ABSTRACT
BASIC DESCRIPTION 4HE COMBINATION OF %1 AND DYNAMICS CONTROL IS WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE ACTUALSOUNDSOURCEITSELFBYFARTHEGREATESTCONTRIBUTINGFACTORTOTHESOUND OFAlNALMIXDOWN3OMUCHSOINFACTTHATATRADITIONALHARDWARE BASEDSTU DIOMAYHAVETENSIFNOTHUNDREDS OFTHOUSANDSOFDOLLARSWORTHOFOUTBOARD %1SANDCOMPRESSORS3OMEOFTHEMORECOVETEDVINTAGE%1SANDCOMPRESSORS CAN FETCHASTRONOMICALAMOUNTSON THE RAREOCCASIONS THAT THEYCOMEUP FOR SALEANDAGREATDEALOFTIMEANDMONEYHASBEENSPENTRESEARCHINGANDRECRE ATINGTHESEHARDWAREUNITSINADIGITALPLUG INFORMAT
)TWOULD BE EASY TO ASSUME THATMOST OF THESE UNITSWOULD SOUND THE SAME BECAUSEAN%1ISSIMPLYBOOSTINGORCUTTINGCERTAINFREQUENCIESANDACOMPRES SOR ISSIMPLYREDUCINGTHE LEVELOFANINPUTSIGNAL"UT THEREAREMANYDIFFER ENTWAYSOFACHIEVINGTHESAMEEFFECTANDEACHHASITSOWNLITTLEQUIRKSSOME GOODANDSOMENOT&OREXAMPLE%1FALLSINTOTWODIFFERENTMAINTYPESACTIVE ANDPASSIVE!NACTIVE%1WILLACTUALLYBOOSTCERTAIN FREQUENCIESWHENCALLED FORWHEREAS A PASSIVE %1 ACHIEVES THE SAME THING BY CUTTING OTHER FREQUEN CIESANDTHENBOOSTINGTHEOVERALLSIGNALTOGIVETHEEFFECTOFBOOSTINGTHATONE FREQUENCY7ITHINTHOSETWOBROADCATEGORIESTHEREAREFURTHERDIFFERENTVARIET IESOF%1EACHWITHITSOWNINDIVIDUALUSES#OMPRESSORSONTHEOTHERHAND CANCOMEINMANYDIFFERENTVARIETIESVALVETUBESOLIDSTATETRANSISTOR OPTO ELECTRONIC6#!ANDAFEWOTHERVARIATIONSASWELL
(OWEVERWITHALLOFTHESEVARIATIONSINDESIGNANDCONSEQUENTLYTONALCHARAC TERTHEBASICPRINCIPLESOFEACHTYPEOFUNITARECONSISTENTANDRELATIVELYSIMPLE TOGRASPSOWEWILLLOOKATTHEMINMOREDETAILNOWSTARTINGWITH%1S
DIFFERENT TYPES OF EQ 4HERE ARE FOUR DIFFERENT BASIC TYPES OF %1 GRAPHIC LOWHIGH PASS SHELF BELL WITHBELL TYPE%1SBEINGOFFEREDINlXEDSEMIPARAMETRICORFULLYPARAMETRIC VARIETIES %ACHHASADIFFERENTEFFECTONTHESOUNDANDASARESULTHASADIFFER ENTSETOFUSES)NREALITYMOST%1UNITSWHETHERHARDWAREORSOFTWARE BASED
WITHTHEEXCEPTIONOFGRAPHIC%1SWILL INCLUDEANUMBEROFBANDSANDPROB ABLY AT LEAST TWO DIFFERENT TYPES OF %1 ! mEXIBLE %1 MAY EVEN OFFER LOW ANDHIGH PASSlLTERS LOWANDHIGH SHELVINGBANDSANDASMANYASlVE FULLY PARAMETRICBANDSASWELL%ACHBANDWILLUSUALLYHAVEITSOWNhBYPASSvSWITCH TOENABLEYOUTOCHECKTHEEFFECTEACHISHAVINGWITHOUTHAVINGTOBYPASSTHE WHOLE%1
&ORABETTERUNDERSTANDINGOFHOWTOUSE%1WELOOKATEACHTYPESEPARATELY ANDEXPLAINWHATITISWHATITDOESANDHOWITMIGHTBEUSED
Graphic 'RAPHIC %1S ARE FAMILIAR TOMANY PEOPLE EVEN THOSE WHO HAVE NEVER BEEN INSIDEA RECORDINGSTUDIO4HIS IS LARGELYDUE TO THE FACT THAT FORAWHILE THEY WEREVERYPOPULARONHOMEHI lEQUIPMENT4HEYARECHARACTERIZEDBYASERIES OF VERTICAL SLIDERS WITH EACH SLIDER CUTTING OR BOOSTING A CERTAIN FREQUENCY BAND4HENUMBEROFBANDSVARIESGREATLYAND RANGES FROMUSUALLY AMINI MUMOFlVEBANDS ALL THEWAYUP TOBANDS ANDBEYOND4HE FREQUENCIES THEYOPERATEONAREUSUALLYLISTEDBELOWEACHBANDANDFOLLOWAMATHEMATICAL PATTERN
