KVR Audio

bmanic · Post by **bmanic** » Sun May 10, 2009 1:05 am

quintosardo wrote: Anybody who used this technique with interesting results?

I've used this technique quite a lot in the past, combining both hardware and software. I've gone a bit further as well splitting the output signal from the parallel chain in a feedback route (one needs to be VERY VERY careful with this). It can sound wicked and it can sound really bad.

The most useful thing I found was that you can use one compressor as a peak enhancer (slow attack, fast release, high ratio, set threshold to catch only the peaks), then another as a low level "gain riding" element (fast attack, slowish release, very gentle ratio around 1.05 or even less, very low threshold) and then some other compressors to anything in between.

Cheers!
bManic

Compyfox · Post by **Compyfox** » Sun May 10, 2009 1:10 am

Still wondering what practical use this thing has in best case?

Sure is not something for mastering - but what about tracking and postproduction, bManic?

bmanic · Post by **bmanic** » Sun May 10, 2009 1:30 am

It's more about "feel" really, at least in my opinion. Having multiple, very different behaving/sounding compressors, can build up interesting interactions. The whole point is to send various single sources that you think can make a "team" into the same compressor strem and thus have them interact with each other in the way the compressor dictates.

It's not a magic thing and can easily end up messing up mixes. Personally I'm not a big fan of Mr. Brauer's mixes in general, the latest ones at least all end up quite mid rangey and very compressed, stressing me out. Could be this technique of his being overused.. dunno, but his "sound" is annoying me usually (just listen to the latest Coldplay, and the XY album, A-Ha or whatever else he has mixed).

Cheers!
bManic

Compyfox · Post by **Compyfox** » Sun May 10, 2009 1:38 am

So you have a group channel or a stem, then send this particular channel into the 4 comps in parallel, and due to the individual behaviour and settings, you get an interaction like you'd get for example with burning that stuff to tape and overdoing it (aka "adding mojo").

Hm... interesting concept, and I have to agree - parallel compression can (and probably) will be overdone. Especially this particular setup. Still interesting to see. Like I said, so far I only used the "NY Compression" technique (standard parallel compression for drums for example).

everlast · Post by **everlast** » Sun May 10, 2009 3:49 pm

I agree with bmanic - it can sound stellar but it can mess the whole thing up. M.Brauer technique is interesting, but what I understood is that he uses those ABCD busses set up for giving tracks particular tones more than compression. In that case some kind of multi distortion device set up on 4 busses can be something that mimics that - in terms of tube, trafo, valve, etc. distortion and also some kind of ColorTone impulse device that complements the whole thing

eduardo_b · Post by **eduardo_b** » Sun May 10, 2009 5:28 pm

Brauer uses four or five compressors, but typically with the default settings -- not compressing per se but using the circuitry itself to affect the sound.

Compyfox · Post by **Compyfox** » Sun May 10, 2009 5:35 pm

Still... if it's only in default mode, the sound is adding up.

2 times the same signal get's a volume increase of 6dB - that's twice the volume of the original input. Then there's also "minimal" latency, which is also affecting the dynamics, etc.

I slowly doubt any good use for this particular parallel compression/saturation technique.

eduardo_b · Post by **eduardo_b** » Sun May 10, 2009 5:56 pm

Compyfox wrote:Still... if it's only in default mode, the sound is adding up.

2 times the same signal get's a volume increase of 6dB - that's twice the volume of the original input. Then there's also "minimal" latency, which is also affecting the dynamics, etc.

I slowly doubt any good use for this particular parallel compression/saturation technique.

His perspective is that the primary characteristics of each compressor (he has more than 40 of them) are present even with no compression, and that using several in different combinations adds qualities to the sound that he feels enhance the music. He's has a long list of well-known clients, so whatever he's doing must seem good to at least some people in the business.

bmanic · Post by **bmanic** » Sun May 10, 2009 6:15 pm

Something like IK Fairchild and Pultec, which have a clear sonic imprint even without any compression or EQ, should work well with this technique. Of course Nebula is another option which is even more suitable because of all the nice preamp/eq/compressor presets it comes with.

I'm only a bit worried about possible phase issues that can sound artificial and weird in the digital domain (in the analogue domain you get this as well but not to the same degree as PDC gone wrong).

Cheers!
bManic

mauseoleum · Post by **mauseoleum** » Sun May 10, 2009 6:18 pm

bmanic wrote: ...
Personally I'm not a big fan of Mr. Brauer's mixes in general, the latest ones at least all end up quite mid rangey and very compressed, stressing me out. Could be this technique of his being overused.. dunno, but his "sound" is annoying me usually (just listen to the latest Coldplay, and the XY album, A-Ha or whatever else he has mixed).
...
bManic

I think he may be mixing for max. "emotional impact" (not emo) so there's annoying mids ... (to make your hair stand-up)

Dean Aka Nekro · Post by **Dean Aka Nekro** » Sun May 10, 2009 6:19 pm

give a try compyfox and see if you get any usable result, if not just dont use it. Its all just trial and error much like most signal processing and sometimes something which in theory/on paper appears to be 'unorthodox' works

It wont hurt to give it a go mate, all the best to you

Nekro/Dean

everlast · Post by **everlast** » Sun May 10, 2009 6:19 pm

Compyfox wrote: I slowly doubt any good use for this particular parallel compression/saturation technique.

Then I guess you should still research a little bit more

Anyway, I think eduardo_b nailed the explanation very well

What we need in digital is still some kind of better distortion'saturation plug as there are music genres that are built around that sound - the sound of analog bending, rounding, non-linearity and distorting the signal in a pleasant way. It's actually what you pay in analog world and it' mostly not cheap.

greetz

eduardo_b · Post by **eduardo_b** » Sun May 10, 2009 6:20 pm

bmanic wrote:Something like IK Fairchild and Pultec, which have a clear sonic imprint even without any compression or EQ, should work well with this technique. Of course Nebula is another option which is even more suitable because of all the nice preamp/eq/compressor presets it comes with.

I'm only a bit worried about possible phase issues that can sound artificial and weird in the digital domain (in the analogue domain you get this as well but not to the same degree as PDC gone wrong).

Cheers!
bManic

Photos of Brauer's outboard compressors show the history of compressor hardware, all in four or five racks.

bmanic · Post by **bmanic** » Sun May 10, 2009 6:20 pm

What I meant was the annoying "everything is piled up around the mids" sound. There is no room to breathe and it stresses me out. For sure he can mix but somehow I've yet to hear anything from him that blows me away, then again, I've only heard like 2% of his production.

Cheers!
bManic

eduardo_b · Post by **eduardo_b** » Sun May 10, 2009 6:26 pm

NEKRO.MACHINE wrote:give a try compyfox and see if you get any usable result, if not just dont use it. Its all just trial and error much like most signal processing and sometimes something which in theory/on paper appears to be 'unorthodox' works

It wont hurt to give it a go mate, all the best to you

Nekro/Dean

That's what Brauer says he does...tries this and that until he likes what he hears.

Multibus Compression - A new plugin