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multiple compressors - good?
- Thread starter SamJ
- Start date
Peak limiting with a high ratio compressor/limiter.
Dynamic eveness with a low ratio compressor.
Low bass and mid frequencies controll with multiband compression.
Any (relatively modern) professional recorded bass track is going to be ran through at least 2 stages of compression.
awh, your talking like mixing and such, I was thinking for like a jam session setting.
Yup. It still applies though. Even more so in troublesome rooms and to protect speakers and maintain a balanced sound.
The way I like to think of it is at a gig or in the studio if I have one compressor I actually have two. Because bass will be compressed on the back end by foh or during the mixing process in the studio. So having two compressors on my end would actually be three compressors overall. Because even if you don’t have a compressor at all compression will be added to the bass afterwards in those situations.
There’s definitely different ways to use them. But I typically use my compressor pedal to even out the sound coming from my bass. Then I let the soundguy or mixing engineer do the compression on the back end. Some people do odd things using multiple compressors. Like having an always on compressor that’s very subtle and another comp that’s more extreme that they kick in and out just for certain parts like slapping parts for example. Some people use an additional compressor pedal as a boost not actually adding additional compression but just as a way to boost the signal a little when needed. When playing small gigs without pa support it can be nice to have two compressors basically replacing the compression that would have been added by the soundguy on the back end.
Speaking as both bassist and audio engineer, I can tell you that compression is almost always best done in multiple stages. When recording, there commonly may be compression in at least four different stages: pedalboard/amp, channel strip, mixdown, and mastering, and that's not even counting the natural compression that may be part of any amplification stages.
When I am running FOH, if I have the gear for it, I will run compression on pretty much every single input channel. This is the best thing about modern digital mixers--it used to require a gigantic rack of outboard gear, usually with unbalanced insert connections, since few mixers intended for live reinforcement are built with balanced inserts, and those are uncommon even in studio mixing consoles. With a modern digital console costing only a few thousand dollars and liftable by a single person, you can have 24 channels of compression at your fingertips.
People greatly underestimate the dynamic range of amplified instruments, and a lot of players greatly overestimate their prowess in control of dynamics.
I have a single compressor on my bass board (Boss BC-1X Bass Comp, digital multiband bass guitar compressor pedal), currently, but if I could, I would add a second, stereo compressor/EQ/HPF to the end of my pedalboard's signal chain, just to feed the FOH and make the house engineer's life a little easier.
When I am running FOH, if I have the gear for it, I will run compression on pretty much every single input channel. This is the best thing about modern digital mixers--it used to require a gigantic rack of outboard gear, usually with unbalanced insert connections, since few mixers intended for live reinforcement are built with balanced inserts, and those are uncommon even in studio mixing consoles. With a modern digital console costing only a few thousand dollars and liftable by a single person, you can have 24 channels of compression at your fingertips.
People greatly underestimate the dynamic range of amplified instruments, and a lot of players greatly overestimate their prowess in control of dynamics.
I have a single compressor on my bass board (Boss BC-1X Bass Comp, digital multiband bass guitar compressor pedal), currently, but if I could, I would add a second, stereo compressor/EQ/HPF to the end of my pedalboard's signal chain, just to feed the FOH and make the house engineer's life a little easier.
I never use compression when practicing at home, except on rare occasions when I'm practicing my FX (so to speak). At the gig, I'm a minimal pedal guy: 3 pedals at most, with 0 or 1 being a comp (the rest are dirt pedals, which by their nature add a bit of compression).
If I was a bigger board guy, I would definitely run two compressors set subtly for a bit of sustain and enhanced dynamics in the mix. As mentioned by others, two (or more) compressors set correctly will perform the same job better than one -- this is precisely why Origin released their Cali Stacked compressor.
For a gigging musician, more than one comp probably has diminishing returns. And it's true that danger exists: compression has a steep learning curve, and it's hard for a n00b to find that relatively narrow point between too much and not enough even when using one comp. But if you have the ability to find that "sweet spot" with one comp, then you have a good start on finding a "sweeter spot" with two.
