How many instances of Compression for your typical mix?

[DarkEcho]

As in, if you have a Stereo keyboard track, some multitracked drums, some guitar recordings, bass, and vocals. do you have (on average):

A) One compressor lightly on the master bus
B) A compressor for each track
C) Multiple instances of compression per track

Just in general, I am curious...

My mixes were sounding distant so i put a little tape compression simulation over the master, and while it brought everything forward like I wanted, it blended everything together and killed the punch. so now its all nice and up front but everything feels like playdough.

[firby]

!!!

[nukmusic]

your mixes should sound pretty good(most of the time) before anything goes on the master bus.

I mainly compress each track(only where needed) and/or compress subgroups. There have been times where I liked two separated compressors hitting lightly(e.g. -3db) vs one hitting hard.(e.g. -6db).
Limited on the master bus (lightly)

[Frenchc]

yeah compression on individual tracks as needed (bass, kick, snare...yada yada yada) depends on what you want. And then compress subgroups if needed like guitars or drums or whatever. I don't usually compress or limit the master but thats just me

[bcgood]

The only master buss compression that I use if any would be in parallel. Otherwise you're diminishing your highs and transient response. I believe in getting each track to sound nice, (So eq and compress to taste usually none or less is more) and then balancing each track so that it sounds nice and bounces sound around pleasantly in the overall sonic landscape. When I've mixed songs when each individual track was originally recorded to tape it's so easy to mix to sonic mojo heaven.

To answer the original posters question on a song that I just tracked and mixed around a week & a 1/2 ago I only compressed on the bass synth and vocals, everything else was without compression.

Here's the song if you would like to hear instead of just read. Yep, it's a mastered track.
Temptation bcgood.mp3

Better to leave it to a trusted mastering engineer with good ears and a nice selection of top quality outboard gear to mess with the overall stereo track imnsho.

[Sk106]

My mix template includes a compressor and limiter (and more) preloaded on each track. I don't use them all, sometimes none, but they are there at my fingertips if needed. I can't remember a single project where all tracks has gotten compression or expansion on them though.

It's a toolbox to me, you put the tools needed for the job in. You don't use a compressor because you can, or should, but because there's something that needs solving. I try to stay clear of "listening to see if I need to compress", because .. you know, if you search you will usually find. I try to listen openminded instead, and not for specific aspects but rather let my ears tell me. If there's an issue then I will hear it, wether I listen for it or not, and that's when I might open the compressor up. So, it's very different from project to project. I usually deal with generated music (non-recorded) so for me it's easier. For that, compression can be used for more than leveler; it can be used as much as a sound shaper as an EQ can as well.

I don't use compression on the master though. No fx on the master for me; just a limiter to protect against potential spikes. To me, master fx is usually "the last resort" stuff, "to smear the uneven stuff over a bit" and I refuse to do that. I take sort of the same approach when it comes to buses or group tracks. If I can't make it from mixing the tracks alone, then I'm not going to prevent myself from the nessecity of learning that, by putting a smearer effect over it on the bus. If I can't do it, then I can't do it, and I'm into faking it or risk deluding myself into thinking that I'm better than I really am. Stuff like locking a kick and bass together for heavy rock, or sidechaining things is usually done on buses though; but that's still the single track approach.

[Confusionator]

The best thing about modern computer power is that you can apply so much compression to rock mixes.

Here's typically what I compress:

Drums:
- Room mono or stereo pair (squashed, 1176 or Fairchild style)
- kick (1176 style)
- snare (1176 style)
- stereo toms pair (1176 style)
- parallel drum bus (squashed, just a little mixed in)
- Drum bus (Fairchild style)

Vox:
- Lead (LA2A style)
- BG stereo pair (LA2A style)

Bass (LA2A style)

Percussion stereo pair (1176 style)
Additional percussion as needed

Acoustic guitar bus (1176 style)

Electric guitars (Very light limiting and sometimes de-essing)

Stereo bus (once in a while)

Much of this compression is not very heavy, but it's enough to get everything gelling well together.

Amateur players who don't have good dynamic control on other instruments (piano, violin, etc.) will often also get compression to even them out.

[Dean Roddey]

I guess the correct answer is always: As many as required, neither more nor less.

[peeder]

What do the tracks look like?

