M1/M2Macs: a good "allround compressor" for realtime-play Keys / creative Synthethic sounds ?

[Funky40]

Heya everybody,

its about keys-playing here ! NO Drums etc. !....realtime-play patches.
I NEED to settle on _one main compressor_ !

what comps comes to mind to you, when reading this: =>
Must work: (apple silicon native !)

I do NOT care for the sound-colouring aspect !
just how it "feels" on my fingers when dabbling with it. ...adjustability, visual feedback, feel.
....nuff sayed


more info:
I sometimes DO like drastic compression. And often enough i setup looong attack times, and short release.
My point: i´d like to have *one* comp thats good for both, tame transienty stuff (shorter attack time) on a first -within a plugin chain-, and tame the overly blooming aspect (looong attack time) on a second (my main use, usually) within same chain.

its ALL about realtime-playing with Keys !
mostly attacky/percussive, like Piano, EP, modern modelling or additiv Synths like chromaphone3, Plasmonic, you name it.




more optional infos:
My plugin fundus IS big allready ! i might have several good ones.
reason for this post: empiricalLabs "Arouser" would have been my choice. I was very happy with it. But: it no longer loads into projects on Ventura now, on my new M2mac. Need to ditch Arouser !


btw. thanks for reading @ those who did !

[pdxindy]

Presswerk

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

more optional infos:
My plugin fundus IS big allready ! i might have several good ones.
reason for this post: empiricalLabs "Arouser" would have been my choice. I was very happy with it. But: it no longer loads into projects on Ventura now, on my new M2mac. Need to ditch Arouser !

Dave Derr just posted on Gearspace recently to say Arousor M1 testing is about to begin.

That's all I can say on the subject.

[Funky40]

Presswerk

you´re right. U-HE looks "as realible" as i like to have it in this case.
I didn´t liked the U-HE GUIs on older ones i demoed. But got me some U-HE recently at sales. I´ll check ! Thank you !

Dave Derr just posted on Gearspace recently to say Arousor M1 testing is about to begin.

Aslong my Arouser plugin was loading, on my old M1/ monterey, all was fine. i could live with rosetta2.

On my new(er) M2mac, these are NOT loading at all, and spitting out a prompt "per loaded instance" it seems.
No ! .....never again such one !

These are not $29 plugins. it was $100 2ndhand.
Thats the "better-priced" market. You would guess these folks are behind it in time.
......they lost me now !
but thanks for feedback anyway ! ( i knew they work on it.......too late for me)

I do realtime-play patches. These are too labour intensiv. And: these have to last for years.
=> i just start to realize how important the "realibity aspect" for this type of work is !

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

I'm not sure if it's exactly what you're looking for, but the absolute best value in compression that covers the widest range of sounds, that literally everyone making music should own is: DMG Audio's TrackComp. It's got 2 different 1176 models, an LA-2A, DBX 160, SSL Bus Comp, SSL Chan Comp, Chandler Zener, a DMG mode for clean compression, and I still think I'm leaving stuff out.

[db3]

You could always sell Arouser and get the Softube version.
https://www.softube.com/empirical-labs-mike-e-comp

[Ah_Dziz]

I have no idea what you consider "good" as far as visualization and such, but I generally use th softube/ni la2a for keys of all sorts, with a pretty decent amount of GR. This is usually first in the chain on any "piano type sound". The fake VU meter is enough visual info for me. Sometimes I'll add another compressor after further processing but it almost always gets the dynamics of live playing into the region that I want it. The same is true of many of this same style of compressors. If I want something way over the top, I either slam rvox on the keys or use a 50/50 mix of the original AD roughrider compressor (may not be compatible).

This is all for realtime playing. I tend to overcompress while playing and back off while mixing.

[Funky40]

I have no idea what you consider "good" as far as visualization and such, but I generally use th softube/ni la2a for keys of all sorts, with a pretty decent amount of GR. This is usually first in the chain on any "piano type sound".

Thats very welcome feedback !
Softube / ni ?
i can´t find anything at softube. Or is this a softube collaboration released by NI ?
couldn´t find there anything either.

You could always sell Arouser and get the Softube version.
https://www.softube.com/empirical-labs-mike-e-comp

thats indeed an interesting idea. But, i was so far no fan of softube.
My first encounter with them was vs. the OTO Biscuit. Which i have in real.
Theirs felt like a piece of shit in comparison. Felt quasi like a scam to me.
I got to understand in the meantime that they seem to be a well respected brand.
Personally, still not shure if i want to trust them.

