Sound Check Compression - Attacky in Your Face
posted by on August 2 at 13:10 PM
Geoff Ott, from London Bridge Studio, is here today to talk compression.
A compressor is a studio tool that gives your recording wallop, backbone, beef, and bang. It makes softer sounds louder and louder sounds seem softer in comparison. Audio level compression evens out the dynamic range or the difference between loud and quiet. It can also make your recording kick that ass that needs kicking.
On drums, for instance, compression fattens and boosts your sound. Or not. Played with, compression can make sounds unique with zoned or distortion like punch.
Geoff says:
Don’t smash my music! Just kidding, compress me more. I love compression and anyone that says compression sucks should not read on. The Beatles and Led Zeppelin utilized much compression. Think about those huge John Bonham kick sounds on “Kashmir” and “When the Levee Breaks”. Granted, they recorded in hundred year-old churches, but compression helped bring those fat sounds out.Tom Vek is someone doing cool things with compression these days.
People should be very careful with compression, and in most cases, I would say don’t use it. The only things I compress to tape on a regular basis are vocals, bass, and clean guitar. Most of the time when you put a compressor on something, you automatically think it sounds better - probably because it’s louder.
Here’s one way I use compression:
Solo a kick drum and put on a compressor that has an attack and release. Put the ratio to 6:1, and the attack and release to ½. Now use the threshold or level control to get around 6 db of compression. Move the attack all the way faster and notice what happens. Or put it back and move the release all the way slow and listen to that. If you listen closely you can almost tune the drum like you would a guitar.You can make it have no attack and all boom, or you can make it all in your face and attacky. The song will dictate what it needs, that’s what I always say. And save compression for mixing!
Distressors are my favorite right now, they can get a lot of different tones and are really musical. For the home recordist, I would recommend something like the Universal Audio 6176, which is a reissue of the Urei 1176 with a really great tube mic pre built in.
I think that anyone that is taking recording seriously would be going to a real studio for drum tracking and mixing, while using their home studio for vocals and guitars. This is where the 6176 excels. People might wonder why I didn't mention the "Really Nice Compressor", but I have never used it. I'm sure it sounds really nice, but I have no clue what really nice sounds like.
I second Geoff in that compression is an excptionally useful tool. I use it liberally on myself a lot :D
Compression also has the nice ability to really bring out individual notes on an electric guitar - on non-strummy guitar parts, evens the volume of individually picked notes.
I say compress everything. Full punch. You go, my Gave, you go. Compress yourself. It also helps you catch more air.
make that, "my GaBe."
In the electronic music world compression can do weird wondrous things for all kinds of sounds. Making them distorted or punchy. Everyone is probably familiar with the crazy amount of compression you can hear 24/7 on music play on C89.5. You know...it goes ooophm...oooophm....ooophm. It's fun and makes you dance.
compression is a must for vocals and bass!!! I can't think of a single r&b or pop recording in the last twenty years that doesn't have all the dynamics squeezed out of it by compression.
Ott is the man's man. A gunslinger behind the knobs. Crush and squeeze.
Love the Sound Checks, Trent, but where are the Crayolas?
is that what those IDM folks use to get punch out of a spoon clank? the blips and beeps only go so far.
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