I've never understood compression and so I
was playing around with a compressor for two days now.
What I don't really understand is the release setting.
I just can't figure out what it's really good for.
I played with kick and snare drums and with a saw bass with
continuing same level (no attack and full sustain). Am I right
that the release setting doesn't make any difference with these
sounds?
Is the release setting only for sounds with changing levels or complexe sounds like loops so I can make them pump?
Please enlighten me.
I read somewhere, that the first compressors were made to reduce dynamics for voices in movies, so that the average level could be raised, but wouldn't you need a extremly fast attack or better a zero attack for this to happen? Otherwise you would give the sounds more punch and lower the average level, is that right?
compression: release ?
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deaf dunderkwac deaf dunderkwac https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=78199
- KVRAF
- 5247 posts since 15 Aug, 2005 from RainLand featuring RAinRAinRAin
the first compressors where made so that the audio operator didn't have to 'ride' the fader so much.
You use the release function of a compressor in conjunction with the attack.
IF (big if) you're trying to use the compressor for increasing the average level of the track, you would probably like to avoid the sound having apparent pumping or breathing (breathing=the sound of the background noise increasing and decreasing with gain) you use the attack/release controls to minimize these undesirable effects from happening.
In these days of extremely low background noise it's pretty amazing how much compression you can apply before pumping and breathing become objectionable.
OTOH... I use'em as effects in their own right (pumping, breathing and soft clipping... oh wtf HARD clipping also)
a fast attack on a compressor generally (but not always) requires a lonish release time to sound the least objectionable, but everything is dependant on the sound source.
so continue playing and pay attention to what happens when you change the attack and see if you can hear the changes of the release..
Also it would be nice to know which compressor you're using as quite a few go into an automatic mode when the attack is decreased to zero (that's where changing the release knob will make no difference)
hope this helps!
You use the release function of a compressor in conjunction with the attack.
IF (big if) you're trying to use the compressor for increasing the average level of the track, you would probably like to avoid the sound having apparent pumping or breathing (breathing=the sound of the background noise increasing and decreasing with gain) you use the attack/release controls to minimize these undesirable effects from happening.
In these days of extremely low background noise it's pretty amazing how much compression you can apply before pumping and breathing become objectionable.
OTOH... I use'em as effects in their own right (pumping, breathing and soft clipping... oh wtf HARD clipping also)
a fast attack on a compressor generally (but not always) requires a lonish release time to sound the least objectionable, but everything is dependant on the sound source.
so continue playing and pay attention to what happens when you change the attack and see if you can hear the changes of the release..
Also it would be nice to know which compressor you're using as quite a few go into an automatic mode when the attack is decreased to zero (that's where changing the release knob will make no difference)
hope this helps!
for entertaining porpoises only
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Polite Company Polite Company https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=95393
- KVRian
- 1193 posts since 23 Jan, 2006 from wrapped up in the fuzz - Boston, MA!
Compressors work by reduce in level of a single when it goes above a certain point. The (common) controls are as such
Threshold = the level at which the compressor starts to attenuate the signal i.e. if the threshold is set to -6dB anything over that will be attenuated.
Ratio = the amount of attenuation i.e. with a 3:1 ratio for every 3dB the signal goes over the threshold only 1dB of signal will come out of the output.
Attack = This controls how quickly the attenuation starts after the signal goes over the threshold. This can be used, if you set the attack longer, to allow the transient or attack portion of a sound to go through the compressor unprocessed while the rest of the signal get compressed.
Release (to finally answer your question
) = The amount of time after the signal has passed back below the threshold that the compressor continues to attenuate the signal. If you set it to a fast release the compressor will 'let go' of the signal as soon as the signal goes under the Threshold. You can set it to a long release to 'bring up' the 'tail' or sustain of a sound and make the sound seem as if it last longer.
I hope that helps out, I can try to clear things up if that's confusing.
Threshold = the level at which the compressor starts to attenuate the signal i.e. if the threshold is set to -6dB anything over that will be attenuated.
Ratio = the amount of attenuation i.e. with a 3:1 ratio for every 3dB the signal goes over the threshold only 1dB of signal will come out of the output.
Attack = This controls how quickly the attenuation starts after the signal goes over the threshold. This can be used, if you set the attack longer, to allow the transient or attack portion of a sound to go through the compressor unprocessed while the rest of the signal get compressed.