[SK1]

Originally Posted by bcgood

The only master buss compression that I use if any would be in parallel. Otherwise you're diminishing your highs and transient response. I believe in getting each track to sound nice, (So eq and compress to taste usually none or less is more) and then balancing each track so that it sounds nice and bounces sound around pleasantly in the overall sonic landscape. When I've mixed songs when each individual track was originally recorded to tape it's so easy to mix to sonic mojo heaven.

To answer the original posters question on a song that I just tracked and mixed around a week & a 1/2 ago I only compressed on the bass synth and vocals, everything else was without compression.

Here's the song if you would like to hear instead of just read. Yep, it's a wave file.

Temptation bcgood final master.wav

Better to leave it to a trusted mastering engineer with good ears and a nice selection of top quality outboard gear to mess with the overall stereo track imnsho.

Kudos for posting an example of what you're talking about. Sounds good.

But seriously, the synth sounds and drum sounds your using were already compressed and fixed up before you programed the stuff. The kick and snare are the same on every beat. If you're talking live bass guitar, an acoustic drum kit etc, etc, it would be a different story. The transients on your tune are pretty tame compared to a lot of stuff the rest of us are coming across, I can tell you that.

I rarely reach for a compressor for triton or soft synth sounds. But put Animal on the drums and .....

Maybe this is another example of how individual gearslutz' opinions are very stylistically based? LOL!!!!



I danced with my Wife, in the kitchen, to your tune.

[SK1]

Originally Posted by peeder

What do the tracks look like?

You mean "sound like".

[shaneoconnor]

actually he might mean look like, from the way that he described his compression style right now.


my two cents. please just mix more, and me acceptant that things may not sound perfect right away. it takes time. there is a reason that the older guys make more money.

[bcgood]

Originally Posted by SK1

Kudos for posting an example of what you're talking about. Sounds good.

But seriously, the synth sounds and drum sounds your using were already compressed and fixed up before you programed the stuff. The kick and snare are the same on every beat. If you're talking live bass guitar, an acoustic drum kit etc, etc, it would be a different story. The transients on your tune are pretty tame compared to a lot of stuff the rest of us are coming across, I can tell you that.

I rarely reach for a compressor for triton or soft synth sounds. But put Animal on the drums and .....

Maybe this is another example of how individual gearslutz' opinions are very stylistically based? LOL!!!!



I danced with my Wife, in the kitchen, to your tune.

You make some good points. Although I record a wide variety of music sometimes with 20 mics and all live musicians. With my synth tune that's me playing the drums on the keyboard and there is variation if you listen closely. There where no soft synths in that tune only hardware. Also no audio is looped. Believe it or not synths can be tricky to contain if you don't know how to control your dynamics when playing the keyboard. Also with my vocals that was one take the whole way through with no automation and just a tiny bit of compression. I still rarely use much if any compression. I guess that's just my style. Although if I recorded the animal on drums it might be a different story.

I love that you danced in the kitchen with you're wife to my track, awesome! What a great comment that made my night, thanks.

[SK1]

Originally Posted by shaneoconnor

...... just mix more, and .........
.................make more money.

These are the two things that I'm taking to heart from your post.

Thanks for the inspiration.

[DarkEcho]

I simply asked for everyone to provide me with a simple answer... but NNNnnooOOoOoo, you all have to go and make it complicated

But really, I just wanted to know, GENERALLY speaking, do you have a compressor working on every track, or on only a handful, etc.

If you averaged out every mix you've ever done, there would be a very straightforward answer to this. I am just curious how much of the time people use compressors versus not.

[Knastratt]

Most tracks - not all. Adjust to taste. 95% of the sub groups.

[drumkideric]

To answer your question.... 43. If you don't have at least that, then you are doing something wrong.

[cosmos]

i try to avoid any compression ..

[OBSCENE]

It always supprises me that a lot of people dont like using compression on the master bus, If used right it can really ad punch to you're mix but yes it is really easy to kill the punch with compression, Though i do only use a small amount. Gain reduction meters aren't on the hole way through the mix.

[filin]

An average session:

Comp on the master (set up early on, tweaked as I go), comp on each group, comp on trouble tracks.

So, on average, 12 compressors.

[James Meeker]

This is my approach--I use limiters far more often than compression. I turn to compression when I need to alter the 'waveshape' of a sound; for general level control I'll use a limiter. However, I will use a master buss compressor "tuned" to the tempo and dynamics of the song that influence all choices in the mix.

