Multibus Compression - A new plugin

[quintosardo]

Seems nice : You're really into Release-mania, arent' you ?
And you definitively loove huge GUIs

Yes, I am
This is because test-time is a precious one, so I prefer to startup a plugin early to get as much help on testing as I can.

Yes, I love apparently huge GUIs, because I work on a dual monitor setup with an extremely high resolution and, so, everything looks small
Maybe this series is going to be a bit smaller, anyway... (while I guess I'm not going to go to the multiple versions or resizable interface way)

[quintosardo]

So you approach audio with 4 different attack/release times?

No, there are four totally different algorithms inside. The more different the channels are, the more interesting the job is.

***EDIT***
I mean, probably yes, but that's not the main point of the technique they describe
**********

I wrote four completely different algorithms and put them in four channels.
This plugin had to be very simple (controls) so it is very complicated inside (control mapping and linking). Many parameters are not accessible, but I'll add a menu for each one for variations. Only one channel gives direct access to atk and rls in this version.
It is in a "simple" series, insert and go. If I need to go deep, better loading single compressors and so on.

FD4 stands for Full, Dirty, 4 channels

I asked couse it seems a little hard to get something to work good with a drum or output buss. I'd too like to try it.

I agree.
Anyway, I'm interested in using it on a single source, too. The voice is what I want to try seriously at first. Or a single drum mic track.

[quintosardo]

Any thought about the graphics? (yes, ok, the size )

[djsubject]

interesting!

my vocals normally pass through 3 or 4 compressors before reaching the master out

when working @ Maida Vale BBC recording studio (for a John Peel Show we where on) they had a lovely desk with 2 comps per strip & 2 comps on the bus outs,

they showed me a few tricks that i still use

Subz

[djsubject]

Any thought about the graphics? (yes, ok, the size )

IMO its not very attractive

the GUI looks unfinished to me, (talking about the pics in the first post, just in case i missed some others in this thread )


but sod the looks, any sound examples?

Subz

[Speakeasy]

damn...my biggest secret is revealed...damn!!
i have used this kind of compression for years!

i like to give one advice to all who wants to get transparent and good master buss compression....

FMR Audio Really Nice Compressor has a mode called SuperNice that passes the signal through the compression network three times. Each stage adds a small amount of compression, and the overall effect is more transparent than using one stage of heavy compression. That's especially useful on mix buses during mastering.
When using several compression stages with low threshold and ratio settings, no single stage compresses the signal very much. The cumulative effect of the multiple stages achieves a high level of compression while avoiding the pumping and breathing artifacts associated with extreme compression.

Start by inserting a compressor plug-in with long release and slow attack times on your master bus. Adjust the threshold to trigger 2 dB of gain reduction with a ratio of 2:1 and 3 dB of makeup gain. Place a copy of the plug-in in two additional insert slots on the master bus. Each stage of compression is fed a slightly hotter signal, and no single stage is working particularly hard

so put 3x same compressor on master buss at exact settings!...
and wow!!...it just works like a miracle!!

[djsubject]

Start by inserting a compressor plug-in with long release and slow attack times on your master bus. Adjust the threshold to trigger 2 dB of gain reduction with a ratio of 2:1 and 3 dB of makeup gain. Place a copy of the plug-in in two additional insert slots on the master bus. Each stage of compression is fed a slightly hotter signal, and no single stage is working particularly hard

so put 3x same compressor on master buss at exact settings!...
and wow!!...it just works like a miracle!!

i normally take the release a bit tighter on each stage,

so tight attack on all 3 but release starting long but being quite short on the 3'rd (still keeping the 2'nd compressors release quite long but not as long as the first)

& if i want it to pump i use the 2'nd compressor to do the pumping then open the release on the 3'rd compressor,

i also normally put a limiter on my all vox out bus,

Subz

[shogger]

Any thought about the graphics? (yes, ok, the size )

You want honest opinions, right? I don't like them. They look cheap. Like cheap synthedit stuff. The meters don't look cool. I'm not the "it has to look like hardware" guy. But to make simple things look really good and stylish is much more a serious art than to make good looking realistically looking GUIs.

Shogger

[sinkmusic]

Any thought about the graphics? (yes, ok, the size )

In my opinion, not bad, but not really here yet.
A bit too big, and a bit too much "half-way" in-between emulation and plain 2D.

