Looking for special compressor

[pawder]

Hi guys, i am looking for a (drum) compressor with a specific feature. I want the parameters to randomly change after each drum input. It should be possible to select which parameters change and the range of change. I imagine the UI to be similar to the automation mechanic in modern synths, where one can dial in the automation amount directly on the parameter buttons.

The idea is to introduce slight variations in the drum hits, to make them sound more natural. I know of a few plugins that do this, but I haven't found one that sounded convincing. I could automate the randomness, but i am looking for a tool to speed up the workflow.

Any ideas?

[camsr]

Should parameters changed based on the input or output?

[kPere]

Take a look at AnalogObsession Realizer:
https://www.patreon.com/posts/realizer-77091774

Not really answering your question, but might come handy.

[bmanic]

You could build this kind of compressor in either Fabfilter Saturn 2 or Fabfilter Volcano 3. Make a random LFO, free running, then create the compressor (using envelope followers that control main output gain), then have a transient based envelope follower trigger the LFO amount going into whatever parameters you want randomized. Done.

EDIT: Your idea works really well when built in FF Saturn 2.. just tried it.

You can download the preset here

.. and some audio examples here:

Normal compression, non-randomized

Randomized parameters on transient

I randomized attack, release, gain reduction, saturation and some subtle tiny amounts of the graphic EQ sliders. All driven by an envelope where I set the threshold to react mostly on kicks and snares/claps.

[jules99]

^^This is probably the best way, if you have a compressor with an envelope follower as a modulator like C2. Another option would be https://rastsound.com/downloads/naturaliser/

[Mik_lo]

Unfiltered audios zip has built in modulation capabilities, also with a wide range of compression options.

[GHOST19]

Zip was also my first thought. A number of Melda plugins should be able to do it too.

[muki]

Unfiltered audios zip has built in modulation capabilities, also with a wide range of compression options.

as well as their BYOME/TRIAD

and depending on the OP's DAW, any compressor might be (randomly) "automatable"
by means of DAW automation

for example in Logic you can use MidiFX "Modulator" with a random modulation targeted at any compressor's parameter like f.e.: threshhold

[pawder]

Thanks for the replies guys! I forgot i own zip & byome, have to take a look

.. and some audio examples here:

Thanks for putting time and thought into it. Sadly i dont own saturn, but the unfiltered audio options mentioned should do the trick.

Edit: works fantastic with Byome.

[MogwaiBoy]

I really wouldn't do this with a compressor - to humanize or organic-ify drums...

- Use velocity, liberally
- Move hits off the grid, ie hats and snares slightly behind the grid to add looser feel to the groove
- Subtle LFO/randomize or DAW automation to the Sample Start
- Subtle LFO/randomize or DAW automation to the Sample Length
- Subtle LFO/randomize or DAW automation to the Sample Pitch
- Use an LFO-capable Frequency Shifter (HertzRider) like the pros do!

[CinningBao]

Equally, I was going to say (but got distracted yesterday) I thought about doing this in the past but couldn't fathom what about touching a compressor's parameters was going to give me a more expressive palette. Especially randomly.

Will lowering the threshold and increasing the ratio make it sound more human? Will randomly changing the attack and release impart a human quality? The answer to both of these is no. You might get interesting results which tickle your ears, but they are nothing to do with the way a musician touches the instrument.

The nuances human provide to a performance are positioning on the instrument, the weight of the impulse/exciter (how hard are you gripping the drum stick or guitar pick and how heavily do you strike/pluck), the nature of the thing you're striking (the dimensions and tightness of the skin or string).. and whatever that thing is attached to.. and how the musician is holding it..

Also, I'd be careful thinking the subtleties of a human performance are simply random. True, there will be some 'chaotic' behaviour introduced; small timing choices with note start and ends, and pitching especially with blown or bowed instruments.. that's where the humanness is; not in compression parameters.

If you're just programming drums, MogwaiBoy's post does pretty much cover the basics. Maybe try things like mapping velocity to frequency shifter pitch (eg. harder vel, higher shift), or release length (harder hit, longer release). But ultimately it's the timing of the groove which should be at the forefront of your decision. Well, it would be for me.