!lVE BAND %1MIGHT HAVE FREQUENCIES OF (Z (Z +(Z +(Z AND +(Z 4HEY ARE CALLED h OCTAVEv DESIGNS BECAUSE THE FREQUENCIES ARE TWO OCTAVESAPART )NCREASINGA FREQUENCYBYONEOCTAVE INVOLVESDOUBLING THE(Z VALUESOTWOOCTAVES ISEQUALTOFOURTIMESTHEINITIAL FREQUENCY 4HE FREQUENCIESCHOSENABOVECOVERMOSTOF THEAUDIBLERANGEANDWOULDBElNE FORBROADCHANGES IN THE TONEOF THESOUND-OVINGUP FROMTHISYOUMIGHT HAVEA BAND%1WITHFREQUENCIESOF(Z(Z(Z(Z(Z +(Z+(Z+(Z+(ZAND+(Z4HISWOULDBEAhOCTAVEvDESIGNAS EACHFREQUENCYISMOREORLESS DOUBLETHEPREVIOUSONE)NCREASINGTHENUM BEROFBANDSAGAINWEWOULDGETA BAND%1ORhOCTAVEvDESIGN AND THEN A BAND %1 OR h OCTAVEv DESIGN -OSTMODERN GRAPHIC %1S FALL INTOONEOFTHESEDESIGNSALTHOUGHTHEREARESOMEOLDERDESIGNSWITHDIFFERENT NUMBERSOFBANDS
"ECAUSEOFTHEIRNATUREGRAPHIC%1SAREGENERALLYBETTERSUITEDTOBROADTONAL CHANGES RATHER THAN FOCUSING IN ON PARTICULAR ELEMENTS OF A SOUND BECAUSE THEYAREVERYLIMITEDINWHATYOUCANADJUST
Low-Pass/High-Pass Filters 4HENEXT TYPEOF%1IS THE LOW PASSORHIGH PASS%17ESAWTHESEEARLIER IN #HAPTERSTHROUGHONSOUNDDESIGNONLYTHERETHEYWEREREFERREDTOAS hlLTERSv )N FACT INMANY%1S THEYAREALSO REFERRED TOASlLTERSBUT THEYARE ESSENTIALLYSTILLATYPEOF%14HEYWORKINAVERYSIMPLEWAY4HEYWILLHAVEA cutoff frequencyWHICHISTHEPOINTATWHICHTHEFREQUENCIESSTARTTOBEREDUCED )NTHECASEOFALOW PASSlLTERITWILLBEFREQUENCIESaboveTHISCUTOFFFREQUENCY THATAREATTENUATEDAND INAHIGH PASSlLTER THE FREQUENCIESbelowAREATTENU ATED4HEREMAYBEADDITIONALCONTROLS FOR THE slopeANDQWHICHDETERMINE RESPECTIVELYHOWQUICKLYTHEFREQUENCIESAREATTENUATEDANDIFTHEREISARESO NANTPEAKAROUNDTHECUTOFFFREQUENCY
4HESE TYPESOF%1AREGREAT FORREMOVING LOWENDhRUMBLESvOREXCESSIVE TOP END hSPLASHINESSv AND ARE OFTEN USED TOGETHER TO PERFORM bracketing MORE ON THIS LATER WHICH ISAVERYUSEFUL TECHNIQUE FOR CLEANINGUPSOUNDSWHEN YOUAREMIXING/FTENAHIGH PASSlLTERISUSEDONANYRECORDINGWITHAMICRO PHONETOMINIMIZEANYAUDIBLEHANDLINGNOISE FROMTHEMICANDREDUCETHE EFFECTSOFANYhPOPPINGvORhPLOSIVESv ONAVOCALRECORDING!HIGH PASSlLTER WITH A STEEP lLTER SLOPE SET TO A VERY LOW FREQUENCY AROUND (Z OR SO IS ALSOVERYGOODASAMEANSOF REMOVINGANYSUBSONIC TONES FROMSOUND THAT WHILENOTACTUALLYAUDIBLE CANABSORBAHUGEAMOUNTOFPOWER INA SPEAKER SYSTEMANDMEANTHATTHEBASSFREQUENCIESWEcanHEARBECOMELESSPOWERFUL
-OSTMASTERINGENGINEERSWOULDAPPLYAVERYSTEEPHIGH PASSlLTERASAMATTER OFCOURSE
*USTTOCONFUSETHINGSALITTLEMOREHIGH PASSlLTERSCANSOMETIMESBEKNOWN AS LOW CUTlLTERSAND LOW PASSlLTERS CANBEKNOWNASHIGH CUTlLTERS7HEN YOUTHINKABOUTITITMAKESSENSEBUTITCANOCCASIONALLYBECONFUSINGIFYOU AREUSEDTOONETERMANDTHENOTHERISUSED
