This Sidechain HACK Will FIX your Mixes!
- Thread starter 2GooD Productions
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This is more an issue of people not understanding compression, and/or that if you have a squared off signal, it's sustain is often going to be above the threshold thus the compressor being constantly activated.
Best thing is to understand using compressors to shape a signal.
But overall, it's good for people to be thinking like that how you can chop apart different things to achieve different outcomes in a mix.
So many ways to achieve the 'same' outcomes in mixing. Depends sometimes on the nuanced aspects of what you want.
Best thing is to understand using compressors to shape a signal.
But overall, it's good for people to be thinking like that how you can chop apart different things to achieve different outcomes in a mix.
So many ways to achieve the 'same' outcomes in mixing. Depends sometimes on the nuanced aspects of what you want.
@Iron Keys I think you nailed it wrt not understanding how a compressor works.
To be honest, I still think it’s some sound wave wizardry, but when it was explained to me, and I started thinking about it, as a “shaping” tool; it made way more sense in terms of application.
Before I just thought it was this magical end of chain plugin to give instant thump to a song. While I was getting that “pump” nothing about it was musical or strategic.
To be honest, I still think it’s some sound wave wizardry, but when it was explained to me, and I started thinking about it, as a “shaping” tool; it made way more sense in terms of application.
Before I just thought it was this magical end of chain plugin to give instant thump to a song. While I was getting that “pump” nothing about it was musical or strategic.
Bro I've long understood it, but simultaneously not understood it.
And I think a large part of that is due to poorly worded explanations, oftentimes explanations that are simply wrong or inaccurate; and these would be widespread and repeated by pros across whatever medium you like. Often there would be contradictions which also add to the confusion.
I believe I understand it a lot better now, but one key way which is maybe better for understanding in terms of how to use it, is in terms of what each control does to shape the sound.
Thinking of that attack as a peak/punch control, and the release as a sustain control can really help so much.
There are plenty more complexities to it, such as unique attack curves, knees and ratios, topology and the different types of compressors such as feed forward, fet, vari Mu, optical, tube, etc etc
Compression is versatile, whether levelling off a bus to glue it together, levelleling a bassline, or guitars or vocals, controlling peaks, side-chained to duck, or thickening up a kick or snare to boost the tail. It has different use cases which can add to the confusion. Getting my head around compression took me longer than understanding anything else. But once I understood it, I couldn't believe how long it took for me to get it. Then came the task of hearing it lol.