Recording: Tips For Effective Bus Compression (Includes Audio) - Pro Sound Web

Explanations of effective and ineffective ways to shape your sound

Bus compression is certainly not a new concept, however, it is an effective and reliable engineering tool and its basic principles are vital considering you are affecting multiple voices.

When approaching bus compression, there are two essential tools at your fingertips: Attack and Release – these two tools, when properly utilized, will have the ultimate say in the outcome of your efforts.

The attack and release functions of a compressor will tell its detector how to react to signal that passes through. An effective use of attack and release will essentially allow you to make conscious envelope changes to the signal rising above the threshold at the detector.

This brings about the main philosophical concept behind compression, which is to shape the signal, rather than merely restrict its dynamic range (dynamic restriction is part of shaping the signal, not the end purpose). The attack and release controls are what really provide the push and pull effects of compression.

With this in mind, I have provided examples of effective and ineffective bus compression, focusing on attack and release settings, for a few simple approaches.

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Recording: Tips For Effective Bus Compression (Includes Audio) - Pro Sound Web

Recording: Tips For Effective Bus Compression (Includes Audio) - Pro Sound Web

ThrillseekerLA – getting the most out of it – Variety Of Sound

ThrillseekerLA – getting the most out of it – Variety Of Sound

ThrillseekerLA – getting the most out of it – Variety Of Sound

Compression Mistakes

5 Compression Mistakes That Keep Even “Smart” People Stuck

Compression Mistakes

Bus Processing For Acoustic Drums

Bus Processing For Acoustic Drums

Bus Processing For Acoustic Drums

TT Dynamic Range Meter - Fight the Loudness War

TT Dynamic Range Meter - Fight the Loudness War


How to avoid over-compressing your mix

( Or, how to NOT smash it to hell ! )

Loudness has always been an important topic in mixing, and especially mastering – never more so than today.

Knowing how loud is too loud has always been difficult. I’ve written before about how we hear loudness, and different software solutions for measuring loudness - but now, everything has been made far easier.

Recently a new tool has been released, purpose-designed for measuring the loudness of music. You can now see at a glance how loud your mix is, make informed decisions about compression and limiting, and choose to make your recordings punchy, loud and competitive.

And best of all – it’s free. (*)

(*) Kind of

This tool is the TT Dynamic Range Meter, released by the Pleasurize Music Foundation. It comes in two flavours – the one in the animation on the right is the real-time plugin version, available for both Mac and PC now, in AU, RTAS and VST versions.

There is also a second, off-line version of the meter, which generates an overall DR dynamic range measurement for a complete WAV file or CD and allows you to generate a log file, which can be submitted to the (unofficial) Dynamic Range Database.

The real-time plugin version shows peak and RMS level metering for the left and right channels, but also a measurement of the dynamic range – the difference between the loudest and quietest parts of the music – in the centre, labelled “DR“.

Broadly speaking, the idea is to keep the dynamic range as wide as possible – up to a point, at least.

(Actually, it’s more complicated than that. “Loudness War” sound suffers from limited crest factor, low RMS variability and in the worst cases distortion. We’ve chosen “limited dynamic range” as an intuitive way to describe all this, but for a more rigorous technical analysis, click here.)

Both loudness and dynamic range are measured in Decibels (dB) and as a rule of thumb, anything with an overall dynamic range of 12dB or more (“DR12″) will sound great, dynamically – and in this case, the central DR meters of the plugin will stay green much of the time. Louder material will sometimes have less range than this – any less than 8dB will start to sound very aggressive and crushed, and the DR meters start to fade from green to orange to red to represent this.

So, to ensure you aren’t over-compressing your mix - keep the meters in the green for most of the time. Not all of the time, but a track where they are always red is almost certainly pushed too hard.

It’s that simple !

(Well actually, it’s not quite that simple. Firstly, if you’re making electronic music, or using lots of synths and sample loops, the sounds you have may already have quite a limited dynamic range. And so does a flute, for that matter ! So, if your mix is only DR10 without any extra compression, don’t worry – that’s the way it is naturally. And also, this rule-of-thumb applies to mixes. If you are using the meter in mastering, pushing up into the orange and occasionally red is probably OK – but use your ears and remember there is always a compromise.)