Shelf !SHELVING%1EITHEROFTHELOWORHIGH SHELFTYPE ISSIMILARINSOMERESPECTS TOTHELOWORHIGH PASS%1INTHAT ITOPERATESONFREQUENCIESABOVEORBELOW THECENTERFREQUENCYBUTTHISTIMEINSTEADOFBEINGASIMPLEMATTEROFREDUC ING ALL FREQUENCIES IT CAN EITHER CUT OR BOOST ALL FREQUENCIES BY A SPECIlED AMOUNT 4HESE TYPESOF %1AGAINHAVE A CENTER FREQUENCY AND1 CONTROLS AS WELL AS THEOBLIGATORY CUTBOOST CONTROL!DJUSTING THE1 CONTROLONA SHELV ING%1CANLEADTOHAVINGPEAKSORNOTCHESAROUNDTHECENTERFREQUENCYWHEN USINGHIGHVALUES4HESECANINTHEMSELVESBEVERYUSEFULTOOLSFORSCULPTING THE SOUNDBUT ASWITH ANY KIND OF SHARP PEAKS BEWARY OF USING THEM TOO MUCHASSUCHSHARPPEAKS IN FREQUENCY RESPONSECANBECOMEVERYHARSHAND TIRINGTOLISTENTO
3HELVING%1ISESPECIALLYUSEFUL FORCONTROLLING THEBASSOR TREBLERESPONSEOF A TRACKWITH VERY BROAD STROKES LIKE A LOW OR HIGH PASS lLTER BUT OFFERS THE ADDITIONALmEXIBILITYOFBEINGABLE TOBOOSTCERTAINFREQUENCIESASWELLAS JUST CUTTINGTHEM
Bell 4HEbellORpeaking%1ISTHEMOSTmEXIBLEKINDOF%1TOUSEBUTALSOTHEMOST COMPLEX)TWORKSBYISOLATINGONLYACERTAINFREQUENCYRANGEANDTHENACTING UPONTHATRATHERTHANAFFECTINGALLFREQUENCIESABOVEORBELOWACERTAINPOINT )TISINTHATRESPECTLIKEANINDIVIDUALBANDONAGRAPHIC%1ONLYMUCHMORE mEXIBLEBECAUSEYOUCANADJUSTTHEFREQUENCYYOUAREWORKINGONRATHERTHAN BEINGTIEDTOAlXEDFREQUENCYINAGRAPHIC%14HECONTROLSAREONCEAGAIN FREQUENCY1ANDLEVELBUTTHE1CONTROLHERECONTROLSTHEACTUALRANGEOFFRE QUENCIESTHELEVELCONTROLAFFECTS4HEFREQUENCYCONTROLDETERMINESTHECENTER POINTTHAT ISAFFECTEDANDTHE1CONTROLDETERMINESHOWWIDEARANGEOFFRE QUENCIESAREAFFECTED4HE1CONTROLISOFTENKNOWNASABANDWIDTHCONTROLAS WELLANDTHISNUMERICALVALUEISACTUALLYAMEASUREOFTHERANGEOFFREQUENCIES THATWILLBEEFFECTEDBYTHE%1!SSUCHYOUCANSEEFROM&IGURETHEACTUAL AMOUNTBOOSTEDATTHECENTERPOINTISGREATERORLESSINTHECASEOFAN%1CUT THANTHATONEITHERSIDEOF THAT FREQUENCY )FWECHOOSEACENTER FREQUENCYOF (ZANDABOOSTAMOUNTOFD"WECANSEETHATTHEREWILLBEPOINTSAT EITHERSIDEOFTHE(ZMARKWHERETHEBOOSTWILLBEONLYHALFOFTHECHOSEN AMOUNTINTHISCASED")FWEMEASURETHESETWOPOINTSONEITHERSIDEOF THECENTERFREQUENCY WECANTHENCALCULATETHEDIFFERENCEINFREQUENCYOFTHOSE TWO POINTS 4HE BANDWIDTH OR1 VALUE IS THEN SIMPLY THE CENTER FREQUENCY DIVIDEDBYTHEDIFFERENCEBETWEENTHESETWOhHALFBOOSTvPOINTS
4HEAMOUNTBYWHICHTHEFREQUENCIESARECUTORBOOSTEDASPERTHELEVELCONTROL ISONLY THATAMOUNTAT THECENTER FREQUENCY4OEITHER SIDEOF THAT FREQUENCY THE BOOSTORCUTWILLREDUCEFROMTHEAMOUNTSETBYTHELEVELCONTROLDOWNTOZERO4HIS GRADUATEDLEVELCHANGEHAPPENSOVERTHERANGESPECIlEDBYTHE1CONTROLANDIF PLOTTEDONAGRAPHSHOWSADISTINCTBELLSHAPEFROMWHICHTHISTYPEOF%1GETSITS NAME4HEEXACTCURVATUREOFTHEBELLSHAPEVARIESFROM%1TO%1ANDSOMETIMES THESHAPEACTUALLYVARIESDEPENDINGONTHEAMOUNTOFCUTORBOOSTAPPLIED
4HEREAREDIFFERENTTYPESOFBELL%1SANDTHESEHAVEVARYINGAMOUNTSOFCON TROLS AND THEREFOREmEXIBILITY 4HEMOST COMPLEX IS THE FULLYPARAMETRIC TYPE WHICHHASALLTHREECONTROLSFREQUENCYLEVELAND1 BUTTHEREARESOMETIMES SIMPLIlEDDESIGNSWHICHMAYOFFERONLYTWOOFTHOSECONTROLSUSUALLYEITHER FREQUENCYAND LEVELOR1AND LEVELWITHAlXED FREQUENCY 4HElNAL TYPE IS BASEDAROUNDAlXEDFREQUENCYANDWITHAlXEDBANDWIDTHANDWILLONLYOFFER CONTROLOVERLEVELBUTTHESEARENTALLTHATCOMMON
