Hi I have dabbled with compression in various ways on my recordings, and in many instances I feel as if I could do the same job by adjusting the level manually! It may be the fact that I'm using plug-ins instead of hardware and they don't do a good enough job, also the use of equalisation seemed to be more beneficial to bring out the main vocal rather than compression. I have read many articles on this subject and it seems that certain engineers have magic fingers and add sparkle to recordings with their secret knowledge! I've never been happy with any recordings I've ever done in the respect of the overall sound, but I think I'm learning slowly. In my latest recording "Running For Donna Louise" a charity song I decided NOT to use compression on the overall final mix although I have used some on the vocals. I did try compression on drums, but again I seemed to have better control just with judicious use of volume levels I have talked about this a while back but I still don't seem very impressed with compression using software. Can anyone convince me otherwise? Jay http://www.ukjay.co.uk
On Mon, 19 Jan 2009 13:10:43 -0800 (PST), UkJay <> wrote: >Hi >I have dabbled with compression in various ways on my recordings, and >in many instances I feel as if I could do the same job by adjusting >the level manually! >Can anyone convince me otherwise? First of all: there are many compression plug-ins out there that do a marvellous job. As good as or better than hardware. Second: listen to any Whitney Houston ballad. Fantastic vocals (doesn't matter if they are to your taste: they are fantastic) and compressed until there's almost no dynamics left. So if you feel as if your fingers could do an equal job, then you're not compressing right. Compression is a powerful tool.
On 19 Jan, 21:10, UkJay <> wrote: > Hi > I have dabbled with compression in various ways on my recordings, and > in many instances I feel as if I could do the same job by adjusting > the level manually! > It may be the fact that I'm using plug-ins instead of hardware and > they don't do a good enough job, also the use of equalisation seemed > to be more beneficial to bring out the main vocal rather than > compression. > I have read many articles on this subject and it seems that certain > engineers have magic fingers and add sparkle to recordings with their > secret knowledge! > I've never been happy with any recordings I've ever done in the > respect of the overall sound, but I think I'm learning slowly. > In my latest recording "Running For Donna Louise" a charity song I > decided NOT to use compression on the overall final mix although I > have used some on the vocals. > I did try compression on drums, but again I seemed to have better > control just with judicious use of volume levels > I have talked about this a while back but I still don't seem very > impressed with compression using software. > Can anyone convince me otherwise? > > Jayhttp://www.ukjay.co.uk Hi A big thanks to everyone who has contributed in helping me with compression There have been some really interesting replies! I posted this question in :- alt,music.home-studio, rec.music.makers.songwriting, and alt.steinberg.cubase I dont use compression for the sake of it, my feeling is that it should help a track seperate everything and stop it being muddy sounding (if used correctly) I have been trying to pep up vocals and make the drum tracks more punchy without going into distortion, but I don't really appreciate the use of all the settings on a compressor and I need to take more time experimenting with this I suppose. It is temting to use compression for the sake of it even on the final overall mix, thinking that I'm some big shot wizard ;-) but I must admit I refrained from doing this on my latest recording "Running For Donna Louise" as I didn't think it would improve things. I may have gone a bit over the top with equalisation on the vocals though, but my voice does need every bit of help it can get! So once again THANKS for all the advice. Jay http://www.ukjay.co.uk
"UkJay" <> wrote in message news:... > On 19 Jan, 21:10, UkJay <> wrote: >> Hi >> I have dabbled with compression in various ways on my recordings, and >> in many instances I feel as if I could do the same job by adjusting >> the level manually! >> It may be the fact that I'm using plug-ins instead of hardware and >> they don't do a good enough job, also the use of equalisation seemed >> to be more beneficial to bring out the main vocal rather than >> compression. >> I have read many articles on this subject and it seems that certain >> engineers have magic fingers and add sparkle to recordings with their >> secret knowledge! >> I've never been happy with any recordings I've ever done in the >> respect of the overall sound, but I think I'm learning slowly. >> In my latest recording "Running For Donna Louise" a charity song I >> decided NOT to use compression on the overall final mix although I >> have used some on the vocals. >> I did try compression on drums, but again I seemed to have better >> control just with judicious use of volume levels >> I have talked about this a while back but I still don't seem very >> impressed with compression using software. >> Can anyone convince me otherwise? >> >> Jayhttp://www.ukjay.co.uk > > Hi > > A big thanks to everyone who has contributed in helping me with > compression > There have been some really interesting replies! > I posted this question in :- > alt,music.home-studio, rec.music.makers.songwriting, and > alt.steinberg.cubase > I dont use compression for the sake of it, my feeling is that it > should help a track seperate > everything and stop it being muddy sounding (if used correctly) > I have been trying to pep up vocals and make the drum tracks more > punchy without going into > distortion, but I don't really appreciate the use of all the settings > on a compressor and I need to > take more time experimenting with this I suppose. > It is temting to use compression for the sake of it even on the final > overall mix, thinking that I'm > some big shot wizard ;-) but I must admit I refrained from doing this > on my latest recording > "Running For Donna Louise" as I didn't think it would improve things. > I may have gone a bit over the top with equalisation on the vocals > though, but my voice does need > every bit of help it can get! > So once again THANKS for all the advice. > > Jay > http://www.ukjay.co.uk > The single most important question should probably be 'when does a track require compression?' In the case of purely electronic/synth tracks, I would think 'rarely' - but I could be wrong, I usually am. In the electronic environment, the variables of volume can be more easily controlled at the source. Unless you program it a certain way, a synth really doesn't have the dynamic range of something like an electric bass or the human voice. In the case of loops or samples, the dynamics are inherent in the original recording, and there isn't too much you can do post facto. Good EQing helps more. Having said that, and as I ONLY work with the computer/electronic palette (and in Cubase), I use compression two ways - one, at the end of certain VST effects chains, to avoid level spikes; and two, when using certain VST instruments that start out too hot. After I have the levels set in both cases, I remove the compression for recording. The recently deceased Robert Prosky had the single best line in John Carpenter's "Christine": "Ya can't polish a turd." That turd reference only applies to my work. I'm sure no one else in this NG turns out bum tracks that they GOTTA use.