......but the absolute best value in compression that covers the widest range of sounds, that literally everyone making music should own is: DMG Audio's TrackComp.

ahh, yes. I stumbled several times over this one.
I was never shure what to think about the brand, nor the comp.
But, since i spent now some time @reading at kvr ......i´ll check !

ok, thanks for feedback everybody !...guess, i´ll have to demo some of these.

[Funkybot's Evil Twin]

The public beta of Arousor is now available...

https://www.empiricallabs.com/downloads ... +Beta#beta

[Synthman2000]

Cheap, effective worth trying...

https://klanghelm.com/contents/products/DC8C.html

Specific to your purposes..piano is very sensitive to compression, sounding rather strained rather fast if not set up well so try it nothing to lose and possible savings to be made.

Why do you need a compressor for these purposes? Is it to clamp down on volume changes a bit as you change patches ? You are not likely wanting to go nuts with the GR, most things are going to sound worse with a compressor on them. Unless you are doing utilitarian level control for convenience or safety. All that time constant clamp down is going to ruin dynamics, cause slight distortion on some sounds and make things sound worse not better.

I don't generally over do compression when I mix and I use this for taming just about everything that needs taming. Rarely more than 1-3dB GR. Has multiple styles, OS and lots of parameters to tweak if you need it. Nice low CPU as well.

You don't really need to spend more for a mixing comp. You can.. but you don't need to.

[Ah_Dziz]

The NI solid comp and la2a and stuff were coded by softube.

[Funky40]

The public beta of Arousor is now available...

https://www.empiricallabs.com/downloads ... +Beta#beta

ahh, interesting, thanks Funkybot !
to notes: "the beta might not be compatible with a later real release" ( my wording)

The NI solid comp and la2a and stuff were coded by softube.

I see ! Thank you @Ah_Dziz !

Why do you need a compressor for these purposes?

many purposes ! ....but all within one "patch".
I do "patch" within GigPerformer (GP / a pluginHost)
its NOT trackbased,....routing is allover open and free.
What i do has nothing to do with production work, and the way folks would deal there with comps.

hard to explain, since my patches can be, and do be , many things in one,
and i just can´t place a comp at any place needed. (CPU restrictions)
But: i can create quite complex morph controls, just controlled by 1-2 HW knobs.
...i do push things into extreme settings.
i think the "critical one" is the "transition" part.
comps for subtle comp works are easy to get. More a thing how good the engeneer is, i´d guess.

the comp i spent my time the last years was unfiltered audios "ZIP". Love it !
But for some reasons i decided to move away when "no sounddesign vs. the comp" is anything in sight.

i´ll demo the DMG unit next.
(it was on my list since long,....but all this stupid crazy FX just permanently crossing my path, haha)

[bmanic]

I use currently use THIS when playing keys, for the very reason that it "just works" due to it's vari-mu nature. It's sort of "set and forget". You can play pads into it, without it choking, you can play percussive stuff and it'll just be under control nicely. You can slam it on a piano and it'll just bloom and sound gorgeous.

For real time playing through a compressor, I like mine to be highly program dependent and quick to operate from 3 assigned knobs (attack, release and threshold). It should be able to do a lot of gain reduction without changing the overall character too much except maybe give some additional mojo. This does it beautifully. It's also zero latency.

Here you can listen to a quick example (before and after) on Boscomac's excellent Air Piano (a Reaktor ensemble). Doing about 10dB of slow controlled gain reduction.

https://gearspace.com/board/showpost.ph ... stcount=83

[Funky40]

I use currently use THIS when playing keys, for the very reason that it "just works" due to it's vari-mu nature. It's sort of "set and forget". You can play pads into it, without it choking, you can play percussive stuff and it'll just be under control nicely. You can slam it on a piano and it'll just bloom and sound gorgeous.

Your description sounds exactly what i was looking for.


40ms Attack is very short, though. and 50ms smallest release quite surprising.
will demo it !
Much thanks @bmanic

edit: Nice demo !

[Synthman2000]

It does sound nice, good recommendation, although is that 10 or 16dB gain reduction, here you say 10dB and on the GS link 16dB, that is a big difference.