)NTERMSOFUSAGEABELL%1CANBEUSEDFORANYTHINGFROMBROADANDGENTLE CHANGESTOASOUNDTOMOREFOCUSEDEMPHASISANDWHENUSEDWITHANARROW BANDWIDTH CUT CAN BE GREAT FOR REMOVING HARSHNESS OR UNWANTED RESONANCE FROM A SOUND "ELL %1S AREMASSIVELY USEFUL AND A GOOD SOUNDING %1WILL HELPYOUGETTHEMOSTOUTOFANYSOUNDSOURCE
HOW TO USE EQ )TMIGHTSEEMALITTLEPATRONIZINGTOHAVEASECTIONONh(OWTOUSE%1vAFTER ALLYOUWILLBEUSINGIT TOCHANGETHETONALCHARACTEROFSOUNDSANDNOBODY NEEDSAGUIDEONHOWTODOTHAT RIGHT7ELLYES TOSOMEEXTENT THAT IS TRUE BUT)DOWANTTOBRINGTOYOURATTENTIONAFEWSPECIlC%1TIPSANDTRICKSTHAT MIGHTBEUSEFULALONGSIDETHEMOREGENERAL%1CORRECTIONYOUWILLDO
Bracketing "RACKETINGISAVERYSIMPLETECHNIQUETHATCANACTUALLYHELPTOFREEUPALOTOF SPACEINYOURMIXESANDGIVEAMUCHGREATERSENSEOFCLARITYANDPURPOSE!LL IT DOES IS CLEAR UP THE EXTREMES OF THE AUDIBLE FREQUENCY RANGE IN ANY GIVEN SOUND"YREMOVINGUNNECESSARYLOWORHIGHFREQUENCIESFROMASOUNDYOUARE ALLOWINGMOREhROOMvINTHOSEAREASFORTHESOUNDSTHATDONEEDIT!NDWHEN )SAYhUNNECESSARYv)MEANONAPRACTICALLEVEL-ANYSOUNDSHAVEARANGEOF HARMONICSINTHEMTHATEXTENDUPTOANDOFTENBEYONDTHELIMITSOFHUMAN HEARING!SSUCHYOUCOULDARGUETHATEVERYONEOF THOSEUPPERHARMONICS IS NECESSARY TO FAITHFULLY REPRODUCE THAT SOUND AND YOU WOULD OF COURSE BE RIGHT… INTHEORY)NPRACTICEHOWEVERWECANDISCOUNTMANYOFTHOSEHIGHER HARMONICSBECAUSETHEYCONTRIBUTESOLITTLETOTHECHARACTEROFTHESOUNDTHAT THEY CANBE SEENAS hACCEPTABLE LOSSESv *USThowMUCHWECANAFFORD TO LOSE DEPENDSONTHESOUNDANDTHESITUATION&OREXAMPLEIFITWEREASOLORECORD ING THENWEWOULDNTWANT TO REMOVE ANYTHING AT ALL INORDER TOPRESERVE AS MUCHOF THE CHARACTER OF THE SOUND ASWE COULD"UT THENWEWOULDNThave toREMOVEANYTHINGBECAUSETHEREWOULDNTBEALOTOFSOUNDlGHTINGOVERTHE SAMESPACEINTHEMIX4HEMOREINSTRUMENTSORSOUNDSWEHAVEINTHESAME FREQUENCYRANGETHEMOREUSEFULBRACKETINGCANBE
4HIS ISDElNITELYAN%1JOBTHAT ISBESTDONEINCONTEXT4HESIMPLESTWAYTO DOTHISISTOLOADUPAN%1THATHASBOTHHIGH ANDLOW CUTlLTERSANDTHEN CHOOSING A LOW CUT lLTER lRST SLOWLY INCREASE THE FREQUENCY WHILE FOCUSING ON THAT SOUNDWITHIN THEMIX7HEN THE LOW CUT FREQUENCY IS VERY LOW YOU SHOULDNT REALLYHEARANYCHANGESASYOUSTART TO INCREASE IT UNLESSOFCOURSE
YOUAREDEALINGWITHABASSSOUND BUTATSOMEPOINTYOUWILLSTARTTOHEARA CHANGEINTHESOUNDYOUAREWORKINGON!TTHATPOINTYOUSHOULDSTOPMAKE ANOTEOF THE FREQUENCYAND THEN TAKE ITBACKDOWNAS LOWAS ITWILLGOAND REPEAT THEPROCESSWITHOUT LOOKING AT THE FREQUENCY READOUT AS YOUDO IT FOR THESECONDTIME4HEREASON)DOTHISTWICEISTOMAKESURETHATTHEFREQUENCY IS SIMILAR EACH TIME WHICH ASSUMING YOUWERENT LOOKING THE SECOND TIME WOULDMEANTHATITWASACONSISTENTJUDGMENTCALLEACHTIME)FTHEYWEREWAY OFF )WOULDMAKEANOTEOF THESECONDFREQUENCYANDTHENTRYAGAIN!FTERA FEWATTEMPTS THEREWILLBEONE FREQUENCY THATWILL SEEMTOBE THEDOMINANT ONEWHICHWOULDPROBABLYBEAGOODPLACETOSTART&ROMHERE)SIMPLYDEDUCT FROMTHEFREQUENCYVALUEANDSETTHElNALLOW CUTFREQUENCYTOTHAT)FMY AVERAGEWAS(Z)WOULDSETITTO(ZANDIFITWAS+(Z)WOULDSET IT TO+(Z4HISISPURELYTOMAKESURE)HAVENTREMOVEDTOOMUCH4HAT MARGINSEEMSTOBEQUITEASAFEAMOUNTTOHAVEWHICHSTILLENSURESYOU AREGETTINGRIDOFOFUNNECESSARYFREQUENCIES
