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A compression confession
- Thread starter JimmyM
- Start date
I did some recording the other day on my guitar players Zoom multitrack machine. Straight from my VM Jazz with flats into the machine, no DI or Comp. Backed off the neck p/u slightly and sat just fine in the mix. It wasn't broke, so i didn't try to fix it.
Amp wise, like Spencer said, my SVT does what I need it to do.
Amp wise, like Spencer said, my SVT does what I need it to do.
Rickett Customs
Commercial User
I believe that when compression is overused (or misused), it creates an undesirable effect.
When used correctly, can be a good tool as any. I guess for some is understanding what a compressor does to your signal and the nature of compression in general.......helps alot.
When used correctly, can be a good tool as any. I guess for some is understanding what a compressor does to your signal and the nature of compression in general.......helps alot.
I think a lot of engineers get into the habit of compressing everything just a little bit, but then end up having to tone it right back as to keep the dynamics, resulting in a controlled track but one that doesn't really take advantages of the 'sound' of compression that much.
I like to hammer the hell out of compressors on some instruments in a mix, but completely ignore them on others. With bass I tend to record a few signals, maybe a DI, a mic and an added wildcard like a guitar amp or 'colour' DI like a ridge farm Gas Cooker. One of those I'll tend to hammer like hell, the others will be left natural so one of the sources is keeping the low end prescence in the mix but the other sources are left with all the players dynamics!
Of course this is all turned on its head if the player can't play consistently, thats when you start to have to use compressors to change what they played and that rarely comes up magic!
I don't know of many compressors that can compress as perfectly and subtly as a tube amp or tape machine, they are a whole different beast where the normally oh so important attack and release characteristics don't even come into question, its hard to even hear those parameters enough to put a value on the envelope, other than 'really fast'! Both are so musical as well, but lack the tone-shaping characteristics of a compression device.
Like anything, it all depends hugely on the band and the track, and the sort of compressors you have at your disposal. I happily hammer 20Db off the odd track in a mix with a Tube tech CL1a if it sounds good, but I'll happily leave compression off altogether apart from just a little bus compression as well, especially if its a GREAT band that sort out all the dynamics themselves!
I like to hammer the hell out of compressors on some instruments in a mix, but completely ignore them on others. With bass I tend to record a few signals, maybe a DI, a mic and an added wildcard like a guitar amp or 'colour' DI like a ridge farm Gas Cooker. One of those I'll tend to hammer like hell, the others will be left natural so one of the sources is keeping the low end prescence in the mix but the other sources are left with all the players dynamics!
Of course this is all turned on its head if the player can't play consistently, thats when you start to have to use compressors to change what they played and that rarely comes up magic!
I don't know of many compressors that can compress as perfectly and subtly as a tube amp or tape machine, they are a whole different beast where the normally oh so important attack and release characteristics don't even come into question, its hard to even hear those parameters enough to put a value on the envelope, other than 'really fast'! Both are so musical as well, but lack the tone-shaping characteristics of a compression device.
Like anything, it all depends hugely on the band and the track, and the sort of compressors you have at your disposal. I happily hammer 20Db off the odd track in a mix with a Tube tech CL1a if it sounds good, but I'll happily leave compression off altogether apart from just a little bus compression as well, especially if its a GREAT band that sort out all the dynamics themselves!
yea, eff all that, i compress bass to hell a lot of the time. the bassist in my band is very inconsistent and he serves best as just a brick wall of distorted low end. dynamics and hardcore dont go together. and all the tracks ive been doing lately are the distort, compress, scoop and bury type (all hardcore cover band, needs to sound typical).
but with any rock band, im not afraid to turn a bass inside out for the sake of the track. in my last prog rock band, i didnt crush myself TOO much as i kinda ran the rhythm section sometimes. in the more rock and roll tunes, crushed it.
i find that the key is the attack time. let it pop or just smash it. but never pump. that drives me nuts.
but with any rock band, im not afraid to turn a bass inside out for the sake of the track. in my last prog rock band, i didnt crush myself TOO much as i kinda ran the rhythm section sometimes. in the more rock and roll tunes, crushed it.
i find that the key is the attack time. let it pop or just smash it. but never pump. that drives me nuts.
One of the other posters nailed it for me: compression is a tool for less skilled or polished players (like me). The bass isn't my main instrument. Aside from using it to impart a certain tonality (compression as effect), I use compression because it keeps my playing volume nice and even so it sits properly in the mix. And there's no shame in that. But if the player has the chops, the added dynamic range can really make the low-end shine.
Exactly, there are tons of compression techniques that are not even worth trying until you are recording a bang on player anyway! With each player, amp, tone, style, mix you record you have to work out if compression is needed and if so, what sort!
Compressors are a phenomenally simple concept but phenomenally hard to master entirely, they can do so much. I think because they are the only 'effect' that can manipulate the sort of things normally only the player can control. They start to become as difficult to master as the instrument itself, with the added bonus that you have to master it for EVERY instrument to be a good recording engineer!
Thats a bit of an exaggeration but it illustrates the point, compressors (and to a lesser extent eq's) are one of the main tools in helping regain some of the excitement you loose when capturing a bands performance to hard disk, they have the power to trick the brain into feeling some of the same excitement you get when standing next to a great drummer in a great room etc.
The overuse of compression in much modern MASTERING should not put people off using them! Also note that the trends in pop mastering is generally label pressure rather than creative decisions by the mastering engineer, the labels just want something that sounds huge when compared to the last track on the radio but the upper limit to how loud you can go was reached quickly and now its hard to turn back down in some genres!
Interestingly a heavily but well compressed mix will still normally sound pretty dynamic and exciting if done well. The extra perception of space you get when using compressors heavily to push things far forward in the mix is really something, its the overall squashing that can be damaging even if done by very skilled mastering engineer.
Feists album 'The Reminder' has some uber compression in the mix but the master seems pretty conservative and results in an interesting sounding record. Sometimes good smashing on the master works for a band as well, 'Band of Skulls' first album has great production and a strong master but it really works for them, check out the track 'Death by Diamonds and Pearls', filthy!