Anyone who says that more than one compressor must result in a squashed signal has no idea what they're talking about... hell, they probably think the same's true for one compressor.
As mentioned, serial compression is a standard operating procedure in the studio. Gigging bassists who use compression rarely do this, but that's mainly for logistical reasons, and also because many are unaware of the benefits.
If I was a bigger board guy, I would definitely run two compressors set subtly for a bit of sustain and enhanced dynamics in the mix. As mentioned by others, two (or more) compressors set correctly will perform the same job better than one -- this is precisely why Origin released their Cali Stacked compressor.
For a gigging musician, more than one comp probably has diminishing returns. And it's true that danger exists: compression has a steep learning curve, and it's hard for a n00b to find that relatively narrow point between too much and not enough even when using one comp. But if you have the ability to find that "sweet spot" with one comp, then you have a good start on finding a "sweeter spot" with two.
Anyone who says that more than one compressor must result in a squashed signal has no idea what they're talking about... hell, they probably think the same's true for one compressor.
As mentioned, serial compression is a standard operating procedure in the studio. Gigging bassists who use compression rarely do this, but that's mainly for logistical reasons, and also because many are unaware of the benefits.
So how do you set that up in terms of how much compression is set to each one? These 1st, vs 2nd, vs 3rd state? Increasing more? decreasing? different attack / threshold? etc
In the studio, lightly.
Generally set one faster, one slower, just take a cuppla dB off the top with each - there can be benefits to changing which is first. A good starting place is often 4:1.
I'll add that my chain is often a board compressor that I'm "playing" into a mic'd amp (say 90% of the time) or just DI'd to/with a pre, and a rack-mount that I'm using more for control. I often then use software to limit or otherwise level-adjust the recorded bass track. And I almost always mix into a global compressor. Compression and/or limiting can be expected in mastering also.
For me, on a board, the first one for sound and control, the second one as a limiter (altho' I personally use just one and don't do the limiter thing much).
Generally set one faster, one slower, just take a cuppla dB off the top with each - there can be benefits to changing which is first. A good starting place is often 4:1.
I'll add that my chain is often a board compressor that I'm "playing" into a mic'd amp (say 90% of the time) or just DI'd to/with a pre, and a rack-mount that I'm using more for control. I often then use software to limit or otherwise level-adjust the recorded bass track. And I almost always mix into a global compressor. Compression and/or limiting can be expected in mastering also.
For me, on a board, the first one for sound and control, the second one as a limiter (altho' I personally use just one and don't do the limiter thing much).
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Been faffing around with a VCA (Dreadbox) at the front and an Optical (Diamond) at the back of the pedalboard
Not entirely sure what I am doing but it’s good fun and some interesting sounds ( and squash’s)
Not entirely sure what I am doing but it’s good fun and some interesting sounds ( and squash’s)
Yep! The basic principle of the FMR RNC's "Super Nice" mode was that it shared the work between three compression circuits. For example, if you set its ratio to 6:1, then each of the three circuits would have a ratio of cube-root-of-six, which is roughly 1.8:1. YouTube isn't the greatest media for compressor demos, but on one I stumbled across, Super Nice mode sounded more natural than normal mode when A/B'd on an acoustic guitar track.
Can't find a bookmark, but a page I found on serial compression basics suggested setting up a compressor plugin for a very gentle ratio like 1.5:1, then cloning it as many times as needed to get the desired result on a track or mix. Again, that's just beginner tip... an experienced engineer will do more than just clone.
FWIW, I'll note I've read many times that people dislike the RNC on bass. I have a couple, never tried 'em there - love 'em on vox when I want transparent.
I've started using 2 compressors in my chain, one in the beginning with a 8.1 ratior and one at the end with 3.1 ratio. Adding a second comprssor can be a real game changer. I wamnted a nice clanky tone but the high string were just too loud, ecpecially when popping, adding a second compressor helped tame them but keeping the clankyness.