4HENYOUJUSTREPEATTHEWHOLEPROCESSUSINGTHEHIGH CUTlLTERSANDOBVIOUSLY WORKING DOWN FROM THEM BEING FULLY OPEN %VERYTHING ELSE STAYS THE SAME INCLUDING THE hDOUBLEBLINDv TEST AND THEMARGIN/NCEYOUHAVEDONE THISYOUWILLHAVEELIMINATEDALLFREQUENCIESTHATDIDNTMAKEADISCERNABLEDIF FERENCETOTHESOUNDINCONTEXT)AMPRETTYSURETHATIFYOUWERETONOWSOLO EACHOFTHESOUNDSYOUHADBRACKETEDINTHISWAYANDTHENALTERNATELYBYPASS AND UNBYPASS THE %1 YOUWOULD HEAR SUBTLE DIFFERENCES AND IF YOU DID IT WOULDBEUPTOYOUTODECIDEBETWEENABSOLUTElDELITYANDMINIMUMCLUTTER INYOURMIX&ORMEINTHECONTEXTOFMOSTCLUBMUSIC)WOULDPROBABLYOPT FORMINIMUMCLUTTERBUTTHECHOICEISULTIMATELYYOURS
/NElNALTHINGTOMENTIONWITHREGARDTOBRACKETINGISTHATBECAUSEITISDONE INCONTEXTANDBECAUSEYOUAREPUSHINGTHELIMITSOFWHATCONSTITUTESANAUDI BLEPARTOFTHESOUNDIFYOUCHANGETHELEVELSOR%1OFotherSOUNDSINTHEMIX ITWILL HAVE AN EFFECT ONWHATWOULDBE AUDIBLE IN EVERYOTHER SOUND 3O IF YOUMAKEANYSUBSTANTIALCHANGESTOOTHERSOUNDSYOUMIGHTBEWELL ADVISED TO GOBACK AND CHECK THEBRACKETINGON ANY SOUNDS YOU APPLIED IT TO AGAIN JUSTTOMAKESURE!NDBECAUSEOFTHISINORDERTOAVOIDCONSTANTCHECKINGAND RECHECKING)WOULDPROBABLYLEAVETHISTYPEOF%1INGUNTILATLEASTAFAIRLYGOOD WAY INTO THEMIXINGPROCESS )T DOESNTMAKEDRASTIC CHANGESBUT IT CANHELP FREEUPTHATLITTLEBITOFEXTRASPACEINTHEMIXWHICHCANMAKEASUBTLEDIFFER ENCEINTHEEND
Narrow Band Cuts/Boosts ) THINK ITWOULDBE FAIR TO SAY THATMOSTPEOPLESMAIN CONCEPTOFUSING%1 IS TO PROVIDE QUITE BROAD CHANGES TO THE SOUND SUCH AS INCREASING THE BASS OR EMPHASIZING THE TREBLE OF A SOUND BUT THERE AREMORE hSURGICALvWAYS OF USING%1WHICHCANBEEQUALLYBENElCIALTOUS4HEUSEOFVERYNARROWBAND CUTSORBOOSTS ISONEOF THOSE TECHNIQUES THATONCE YOUHAVE LEARNED IT AND AREUSEDTOAPPLYINGITYOUWILLlNDITHARDTOGETENOUGHOF4HEPRINCIPLEIS
VERYSIMPLE5SINGAFULLYPARAMETRIC%1ANDPREFERABLYONETHATHASA1VALUE THATCANBEATLEASTANDPOTENTIALLYASHIGHAS YOUNARROWTHEBAND WIDTHOFTHE%1BOOSTASMUCHASPOSSIBLEANDTHENMAKINGSUREYOURSPEAK ERSORHEADPHONESARENTRUNNINGESPECIALLYLOUDYOUINCREASETHEGAINONTHE %1 TO A BOOST OF D"ORMORE 4HEN STARTING AT THE VERY LOWEST FREQUENCY YOUSLOWLYSTARTINCREASINGTHEFREQUENCYCONTROL-UCHASWITHTHEBRACKETING TECHNIQUE TO STARTWITH YOUWILL PROBABLYHEARNO CHANGE TO THE SOUNDBUT AS THE FREQUENCY SETTING STARTS PASSING THROUGH THE RANGEOF THE FUNDAMENTAL FREQUENCY AND THEN THE LOWERORDERHARMONICS YOUWILL HEAR A SERIES OF FRE QUENCIESTHATSEEMTOJUMPOUTASBEINGMUCHLOUDERTHANTHEOTHERSWITHTHE BOOST APPLIED4HE LOWESTOF THESE YOUHEARWILLUSUALLYBE THE FUNDAMENTAL FREQUENCY4HISFACTBRINGSUSTOOURlRSTSPECIlCUSAGEOFTHISTECHNIQUE
