All About the Compression

Hi guys,

I want to learn all about the compressor in logic 9(how to compress drums, synths, etc.). I looked up for some tutorial videos but I couldn't find a video comprehensive enough... Can you help me find something that can be helpful for me?

Thanks

settings copied from Secrets Of House Music Production book

KICK DRUM SMASH:

0.1 ms attack

0.6 ms release

4:1 ratio, 2-8 dB gain reduction

SYNTH LEAD:

0.3 ms attack

0.5s release

2:1 - 8:1 ratio

3-9dB gain reduction

BASSLINE:

0-15ms attack

0.5-2s release

3-12:1 ratio

3-6dB gain reduction

to increase body use soft setting with medium attack and release to shave off 3- 5 dBs of signal

MIX BUS PUMP:

0.1-0.3ms attack

0.2-0.5 ms release

10:1 ratio

4-8 db gain reduction

MIX BUS GLUE (what?))

0.1ms attack

auto release

2:1 ratio

2-4 db gain reduction

COMPRESSION FOR SNARES:

medium attack (5-20ms) and fast release

SNARES/CLAPS GROUP:

medium to fast attack (5-20ms) and slower release (100 ms) to preserve transient-to- sustain ratio

If you do not know much about the compressor, then how do you know if any form of instruction is not 'comprehensive' enough?

Let me rephrase that; everything I've found is telling me how to make the sidechain effect, or the meanings of attack and release, etc., so the things that I already know. But I want to know what to do when I'm working with each individual drum element, and synths, etc. and why? And also I don't know the difference between the circuit types(Platinum, VCA, FET, etc,).

settings copied from Secrets Of House Music Production book

 

KICK DRUM SMASH: 0.1 ms attack, 0.6 ms release, 4:1 ratio, 2-8 dB gain reduction

 

SYNTH LEAD: 0.3 ms attack, 0.5s release, 2:1 - 8:1 ratio, 3-9dB gain reduction

 

BASSLINE: 0-15ms attack, 0.5-2s release, 3-12:1 ratio, 3-6dB gain reduction

to increase body use soft setting with medium attack and release to shave off 3- 5 dBs of signal

 

MIX BUS PUMP: 0.1-0.3ms attack, 0.2-0.5 ms release, 10:1 ratio, 4-8 db gain reduction

 

MIX BUS GLUE (what?)) 0.1ms attack, auto release, 2:1 ratio, 2-4 db gain reduction

 

COMPRESSION FOR SNARES: medium attack (5-20ms) and fast release

 

SNARES/CLAPS GROUP: medium to fast attack (5-20ms) and slower release (100 ms) to preserve transient-to- sustain ratio

Thanks for these settings. I am going to use them on everything from now on.

Interesting that my vocals don't need any compression! The things you learn on the internet...

Thanks for these settings. I am going to use them on everything from now on.

Me too!

And to think, I was under the impression that compression was something that took years of study, trial & error and ear-tuning to get right. Myth busted!

Compressor types: http://www.uaudio.com/webzine/2006/april/text/content4.html

The Platinum circuit is, as far as I can make out, not based on any hardware model, but is as transparent as possible, ie. minimal colouration.

But I want to know what to do when I'm working with each individual drum element, and synths, etc. and why?

There is no answer, it all depends on how you want it to sound.

A good method for learning more about how the settings work is to ramp the ratio up to an extreme setting, then play with attack and release, this should make it easier to hear what the compressor is doing.

Some more reading:

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep09/articles/compressionmadeeasy.htm

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/1997_articles/apr97/compressors.html

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/may08/articles/mixcompression.htm

This might be a good place to start:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic_range_compression

There are more links at the bottom of the page, including this one, which talks about the different types (VCA, FET, etc.):

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec00/articles/adcompression.htm

Interesting that my vocals don't need any compression!

these compressor suggestions for vocals are copied from The Secrets Of House Music Production book

FOR RELAXED/NATURAL SOUND:

gain reduction no more than 3-6 dB from peaks

start with fast attack of 5-20ms

release 50-200ms

ratio between 1.5:1 and 4:1

FOR ARTIFICIAL/HEAVILY COMPRESSED SOUND:

reduce as much as 15-18dB worth of gain

start with fast attack

release of around 0.5s

ratio between 5:1 and 10:1

I'm glad I never achieved a 4.0 grade point average.

this thread is supposed to be about compression ))

*spits out coffee ....

