Arturia Compressors: which to use when?

[Kai Enaki]

ghostwhistler from your bandcamp I'd say start with playing around with Diode.

Indeed. It'd be a perfect fit. Even more so with the flexibility it offers over the competition.

So stick with the Diode over the others? I find it's sidechaining a bit easier to work with. Though I am confused as to why it includes a filter section for the input signal.

The VCA-65 and FET-76 are useful too. You can use them to cut peaks on a per track level and use DIODE-609 on a group bus to add color and glue everything together. But as far as 609 clones goes, DIODE-609 is the best one out there. All subjective, of course.

[TheMaestro]

I believe the OP was looking for real-world examples, not pages of Arturia's well-meaning, but ultimately useless marketing nonsense.

@ghostwhistler, to greatly oversimplify, the Comp DIODE-609 is a compressor/limiter based around a diode bridge, and good on a mix bus (though it can also work well on individual tracks).
From Gemini (Google's AI):
"Diode bridge compressors are favored for their distinctive, vintage-inspired sound characterized by a unique harmonic distortion and aggressive, colorful tone. They offer fast attack and release times, making them suitable for various applications like drums, guitars, and bus compression. Their ability to add "vibe" and make instruments stand out in a mix is another key reason for their continued popularity."

The FET-76 is a field effect transistor-based compressor, noted for its very fast attack times.
Again, Google's Gemini:
"FET compressors are favored for their fast attack times and ability to add punch and character to audio signals, making them suitable for a variety of applications, especially when aggressive compression is needed. They excel at controlling transients and adding a distinct, often gritty, sound."

The VCA-65 is based upon a voltage-controlled amplifier, and traditionally has been used on drum buses.
Finally, from Gemini:
"VCA (Voltage Controlled Amplifier) compressors are favored for their clean, transparent, and predictable compression, making them versatile for various applications, particularly on the mix bus. They excel at controlling dynamics with precision and speed, offering flexibility in attack, release, and ratio settings."

While Google's AI is helpful in summarizing the typical uses for each type of compressor, you'll probably find just as many YouTube videos with people suggesting other uses for these compressors, including some applications you might not think of until you start using these extensively. Once you get the feel of each compressor's attack and release time ranges (and any distortion/harmonics they add), you'll have a better idea of which one to reach for in a mix.

Hope some of that helps!

Steve

How is this real-world examples?
There are more, more comprehensive, and better descriptions on the Arturia site I linked to.

[Uncle E]

I don't think that one was included, probably a later plug in that I didn't get (got a license transfer).

Yes. I only mentioned TUBE-STA because none of the others are highly regarded for bass (although I personally think the Diode is good for that).

[ghostwhistler]

So stick with the Diode over the others? I find it's sidechaining a bit easier to work with. Though I am confused as to why it includes a filter section for the input signal.

Put it on your mix bus and watch the meters freak out every time sub bass or a kick drum hits. You use the filter to keep things like that from making the compressor overwork.

But the filter is only for sidechaining which i do on a per track basis rather than a group because of its position in the fx chain (ie before things like delays)

[ghostwhistler]

Diode is just really really good for electronic music/drums.

I use FET on vocals. The standard vocal chain is 1176 (FET76) into an LA2A (TUBE STA). FET76 is my favorite of the 1176 plugs. But I don't use TUBE STA (I use Acustica Smoke).

I might use VCA-65 when I need slammed drums or 808s (since I don't have a DBX plugin, but it's a 165 not 160, but think dirty DBX compression). Maybe on synth bass. I use IK Comprexxor for those scenarios now though (COMP-Diode and IK Comprexxor are the two most underrated plugins).

Diode is legit though on the 2 bus or drum bus. If you watch lots of techno breakdowns you will see it used a lot. If you don't have an SSL plug or The Glue you can also use it for classic SSL compression. Use the 4:1 preset (but play with changing the attack to 25 I think it defaults to something else).

I just do whatever sounds right tbh.

Do I need to use multiple compressors on one track? Why would that be?

[mothra]

Put it on your mix bus and watch the meters freak out every time sub bass or a kick drum hits. You use the filter to keep things like that from making the compressor overwork.

But the filter is only for sidechaining which i do on a per track basis rather than a group because of its position in the fx chain (ie before things like delays)

Doesn't matter, it's still for the same purpose, just like the low cut filter on a console channel strip. Use it to remove heavy low end and 'boominess' so it's not making the compressor work when it shouldn't and throwing everything else off.

[ROTMetro]

I just do whatever sounds right tbh.

Do I need to use multiple compressors on one track? Why would that be?

By track do you mean track in a song, or a complete song?

There's no rules, you don't need to use anything. 1176 into LA2A is common on vocals, so it's become familiar to people, and 80% of music is familiarity. So for a vocal 'track' multiple compressors is pretty common. People throw RVox or some such on as well. I like SSL on my vocal bus.

To get a strong bass line I normally need to layer multiple synths. Comprexxor squeezes them together better than anything else I've tried, but I like Diode better on drums. I might put a compressor in each individual bass sound as well, to technically there's multiple layers of compression for my bass sound.

The SSL sound is common on the 2/master bus to glue everything together and 'make it sound like a record'. The vocals could now have 3 or 4 layers of compression by the end.

[Uncle E]

Do I need to use multiple compressors on one track? Why would that be?

One can be used to catch fast transients, then another can be used to even things out after. Personally, I don't do this, because I'm using tape plugins first and they're already clipping the transients. Also, compressors like the FET 76 have clipping built-in.

[ghostwhistler]

Put it on your mix bus and watch the meters freak out every time sub bass or a kick drum hits. You use the filter to keep things like that from making the compressor overwork.

But the filter is only for sidechaining which i do on a per track basis rather than a group because of its position in the fx chain (ie before things like delays)

Doesn't matter, it's still for the same purpose, just like the low cut filter on a console channel strip. Use it to remove heavy low end and 'boominess' so it's not making the compressor work when it shouldn't and throwing everything else off.

I don't understand. How do I use it without sidechaining?

[Gamma-UT]

I don't understand. How do I use it without sidechaining?

The sidechain in this context is the path taken by the audio signal that drives the compression-control circuitry. If you are not using an external sidechain input, it just takes the main input. But it needs to be on a different audio path to avoid any processing done here (like high-passing the signal) from directly affecting the audio you want to hear.

[mothra]

I don't understand. How do I use it without sidechaining?

The compressor is always 'sidechaining'. Your input signal is the 'sidechain' that causes the compressor to react. Feeding an external signal into it just makes the compressor react to THAT signal instead..

[jtsterays]

Put it on your mix bus and watch the meters freak out every time sub bass or a kick drum hits. You use the filter to keep things like that from making the compressor overwork.

But the filter is only for sidechaining which i do on a per track basis rather than a group because of its position in the fx chain (ie before things like delays)

Doesn't matter, it's still for the same purpose, just like the low cut filter on a console channel strip. Use it to remove heavy low end and 'boominess' so it's not making the compressor work when it shouldn't and throwing everything else off.

I don't understand. How do I use it without sidechaining?

You're probably thinking about EDM everything ducking to kick sidechaining? sidechain in this context here is filtering what the compressor hears, not the signal itself so the compression action changes (smoother if you cut the lowend).

[ghostwhistler]

I don't understand. How do I use it without sidechaining?

The sidechain in this context is the path taken by the audio signal that drives the compression-control circuitry. If you are not using an external sidechain input, it just takes the main input. But it needs to be on a different audio path to avoid any processing done here (like high-passing the signal) from directly affecting the audio you want to hear.

Oh I see, so it just filters the input whatever source.

Thanks