/NCE WE HAVE FOUND THE FUNDAMENTAL FREQUENCY OR AS CLOSE AS WE CAN GET DEPENDINGONHOWMUCHWECANlNE TUNE THE FREQUENCYOF THE%1 WECAN THENREDUCETHEAMOUNTOFACTUALBOOSTTOJUSTAFEWD"ANDINCREASETHEBAND WIDTHOFTHE%1TOAMUCHMOREREASONABLELEVEL7EARETHENGENTLYBOOSTING THEFREQUENCYTHATMAKESTHEDISCERNABLENOTEFORTHESOUND4HISISOFLIMITED USEONMELODIC SOUNDSBECAUSE THE FUNDAMENTAL FREQUENCY CHANGES FOR EACH NOTE YOUPLAY SO YOUWOULDNEED TO lND THE HIGHLY RESONANT FREQUENCY FOR EVERYDIFFERENTNOTEPLAYEDBYTHESOUNDANDTHENAUTOMATETHE%1FREQUENCY CHANGES TO KEEP UPWITH THE CHANGINGNOTES )T IS POSSIBLE BUT IT IS A LOT OF WORKANDIFTHISWEREYOURAIM)THINKTHATAMOREGENERAL%1BOOSTSOME WHEREINTHEMIDDLEOFALLOFTHEFUNDAMENTALFREQUENCIESFORALLOFTHENOTES WOULDBEABETTERIDEA"UTEVENIFWEDISCOUNTHIGHLYMELODICSOUNDSWESTILL HAVEONEVERY IMPORTANTPOSSIBLEUSE )FWEUSE THIS TECHNIQUEONKICKDRUM SOUNDSWE CAN ACHIEVE A GOOD AMOUNT OF BASS BOOST ON A VERY SPECIlC FRE QUENCYWHICHHASTHEEFFECTOFMAKINGTHESOUNDMUCHMOREWEIGHTYWITHOUT HAVINGTHATOVERBEARINGBOOMTHATCANHAPPENWITHAMOREGENERALBASS BOOST TYPE%1)NGENERAL THEFREQUENCYYOUARELOOKINGFORWILLBEBETWEEN(Z AND(ZBUTEVENKNOWINGTHATITSTILLMIGHTTAKEALITTLEWHILETOlNDTHE EXACT FREQUENCYYOUARE LOOKING FOR7ITHABITOFPRACTICEYOUWILL SOONGET USED TO ITANDYOUWILL INNO TIMEHAVEAQUICKANDEASYWAYOF TUNING THE AMOUNTOFWEIGHTINYOURKICKDRUMWHILESTILLRETAININGALOTOFTIGHTNESSIN THE SOUND &ORMOST KICK DRUM SOUNDS )WOULD SUGGEST THAT ONCE YOUHAVE FOUND THE FREQUENCY YOU ARE LOOKING FOR YOU REDUCE THE GAIN DOWN TO ONLY nD"ATMOSTANDHAVEABANDWIDTHOFAROUND+(ZORSO )FYOUNEEDTO BOOSTTHEGAINBYMORETHANTHATITMIGHTBEBETTERTORETHINKTHESOUNDYOU AREUSING
!NOTHER USE OF THIS KIND OF TECHNIQUE IS TO REMOVE HARSH OVERTONES FROM SOUNDS 4HE BASIC PRINCIPLE IS THE SAME IN THAT YOU USED HIGH GAIN NARROW BANDWIDTH BOOST TO ISOLATE THE PROBLEM FREQUENCIES BUT THIS TIME INSTEAD OFJUSTREDUCINGTHEBOOSTTOALOWERLEVELWESTARTTOCUTTHESEFREQUENCIESTO REMOVETHEHARSHNESS)F)AMUSINGSAMPLEDDRUMLOOPS)WILLNEARLYALWAYS GOTHROUGHEACHOFTHEMTOREMOVESOMEHARSHNESSANDGENERALLYCLEANTHEM UP/NMORETHANONEOCCASIONWHEN)HAVEBEENWORKINGWITHSOMEONEELSE
IN THESTUDIO )HAVEHEARDAN IRRITATINGSCRATCHYWHISTLEYKINDOFOVERTONE IN ADRUMLOOPSO)HAVEASKEDTHEOTHERPERSONTOGIVEMEAMINUTEORTWOTO GETRIDOFIT!FTERWARDSWHEN)ASKFORTHATPERSONSOPINIONONMY%1EDVER SION OF THE LOOP THE IMMEDIATE REACTION IS ALMOST ALWAYS h)T DOESNT REALLY SOUNDANYDIFFERENTTOMEv!TTHISPOINT)BYPASSTHE%1)HAVEAPPLIEDAND THEREACTIONISNEARLYALWAYSh/HMYGOD)STHATHOWITSOUNDEDBEFOREv)TIS DElNITELYWORTHWHILETRYINGTOREMOVEANYTHINGLIKETHISBECAUSETHOSEHARSH OVERTONESMIGHTNOTBE IMMEDIATELYAUDIBLEBUT THEYARE THEKINDOF THINGS THATWHENINTHEBACKGROUNDCANREALLYIRRITATEPEOPLELISTENINGTOYOURTRACKS WITHOUTTHEMEVERBEINGABLETOPUTTHEIRlNGERONEXACTLYWHATISBOTHERING