How best to use Vulf Compressor on Drums?

[synchronizer]

I’ve been trying the GoodHertz Vulf Compressor and generally like it a lot, but I wonder what the best way to use it on drums is. Is the idea to attach it to the output of the entire output including dry/room, etc. and all pieces of the kit? e.g. a Kontakt drum library would have a single stereo out by default. If I do that, the hi-hat gets compressed away by the snare when they play at the same time. Alternatively, am I supposed to put it on just one of the mics or multiple instances on different drum kit pieces, like separate ones for snare, bass, and hi-hat?

[vitocorleone123]

What are you trying to achieve with using the compressor? Just putting one on “because” isn’t a good reason. There’s no best way - it depends on how you want the drums to sound.

Once you know how you want the drums to sound there may be a best way. Otherwise it’s just exploration and experimentation.

[synchronizer]

What are you trying to achieve with using the compressor? Just putting one on “because” isn’t a good reason. There’s no best way - it depends on how you want the drums to sound.

Once you know how you want the drums to sound there may be a best way. Otherwise it’s just exploration and experimentation.

For example, this: However, I think it's just a single mic. Does that suggest I should just put the compressor on a global stereo out? Most plugins mix-in room, dry signal, and other mics though, which is different from having exactly one mic. I am wondering how to create this nice effect without mud or parts of the kit interfering with each other. Would it go on the room mic, or the entire signal output from e.g. Kontakt's stereo out for the sample library instrument?

[gentleclockdivider]

He's just compressing the whole signal , you coul do this with any other compressor .
Play wit the attack ( clearly shown in the video ) to let some transient through and release for fast recovery .

[synchronizer]

He's just compressing the whole signal , you coul do this with any other compressor .
Play wit the attack ( clearly shown in the video ) to let some transient through and release for fast recovery .

He has one mic. Something like a Kontakt instrument might combine multiple mics into one output signal (dry, overheads, mono). Compressing all of that together might be messy. Should I only apply it to one of the mics?

[Andreya_Autumn]

He's just compressing the whole signal , you coul do this with any other compressor .
Play wit the attack ( clearly shown in the video ) to let some transient through and release for fast recovery .

He has one mic. Something like a Kontakt instrument might combine multiple mics into one output signal (dry, overheads, mono). Compressing all of that together might be messy. Should I only apply it to one of the mics?

He absolutely has more than one mic. Anyone with drum recording experience would tell you the snare mic visible in the shot would never produce this kit sound on its own.

Also, his interface is visible bottom left between snare and hat, and you can see more than one channel input lighting up. I would guess besides the visible snare mic there's also at least some overheads and a kick mic. Possibly a hihat mic also.

Sounds to me like a standard multi-mic setup with basic EQ applied to the channels. Which is also what your Kontakt libraries would give you. And indeed, if you're after this sound, you should apply it to the whole drum bus.

Hihats getting ducked under snare hits is a part of that sound, as demonstrated in that video also. That's what happens with hard compression, quieter things will dissappear under louder simultaneous things, but pop out when heard alone.

The way to address messiness is to start with the right sounds. You'll notice all the drums sounds in that video are very tight and short. The snare drum has some jingles on it, which serve to dampen the snare head to get that short snappy sound. Kick drum is pretty short-sounding also, probably some blankets in there, etc etc. You get the point. If you have an old-school drum kit sound where everything rings out a lot, you're going to get a noisy mess indeed.

[Andreya_Autumn]

You *can* also use it on individual mics though. Kick or snare if you want more punch from those without getting the whole hyped kit sound. Or maybe a bit on overheads if you want *some* of that hype but don't wanna squish everything. Etc etc.

[synchronizer]

You *can* also use it on individual mics though. Kick or snare if you want more punch from those without getting the whole hyped kit sound. Or maybe a bit on overheads if you want *some* of that hype but don't wanna squish everything. Etc etc.

Thanks for the explanation! (Including what you wrote above)