Okay so I went to starbucks and got a macchiato, and spit it out but I still dont understand the compression settings? should I have gotten dunkin donuts?

Compression for "all drums" bus:

type: VCA

2:1 ratio

fast attack

medium release

2-4dBs of gain reduction

limiter On

Auto release OFF

PARALLEL COMPRESSION:

(use a compressor with dry/wet knob or send signal to 2 different busses using prefader sends, 1 bus for clean signal and one for parallel compression and then send both to another bus to apply one compression to both. on the original strip select no output. Play with about 30/70 - 50/50 to 70/30 ratio of clean/parallel compression when mixing the 2 buses to carve your desired sound)

type: VCA

Knee: 0

ratio 10:1

minimum attack (4.5 ms)

fast to medium release (20 ms)

25-30 dB gain reduction

Limiter on

Auto gain Off

Sidechain detection: Max

parallel compression can also be used to beef up a wimpy bass

settings copied from Secrets Of House Music Production book

send signal to 2 different busses using prefader sends, 1 bus for clean signal and one for parallel compression and then send both to another bus to apply one compression to both. on the original strip select no output.

 

settings copied from Secrets Of House Music Production book

I've learned something here, too! I didn't realize you need to use 2 buses for the same signal, and that instead of just setting the output of the channel to the desired bus you should use pre-fader sends so you can set the fader to zero AND set the output to nothing.

I'll have plenty of time to read the Secrets of House Music book, I've got to travel around the world to get to work down the street.

I'm glad I never achieved a 4.0 grade point average.

I need to change my user name to college dropout

While watching Mixing Electronic Music videos by Timothy Allan (http://www.groove3.com/str/mixing-electronic-music.html) I saw him use these settings on a house track:

KICK & BASS BUS

Attack: 30 ms

Ratio: 2

Release: 0.2 s

2-3 dB gain reduction

ALL DRUMS BUS

Attack: 1ms

Ratio: 4

Release 0.600 s

4dB gain reduction

ALL SYNTHS BUS

Attack: 0.01 ms

Ratio: 4

Release: 0.600 s

4dB gain reduction

MASTER CHANNEL GLUE

Attack: 0.01 ms

Ratio: 2

Release: auto

4dB gain reduction

-------------------------------------------

he used "The Glue" compressor (http://www.cytomic.com/glue)

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would be nice to get this video removed.... the scrolling function stops because of it and that makes browsing through this thread a little uncomfortable.....

thanks

would be nice to get this video removed.... the scrolling function stops because of it and that makes browsing through this thread a little uncomfortable.....

I'm afraid that's an issue isolated to your computer? We have a LOT of threads with embedded YouTube videos or SoundCloud audio and they don't affect scrolling. Not sure what could be causing that on your machine.

it scrolls only around it

Yeah sorry Bouncer but that's not normal behavior so my guess is it's isolated to your computer/browser/os etc.

would be nice to get this video removed.... the scrolling function stops because of it and that makes browsing through this thread a little uncomfortable.....

 

thanks

Try slapping a compressor with the hard limiter on it. I like the master pre set, works great I can hardly see it now.

settings used on the ES 2 bass patch to add attack to the main bass line coming from Moog Voyager, in the making of Black is The New Yellow by Super8 & Tab

this is a sidechain

attack: 2.5 ms

release: 92 ms

knee: 0.7

ratio: 6.1:1

gain reduction unknown

settings used on the vocal sample:

attack: 10 o'clock

release: 1 o'clock

soft knee

ratio: 4.1:1

What's with all the spam of settings? They aren't helping anybody >_>

i drop the settings in here so i can access them anytime from anywhere.... they helped me a lot.... love it or hate it

CLA revealed few settings he uses for compression:

Lead Vocals - quick attack , 4:1

Snare - slow attack, 2:1

guitars - fast attack, 3:1, below threshold???

room mics - heavy compression, slow attack

bass guitar - heavy compression, medium attack. 4:1

stereo bus - 1.5:1

What's with all the spam of settings? They aren't helping anybody >_>

 

i drop the settings in here so i can access them anytime from anywhere.... they helped me a lot.... love it or hate it

I don't hate. Or at least try to don't. But since you forced me to choose: I hate this.

Get an online email account and mail 'm to yourself, if you so badly need these "pacifiers".