On 19 Jan, 21:10, UkJay <> wrote: > Hi > I have dabbled with compression in various ways on my recordings, and > in many instances I feel as if I could do the same job by adjusting > the level manually! > It may be the fact that I'm using plug-ins instead of hardware and > they don't do a good enough job, also the use of equalisation seemed > to be more beneficial to bring out the main vocal rather than > compression. > I have read many articles on this subject and it seems that certain > engineers have magic fingers and add sparkle to recordings with their > secret knowledge! > I've never been happy with any recordings I've ever done in the > respect of the overall sound, but I think I'm learning slowly. > In my latest recording "Running For Donna Louise" a charity song I > decided NOT to use compression on the overall final mix although I > have used some on the vocals. > I did try compression on drums, but again I seemed to have better > control just with judicious use of volume levels > I have talked about this a while back but I still don't seem very > impressed with compression using software. > Can anyone convince me otherwise? > > Jayhttp://www.ukjay.co.uk Hi In reply to mo lei tau SODDI yes I've produced many sows ears (turds) but they are what makes others good because how can you have good if ther'es no bad? Getting back to my latest recording/compression dilemma, I know that compression should help in stopping overloading (peaks) but I find that compression can introduce more headaches if it isn't set up correctly, and this is the steep learning curve I am always struggling with. I know I want vocals and percussion to sound punchy but I haven't the experience of how to use the setting to achieve this as yet! Listening to my latest song "Running For Louise" I can hear breathing (sound more like wheezing) in places but that may be a result of being to close to the mic rather than compression or volume levels. ( I do like to get close ) I know I could "go in" to the sound file and tidy that up but I didn't really notice it till too late! Anyway another step up the ladder of exprience if nothing else! Jay http://www.ukjay.co.uk
On 19 Jan, 21:10, UkJay <> wrote: > Hi > I have dabbled with compression in various ways on my recordings, and > in many instances I feel as if I could do the same job by adjusting > the level manually! > It may be the fact that I'm using plug-ins instead of hardware and > they don't do a good enough job, also the use of equalisation seemed > to be more beneficial to bring out the main vocal rather than > compression. > I have read many articles on this subject and it seems that certain > engineers have magic fingers and add sparkle to recordings with their > secret knowledge! > I've never been happy with any recordings I've ever done in the > respect of the overall sound, but I think I'm learning slowly. > In my latest recording "Running For Donna Louise" a charity song I > decided NOT to use compression on the overall final mix although I > have used some on the vocals. > I did try compression on drums, but again I seemed to have better > control just with judicious use of volume levels > I have talked about this a while back but I still don't seem very > impressed with compression using software. > Can anyone convince me otherwise? > > Jayhttp://www.ukjay.co.uk Hi In reply to mo lei tau SODDI yes I've produced many sows ears (turds) but they are what makes others good because how can you have good if there's no bad? Getting back to my latest recording/compression dilemma, I know that compression should help in stopping overloading (peaks) but I find that compression can introduce more headaches if it isn't set up correctly, and this is the steep learning curve I am always struggling with. I know I want vocals and percussion to sound punchy but I haven't the experience of how to use the setting to achieve this as yet! Listening to my latest song "Running For Louise" I can hear breathing (sound more like wheezing) in places but that may be a result of being to close to the mic rather than compression or volume levels. ( I do like to get close ) I know I could "go in" to the sound file and tidy that up but I didn't really notice it till too late! Anyway another step up the ladder of experience if nothing else! Jay http://www.ukjay.co.uk
