Basic Compressor for Sidechaining
- KVRAF
- 12615 posts since 7 Dec, 2004
PM me for that!
Not a total hijack or off-topic though. This is exactly what I meant in my last post.
The key to these sorts of simple compressors is that they have high distortion, they aren't accurate, they do weird and wonderful things that you sometimes don't expect.
I often use a compressor as a distortion effect. Gabber kick? Why use distortion when you can just over-kill with the compressor set to insane settings?
That sort of thing can allow some more evolution and dynamics into the timbre of your sounds/track that you'd be entirely missing if just using automation.
A lot of the older tracks done with hardware, in genres such as acid for example frequently applied tr-808 + tb-303 + ms-10 or similar combinations with pedals like a boss CS-1. This is where they got their trademark sound.
Not a total hijack or off-topic though. This is exactly what I meant in my last post.
The key to these sorts of simple compressors is that they have high distortion, they aren't accurate, they do weird and wonderful things that you sometimes don't expect.
I often use a compressor as a distortion effect. Gabber kick? Why use distortion when you can just over-kill with the compressor set to insane settings?
That sort of thing can allow some more evolution and dynamics into the timbre of your sounds/track that you'd be entirely missing if just using automation.
A lot of the older tracks done with hardware, in genres such as acid for example frequently applied tr-808 + tb-303 + ms-10 or similar combinations with pedals like a boss CS-1. This is where they got their trademark sound.
Free plug-ins for Windows, MacOS and Linux. Xhip Synthesizer v8.0 and Xhip Effects Bundle v6.7.
The coder's credo: We believe our work is neither clever nor difficult; it is done because we thought it would be easy.
Work less; get more done.
The coder's credo: We believe our work is neither clever nor difficult; it is done because we thought it would be easy.
Work less; get more done.
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- KVRAF
- 4584 posts since 21 Sep, 2005
Thread of the week!aciddose wrote:PM me for that!
Not a total hijack or off-topic though. This is exactly what I meant in my last post.
The key to these sorts of simple compressors is that they have high distortion, they aren't accurate, they do weird and wonderful things that you sometimes don't expect.
I often use a compressor as a distortion effect.
aciddose for the win!
I use compressors for eq.
Urnh..
A lot of people could learn a lot of things by listening to this thread.
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do_androids_dream do_androids_dream https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=164034
- KVRAF
- 2908 posts since 26 Oct, 2007 from Kent, UK
I tend to favour compressors with 'artifacts' these days. I remember reading about how Steve Albini hates compressors because he feels like he's listening to a machine rather than a performance - sometimes it's the machine doing it's thing that I love hearing! Autechre's compression abuse is a beautiful thing, for example...codec_spurt wrote:Thread of the week!aciddose wrote:PM me for that!
Not a total hijack or off-topic though. This is exactly what I meant in my last post.
The key to these sorts of simple compressors is that they have high distortion, they aren't accurate, they do weird and wonderful things that you sometimes don't expect.
I often use a compressor as a distortion effect.
aciddose for the win!
I use compressors for eq.
Urnh..
A lot of people could learn a lot of things by listening to this thread.
- KVRAF
- 12615 posts since 7 Dec, 2004
You'll get a sort of repulsion and gag response if you describe these techniques to people who constantly bitch and complain about the least bit of distortion on the vocal tracks from their limiter. You'll see non-stop threads about "transparent" and so on. Then they go and run a vintage mic through a tube-pre into the thing.

Free plug-ins for Windows, MacOS and Linux. Xhip Synthesizer v8.0 and Xhip Effects Bundle v6.7.
The coder's credo: We believe our work is neither clever nor difficult; it is done because we thought it would be easy.
Work less; get more done.
The coder's credo: We believe our work is neither clever nor difficult; it is done because we thought it would be easy.
Work less; get more done.
-
do_androids_dream do_androids_dream https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=164034
- KVRAF
- 2908 posts since 26 Oct, 2007 from Kent, UK
Transparent compression is boring. Did I really just say that?! Well, sometimes I do feel that way...
[Disclaimer for any prospective future clients... I will, of course, use the relevant compression techniques appropriate for your music as per the mixing requirements and arrangement/agreement... but for my own music compressors will be used and abused as I see fit
]