I'll mix a fair amount of electronic music, drum machines, keys, synths, samplers, etc.... I find that for the most part sampled and sequenced percussion rarely needs much compression, however, it may need limiting to compete in a "dense" track or in a "loud" final master.

I personally like to 'pin' things at a specific volume level with very little dynamics. That way the things stay where I put them. I find this is critical with bass elements like bass guitar, bass synth, low pads and so on. My goal is to get a solid foundation from the low end. Once that's set everything else rides on top and falls into place nicely.

I'll find that elements that get swallowed up in the track are the ones that need limiting. I'll strive to use the least amount possible to get the job done, however, in some cases with certain sounds that can end up to be a fair amount of limiting.

Once the mix is 'set' I'll go back and do whatever automation is needed to make the track come alive. That way dynamics are controlled but present in the song.

As a general rule the percussion transients should 'punch' out of the mix pretty strongly. Since anything that could cover that up has been contained it should be simple to set your levels and get things happening. After all, if your bass synth is pinned at -8 db it is pretty simple to get your kick to power through that by making it hit -3 db or whatever. Think of the song elements as the surface of the water and the percussion elements as fish that jump out of the water and back into it again. Silly analogy but I think you get my meaning.

Hope this makes some sense!

[engmix]

Your question made me think, did I always use as much compression as I do now than I did back in my early days. And the answer is yes. I used to pump the shyte out of the compressors in the room I staffed at, and then when I started working on SSL"s when i went freelance it then went to another level. I didn't come to this all by myself. I assisted A LOT of recording and mix engineers. There were definitely two different types of guys that I could remember. The ones who wouldn't hesitate to strap two or three compressors / limiters on a given track. And there were the guys who just brought up the faders, little eq, very little anything really, and printed the mix. The later of the two tended to have less exciting sounding mixes, perhaps even a bit bland sounding. The compression and limiting was used not only to plant the sound, but to shape it, and I always remember what a huge difference it made in a positive way.

[DarkEcho]

by "pinned" do you mean that basically, if the instrument is playing, its playing very strictly at a set volume?

for instance, you have some drums going and they occassionally trip the limiter and get limited- but otherwise there are durations where they arent being limited at all?

Or do you mean that your threshold is very low?

[James Meeker]

Originally Posted by DarkEcho

by "pinned" do you mean that basically, if the instrument is playing, its playing very strictly at a set volume?

When I say that I'm 'pinning' something it's pretty heavily limited to the point that the signal sits rock solid at a particular volume level--so yes, you are correct. For example, let's say there's a bass guitar part that hits some passages around -6db, and a few other passages around -10db, I would limit it so that all the passages are hitting (for example) -6db. That's what I call 'pinned.' (I call it that because the VU meters just wiggle there in one place, hahha.)

When I pin something it's to keep it's volume absolutely constant whenever it is playing. If I need louder/softer dynamic enhancement I will use automation after the fact.

I find this technique works well for producing a mix that won't fall apart when subjected to tons of peak limiting on the master. It also allows you to get a massive low end and keep it under control.

[smoke]

Originally Posted by James Meeker

advice.

Good stuff. Thx!

[edvdr76]

I record Regional mexican Which consists of Drums, Bass, 12 String guitar, Acordeon and 2 Vox. This is what I do. I compress kick, snare and OH's. I also compress bass + I also send drums and bass to 2 trks and compress that as well, 2 tracks on the Guitar get compression, 1 trk on the acordeon and both vox get some compression. I know it may sound like a lot of compression but really I'm only comporessing a db or 2.....3 max on everything exept for my drums and bass ch which are squished a little and brought in as parallel compression. I then strap a nice tube compressor on the 2 buss to tighten everything up a bit, but again only barely touching it. I think the use of compression is good when it is used in a tasteful way. The abuse of compression is when recordings get jacked up. That being said, I sometimes do mixes that don't have as much compression.

[Jaques Beraques]

Originally Posted by James Meeker

This is my approach--I use limiters far more often than compression. I turn to compression when I need to alter the 'waveshape' of a sound; for general level control I'll use a limiter.

By "Limiter",I suppose you mean a compressor with a ratio over 10:1,right?
Or do you use a brickwall limiter?

[Unclenny]

These days I automate to tame transients on individual tracks and compress where needed to brings things forward.

I like light compression on the bus to bring everything together.

[James Meeker]

Originally Posted by Jaques Beraques

By "Limiter",I suppose you mean a compressor with a ratio over 10:1,right? Or do you use a brickwall limiter?

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