THEM-OSTOFTHESEKINDOFHARSHTONESGENERALLYAPPEARFROM+(ZUPWARDS TO ABOUT +(Z SO THATWILL GIVE YOU AN IDEA OFWHERE TO START LOOKING FOR THEM ANDWHEN YOUlND THEM )WOULD START BY KEEPING THEBANDWIDTH AS NARROWASYOUCANANDTHENMAKINGACUTASDEEPASYOUCAN&ROMTHISPOINT YOUCANREDUCETHEAMOUNTOFCUTANDORWIDENTHEBANDWIDTHUNTILYOUGET THEREQUIREDAMOUNTOFREDUCTION9OUSHOULDDElNITELY!"THE%1EDSOUND WITH THENON %1ED SOUNDWHILE YOU AREDOING THIS AND ALSO REMEMBER THAT ANYKINDOF%1mustBECHECKEDINCONTEXTASWELLASWHENITISSOLOED
4HENEXTTHING)WANTTOFOCUSONISHOWYOUCANUSE%1CREATIVELYTOEMPHA SIZEORDE EMPHASIZE)GUESS THEcharacterOFASOUND%VERYSOUNDWILLHAVE SOMETHINGABOUTITTHATREALLYISTHETRADEMARKOFTHATSOUND)TMIGHTBETHE UNIQUE SOUND OF A BOW SCRAPING AGAINST A STRING ON A VIOLIN OR IT COULD BE THESOUNDOFTHESNARESRATTLINGAGAINSTTHEBOTTOMDRUMHEADINASNAREDRUM 7HATEVER IT IS THAT DElNING CHARACTERISTIC OF THE SOUND CAN BEMANIPULATED WITH%1TOATLEASTSOMEEXTENTANDGIVENITSIMPORTANCEINDElNINGTHATCHAR ACTEROFTHATPARTICULARSOUNDWECANTOSOMEEXTENTCHANGETHATTONALCHAR ACTER&OREXAMPLEIFYOUWERETOlNDTHEFREQUENCYRANGETHATCONTAINEDMOST OFTHEENERGYOFTHERATTLEOFTHESNARESANDTHENCUTTHATFREQUENCYRANGEWITH %1YOUWOULDTAKEALOTOFTHATPARTOFTHESOUNDOUTANDYOUWOULDBELEFT WITH SOMETHING THAT SOUNDEDmore LIKEALTHOUGHOBVIOUSLYNOT THE SAMEAS A TOM TOMOR A TIMBALE 3IMILARLY IF YOUWERE TOUSE%1 TO REMOVE SOMEOF THESCRAPE FROMAVIOLINANDEVENSOMEOF THEOVERTONES THATCAME FROMTHE WOODENBODYOFTHEVIOLINCALLEDformants THENITWOULDLOSEITSVIOLIN NESS ANDMIGHTBEEASILYMISTAKENFORABRASSORWOODWINDINSTRUMENT
.ONEOF THIS ISANEXACT SCIENCEOF COURSEBUTBYUSING THENARROW BAND%1 SWEEPWEHAVEBEENDESCRIBINGYOUWILLHEARCERTAINFREQUENCIESORFREQUENCY RANGESTHATSTANDOUTONCEAGAIN7EREPROBABLYNOTLOOKINGFORTHEONESTHAT REPRESENT THE FUNDAMENTAL FREQUENCIES HERE BECAUSE REMOVING THOSE WOULD MAKEITHARDERFORUSTOTELLWHATNOTEWASPLAYING.OWHATWEARELOOKING FOR HEREWILL PROBABLYBE AROUND THEMIDRANGE FREQUENCIES )T IS ALSOWORTH WHILEMAKINGSUREYOUHAVEAMUSICALPASSAGEPLAYINGONTHESOUNDWHENYOU DOTHISBECAUSEYOUWANTTOTRYTOlNDFREQUENCIESTHATJUMPOUTIRRESPECTIVE OFTHENOTEBEINGPLAYED4HESEAREMORELIKELYTOBEFORMANTSORNONPITCHED COMPONENTSANDTHEYARELIKELYTOBETHEONESTHATWILLCHANGETHECHARACTER OFTHESOUNDWHENYOU%1THEM-AKEANOTEOFAFEWPOSSIBILITIESANDTHEN
TRY CUTTINGORBOOSTING THEMBYONLYA FEWD" INITIALLY ANDWITHANAVERAGE WIDEBANDWIDTHVALUE )F THEYARETHECORRECTFREQUENCIESYOUSHOULDHEARA CHANGE IN CHARACTER IN THE SOUND AS YOU ALTERNATELY BOOST AND CUT THOSE FRE QUENCIES ! BOOST SHOULD WITHIN REASON EMPHASIZE THE TONAL QUALITIES THAT MAKETHESOUNDWHATITISANDACORRESPONDING%1CUTWILLMAKEITSOUNDLESS LIKETHEINSTRUMENTITISSUPPOSEDTOBEANDGIVEITAMOREGENERICSOUND
