compression on each channel - just for rock n rollers?

[briobox]

Still trying to improve my mixes. I've read a lot of the threads here and elsewhere recommend by mnml forum members.

The primarily conclusion I've been coming to seems to be:

no compression - except at the mastering stage. A quality mix should not need much compression at all except for loudness maximizing after the mix is done.

Yet many producers go on about "channel strips" and expensive desks with compression on each channel. Is this because those people are recording "real" instruments or vocals that are much likely to need some (small) level of compression? Would producers using synths and samples not need this as much?

[Atheory]

i don't think theres a rule about it. it depends on what your going for.

try read a bit about compression and what it does to audio so you can make a decision that would be good for you personally.

lots of people use it to shape their percussion a bit. ie a slow attack on a compressor lets an inital burst of noise through before the sound is lowered, so the drums have more bite.

play around with the compressor a bit to see how it affects different things.

[Roqqert]

I still don't get the mnml 'don't use compression' attitude. It's just a tool so your dynamics won't be too much. After all in dance music there isn't lots of dynamics in the instrument itself. Compression is the tool to get louder mixes. It's just how u use it. You're wicked when you can compress the signal without others noticing.

[briobox]

I still don't get the mnml 'don't use compression' attitude. It's just a tool so your dynamics won't be too much. After all in dance music there isn't lots of dynamics in the instrument itself. Compression is the tool to get louder mixes. It's just how u use it. You're wicked when you can compress the signal without others noticing.

My (still learning) thoughts are :

1. compression as an effect - totally useful and needed for certain styles and effects (deadmau5 pump, drumcode swedish techno)

2. compression for "gelling" a mix. This is what I'm trying to no longer do. Compression does make my mix better but I'm starting to realize this is simply because I was not doing a good mix in the first place. In the end, compressions adjust levels automatically, bring loud things lower and quiet things higher - if my mix was better, the compression would not be needed (as much).

I still do put compression on the "mastered" version to make it louder like commercial tracks. compression + loudness maximizer / limiter.

I'm still very much learning though. I could be totally wrong.

[Roqqert]

that's why you have a ratio, release and attack knob. So you can manipulate the timing of the compression so it won't be too much noticable. it doesn't pump up the lower volumes... it only 'cuts' the high ones.You just get less dynamics. you still make dynamics by putting some verb and different level settings. I mostly compress my signal so it'll be more in control. I know how to mix but this is a tool and something that a different fx can't do.

[oblioblioblio]

i think the important thing is that you don't have to use compression. it can sometimes be used very lazily, and one major difference between techno and rock is that guitars etc don't have an adsr to precisely shape a sound.

but sure. sometimes compression can be a good thing. but it's good to try adsr on it's own first I think.

[briobox]

that's why you have a ratio, release and attack knob. So you can manipulate the timing of the compression so it won't be too much noticable. it doesn't pump up the lower volumes... it only 'cuts' the high ones.You just get less dynamics. you still make dynamics by putting some verb and different level settings. I mostly compress my signal so it'll be more in control. I know how to mix but this is a tool and something that a different fx can't do.

In order to only lower the highs, do I just keep the ratio low? Thanks.

[Atheory]

read that http://www.tcelectronic.com/media/drone ... ompres.pdf

actually watch this first

http://www.youtube.com/pointblankonline ... -CoFUvj9Q0

and then that last

http://www.digido.com/loudness-war-explained.html