Hope you get the sound you're after!

[roman.i]

Hi guys, i am looking for a (drum) compressor with a specific feature. I want the parameters to randomly change after each drum input. It should be possible to select which parameters change and the range of change. I imagine the UI to be similar to the automation mechanic in modern synths, where one can dial in the automation amount directly on the parameter buttons.

The idea is to introduce slight variations in the drum hits, to make them sound more natural. I know of a few plugins that do this, but I haven't found one that sounded convincing. I could automate the randomness, but i am looking for a tool to speed up the workflow.

Any ideas?

Not sure if this exactly what you mean, but I remember that this compressor does something similar:
https://www.flux.audio/project/pure-compressor/

[MogwaiBoy]

Equally, I was going to say (but got distracted yesterday) I thought about doing this in the past but couldn't fathom what about touching a compressor's parameters was going to give me a more expressive palette. Especially randomly.

Will lowering the threshold and increasing the ratio make it sound more human? Will randomly changing the attack and release impart a human quality? The answer to both of these is no. You might get interesting results which tickle your ears, but they are nothing to do with the way a musician touches the instrument.

The nuances human provide to a performance are positioning on the instrument, the weight of the impulse/exciter (how hard are you gripping the drum stick or guitar pick and how heavily do you strike/pluck), the nature of the thing you're striking (the dimensions and tightness of the skin or string).. and whatever that thing is attached to.. and how the musician is holding it..

Also, I'd be careful thinking the subtleties of a human performance are simply random. True, there will be some 'chaotic' behaviour introduced; small timing choices with note start and ends, and pitching especially with blown or bowed instruments.. that's where the humanness is; not in compression parameters.

If you're just programming drums, MogwaiBoy's post does pretty much cover the basics. Maybe try things like mapping velocity to frequency shifter pitch (eg. harder vel, higher shift), or release length (harder hit, longer release). But ultimately it's the timing of the groove which should be at the forefront of your decision. Well, it would be for me.

Hope you get the sound you're after!

Well said - I think instead of answer the OP's question about randomizing a compressor's settings, the best advice is to suggest approaching it from an angle that will achieve the desired result (humanizing) - assuming that is the desired result.

There are tonnes of resources on humanizing drums and you have excellently covered the gist of it, which is mimicking the way a human plays, especially with respect to natural dynamics and tempo.

If you wanted to humanize a shaker for instance, you wouldn't just grab a shaker sample and lock it perfectly quantized on the 4/4 grid with each hit at exactly 100%. Just by having some hits louder than others will begin to introduce rhythm - and that's on the path towards a human feel. Then you can go further by unlocking the hits from the grid, add automation (low pass filter opens and closes), link velocity to different shaker samples ie soft shakers vs aggressive shakers.

All that good stuff!

But automating compressor settings? I can't see how that would achieve much level of humanization, if any at all (probably just sound weird and throw your dynamics all over the place) - especially when, as you say, randomization is not always ideal as humans have behaviour and rhythms have GROOVE.

When a human jingles a tamborine to a beat, they're going to fall into a rhythm of accents on and off the beats. Compressor won't mean jack.

[bmanic]

Did you guys take a listen to my audio examples above? It really _does_ make a difference. It's subtle but the 100% static drum loop does sound different when there is subtle randomization going on.

Yeah it's not the same as "humanizing" the beat of course but it's definitely a whole lot less static.

[CinningBao]

I did, and, I mean, the effect is minimal with regard to what OP asked for:

"to introduce slight variations in the drum hits, to make them sound more natural"

I wouldn't say a randomised compressor makes things sound more natural. Though that would depend on what your definition of natural is in this context, and what aspect of that you want to impart onto the sound.

My point is that if natural means 'somewhat human', a human isn't random compression settings.

If I were to creatively exploit that feature in a compressor I might be looking for more extreme settings, let it get a bit more crazy? I don't know, I probably wouldn't ever use it