound I look for. Even better have two parellel compressor, one the highs and lows, one for the mids (using eq before the compressor). That gives you way more control of the sound than a compressor wet/dry knob.

very good post

[manysounds]

AS to why you'd use Sends instead of track copies or split buss or a Mix knob?

Then you can compress "just the overheads and room" or "just the kick and toms" or "everything but the cowbell" or even "I want to band pass the drums, bass and rhythm guitar and then squash the hell out of them together with the kick drum being too loud and ringing"

Instant vintage crap sound?

[Danny Downer]

Originally Posted by manysounds

AS to why you'd use Sends instead of track copies or split buss or a Mix knob?

Then you can compress "just the overheads and room" or "just the kick and toms" or "everything but the cowbell" or even "I want to band pass the drums, bass and rhythm guitar and then squash the hell out of them together with the kick drum being too loud and ringing"

Instant vintage crap sound?

Right and you can EQ or distort your parallel signal or do whatever you want to!

[PrograMentalist]

And mix as much back in as you want yeah, this is why I don't actually use it either, even when it's there

[E.rOk.stA]

Which is why you're missing the whole point. Distortion causes harmonics which is something EQ can't do. Sometimes this is exactly what's needed for the track you're doing this to, to cut through the mix without jumping completely out of it.

This is supposed to be subtle, mind you. That's actually what separates an ok mix from a great one but let's not tell anyone. In fact, don't use this tecnique at all, MWAHAHAHA!!

[wiz1der]

I remember back in '95 mixing through a TAC Scorpion board, and sending drums to both the l/r buss, and also buss 5-6, where i had an alesis 3630 squzshing the heck out of them, and blending. MONSTER sound! I thought the Alesis would start smoking!

[PrograMentalist]

Not sure who you are replying to here, I don't see any post indicating anyone thinking EQ could do what parallell compression (or parallell distortion, something I do a lot too) does?

Originally Posted by E.rOk.stA

Which is why you're missing the whole point. Distortion causes harmonics which is something EQ can't do. Sometimes this is exactly what's needed for the track you're doing this to, to cut through the mix without jumping completely out of it.

[ollie633]

What would be a good compressor for this Kind of technique? a 1176? a LA2A? what do you guys recommend or swear by? software or Hardware.

[The Aristocrat]

Originally Posted by Johntron512

While FL Studio does have this feature available on ALL instruments, tracks, sends, effects, buses, etc. I have noticed it definitely has shortcomings with certain plugins/effects.

For example, I don't recall the plugins, but some will treat the FL mix knob as on/off (0% vs 100% wet) instead of the normal incremental %s...

I also think some plugins/effects simply don't respond well to forcing a mix knob on them, and the results are sometimes muddy and "off".

Use your ears, but I do love that FL Studio offers flex like this.

In addition and I am not sure if anyone else has had this problem but I have definitely noticed phase issues going on when I use this and for some reason the delay compensation does not address this. I find that I have to put an additional compressor on the dry signal and then turn off the effects it would add for it to stop. Does anyone else have this issue?

[TMA]

Originally Posted by JoRillo

By that logic (I'm not a reaper user so I could be wrong) I don't think Reaper has a wet/dry knob on all plug ins.
...
It is also a very easy work around. Whatever plug in I want a wet/dry knob on, I could threw it on an Aux and use my send fader/knob as the wet/dry knob.

Reaper really does have a dry/wet knob on all plugins. Of course it's not ON the plugin itself but integrated in the Reaper GUI.
It allows you to dry/wet any plugin you insert. It's basically like the AUX method you describe, the only difference is that it takes place on the same mixer track as the signal you're affecting.

[David Ray]

Originally Posted by ollie633

What would be a good compressor for this Kind of technique? a 1176? a LA2A? what do you guys recommend or swear by? software or Hardware.

Almost any.
PSP Mixpressor is a good one to start with.

[Zachariah]

Originally Posted by Itsmorning

This also goes by the name of new York compression, if that helps.

New York Compression relies on parallel compression, but to achieve the New York style compression, it usually has a boost in the lows and highs.

It's like this statement "Every square is a rectangle, but not every rectangle is a square." New York compression is a form of parallel compression, but parallel compression is not solely New York Compression.

[Zachariah]

Originally Posted by ollie633

What would be a good compressor for this Kind of technique? a 1176? a LA2A? what do you guys recommend or swear by? software or Hardware.

all of these would be fantastic

the point is to get the sound you like so try out as many as you can!

[tdot]

Originally Posted by Sampire

I find it ridiculous that Protools, the industry standard of DAWS doesn't have this....yet Reaper does.

Isn't Pro Tools missing a whole wack of shit in other DAWs?....

[Sampire]

Originally Posted by tdot

Isn't Pro Tools missing a whole wack of shit in other DAWs?....

yes.....yes it is.

boggles my mind.

[Thee_Adleen]

Originally Posted by Sampire

the similar thread search doesn't seem to have many results for this topic, which surprises me. That being the case, I'd like to discuss.

who here is using this technique and on what?

as an alternative to mixing in parallel, would the same effect not be achieved by having a compressor on a send and adjusting the send amount to taste?

or if a compressor or effect insert has a mix parameter on it, allowing to adjust the amount of dry signal vs wet....would that not have the same effect as parallel mixing, if not BE the same thing.?

Use two limiters of different types, ex.Opto
then different settings, ex.peak/rms
Push one hard that you enjoy the colour from
keep the other transparent as possible
use the transparent as primary
then mix in the heavily slammed unit
adjust the attack/release to taste
enjoy great results!
and always experiment!!
Good Luck Everyone!!!