Compression Comparison: Squashed Sound?

[hduncan]

Would somebody be a pal and upload a few short selections of audio (preferably one instrument at a time ie;drums/vocals/bass) uploading one super squashed version with the "life taken out of it" and one with its dynamics and transients preserved?

For those of us who don't really know yet what this really sounds like, I think an A/B will quickly help train our ears for what to listen for.. It's never really been obvious to me so I think I need some help.

I'd do this myself but I dont know a good dynamic take when I hear it! I also don't know the proper settings on the compressor to kill a take!

Thank you.

[phaqu]

Thats what the knobs are for. Go from one end to the other then back again and see what your stuff does. Thats how you will know.
Shit dude,...thats half the fun of it.
Its like buying a Porsche or Corvette with out punching it.

[hduncan]

I appreciate the response but I don't know what I'm listening for!

I know how a compressor works and what every knob does but I want to know your (veteran engineers) opinion is of WHAT constitues a squashed peice versus optimal -(via audio samples) so I can hear what you mean when you say "squashed".

I, as a novice, find that its hard to know what's too much or not enough... If someone can show me what the pros consider to be the extremes, I have a better starting point to develop my own educated style

[TrashRocket]

My advice would be to take something like a snare drum or other source with a sharp transient. Snares are really easy to hear compression on. If you have a single hit sample you could throw into a session, it would be even better.

Put a compressor on that track, turn the Ratio to 10:1, the attack at the fastest you can set it, fast/medium release, and bring the threshold down until your gain reduction meter goes nuts. If you bypass the plugin (or hardware if you're using outboard) you should be able to tell a huge difference.

This will pretty much kill the initial transient and once you turn up your makeup gain, you'll hear a completely mangled, squashed and smashed version of was once a nice, clean snare drum.

[Mertmo]

Dark Echo, you just need to learn it for yourself. Play around with a compressor and
determine what sounds 'too squashed' to YOU. It should be clear pretty fast what
sounds good and what doesn't. Contrary to popular opinion, compression isn't rocket
science. Being a true master of compression techniques, yes, that is elusive and
takes us all a long time to wrap our brains around. But learning what is too squashed
versus subtle... come on, man, you can figure it out without strangers preparing
samples for you and posting them too a message board complete with comments.

Some of this shit you just gotta work for yourself and spend some time on.
Don't rely on this insular little internet fantasy world to teach you absolutely everything.

Keep in mind that my 'too squashed' may be your 'just enough'. That's what makes
the world go 'round, we don't all hear it the same way...

Not trying to be harsh, just sayin'...

[vernier]

Just crank up Beatles Revolver, Byrds, or Buffalo Springfield to hear lots of good compression. All tube of course.

[vintagelove]

Check out the dirtiest compressor alive thread

[hduncan]

I appreciate and respect all of the responses thus far- the reasons started this was because when reading threads on compression throughout the forum, all of the engineers seem to complain about squashed songs and everyone appears to have a similar idea of what this "squashed" sound is like- that's all I wanted to hear.. But since everyone is so adamant that I figure it out myself I'll have to to so...

They say that todays music of badly squashed and that back in the 90s things were better, but I've tried to listen to examples of what everyone considers to be free versus overcompressed and I can't hear the difference- leading me to believe that squashing the life out of a track can be subtle to the untrained ear.

So I thought that A/Bing a sample would be a great way to pick up ok this and hear what people are talking about- as it could take me years to figure out. Ultimately I'd probably learn from watching another engineer as I'm sure many of you have- this would be no different. Comparing a clip well compressed versus overcompressed like most of todays music I think would help beginners out immensley.

[vernier]

The squashed thing is L2 ...just apply L2 to anything and you'll know exactly what everyones talking about. If you don't have it, there might be a trial download.

[leaper]

Charles Austin.. He no lie!
There's a thread on GS called "Dirtiest compressor alive" and it will evacuate your bowels...yes sir.
I'll even make life easy for you and hunt it down myself... hold on..
okay,, found the son of a gun: dirtiest compressor alive?

[MarkRB]

It's a tricky subject.
I've heard drum stems and gone "WTF was that guy thinking??" because they were so squashed and pumping, but add the rest of the tracks and the drums are kicking.

There are so many ways to squash tracks but it is entirely (and I mean every single damn time) dependent on the rest of the track and the way they interact with one another.
What can sound over compressed and kind of lame on its own can carry a track in a mix.
The coolest thing about "engineering" sound is that you cannot be taught. You have to figure it all out for yourself.

[u b k]

i can do this for you, should be able to get to it later tonite.

it's true that at the end of the day you have to use the gear to learn this stuff, but for those who don't have an ear for compression it can be very useful to be pointed in the right direction, and there's no better way to do that than with actual sounds.

most folks here are quick to rail against overcompression, i think it's good that this guy wants to know what we're talking about. if it helps him to avoid killing his sounds, i'm all for it.


gregoire
del
ubk
.

[hduncan]

Originally Posted by u b k

i can do this for you, should be able to get to it later tonite.

it's true that at the end of the day you have to use the gear to learn this stuff, but for those who don't have an ear for compression it can be very useful to be pointed in the right direction, and there's no better way to do that than with actual sounds.

most folks here are quick to rail against overcompression, i think it's good that this guy wants to know what we're talking about. if it helps him to avoid killing his sounds, i'm all for it.


gregoire
del
ubk
.

Thanks! I really appreciate it- and whenever is convenient for you, of course, is fine!

Not to say I don't appreciate all of the other responses- I have found them to be very smart in their own ways. I think a good combination of all of the above is the proper way to learn. I am currently playing with the compressors in logic and just seeing what sounds I get out of them and how they can interact in a mix. I just wanted maybe a starting point and a little help those who have gone before thumbsup

I found the comment "you cannot be taught" to be interesting. Maybe I should look more into this =)

It seems to me that there is always a balance between doing what sounds cool to you, and doing what the world seems to like-the status quo- the way the pro's are doing it. I mean, if all of the professionals started overcompressing everything and selling it, the listeners would probably just accept it as the "new" sound.. I don't know. It's all very confusing/interesting! I think its good to be aware of both your own taste and what the audience may or may not be being "told" is the proper presentation for a song. its all subjective....

[vernier]

The compressor in Logic is your answer then ...its just like anything else with a knob: add some, or add some more. For proven age-old settings ..attack, release and ratios, they're listed in lots of threads and in all the "how to record" books.