whats the easiest compressor plug in for Logic?

[kerochan]

I am trying to study compression, the Logic stock plug in is difficult to understand for me.

 

Whats the easiest plug in to get? the LA 2A ?  

[Monkeymonkey35]

Not sure that the UAD plugin is going to make learning any easier. I think it's important to first understand the basic usage and parameters of any compressor. Here's a good guide: http://patches.zone/compression-guide

 

But then it's important to have a goal in mind, and apply compression in a musical way (v.s. trying to make stuff loud). I might start by taking a vintage drum kit loop with big cymbal crashes and see if I can let the first part of the crash through, but then tame it back down with compression.

 

The Logic compressors (like many many other plugins) are based on classic outboard compressors. I don't really use those Logic plugins, but for sake of learning, you might want to watch some youtube videos of the older compressors being emulated, to hear the differences. 

 

Logic's version of the LA-2A is the Vintage Opto, but they haven't paid to license the name, like UAD, hence the generic name

[kerochan]

Thank you for those great links Monkey.

 

Gonna read thru these properly, I just too a quick glance.

 

I did watch some video turorials on the Logic compressor, but still not fully unserstanding yet!

[Monkeymonkey35]

Glad to help! 

 

Good luck! - compression isn't an easy subject to master. Learning about compression in specific songs helped me a lot (and it acts as a good reference when I use compressors).

[David Nahmani]

I recommend taking it one step at a time. Logic's compressor is perfect for learning as long as you can ignore a lot of the parameters (for now). Here's what I recommend: 

 

1. Set the compressor to Platinum Digital (for now) since it doesn't emulate any analog hardware. 
   
2. Find (or make) a highly dynamic vocal recording (one where the singer is sometimes very weak and other times very loud).
   
3. Set MAKE UP to 0 and AUTO GAIN to OFF. 
   
4. Compress using only the THRESHOLD and RATIO knobs. 
   
5. Use the Meter needle to see how much the compressor attenuates the signal.

 

Don't hesitate to use extreme settings (low threshold and high ratio) to hear what's going on. Then dial it back to more reasonable settings, for example setting your threshold so there's barely any needle movement on the weakest vocal parts (but still some tiny movement), and a ratio where the vocal dynamic still sounds natural (when the ratio is too high, it will sound like the volume comes WAY down when the singer sings loud). 

 

Hope that helps. 

[kerochan]

Yes David thank you, that helps loads actually.

Can I just ignore the ATTACk, RELEASE AND KNEE controls for now? just leave them at half way?

[David Nahmani]

Yes David thank you, that helps loads actually.

Can I just ignore the ATTACk, RELEASE AND KNEE controls for now? just leave them at half way?

Yes, you just ignore them (for now) while you learn the two most important parameters first: threshold and ratio. You leave them where they are in the default setting that opens when you first open the Logic compressor. 

[kerochan]

Yes David thank you, that helps loads actually.

Can I just ignore the ATTACk, RELEASE AND KNEE controls for now? just leave them at half way?

Yes, you just ignore them (for now) while you learn the two most important parameters first: threshold and ratio. You leave them where they are in the default setting that opens when you first open the Logic compressor. 

Great, makes my learning easier, for now as you say!