Cytomic 'The Glue' Compressor

[xtrax]

The Glue sounds amazing.
I just had chance to try it.
Have to buy it soon !

Great work !

[J.C.R.]

since so many folks seems to love the glue it must be good - I tested it but I don't find something special. I think I just don't know what good quality is. I do really understand a compressor and how to shape transients, but can you give me some examples/use cases where the glue shines so much?

thanks

[djanthonyw]

Try it on your drum buss, The Glue definitely helps making things punchy!

[guppi]

With oversampling it sounds even better. It's near perfect but..... Andy,I know that you want to keep the featurset of The Glue simple but I would love to have a shortcut for increasing the volume at the same time you are decreasing the threshold. Come one, just a little shortcut, you don't have to mention it in the manual...please

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

Andy,I know that you want to keep the featurset of The Glue simple but I would love to have a shortcut for increasing the volume at the same time you are decreasing the threshold. Come one, just a little shortcut, you don't have to mention it in the manual...please

There isn't a 1:1 relationship between the threshold and the amount of makeup gain needed. I could have the threshold down to -15db and still only be seeing peak gain reduction of 3db's.

[Mercado_Negro]

There isn't a 1:1 relationship between the threshold and the amount of makeup gain needed. I could have the threshold down to -15db and still only be seeing peak gain reduction of 3db's.

Exactly, and this is extremely dependent on the ratio so there's no accurate way to predict it.

[kelvyn]

I just glued a mix with the new updated version... sounds very good and I am really liking the preset navi arrows. Thanks!

[guppi]

Andy,I know that you want to keep the featurset of The Glue simple but I would love to have a shortcut for increasing the volume at the same time you are decreasing the threshold. Come one, just a little shortcut, you don't have to mention it in the manual...please

There isn't a 1:1 relationship between the threshold and the amount of makeup gain needed. I could have the threshold down to -15db and still only be seeing peak gain reduction of 3db's.

Yes I know but I didn't want to ask for an extra feature (like a curve or something) to solve this problem. I think it depends a bit of course on the character of the signal itself but mainly on the signal level that get's into The Glue. So if you once got your threshold where the compression is starting only with the threshold knob you could tweak than for example with your right mouse key your threshold and your "half automated" gain. Same as Voxengo Elephant...it works astonishing. Because level comparison is the most important thing, we all (sometimes ) know

[guppi]

There isn't a 1:1 relationship between the threshold and the amount of makeup gain needed. I could have the threshold down to -15db and still only be seeing peak gain reduction of 3db's.

Exactly, and this is extremely dependent on the ratio so there's no accurate way to predict it.

Of course You are right. I just want to set my threshold first than my makeup gain for a main setup and than have a "shift function" for adjusting the threshold inbetween 1-4 dB without always readjusting the makeup gain... I think it would be possible within these dB ranges?

Seems nice to me...

[J.C.R.]

Try it on your drum buss, The Glue definitely helps making things punchy!

I'm doing a test at this moment. a simple 909 beat, I can't say it adds more punch then my ableton compressor. I'm curious and really like to learn.

edit:

I did notice that compressing with the glue results in a smoother levelling, the ableton compressor sounds a bit like riding the fader, the glue is more smooth in a way. but no big difference. is this the "expensive" sound? there must be settings were the better quality is more obvious. I don't have a clou and like to learn...

best

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

Try it on your drum buss, The Glue definitely helps making things punchy!

I'm doing a test at this moment. a simple 909 beat, I can't say it adds more punch then my ableton compressor. I'm curious and really like to learn.

edit:

I did notice that compressing with the glue results in a smoother levelling, the ableton compressor sounds a bit like riding the fader, the glue is more smooth in a way. but no big difference. is this the "expensive" sound? there must be settings were the better quality is more obvious. I don't have a clou and like to learn...

best

Try a fairly open attack time (10ms) with the fastest release. Then adjust the threshold and make up gain. How's that sound?

[andy-cytomic]

Try it on your drum buss, The Glue definitely helps making things punchy!

I'm doing a test at this moment. a simple 909 beat, I can't say it adds more punch then my ableton compressor. I'm curious and really like to learn.

edit:

I did notice that compressing with the glue results in a smoother levelling, the ableton compressor sounds a bit like riding the fader, the glue is more smooth in a way. but no big difference. is this the "expensive" sound? there must be settings were the better quality is more obvious. I don't have a clou and like to learn...

best

Where are you getting your source material from that you are compressing? Can you please post an example .wav file both dry and then compressed with the Ableton Live compressor of the kind of thing you are talking about?

Sample content makers will usually run everything through a compressor already, and sometimes with very heavy settings. If you are mainly using lots of samples of material that has already been heavily compressed as your source you will not gain much by using further compression, and if the compressor that was originally used wasn't a good one you will just bring up the level of undesirable artifacts the other compressor already added to the signal. Try using samples and loops that aren't already compressed, and if they have character from an analog circuit or grit due to vinyl crackle or room ambience from mics, then this will all be accentuated by The Glue.

Alternatively you can use The Glue on an entire mix with some dynamics to tame and your whole mix will have move punch and sound smoother. Depending on what music you do, one production technique is to deliberately have the kick and or snare too loud in the uncompressed mix, and let The Glue tame them down and give the attacks a beefy thwack and also subtly duck the rest of the mix around them so they are emphasised, but all the levels are still smooth. Have a listen to The Island Prt1 and Prt2 by Pendulum as an example of The Glue in action on the master buss doing this type of thing on an an electro house track.

But if after having a play with The Glue you can't hear any improvement over just using the Ableton Live stock compressor then please feel free to save your money and get on with making music you love!

[Mercado_Negro]

But if after having a play with The Glue you can't hear any improvement over just using the Ableton Live stock compressor then please feel free to save your money and get on with making music you love!

I really admire your ethics and professionalism Andy, you're a true gentleman and a great, honest developer. Best wishes as always!

Cheers

[coops2]

Nice fir Andy, it is impressively steep for the number of taps you have implemented and noticably lacking in ripple

May I ask what you tools you used to develop such a nice filter, matlab?

[guppi]

There isn't a 1:1 relationship between the threshold and the amount of makeup gain needed. I could have the threshold down to -15db and still only be seeing peak gain reduction of 3db's.

Exactly, and this is extremely dependent on the ratio so there's no accurate way to predict it.

I made a setup with a Live 8 FX rack and The Glue. One knob is decreasing threshold and at the same time increasing makeup gain. You have to add a "conversion factor" on the max out settings in the live rack. min-max settings of threshold is 0-1 and of makeup gain is 0-0,6. If the makeup gain on The Glue has the correct value you could easily drive The Glue without touching the makeup gain again. And between 4:1 and 10:1 ratio there is no difference. Only with 2:1 you have to add a little gain on The Glue again (but than it's the same with the other settings)! Sidechain Eq is also no problem. The only problem is the range factor. You have to lower the Live 8 max settings of gain from .06 to e.g. 0.45 if the range is e.g. on -18 dB instead of full range. Than it's working again.
I'm sure i've missed some points but it doesn't feel like rocket science an it would be nice to include a makeup gain in The Glue ? So, what I've missed Andy?