Trouble using RMS compression to increase loudness of an instrument

[Brandon203113]

I'm not exactly sure what i'm supposed to be listening for when increasing loudness of a certain instrument with rms compression...

[DJ Warmonger]

First of all, do you know how compressor works?

[thecontrolcentre]

A certain instrument eh?

[Brandon203113]

First of all, do you know how compressor works?

Yeah i know what all the knobs do on a compressor including the knee and lookahead options, and i know what im listening for with peak compression, i know when theres distortion from too quick of an attack or release due to it affecting the waveform itself, but if im trying to increase perceived loudness, what exactly am i listening for to know if i went too far or not? distortion?

[enroe]

... what exactly am i listening for to know if i went too far or not? distortion?

Ear fatique!

[DJ Warmonger]

The compressor alters dynamic range. It has nothing to do with "perceived loudness" on its own. It may only even out (slow) peaks, which allows you to boost overall volume without clipping.

[enroe]

Yeah i know what all the knobs do on a compressor including the knee ...

But what about the elbow of a compressor?

[Brandon203113]

The compressor alters dynamic range. It has nothing to do with "perceived loudness" on its own. It may only even out (slow) peaks, which allows you to boost overall volume without clipping.

I was told by an old ass mixing/mastering engineer that rms compression would give me a higher lufs reading, I understand that peak compression removes the peaks allowing me to push something into a limiter harder before it distorts in turn being able to turn my song up louder later on in the mastering phase.. but im not talking about that, im talking about increasing loudness readings in an lufs meter on 1 single instrument.. this is what i was told, maybe the old ass dude lied to me but i really doubt it..

[vurt]

I'm not exactly sure what i'm supposed to be listening for when increasing loudness of a certain instrument with rms compression...

why not use a fader?

[Brandon203113]

I'm not exactly sure what i'm supposed to be listening for when increasing loudness of a certain instrument with rms compression...

why not use a fader?

I dont understand what you are trying to say, what?

[vurt]

to increase the volume of one instrument, why a compressor rather than opting for pushing up a fader a little?

[Brandon203113]

to increase the volume of one instrument, why a compressor rather than opting for pushing up a fader a little?

Just because then the signal is going higher than it has to be and it will distort quicker when being pressed into the limiters in the final stages of mastering.. which is a db or so i'm trying to salvage cuz i'm strictly trying to mix and master for loudness, from parallel compression to clipping and limiting and now rms compression..basically so my tracks sound similar to a couple of my favorite artists. A lot of people wanna fight me for this, but they can suck it

[SoundPorn]

Sounds like you need a mutli band compressor. Try one like the free OTT by Xfer. Also sounds like ur confusing RMS and peak compression with simply the low end pumping ur sing band compressor. Try using a sidechain on the compressor so the low end isn't tripping it.

[vurt]

to increase the volume of one instrument, why a compressor rather than opting for pushing up a fader a little?

Just because then the signal is going higher than it has to be and it will distort quicker when being pressed into the limiters in the final stages of mastering.. which is a db or so i'm trying to salvage cuz i'm strictly trying to mix and master for loudness, from parallel compression to clipping and limiting and now rms compression..basically so my tracks sound similar to a couple of my favorite artists. A lot of people wanna fight me for this, but they can suck it

not trying to fight you, was genuinely interested.

what you say here doesn't really make sense though, a db is a db, whether it's coming from the fader or the compressor.

unless you mean you have peaks that are loud while missing the lower parts, in which case as mentioned above peak compression is what you're looking for.

i think your old ass mastering engineer was talking about on the final mix, where rms makes more sense.

[Brandon203113]

to increase the volume of one instrument, why a compressor rather than opting for pushing up a fader a little?

Just because then the signal is going higher than it has to be and it will distort quicker when being pressed into the limiters in the final stages of mastering.. which is a db or so i'm trying to salvage cuz i'm strictly trying to mix and master for loudness, from parallel compression to clipping and limiting and now rms compression..basically so my tracks sound similar to a couple of my favorite artists. A lot of people wanna fight me for this, but they can suck it

not trying to fight you, was genuinely interested.

what you say here doesn't really make sense though, a db is a db, whether it's coming from the fader or the compressor.

unless you mean you have peaks that are loud while missing the lower parts, in which case as mentioned above peak compression is what you're looking for.

i think your old ass mastering engineer was talking about on the final mix, where rms makes more sense.

Nope, i watched him do it on individual channels when he was mixing a hiphop style track, he told me to use it primarily on sustained instruments. I have no peaks, im talking about straight beef, i compress/clip/and gently limit almost all my tracks. its not the peaks that are preventing me from pushing any harder. it's the sound that is already a sausage