One of the cleverest things about the DR meter is that it works independently of the overall level of the music. So, something very loud, crushed and distorted, like, say – oh, I don’t know – Metallica’s “Death Magnetic”, for example – will be in the red, almost all the time - even if you turn it down.

This means you can objectively compare how squashed different recordings are, regardless of the overall level. Which in turn makes it a great mixing tool – if you over-compress everything in your mix, the meters will show you’re in the red, even if the overall level isn’t that high, yet.

Try it yourself – fire it up and watch how the meters react to your favourite recordings. Remember though they may have been pushed to a higher level in the mastering. Try comparing older CDs from the late eighties and earlier 90s – usually the overall level will be lower, and compared to releases from the last few years they will be more dynamic, ie. the dynamic range DR values will be larger.

Don’t be fooled into thinking that you need a narrow dynamic range for a “loud” sound – to see why this isn’t true, just click here.

It’s important to note though that the realtime DR meter only gives the loudness at an instant. And, it’s quite permissible (and necessary) to push into the red at some points. To get an overall measurement of a tracks loudness, you should use the off-line version.

Both meters are free, but to get them you need to be an “Active Member” of the PMF – meaning, you need to contribute a small amount to the Foundation. For individuals this is very affordable, and the TT Meters alone are well worth the price of admission, in my opinion. In addition to the meters you also get access to members-only areas of the site, and the right to use the DR logos.

I strongly recommend the Pleasurize Music Foundation website – there is lots of good information and they have ambitious plans, including getting all music labels to agree to a standard minimum DR14 measurement on all albums, as measured by the offline metering tool.

If they succeed, this would mean standardisation of levels across CDs in the same way there is in the cinema, and an end to the “Loudness War” madness. I’m cautious about their chances for success – in particular I think DR14 as an average is unnecessarily ambitious, but it’s an interesting idea, and one I wish them every success with – and making the fantastic Dynamic Range Meter plugin available is a great step forward and a very clever move, in my opinion.

TT Dynamic Range Meter - Fight the Loudness War

Compressor attack and release times | Kim Lajoie's blog

Compressor attack and release times
Posted on December 21, 2008 by Kim Lajoie

I’ve put together this quick demo
Here’s what to listen for:

Fast attack, medium release
Pay attention to how the fast attack immediately clamps down on the drum transient (the initial spike). Note how the impact of the drum sounds much softer as a result. This makes the drum sound squashed.

Medium attack, medium release
Notice how with a slower attack time, some of the transients are let through by the compressor before the gain reduction begins. As a result, the very start of the drum is significantly louder than the body or tail. This makes the drum sound snappy.

Slow attack, medium release
Compare the length of the drum transient between a medium attack time and slow attack time. Notice how the “clamping down” action is slower, letting more of the transient through. As a result, the transient is more solid, and has more body.

Medium attack, fast release
Notice how, compared to the previous examples, the tail rises up much faster than before. Because the gain reduction returns to unity about halfway through the beat, the last part of the tail decays naturally. This produces a swelling sound, in contrast to the sucking/reversed sound of a medium release.

Medium attack, slow release
Here the gain reduction is not given a chance to return to unity before the next hit. What you’re hearing is only the first half of the release envelope. Notice how the effect is not so dramatic. This is also because the compressor is already reducing gain when the next transient arrives – meaning there is less room for the compressor to further reduce gain (as compared to the gain reduction being at unity just before the transient arrives). A slower release can be useful when you want to keep the dynamics controlled but in a more natural (and less dramatic) way.

Each example was processed by one instance of a notorious free compressor with no parameter readout – so don’t ask me for the numbers, I don’t know what they are. I tuned the compressor by ear, and so should you!

-Kim.