[Compyfox]

so put 3x same compressor on master buss at exact settings!...
and wow!!...it just works like a miracle!!

Since parallel compression is adding up, it sure is an interesting concept. But for mastering?

I'd have used it for either STEMs or grouped channels (like guitars or vocals) - but only carefully dialed in (in other words "barely touching the signal").


I never heard of this technique, neither did I use it as of yet (except for drums busses, and here an additional channel in parallel is more than enough IMO). So yeah, is this really some sort of holy grail? And if so - for what? Maximum volume? I thought we're trying to get rid of the loudness race?

[Optomadic]

Full Dirty 4 channels sounds very interesting . Is it for modular hosts? Gotta read more..

[Compyfox]

According to the inithial thread, and to my understanding, it's one "plugin" in this case, with 4 different comps in parallel. In ourboard-world, of course you need to link them in a modular way, also if you want to create such a thing yourself...


Then again, I'm still wondering where to use that. And do I even use "all" four comps? That sure would be a squashed sound in the end. One comp additional (drums for example) is understandable, but not 4. That's a bit much IMO.

[LXNDR1]

FMR Audio Really Nice Compressor has a mode called SuperNice that passes the signal through the compression network three times. Each stage adds a small amount of compression, and the overall effect is more transparent than using one stage of heavy compression. That's especially useful on mix buses during mastering.
When using several compression stages with low threshold and ratio settings, no single stage compresses the signal very much. The cumulative effect of the multiple stages achieves a high level of compression while avoiding the pumping and breathing artifacts associated with extreme compression.
Start by inserting a compressor plug-in with long release and slow attack times on your master bus. Adjust the threshold to trigger 2 dB of gain reduction with a ratio of 2:1 and 3 dB of makeup gain. Place a copy of the plug-in in two additional insert slots on the master bus. Each stage of compression is fed a slightly hotter signal, and no single stage is working particularly hard

source: http://emusician.com/tutorials/emusic_x ... rocessing/

nice advice from erm... Eli Krantzberg, are u him Speakeasy?

so this technique details have been available for mass audience for quite a while

[Mushy Mushy]

FMR Audio Really Nice Compressor has a mode called SuperNice that passes the signal through the compression network three times. Each stage adds a small amount of compression, and the overall effect is more transparent than using one stage of heavy compression. That's especially useful on mix buses during mastering.
When using several compression stages with low threshold and ratio settings, no single stage compresses the signal very much. The cumulative effect of the multiple stages achieves a high level of compression while avoiding the pumping and breathing artifacts associated with extreme compression.
Start by inserting a compressor plug-in with long release and slow attack times on your master bus. Adjust the threshold to trigger 2 dB of gain reduction with a ratio of 2:1 and 3 dB of makeup gain. Place a copy of the plug-in in two additional insert slots on the master bus. Each stage of compression is fed a slightly hotter signal, and no single stage is working particularly hard

source: http://emusician.com/tutorials/emusic_x ... rocessing/

nice advice from erm... Eli Krantzberg, are u him Speakeasy?

[Dean Aka Nekro]

Good idea to put this all into one plug-in to save on routing, good call

How come this such a revalation in concept and practice?
I use it alot or rather abuse it alot lmao, using combinations of the following usually:

Waves API2500
Waves SSL Bus Comp
FocusRite ISO (from the forte suite)
FocusRite D3
Bomb Factory BF76
Bomb Factory LA2A
Bomb Factory Fairchild 770
Sonalksis TBK3
URS Classic Console Strip Pro (actually i could easily get by with 3 or 4 instances of this alone)

When im using Ableton things get even more fun as their are alot more compressor's at my disposal (or wrap the VST plug-ins to RTAS via FXpansion's Adapter if i strike gold on a combination of VST compression plug-ins)

Must say that a high pass filter pre compressor is essential for me when using just one, so i end up with a shed load of hpf too as it makes summing the outputs of each aux/send much easier and everything clearer *unless abusing*. Also i prefer to use a pre-fade send myself and leave each compressor's output seperate/ungrouped.

Its easy to to to make this technique sound like a big mush than it is to get it working well i find. When it does work though it sounds sweet/Sick.

Have not had any look using mutiple multi-band compressors FWIW

Just can not wait till i pick up a LiquidMix to hear what it will deliver doing this