Colouring / character compressor or EQ?

[antic604]

Ok, so what does it really mean when people are talking that compressor or EQ have "colour" or "character"?

I think I understand pretty well the mechanics of such devices and in my simple, hobbyist mind I always assumed I want those devices to be as clean and transparent as possible so - if I wanted - I can add some saturation, distortion or exotic EQ or transfer curve later on, with other devices. What boggles my mind is people being able to even distinguish between clean and characterful device, as if they perfectly knew how a ideal mathematical function should cut/boost frequencies or volume AND can recognise any deviation from that...

So, can anyone give a good example of difference between normal and character compressor or EQ? Ideally with samples from a DAW? For example using Reaper's free VSTs vs. CLA-2a, Pultec EQ or bx_console SSL 4k E?

[heavymetalmixer]

It means that those plugins already add saturation (pleasent distortion), noise and other variations to make it sound unique or similar to analog equipment. Each plugin with any of those features has a distinctive sound, so they tend to be for certain specific uses like the CLA-2A for vocals, CLA-76 for drums, etc.

If you're just starting I recommend you stick to "transparent" plugins so you don't get distracted from making music. Also, most of the people out there distinguish the sound of certain plugins purely because they already tried those plugins, in the world of audio knowing a lot about numbers only works if you're a developer.

I personally recommend the Tokyo Dawn Labs plugins (TDR), they for the most part are transparent but you can use certain features to add extra color if you want to.

[roman.i]

Not a pro, but I had a similar question and the answer is: first you need to train your ears to distinguish frequencies and notes. In a meanwhile just use the standard eq, or two eqs first "surgical eq" to remove frequencies from recordings if any, and second a "musical eq" to shape the tone of the sound.
I guess that most people will not distinguish if you mixed your track with analog modeled eq or with an eq that comes with the daw, skills are much more important than tools in this case.

[mrj1nx]

Yes I'd say its down to the problem youre solving. If youre removing problem frequencies and highpassing and so forth, you probably want something neutral, like Pro Q3. But when trying to breathe some life into a sound, I sometimes use an SSL or 1073 emulation instead, to give it a bit more of a color.

[simon.a.billington]

It means that those plugins already add saturation (pleasent distortion), noise and other variations to make it sound unique or similar to analog equipment. Each plugin with any of those features has a distinctive sound, so they tend to be for certain specific uses like the CLA-2A for vocals, CLA-76 for drums, etc.

If you're just starting I recommend you stick to "transparent" plugins so you don't get distracted from making music. Also, most of the people out there distinguish the sound of certain plugins purely because they already tried those plugins, in the world of audio knowing a lot about numbers only works if you're a developer.

I personally recommend the Tokyo Dawn Labs plugins (TDR), they for the most part are transparent but you can use certain features to add extra color if you want to.

Yes or, if you really are just starting out, you stick mostly with the DAW's plugins for a while. As soon as you start requiring something you cant get from your DAW, or you start being able to audible distinguish the difference in "colors", then that's probably time you might want to start considering expanding your arsenal.

[Benedict]

Ok, so what does it really mean when people are talking that compressor or EQ have "colour" or "character"?

Ok, let me be blunt, a lot of the time they are having a wank, in hope that this makes them feel better. Ok, good on em but this is not a thing we used to do in public because self-amusement is for when we have no other options. Take a lot of what you hear with some perspective.

As for uses & comparisons:

Sometimes you want to kee the sound you have a closely as possible but need to change it too! Go figure, but this is used in Compression, EQ and Echo/Reverb all the time. For that, you want devices that are as clean as possible as they go about their mathy magic to let them fit in the mix more politely.

Sometimes you are perplexed with your sound because you want it to be more of this, less of that in a new way that is "colorful" compared to the original. For this, you will find the clean process leave you always feeling like you are missing the point. This is where character processors come in handy (or make a horrid mess).

In Reason land, the M-Class Compressor is generally pretty polite unless you totally paste the signal, even then it is the result of the pasting you hear more than any transformation as a result of extra distortions, eq or other oddities (not part of the smashing). So if it pleases to keep my pads from peaking without purpling my performance it is M-Class all the way.

If I want a polite pad pleasingly purpled then Scream 4 is the poison prescribed. The Tape option alone makes changes that a tidy M-Class won't. Then I can push the input, roll-off Tone, Compress use the EQ and even use a Resonator to emulate a speaker (or instrument body).

In the VST world that is probably more like Rea-Comp against the Magic Death Eye.

Be aware that most of these things we desire so much today were points of perplexing pain a decade or three ago. A synth through an amp & speaker was automatically purpled and we were desperate to perceive the real sound properly.

If you don't have a fancy purpling process, don't despair as you can save a lot of purchasing plugins and learn to make your own purpleators. It can be as simple as putting some sort of Soft Overdrive or Saturation (like Softube Saturation Knob or Mars Distortion) after the Compressor to add the magic. You can even add one before the compressor and one after. Or and EQ before Compression to change how the compressor behaves. An EQ after to "put it back" if you pushed hard.



If you didn't notice, this post was brought to you by the letter P

[lwj]

A polite pad? Prepostorous proposition!

[ProfessionalTom]

P, like a... Professional.

[funky lime]

It would seem a "colour" or "character" compressor or EQ is simply one that has a GUI that looks like analog hardware. Placebo takes over from there.

[JerGoertz]

It would seem a "colour" or "character" compressor or EQ is simply one that has a GUI that looks like analog hardware. Placebo takes over from there.