Source:
Compressor attack and release times | Kim Lajoie's blog

Compressor attack and release times | Kim Lajoie's blog

- Bass Compression : Recording Magazine -

Bass Compression
Some ideas on squishing the bottom...
By Justin Peacock

Life has many unanswered questions. Why do we exist? What is our purpose? What is the meaning of life? What was Mona Lisa thinking? And, of course, how do I get a tight low end in my mix? I probably hear this question more often than any other in the world of recording music. And, to be honest, it’s something that I myself often ponder and even struggle with, like a well-matched arm-wrestling opponent: I know I can win, but it doesn’t always prove easy.Tweaking the low end in a mix often revolves around listening on many different sources like car stereos, “boom boxes”, and yet smaller computer speakers. Different systems will attenuate or boost different frequency ranges, perhaps re-shaping your mix for the better but usually for the worse. Whatever happens, keep making comparisons until you find an average sound spectrum that works for everything.

While in the midst of this process remember that a mix’s low end isn’t just the bass guitar, or even the kick drum. It’s the sum of the whole. Acoustic guitars, electric guitars, vocals, and many other instruments can have a lot of low frequency content, all playing a role in the mix. Here, however, we’re going to specifically look at the bass guitar and how compression can be used to perfect a mix. Let me begin by pointing out that bass compression isn’t always needed. There are two typical reasons for compressing a bass (and most things in general): getting the notes to “sit” in the track and not poke out, i.e. limiting dynamic range, and/or because you like the sound of the compression.

Full Article Source:
- Bass Compression : Recording Magazine -

- Bass Compression : Recording Magazine -

How & When To Use Mix Compression

How & When To Use Mix Compression
Tips & Tricks


The craft of mixing is all about controlling and balancing the relative levels of different instruments. Most of this balancing is done by riding the faders, but dynamic compression can also be a very useful and powerful tool if used appropriately. Hugh Robjohns explains some of the techniques and traps involved in mix compression.

Dynamic compression is one of the most commonly used processes when it comes to mixing, probably second only to equalisation. However, there are many different kinds of compressor and even more ways of using them, each producing different end results with a variety of side effects. The purpose of this workshop is to offer some guidance on using compression in the mix, as well as to give you a few ideas for things to try on your own projects.

To start off with, let's consider the simplest kind of compression - the limiter. A limiter is just a compressor with a very high ratio (10:1 or more) and a threshold set to something close to the maximum allowable peak signal level. Limiters are great for overload protection, and possibly for getting a tiny bit of extra loudness from a mix, but not much else. Limiting always tends to sound a little unpleasant and harsh, because it has such a drastic and unnatural effect on signal dynamics. Everything below the threshold contains normal dynamic changes, whereas everything above has no dynamic change at all! In general, I would suggest you avoid using limiters during mixing (your music will see enough of them if it ever gets broadcast), but if you feel the need, try to restrict the effect to only the top 2 or 3dB of signal peaks. This will give the impression of a little extra loudness without doing too much damage.

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How & When To Use Mix Compression

How & When To Use Mix Compression

KEYBOARDS AND COMPRESSOR/LIMITERS

Keyboard Magazine "In The Studio"

Article # 10

KEYBOARDS AND COMPRESSOR/LIMITERS

In this months column I'd like to discuss the use of compressor/limiters with keyboards.

Compression was introduced in recording to help the recording engineer cope with the problems recording live music. Because most symphony orchestras could well exceed 100+ db and tape could only handle around 75 db of dynamic range, an engineer had to be awfully quick at the faders ( his keyboard ) or be lucky enough to have a compressor and know how to use it.

It should be easy to understand what a compressor is being that it is a VCA. For the VCA in a compressor to react, a certain level has to be reached. This is called the threshold. When the input level of a compressor exceeds the threshold set, the compressor's VCA starts to reduce the input level that has exceeded that threshold. The amount the signal is decreased is determined by the ratio. If an input exceeds the threshold set by + 10 db, and the ratio is 2 : 1, the compressor's VCA will restrict the input level to + 5 db above the threshold set.

