So, when I have a softsynth and I feel that its dynamics is to be changed to fit the track better, what i should do first is changing the volume envelope settings rather than applying a compressor?
After reading through the thread, it seems to me that when the arangement is 100% softsynths, compressors should sit mostly on busses and should be used on tracks only when a speficic coloration is needed. Correct?
Why you use compressor?
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- KVRAF
- 5664 posts since 7 Feb, 2013
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DesireForThought DesireForThought https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=304227
- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 39 posts since 2 May, 2013
Everything which I understood is that. You need compressor to change envelope of sound. If the punch of the sound is not good you can use compressor to shape it. Not only kick but for every sound Its similiar.recursive one wrote:So, when I have a softsynth and I feel that its dynamics is to be changed to fit the track better, what i should do first is changing the volume envelope settings rather than applying a compressor?
After reading through the thread, it seems to me that when the arangement is 100% softsynths, compressors should sit mostly on busses and should be used on tracks only when a speficic coloration is needed. Correct?
The other thing is that you need to compress when there is difference in dynamic range with different sounds. So there you need to change dynamic range.
I think this is two main method which you need to understand.
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Perimeter Sound Perimeter Sound https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=162713 - KVRAF
- 1745 posts since 11 Oct, 2007
ariston pretty much nailed it, from everything I've read & done regarding compressors.
There is of course the very real danger of overdoing it, and just smashing sounds, be they seperate tracks, or a full mix. But that's what practice, and ears, are for eh.
There is of course the very real danger of overdoing it, and just smashing sounds, be they seperate tracks, or a full mix. But that's what practice, and ears, are for eh.
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- KVRAF
- 1763 posts since 1 Aug, 2006 from Italy
+1 on the compressors to shape the envelope of sounds.
Maybe I'm completely wrong (I'm an hobbyist by the way, not a seasoned engineer), but I'd also say: change your mindset when you're using a compressor. Here's my approach to mixing and compressors (it is not rigid set of rules that I follow religiously, it's more a way of thinking that helps me to stop and rethink what I'm doing when I'm getting lost... I often follow my instinct instead of rules, but sometimes it leads me to a wrong path):
The first step is to find what's the key element on which the listener should focus: it has the highest priority and, most of the time, it is quite loud in the mix (but don't exagerate, leave some headroom on the master out!). Make it sound quite good (80%-90% of the sound you want to achieve). While on this step, use a compressor only if you really want to shape the sound or if you know you need some fix to excessive dynamics, but avoid to use it as much as you can (I mean: don't use it! You can do it later with the context of the other sounds).
Second step: add the other elements around it (introduce the most important of them first). Work with faders on these elements to set theirs volume so you hear them, while trying not to steal the focus to the main element. Don't use compressors yet. You should end with a very rough mix.
Third step: it is likely there are some elements that you can't find an appropriate level for... if you raise their volume, you lose the focus on the main element; if you lower them, then they become difficult to be heard... maybe you find that you're making the fader to fluctuate continuosly: that's when, in my experience, it is possible that you need a compressor (but it's not a rule, maybe you could unmask using an eq or other tools...). Now you could try to set the fader level towards the highest point of those fluctuations and then compress the sound enough so you don't feel the need to move the fader anymore (but obviously don't go overboard with the compressor, as a general rule there should not be too much gain reduction and the compressor shouldn't be compressing all of the time).
This is vaguely my approach, it could be summarized as "don't compress your main element, compress the others"...
By the way, you could also compress your main element if you feel it would get a benefit from some compression (maybe the parts sticks out too much during some very small passages... and you may find that a compressor is more practical - or just faster - than a fader automation in that situation... it's not always so, of course...), but it is something you'll probably do towards the middle or the end of the mix, not at the beginning.
Try using such approach once or twice as a rigid rule, then you can forget about it because you'll instinctively know when it's time to use a compressor and when it's not.
Last but not least, 3 very important things:
1 - Prior to starting the mix, make sure the gainstaging is correct.
2 - While mixing, don't think "my mix is not loud as hell as the xyz flavour of the month"... you should end with a decently loud mix (if that's what the style of the song calls for), but not an outrageously loud one, you should just think "is this sounding good?" without giving excessive care to loudness... if you don't hear it loud enough, just raise the volume of your monitors.
3 - Remember that I'm just an hobbyist, so don't take what I just wrote as the Bible, there are chances that I wrote something wrong (and I just don't know it, otherwise I wouldn't have written it).
Maybe I'm completely wrong (I'm an hobbyist by the way, not a seasoned engineer), but I'd also say: change your mindset when you're using a compressor. Here's my approach to mixing and compressors (it is not rigid set of rules that I follow religiously, it's more a way of thinking that helps me to stop and rethink what I'm doing when I'm getting lost... I often follow my instinct instead of rules, but sometimes it leads me to a wrong path):
The first step is to find what's the key element on which the listener should focus: it has the highest priority and, most of the time, it is quite loud in the mix (but don't exagerate, leave some headroom on the master out!). Make it sound quite good (80%-90% of the sound you want to achieve). While on this step, use a compressor only if you really want to shape the sound or if you know you need some fix to excessive dynamics, but avoid to use it as much as you can (I mean: don't use it! You can do it later with the context of the other sounds).
Second step: add the other elements around it (introduce the most important of them first). Work with faders on these elements to set theirs volume so you hear them, while trying not to steal the focus to the main element. Don't use compressors yet. You should end with a very rough mix.
Third step: it is likely there are some elements that you can't find an appropriate level for... if you raise their volume, you lose the focus on the main element; if you lower them, then they become difficult to be heard... maybe you find that you're making the fader to fluctuate continuosly: that's when, in my experience, it is possible that you need a compressor (but it's not a rule, maybe you could unmask using an eq or other tools...). Now you could try to set the fader level towards the highest point of those fluctuations and then compress the sound enough so you don't feel the need to move the fader anymore (but obviously don't go overboard with the compressor, as a general rule there should not be too much gain reduction and the compressor shouldn't be compressing all of the time).
This is vaguely my approach, it could be summarized as "don't compress your main element, compress the others"...
By the way, you could also compress your main element if you feel it would get a benefit from some compression (maybe the parts sticks out too much during some very small passages... and you may find that a compressor is more practical - or just faster - than a fader automation in that situation... it's not always so, of course...), but it is something you'll probably do towards the middle or the end of the mix, not at the beginning.
Try using such approach once or twice as a rigid rule, then you can forget about it because you'll instinctively know when it's time to use a compressor and when it's not.
Last but not least, 3 very important things:
1 - Prior to starting the mix, make sure the gainstaging is correct.
2 - While mixing, don't think "my mix is not loud as hell as the xyz flavour of the month"... you should end with a decently loud mix (if that's what the style of the song calls for), but not an outrageously loud one, you should just think "is this sounding good?" without giving excessive care to loudness... if you don't hear it loud enough, just raise the volume of your monitors.
3 - Remember that I'm just an hobbyist, so don't take what I just wrote as the Bible, there are chances that I wrote something wrong (and I just don't know it, otherwise I wouldn't have written it).
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- KVRist
- 66 posts since 5 Dec, 2008
Hey! Do not despair! Maybe this basic how-to article can help?
http://en.audiofanzine.com/getting-star ... essor.html
http://en.audiofanzine.com/getting-star ... essor.html