Were you a member of talkbass, about 5-6 years ago, under the name chessrocks? Do you work as a sound engineer now?
-Frank
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Has anyone tried a two compressor set up?
- Thread starter Rev J
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Were you a member of talkbass, about 5-6 years ago, under the name chessrocks? Do you work as a sound engineer now?
-Frank
Man I really kicked a hornets nest here. One of the things they told me in my audio classes was to watch the meter when setting compressors that way you knew if they were working. Since I'm in pedal land I don't have that option. I know that the new Boss Multiband and the MXR have meters on them.
C/S,
Rev J
C/S,
Rev J
No, why? Yes i work as an engineer, done some film work, but slowed down lately to work on my album. I just started to get back into bass hardcore, so only recently joined, but have been playing over 20 years. This is a great forum, ive got a lot from it already. Super helpful people.
Actually come to think of it, i have joined so many music forums that i may have joined this one before, but there is no way i used that moniker.
That makes sense if you are mastering, but especially if you are playing live, it doesnt. I dont even try to play with a comp because it messes with my natural dynamics. Ill throw a limiter on there sometimes, but it doesnt do much. Meters and knobs and grids are visual media, while music is aural. You have to use your ears. You have to trust your ears, because they arent that different that any other average persons ears. The problem is that our visual perception is so much more dominant than aural, so we tend to put way too much weight on settings and numbers and such.
You just remind me of an old TB member that had a lot to say about compressors. With "messiah" in your moniker, it just struck me as something he would have called himself.
If you have been working as a sound engineer you surely have met or spoken with other engineers that run compression in series, no?
-Frank
Of course. There is nothing wrong with it, whatever floats your boat. I know guys who use 4 eqs on a track. Or that use multiband comps in lieu of eq, or one guy who only uses filters. It all works, and even if it doesnt it works through placebo effect.
Yeah i am into modular synthesis and i like the sound of my moniker (pronounced "why-a-messiah"). I dont have a complex, haha.
I'm currently running a tc electronic spectracomp which is multi band with this toneprint:
I know it doesn't make my active Fender Steve Bailey Jazz sound anything like a Fodera but I like how it brings the mids out in my sound.
C/S,
Rev J
Here is a lengthy article from Sound on Sound that mentions compressors in series:
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<Snip>
At this point you might very well ask: what would I do if that slap‑bass part needed not only high‑ratio control of the slapped notes, but also more general low‑ratio dynamic‑range reduction? The answer is that you could deal with the problem by chaining more than one compressor in series. This is quite common in commercial practice, and lets you dedicate each specific compressor to a different task. If you're wondering what order to put the different processors in, though, the answer isn't quite as clear. The best solution is to try both ways and choose the one that best resolves the balance.<Snip>
I believe the sound engineers that write their articles are well respected in their field.
-Frank
Invalid Link Removed
<Snip>
At this point you might very well ask: what would I do if that slap‑bass part needed not only high‑ratio control of the slapped notes, but also more general low‑ratio dynamic‑range reduction? The answer is that you could deal with the problem by chaining more than one compressor in series. This is quite common in commercial practice, and lets you dedicate each specific compressor to a different task. If you're wondering what order to put the different processors in, though, the answer isn't quite as clear. The best solution is to try both ways and choose the one that best resolves the balance.<Snip>
I believe the sound engineers that write their articles are well respected in their field.
-Frank
Since it is digital you can edit parameters in your computer using tc's editing software or beam a sound from your smart phone directly through your pickups into your pedal.
C/s,
Rev J
Here is a lengthy article from Sound on Sound that mentions compressors in series:
Invalid Link Removed
<Snip>
At this point you might very well ask: what would I do if that slap‑bass part needed not only high‑ratio control of the slapped notes, but also more general low‑ratio dynamic‑range reduction? The answer is that you could deal with the problem by chaining more than one compressor in series. This is quite common in commercial practice, and lets you dedicate each specific compressor to a different task. If you're wondering what order to put the different processors in, though, the answer isn't quite as clear. The best solution is to try both ways and choose the one that best resolves the balance.<Snip>
I believe the sound engineers that write their articles are well respected in their field.
-Frank
Sure, there are many solutions to problems. However, given their use of 2 comps, and hearing what it is doing to the bass, i could achieve the same thing with one, at least to the point that the difference would not be audible.
Theres guys that use 10 mics on an acoustic guitar. Whatever works works, that doesnt mean they arent redundant. That was my only point. Everyone has their tricks, there are no rules.
An audio engineer who knows everything there is to know about compression that is unaware of the existence of downloadable digital pre-sets and their application in this context isn't an audio engineer that knows everything there is to know about compression. By your logic, a one knob compressor should be able to do anything any other comp can, so why the confusion?
You continue to dismiss the work of some great engineers as a placebo effect and unnecessary redundancy.
-Frank
It's relatively common when using a lot of effects to have a comp near the beginning of the chain, to improve tracking on octave and synth type pedals, and another one at the end, to deal with spikes from gain and distortion effects.
You might not have both of them on at the same time, but each can play a different, useful role.
You might not have both of them on at the same time, but each can play a different, useful role.
You continue to dismiss the work of some great engineers as a placebo effect and unnecessary redundancy.
-Frank
That's a lot of what music, audio engineering, wine tasting, art of any kind, medicine, etc are. You are dismissing the power of placebo effect. Use ten compressors if you want, I can't argue with anyone's methods. Look at Jackson Pollack for instance. Did he really need to add those final couple of swirls on a painting?
But again, if you are interested (not that there's any reason to be) let's do a blind test.
Geez, that's about the most unfair thing I have ever heard. I know about compression, not every single piece of gear out there. Why all the antagonism. I found this forum since i joined to be very helpful, this is the first taste of negativity. Guess nothing is perfect.
MDBass
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You literally said "I know all there is to know about compression" in the process of telling a bunch of folks they were wrong.
Kinda set yourself up for that one friend
No big deal either way, but I'm sure you can see how that kind of phrasing could seem antagonistic.
There's no way I know of to get a vocal to pop out of a modern radio mix without using several compressors in series. Perhaps even a multiband on the vox buss. Parallell compression helps too, sometimes. I always track bass with a little compression, and add more (usually in the box, but not alwas) later.
Regardless of whether or not someone thinks they can get the same results with one comp, which they can't BTW, what's important here is workflow. How easily can you get the result you need.
Regardless of whether or not someone thinks they can get the same results with one comp, which they can't BTW, what's important here is workflow. How easily can you get the result you need.
You literally said "I know all there is to know about compression" in the process of telling a bunch of folks they were wrong.
Kinda set yourself up for that one friend
No big deal either way, but I'm sure you can see how that kind of phrasing could seem antagonistic.
Yeah i set myself up for insult by stating my view. Next time i will just agree with anything people say, regardless of whether i think it's right or not. You cheap shotted me, because you don't like my view. You can call me wrong if you want, ideas are open for attack, but ad hominem is childish and doesn't get anywhere.
But if you are confident I am wrong, let's do a blind test. I am confident I am right, and can back it up, that's not the same thing as saying everyone is wrong. I don't really care, anyone can use whatever they want, 10 comps and 20 eq on a track. Like I said there are no rules. But if we want to get at the truth, let's approach it scientifically instead of emotionally.