Most compressor limiters have at least three basic controls. They are the threshold adjust, the compression ratio amount, and the output gain. To learn how to get the best out of a comp/limiter we'll start with the threshold adjust. If for instance you would only like to trim off the peaks from your synthesizer that feed into your stage amplifier, you would play your loudest passages and then set the threshold to react to those levels. Next check the softer passages. Be sure the threshold indicators not being triggered. If it is flickering, you're threshold is set too low and you will be compressing the whole program. The next thing to decide upon is the amount of compression ratio. Notice that is the ratio is set to 1 : 1 nothing audible is happening to the program. If you turn the ratio up to 2 : 1 and the input is above the threshold you should hear the compression working slightly. The purpose of the ratio is the difference between compression and limiting. Lower ratio 's from 2 : 1 to 6 : 1 are considered compression and higher ratios above 10 : 1 are considered limiting. A good definition of a compressor vs. a limiter is as follows :

A compressor is a VCA amplifier whose gain decreases as its input level increases.

A limiter is a compressor whose output level stays the same, regardless of its input level.

The art of knowing when to use compression vs. limiting is something of a matter of taste. Acoustic piano and very percussive synth sounds sound excellent with their sometimes harsh peaks removed. But beware, if you set the threshold to low, you can remove all the percussive qualities from the initial attack. The better comp/limiters have adjustable attack and release times which are invaluable for situations mentioned above. If you are not fortunate enough to have adjustable attack and release on you unit, you're just going to have experiment with different threshold settings and ratios.

One of the biggest mistakes made concerning compression is having the threshold set too low! Although this can produce a very unique sound it can also add much unwanted noise. Lets take a look how to avoid this. First the reason we are using compression is because we want to smooth an instrument out. This will will make it more enjoyable to the listeners and allow for is volume to be louder. This can be great for a solo synth part. It has to be loud to be dramatic, but it shouldn't be offensive. Instead of just limiting the peaks we want to control the solo synth's overall dynamic range into a narrow amount of loudness. To do this we use a ratio around 2 : 1 to 4 : 1 and reduce the threshold so that almost all the notes played are above the threshold. But here's where the trouble can start. If that instrument's output is noisy, we can going to amplify that noise into the same dynamic range. So you have to be careful not to set the threshold so low that it picks up the noise. If a noise gate is placed in front of the comp/limiter lower thresholds can be obtained. I intend to cover noise gates in a future column.

Now the last control that we haven't covered yet is the output gain adjust. This is a most important function. If you have been reducing your input signal's output, it has to be brought up in level again. After you've smoothed out the peaks, you're going to have to raise the output amplifier to bring that compressed signal back into the mix. Be careful because once again this stage can add noise to your signal if you abuse it! If you don't have enough range to boost the signal, go back and check your input threshold. Try boosting the volume of the instrument you're compressing and then re-setting the threshold and output levels again. Too low of a level will cause noise. Whenever you have to amplify a signal excessively you are going to add noise in the process.

One of the side effects of using a compressor/limiter is called pumping or breathing. These effects can become audibly obtrusive especially when using higher compression ratios. Remember the higher the ratio the more the gain change. When a signal passes the threshold level the compressor turns on. Its VCA goes to work and starts to reduce the signal by an amount equal to the ratio's setting. This action is called gain reduction. When the input signal falls below the threshold, the compressor's VCA starts reducing the amount of gain reduction. With high input levels and high compression ratios the amount of gain reduction could easily be around + 10 db. If the gain reduction changes rapidly, a pumping or breathing effect would take place. On the other hand if the compressor you're working with has a slow release time, ( the time it takes for the compressor to reset itself ) the notes that follow and are under the threshold level will also be reduced in gain. The sooner you get to know your unit's capabilities, you can learn how to set the threshold differently to overcome pumping and breathing sounds. A most unusual effect can be created with a compressor with a very fast attack time and a slow release. This back-wards sounding effect is most noticeable on a drum set, especially on the cymbls.