Release (to finally answer your question
) = The amount of time after the signal has passed back below the threshold that the compressor continues to attenuate the signal. If you set it to a fast release the compressor will 'let go' of the signal as soon as the signal goes under the Threshold. You can set it to a long release to 'bring up' the 'tail' or sustain of a sound and make the sound seem as if it last longer. I hope that helps out, I can try to clear things up if that's confusing.
"Music is a hidden arithmetic exercise of the soul, which doesn't know that it is counting." - Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz
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e to the i pi plus one equals zero
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e to the i pi plus one equals zero
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 344 posts since 18 Mar, 2004 from DE
thanks! I think, I got it now 
I played a bit around with gco-1 demo and I noticed that you set the ratio in the opposite direction until 1:2.
Does this make 1db to 2db above the threshold? Isn't this the same as 2:1 plus some more make-up?
I played a bit around with gco-1 demo and I noticed that you set the ratio in the opposite direction until 1:2.
Does this make 1db to 2db above the threshold? Isn't this the same as 2:1 plus some more make-up?
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Polite Company Polite Company https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=95393
- KVRian
- 1193 posts since 23 Jan, 2006 from wrapped up in the fuzz - Boston, MA!
Most likely yeah, this will do slightly different things on different comressors but it is basically what is called expanding in fact there are device called expanders which pretty much work in the reverse way of a compressor.Does this make 1db to 2db above the threshold
"Music is a hidden arithmetic exercise of the soul, which doesn't know that it is counting." - Gottfried Wilhelm von Leibniz
---
e to the i pi plus one equals zero
---
e to the i pi plus one equals zero
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- KVRAF
- 10597 posts since 13 Jun, 2004 from Alberto Balsam
If the release is too short it will be more like limiting, and if it is too long it wont catch the next transient.
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- KVRAF
- 2427 posts since 16 Jun, 2005 from Somewhere, NV
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attenuated
In wine and beer making, attenuation (see above) is the measure of thoroughness of fermentation. It is typically given as a percentage number describing how much available sugar has been converted to alcohol during the fermentation process.
In wine and beer making, attenuation (see above) is the measure of thoroughness of fermentation. It is typically given as a percentage number describing how much available sugar has been converted to alcohol during the fermentation process.
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- KVRist
- 88 posts since 5 May, 2005
On an oscillator with no envelope where the volume changes are on the order of milliseconds, compressors won't do much. Like you said, their effects are mostly noticeable on dynamic material (which they were made for, so it's no big surprise ). You should still notice them on snares and kicks but it'll be less dramatic than on a mix. And yeah, if your goal is just to raise average level, very low attack is best (like a limiter which often has close to zero attack).
). You should still notice them on snares and kicks but it'll be less dramatic than on a mix. And yeah, if your goal is just to raise average level, very low attack is best (like a limiter which often has close to zero attack).I think you mean "If the attack is too short it will be more like limiting"? True about the long releases though, watch out for that.The Chase wrote:If the release is too short it will be more like limiting, and if it is too long it wont catch the next transient.
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 344 posts since 18 Mar, 2004 from DE
Let's say I have an already mixed track, with 808 drums with fast and punching attacks and now I want to compress the mixdown to gain some more loudness. The 808 drums are peaking at 0db.
Unless I use an attack that is faster than the attack of the 808 drums, I won't be able to get more loudness, because the transients of the 808 drums will always go through, is this right? Wouldn't it be that the overall would be lowered,because of the compression, but no make-up can be made if I don't want to clip?
Unless I use an attack that is faster than the attack of the 808 drums, I won't be able to get more loudness, because the transients of the 808 drums will always go through, is this right? Wouldn't it be that the overall would be lowered,because of the compression, but no make-up can be made if I don't want to clip?
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- KVRist
- 88 posts since 5 May, 2005
Yep, if the audio's attack is very quick and you're just trying to increase loudness, you'd want a small attack on the comp.wazun wrote:Let's say I have an already mixed track, with 808 drums with fast and punching attacks and now I want to compress the mixdown to gain some more loudness. The 808 drums are peaking at 0db.
Unless I use an attack that is faster than the attack of the 808 drums, I won't be able to get more loudness, because the transients of the 808 drums will always go through, is this right? Wouldn't it be that the overall would be lowered,because of the compression, but no make-up can be made if I don't want to clip?
Using a longer attack lets you reshape the envelope and make things tighter, but you'll still have a loud peak and compressed tail. You can however add post-compression (with small attack) to even out the levels again, and get some interesting effects that way.