Request from a mastering engineer (MCompressor style saturation)

[Mr D]

Hi Mr Melda,

I'm a full time pro mastering engineer.

My most used in-the-box compressor is MCompressor.

One tool that i would find extremely useful would be something that looks and acts exactly like MCompressor, but it adds distortion.

So as an example, when the level is below the threshold, distortion is added, but not when it goes above the threshold, it's clean.

So you could slightly saturate a mix, but on the loud kick and snare hits, there's no distortion.

Or via the sidechain, you make sure that with moments of strong bass, it's clean.

Also useful (maybe for mixing?) would be the possibility to only add distortion above the threshold (invert the effect).

I'm guessing that maybe one could already hack this together with modulation in MXXX, but it would be really useful to have in a simple, ready-to-go plugin like MCompressor.

So to be clear, I mean it should only add distortion ...... no gain change!

I guess in a way it makes no sense to be able to pull the curve below the 45 degree center line (you can't have less than no distortion ), although maybe you could chose to dial in a starting amount of saturation, then the graph line adds or reduces distortion from that amount depending on the curve position?

Any chance of getting this? Pretty please?!

[Frankie.T]

What's the purpose to add distortion to the signal below the threshold? I'm not discussing with you, i'm just curious to understand that uses case

[Mr D]

What's the purpose to add distortion to the signal below the threshold? I'm not discussing with you, i'm just curious to understand that uses case

To add a little fatness without getting distorted drum hits, or distorted bass.

Also, if you're pushing hard into limiting, any distortion from that added to the other saturation might end up being too much ....... so it would be nice to know that on louder parts where distortion is possible, you don't have to distortions adding together.

I know some people would reach for multiband saturation, but there's still something to be said for good ol' fashioned broadband processing!

I don't know for sure how great an idea it is, but i have a feeling it might be useful. And certainly for mixing and production, anyway.

[Frankie.T]

What's the purpose to add distortion to the signal below the threshold? I'm not discussing with you, i'm just curious to understand that uses case

To add a little fatness without getting distorted drum hits, or distorted bass.

Also, if you're pushing hard into limiting, any distortion from that added to the other saturation might end up being too much ....... so it would be nice to know that on louder parts where distortion is possible, you don't have to distortions adding together.

I know some people would reach for multiband saturation, but there's still something to be said for good ol' fashioned broadband processing!

I don't know for sure how great an idea it is, but i have a feeling it might be useful. And certainly for mixing and production, anyway.

I never thought about this approach and i have no idea if and how it works, i'd certainly give it a shot if available.

In the mean time, probably more than a mb saturation, upward compression should allow you to achieve the fatness you need from that part of the dynamics

[Mr D]

In the mean time, probably more than a mb saturation, upward compression should allow you to achieve the fatness you need from that part of the dynamics

Right, this is actually how i use the MCompressor. Normally I'll not reduce the peaks, but instead expand of the lower level stuff. The image below would be like a typical setting of the curve.

I do think there will be a difference in sound from upwards expanding volume and upwards expanding saturation. Again, how useful, not sure, would love to give it a go.

mcomp.png

[Held]

What's the purpose to add distortion to the signal below the threshold? I'm not discussing with you, i'm just curious to understand that uses case

To add a little fatness without getting distorted drum hits, or distorted bass.

Enabling the compander in MSaturator should give you what you're after. It squashes the signal with a compressor before applying saturation and restores the volume afterwards. That way, the saturation gets applied evenly no part of the signal gets overly distorted

Also, if you're pushing hard into limiting, any distortion from that added to the other saturation might end up being too much ....... so it would be nice to know that on louder parts where distortion is possible, you don't have to distortions adding together.

I know some people would reach for multiband saturation, but there's still something to be said for good ol' fashioned broadband processing!

To completely avoid saturation on the loud parts, you could use MSaturatorMB with the level crossover. That way, the saturation is still applied to the whole signal, but only during the quiet parts.

[Mr D]

Good suggestions!

But what i like about the MCompressor is you can visually see exactly when the change is taking place and you can draw the transfer curve yourself. I don't see that option in MSaturator.

And i really like the simplicity (love me some simple mastering tools!)!

[sparella]

But what i like about the MCompressor is you can visually see exactly when the change is taking place and you can draw the transfer curve yourself. I don't see that option in MSaturator.

How about MWaveshaperMB with a level crossover in that case? You can draw your own transfer curve with it.

[Dirk Diggler]

Why don't you take care of that in the mix?
Most folks add in distortion at that point not in the mastering process.

[Tyrs]

So as an example, when the level is below the threshold, distortion is added, but not when it goes above the threshold, it's clean.

Have you tried it in MXXX? Should be possible I think.

[Mr D]

Why don't you take care of that in the mix?
Most folks add in distortion at that point not in the mastering process.

Saturation is commonly added by pro mastering engineers, when necessary.

Whether that's right or wrong, i'll leave to others to debate!

[Mr D]

But what i like about the MCompressor is you can visually see exactly when the change is taking place and you can draw the transfer curve yourself. I don't see that option in MSaturator.

How about MWaveshaperMB with a level crossover in that case? You can draw your own transfer curve with it.

Any chance you could share a preset (PC?) of what you mean? I tried it and don't really get the behavior i'm hoping for. Although i don't know that plugin very well.

[Mr D]

So as an example, when the level is below the threshold, distortion is added, but not when it goes above the threshold, it's clean.

Have you tried it in MXXX? Should be possible I think.

I tried it in the past, but couldn't get the simple MCompressor interface / controllability i was hoping for. But if you have any suggestions, i'm all ears!

[sparella]

But what i like about the MCompressor is you can visually see exactly when the change is taking place and you can draw the transfer curve yourself. I don't see that option in MSaturator.

How about MWaveshaperMB with a level crossover in that case? You can draw your own transfer curve with it.

Any chance you could share a preset (PC?) of what you mean? I tried it and don't really get the behavior i'm hoping for. Although i don't know that plugin very well.

Sure, here is an example. You can drag the vertical bar in the band window left or right to change the transition point between Band 1, which has a prominent cubic distortion (to make it obvious), and Band 2 which is clean. Obviously you can reduce Band 1's wet amount and change the Mode to make it more appropriate for the context.

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[Held]

That preset sounds amazing on a piano. A clean attack and a crunchy sustain.