One of the best uses of compression is on synthesizer bass parts. This is probably the best instrument to work with to get to learn the effects of compression. In the studio it is common practice to record the bass guitar or bass synthesizer with compression on it. Because of the low frequencies and the percussiveness of the higher frequencies, the bass is a perfect example. Experiment with high and low ratio amounts. Listen to the difference it makes on the low vs. the higher frequencies. Try also different threshold levels. Notice when the bass line really jumps out at you where you've set the threshold and ratio amounts and you will begin to understand why. Listen also for when the bass part sounds least percussive and take note of the threshold and ratio settings. It will begin to become very clear after a short while of experimentation, of how the threshold and ratio interact with each other. If you have a compressor with adjustable attack and release settings, try a slow attack. This can even bring those lines out more.

Where is the best place to insert a compressor/limiter into the signal path? Well if you only have one unit it might be best to use it for all your keyboards in a live situation. By inserting it between your mixer and amplifier is the most common. If you only need compression or peak limiting on only one or two instruments, try using one of the effects sends. If your console has more than one bus, assign all the keyboards that you wish to be compressed to that bus. If you have a stereo unit, you can have a stage setting and give your sound man a separate compression setting.

All in all, not only will this make your soundman's job easier but your overall sound will be smoother.

Article 10

KEYBOARDS AND COMPRESSOR/LIMITERS

Properly Setting The Mix Buss Compressor

Properly Setting The Mix Buss Compressor
Hardly a mix goes by these days without the mixer placing a compressor across the mix buss, even if he's not sure exactly why he's doing it. Here's an excerpt from Mixing And Mastering With T-RackS; The Official Guide that explains both why a buss compressor is used, and how to properly set one up.
------------------------------
Along with compressing the individual track of a song, many engineers place a stereo compressor across the mix buss to affect the entire mix as well. Originally this came about when artists began asking why their mixes sounded different in the studio from what they heard on the radio or when their record came from the pressing plant (it was still vinyl in those days). Indeed both the radio and record did sound different because an additional round (or two) of compression was added in both mastering and broadcast. In order to simulate what this would sound like, mixing engineers began to add a touch of compression across the mix buss. The problem was, everybody liked the sound so much that now the majority of records have at least a bit (a few dB’s) of compression added to the stereo mix despite the fact that it will probably be re-compressed again at mastering and yet again if played on the radio or television.

Why Use Buss Compression?
Generally you’ll find that most renowned mixers use the buss compressor to add a sort of “glue” to the track so the instruments fit together better, but that also means that they’ll actually use very little compression. In fact, sometimes only a dB or two of gain reduction at the most is added for the final mix. That being said, many mixers will also offer their clients (artists, band members, producers and label execs) a more compressed version to simulate what it will sound like after it’s mastered. This “client mix” is achieved by using a signal path across the mix buss that’s similar to what a mastering engineer would use, that is, a compressor that’s fed into limiter at the end of the chain to raise the level to a point similar to a mastered release (see Figure 5.1).

Because the clients get used to hearing the “client mix,” it’s so easy to let buss compression get out of hand. One of the problems with compressing too much is that it leaves the mastering engineer a lot less room to work, and in the case of a track that’s “hyper-compressed”, virtually eliminates the ability for the mastering engineer to be of much help at all (see chapter 10).

Setting The Compressor
In most modern music, compressors are used to make the sound “punchy” and in your face. The trick to getting the punch out of a compressor is to let the attacks through and play with the release to elongate the sound. Fast attack times are going to reduce the punchiness of a signal, while slow release times are going to make the compressor pump out of time with the music.
Since the timing of the attack and release is so important, here are a few steps to help set it up. Assuming you have some kind of constant meter in the song, you can use the snare drum to set up the attack and release parameters. This method will work the same for individual instruments as well.

1) Start with the slowest attack and fastest release settings on the compressor.
2) Turn the attack faster until the instrument (snare) begins to dull. Stop at that point.
3) Adjust the release time so that after the snare hit, the volume is back to 90-100% normal by the next snare beat.
4) Add the rest of the mix back in and listen. Make any slight adjustments to the attack and release times as needed.
The Idea Is To Make The Compressor “Breath” In Time With The Song.

Read more: http://bobbyowsinski.blogspot.com/#ixzz1GUd9v7tf
Under Creative Commons License: Attribution

Properly Setting The Mix Buss Compressor

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