Anyone else using the 'mixing with your mind' method for compression?

[sqigls]

Hello,

I have been rereading 'Mixing with your mind', by Mike Stavrou and I encountered the capter about compression. It changed the way I use a compressor.

Anybody else who likes this method and got more understanding on how to use a compressor, thanks to 'Mixing with your mind'?

yes, always

[ironflippy]

I use a similar approach, though maybe not quite as extreme. As someone mentioned, there are compressors whose controls interact with each other, so I'll exaggerate, but not completely overdo any parameters. It's a bit harder to hear what each control does, but if you use the extreme method mentioned first for a while, then you'll know what you're listening for. Also, two additional points (this applies to any sort of processing, but bears repeating):

1. Always make sure that what you're doing is helping the signal. A/B it with the uncompressed signal and be absolutely positive that you're not accidentally over (or under!) compressing. Make-up gain is your friend, but it should match, not exceed the original signal in these comparisons.

2. As you're fiddling around, you might get the perfect settings for that kazoo while in solo, but if it doesn't fit in context with the other instruments playing, then it's no good. Example: rhythmic acoustic guitars in a big pop production are often squished so all you're hearing is the pick hitting the strings. Sounds awful alone (maybe you prefer that sound, I don't!) but with everything else going on, then that is all the song needs.

Sounds obvious, but I know it's easy to get lost in knobs and meters and not be able to see the whole figurative forest.

[solidtrax]

'Mixing with my mind' would be a good name for my method. So here's what I do, I open vst subfolder with compressors, I pick one that catches my eye first and I start to fiddle with knobs randomly, until I get so tired with it, I tell myself it's not worth my health and mental state to continue, at which point I leave it as is and then try to get used to the new sound of the thing that I have been compressing. That's how I get from 'mixing with my mind' to 'listening with an open mind'.

Thanks for making me laugh, that was funny!

[Quietinthedark]

This is an interesting approach...

I always started with the threshold, then ratio, and at last attack and release. But it's a good idea to use the extremest compressor setting to get the groove right, and only then to adjust threshold and ratio!

That's what i've always done. But there is a logic to his approach.

[camsr]

2. As you're fiddling around, you might get the perfect settings for that kazoo while in solo, but if it doesn't fit in context with the other instruments playing, then it's no good. Example: rhythmic acoustic guitars in a big pop production are often squished so all you're hearing is the pick hitting the strings. Sounds awful alone (maybe you prefer that sound, I don't!) but with everything else going on, then that is all the song needs.

Also, if compression is getting "there" but sacrifices some other aspect of the track, it's a good opportunity to look to another effect to make up the loss. Compressors aren't magical boxes that make everything good!

[TreyM]

I actually work in a different way. When I compress, I usually give transients priority, unless I'm actually trying to tame them.

I set my threshold to the highest setting so that I get no gain reduction, and I start with a 3:1 ratio.

I set my attack very high at around 100 ms (or highest the compressor allows if lower than 100ms)

I set my release at about 100ms as well.

I then move the threshold down to start getting some gain reduction. Once I feel I'm getting enough, I adjust the attack time lower and lower until I hear the transients starting to dull, then move the attack time up slightly to preserve them.

Depending on how dynamic a track is, it may need a higher ratio. Less dynamic? Low ratio. Very dynamic? Higher ratio.

Finally I adjust the release to allow the material to breathe and sound natural, and adjust the output gain to match the dry signal by ear by bypassing and re-enabling the plugin until level sounds the same.

Working this way usually yields fairly transparent compression and obviously is useless if you're trying to make something SOUND COMPRESSED as an effect.

[Hermetech Mastering]

I started off using Stav's approach when the book first came out (must be over ten years ago now?), and it really helped me to understand compression. Over years of daily use, I've got to know my compressors (a pair of Chandler Germaniums) much better, and so don't always use his exact method, but it's always there to fall back on when needed! I find it especially useful when setting the A and R times to "groove" with the track.