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A compression confession

JimmyM

JimmyM

Apr 11, 2005
127,255
125,172
Plymouth NC
Disclosures
Endorsing: Yamaha, Ampeg, Line 6, EMG
#1
i haven't used compression for bass on the last two recordings i've done and i like it!

unfortunately, i can't post them because they're works for hire, but i have always run a compression plugin on the bass to even it out a little, as most folks do. but with these two songs, i just left them alone. i tried compressing the bass track on one of them, but i didn't like it as much, so i left it alone and didn't bother with the other.

i'm enjoying it. i'm also enjoying this less is more approach with mixing other instruments as well. on one of the songs, i just splashed a hint of reverb on everything but the bass and left it. i'm enjoying hearing the bass with more normal dynamic range. instead of trying to squash those stray peaks at the expense of times i want to emphasize dynamics more, i just try to watch my playing a little closer.

i highly recommend giving it a shot next time you're recording.
 
#6
The engineer used a Summit comp on my last recording gig. Sounded fine on the mellower, finger-style songs, not so good on the picked rocker that I thought needed the dynamics unhindered. Since I wasn't footing the bill, I commented once and left it alone. I still hate that track for that!
 
#7
Well, we recieved $1.25 in royalties last year, so I'm not a big time recorder. But I've never liked or used compression for bass playing. We compress our vocals a bit for a show, but that's it.

I like the more "immediate" feel to my playing that I seem to have without it.
 
#9
Over compression is pretty common place now, there are lots of hugely successful engineers and producers that seemingly believe compression is the end all and be all, ( Metallica's latest, anyone?)
IMHO, compression should be used sparingly (like reverb) and shouldn't necessarily exist on everything. I think that part of the compression thing is that many people do everything in the box, and many have never even seen an outboard comp, much less truly understand how they work. Just my opinion, not trying to ruffle any feathers.

Regards
 
#11
avalancheMM said:
Over compression is pretty common place now, there are lots of hugely successful engineers and producers that seemingly believe compression is the end all and be all, ( Metallica's latest, anyone?)
Click to expand...

That's program compression - done in mastering. Extreme compression in mixing can be used to great effect if the song calls for it, but many engineers are stuck in the habit of throwing an 1176 on the bass without even listening to it. Do an A/B, and often the uncompressed track sits better in the mix.
 
#13
RCCollins said:
you get a certain amount of compression from using a tube amp anyway (why I'm telling YOU this I don't know). let the producer add it if he wants but I'm actually surprised you've been using one, Jimmy.
Click to expand...
rc, the way i set my amps, i don't hear them as compressed. i have recorded before with face ripping b-15 tones, but honestly, my b-15 was never in good enough shape to record clean tones with until 3 years ago, so i hardly ever used it on clean tone recordings. but now that my tubers are fixed up and working great, i don't hear them as compressed. maybe i'm looney.
 
#14
JimmyM said:
rc, the way i set my amps, i don't hear them as compressed. i have recorded before with face ripping b-15 tones, but honestly, my b-15 was never in good enough shape to record clean tones with until 3 years ago, so i hardly ever used it on clean tone recordings. but now that my tubers are fixed up and working great, i don't hear them as compressed. maybe i'm looney.
Click to expand...

That's the magic of tube amps - they soften the transients while still giving you dynamic range. Yummy.
 
#15
Hmmm. We've been together as a cover band for almost 30 years and haven't recorded a new demo in almost 20. We haven't recorded a new original in almost 25. All of a sudden, there are a bunch of new clubs hiring cover bands opening up in town and we need a new demo and are going in to record one in a few weeks. I'll have to keep this dialogue in mind while were there. Not that they'll ever receive any airplay, but a better sounding demo will land more gigs, at least that's the plan. Thanks for the read all, good stuff...
 
#16
I don't use compression when I record my fretless, which is 100% of the recording I've done in the last 2 years. Just heading into a session where I'll be recording some slapped fretted (and some effected fretted/fretless) so compression might enter the mix.

But generally - I work hard to have an even touch, and it works well in the studio.
 
#18
i never record with compression unless it is a live situation, but will add it later if needed.
i believe one of the reasons compression is over-used is the digital medium itself- it is available for everything, and there are a multitude of versions that are cheap $... it's used just as much for tone as it is for controlling signal path volumes. also, it has to do with volume and the volume/ dynamic issues within the digital medium (aka volume wars). when i began and there was only tape, you could calibrate the machine for the type of tape and saturate it nicely, getting max signal to noise and a bit of tape compression if things got dynamically extreme... the clipping was good. you can't do that with digital medium, so limiting/ compressing is more commonplace on the way in...
you can't have any accidental extreme dynamics that go over,
as the clipping is non musical.
 
#19
you know, the more this has been discussed, the more i'm realizing that i had been trying to get what tubes do by using compression on the tracks i recorded clean di. and maybe despite my protests to the contrary, all this time i've actually liked tube amps because of their natural compression that i never really picked up on until lately. i used to think people were nuts when they said that. still do to a certain extent because it sure doesn't feel like compression when i'm playing one. and that's probably why i don't mind not compressing when i record di with the vt. it must already be compressing transients similar to what a mic'ed b-15 would do.

oops...did i say that out loud? ;) well hey, sometimes recording at home requires compromises.
 
#20
I'm with you Jimmy... BUT... the truth is that I commonly record a European Botique... the sound on it via headphones is compressed.

----

So confession time...
Did the mastering tech run a compressor sub accross the entire recording? Most do and you'd have to pin them in a corner to have them confess.
 

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