all you console people...are you compressing pre or post fader

[txgator]

I come from a live background so I'm used to inserting comp, gates, etc post fader. I was just thinking about trying DAW-->comp-->line input on the console instead of inserts just for kicks today. I can see the merits of both. I was just curious as to who is doing what and more importantly WHY???

[drBill]

99% of the time - Pre-fade for compressors/gates. That way the amount of compression stays the same no matter how much I push or pull the fader. There's always an exception to the rule though....

[txgator]

I can see the argument for have a more consistent signal (pre fade) to move around. But sometimes fighting the comp is what you are going for...

Mas. Mas.

[Fletcher]

Originally Posted by txgator

I come from a live background so I'm used to inserting comp, gates, etc post fader.

I hope you're joking.

Putting gates in a signal path "post fader" [after the fader] is about the quickest recipe I know for false triggers and missed openings [unless you're triggering the gate with a signal like out of the mic pre or something... also, compression "post fader" will negate a good amount of what you're doing with the fader [depending on how the knee is set on the compressor].

Pre-fader is really the only way to go live and in the studio... with the possible exception of a 2 buss limiter in a live application which would be used more for system protection/not exceeding the local laws concerning volume of shows [I know of more than one venue with a 105db SPL [C-Weighted] at the FOH position with a $1,000- fine for E-V-E-R-Y decibel over 105 that sustains for greater than I think it's like 5-10 seconds [something like that].

[pan]

Originally Posted by Fletcher

I know of more than one venue with a 105db SPL [C-Weighted] at the FOH position with a $1,000- fine for E-V-E-R-Y decibel over 105 that sustains for greater than I think it's like 5-10 seconds [something like that].

Ever been to Switzerland?

They have different maximum SPLs at FOH - some venues at 96dB...


Only post-fader scenario in livesound I experienced would be a compressor in a subgroup to not compress the vocals going to the monitors...

n

[nathanvacha]

Originally Posted by Fletcher

[I know of more than one venue with a 105db SPL [C-Weighted] at the FOH position with a $1,000- fine for E-V-E-R-Y decibel over 105 that sustains for greater than I think it's like 5-10 seconds [something like that].

Originally Posted by pan

Ever been to Switzerland?

They have different maximum SPLs at FOH - some venues at 96dB...

Good! live sound is always too loud for me

actually, I'd love to be able to watch a band live and not wear earplugs

[pan]

Originally Posted by nathanvacha

Good! live sound is always too loud for me

actually, I'd love to be able to watch a band live and not wear earplugs

Me too! And I LOVE to play swiss venues

[dach]

NOT for live, but in the studio, post fader compression is useful on very dynamic tracks after doing volume automation. I don't do it too often but it has happened and the result is always much natural than having 2 comps try to do the same thing pre fader.

[warhead]

Originally Posted by nathanvacha

Good! live sound is always too loud for me

actually, I'd love to be able to watch a band live and not wear earplugs

Amen, this very reason is why I rarely go to live gigs anymore.

It's bad enough I'm a drummer and always have to wear earplugs just to get behind the kit.

War

[Led]

I will go post fader on vocals sometimes as you can ride the fader and stop some lines from compressing too hard. Unless I want it to sound hard compressed.

Ya know the best earplugs I've found are the little yellow ones, like the ones Fletcher's crew send in the little pack when you buy something from them. I still take that lttle black pack out with me everywhere and the girlfriend wears em too. I cut them in half and that works well without it loking like you've got ear boogers. The only thing is it makes the vocals a lot easier to hear, so if the singer sucks, you know about it more than most people in the room.

[dbbubba]

I don't know of a console made for live or studio that has inserts in the post position in a normal configuration. There are some that alow you to switch between pre and post, but I rarely have ever run a compressor post. I just try to get everything recorded at a level that is fairly consistant for the entire track.

Having to use different compression for different parts of a track (say a vocal) is really best done by using mult'ed channels. I usually split the vocal onto seperate tracks in my DAW and treat them as needed.

I often hear of people who refer to live techniques versus studio techniques like they are drastically different. They really aren't.

Danny Brown

[Drumsound]

Insert/single channel compression I do pre fader. For parallel group compression I go out a subgroup post faders.