4HIS CAN BE A USEFUL TECHNIQUE IF YOU HAVE QUITE A FEW DIFFERENT SOUNDS OR INSTRUMENTSlGHTINGFORSPACEINABUSYMIXANDYOUWANTTODRAWATTENTION TOONEINPARTICULARBUTDONTWANTTOINCREASEITSLEVELBECAUSEYOUDONTWANT ITTOJUMPOUTTOOMUCH)FYOUUSETHISTECHNIQUESUCCESSFULLYYOUCOULDAUTO MATESOME%1CHANGESATTHEAPPROPRIATEPOINTINTHESONGTOEMPHASIZEONE SOUNDANDPUSHTHEOTHERSINTOAMOREGENERALBACKGROUNDSOUND
Dynamic EQ $YNAMIC%1ISARELATIVELYRECENTDEVELOPMENTANDAVERYINTERESTINGMOVEIN %1TECHNOLOGY4HEACTUAL%1PARTOFITREMAINSLARGELYTHESAMEINASMUCHAS THE TECHNIQUE COULD REALLYBE THOUGHTOF AS A CONTROLMECHANISM FOR ANY%1 ALGORITHM !T PRESENT VERY FEW COMPANIESMAKE DYNAMIC %1S SO THE ACTUAL SOUND OF THOSE %1S IS TIED TO THOSE FEW MANUFACTURERS )F MORE COMPANIES STARTEDTODEVELOPTHEMTHEREWOULDBEMOREmAVORSOFDYNAMIC%1TOCHOOSE FROM &OR THEPURPOSES OF THIS DISCUSSION )WILL DESCRIBE THE SITUATIONSWHERE DYNAMIC%1COULDBEUSEFULFORUSRATHERTHANTRYTODESCRIBEITSSPECIlCSOUND
4HEIDEAOFADYNAMIC%1ISTOMAKETHEACTUALCONTROLSDYNAMICCHANGING RATHERTHANlXEDASTHEYAREINANORMAL%1/BVIOUSLYTHECONTROLSARE lXEDONANORMAL%1ANDYOUCANCHANGETHEMASYOUWISHBUTADYNAMIC %1PUTSSOMEDEGREEOFAUTOMATION INTO THECONTROLSSO THATWHENACERTAIN CONDITIONISREACHEDACORRESPONDINGCHANGEINTHE%1HAPPENS4HISISNOTH INGYOUCOULDNTDOWITHMANUALAUTOMATIONDATAINYOUR$!7BUTDYNAMIC %1PLUG INSMAKEhCORRECTIVEv%1CHANGESMUCHSIMPLERTOSETUPANDMUCH MORERESPONSIVETOSMALLCHANGES
%ACH SECTION ON A DYNAMIC %1 WILL HAVE ALL THE USUAL CONTROLS YOU WOULD EXPECT ALONGWITH A SET OF CONTROLS THAT DETERMINE THE THRESHOLD ABOVE AND BELOWWHICHTHEDYNAMICPROPERTIESOFTHE%1STARTTOWORK)TALSOHASSOME KINDOFRANGECONTROLWHICHWILLDETERMINEHOWGREAT THEEFFECT IS )F THISALL SOUNDSCOMPLICATEDLETMEREASSUREYOUTHATWHILEITDOESTAKEALITTLEGETTING USEDTOYOUWILLPICKITUPPRETTYQUICKLY
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!NOTHEREXAMPLEMIGHTBETOlNDTHEFUNDAMENTALFREQUENCYOFAKICKDRUM USINGTHEMETHODWEDESCRIBEDEARLIER ANDTHENSETUPADYNAMIC%1BAND WITHANARROWBANDWIDTHAT THAT FREQUENCY9OUCANSETUP THEDYNAMICPART WITHQUITEAHIGHTHRESHOLDBUTWITHTHERANGESET TOPROVIDEACUTWHENEVER THETHRESHOLDISEXCEEDED4HEREASONWEMIGHTWANTTODOTHISISBECAUSETHERE IS A RISKWHENWEHAVE A VERY STRONG KICK DRUM IN A TRACK THAT THEREWILL BE OCCASIONSWHEN THE BASS LINE OCCURS AT THE SAME TIME AS THE KICK DRUM AND WHENTHEBASSNOTEHASASIMILARFUNDAMENTALFREQUENCY7HENTHISHAPPENS ITISVERYEASYFORTHATPARTICULARFREQUENCYTOCAUSEDISTORTIONBYOVERLOADING 3ETTINGUPADYNAMIC%1 IN THISWAYWOULDMEAN THAT THEKICKDRUMWOULD REMAINASWEHADSETITUPTOBEFORTHEMOSTPARTBUTWHENTHEREHAPPENEDTO BEABASSNOTETHATWOULDNORMALLYOVERLOADTHINGSTHEDYNAMIC%1WILLWORK TOPULLJUSTTHATFREQUENCYOUT
4HISWORKSINASIMILARWAYTOMULTIBANDCOMPRESSIONMOREONTHISSHORTLY INTHATITALLOWSFORCONTROLOFTHELEVELSORDYNAMICS OFSOUNDSININDIVIDUAL FREQUENCY RANGES ) THINK THEBIGGESTDIFFERENCEBETWEENMULTIBAND COMPRES SIONANDDYNAMIC%1ISTHATWHILEBOTHCANOFFERLEVELCONTROLTIEDTOSPECIlC FREQUENCYRANGESMULTIBANDCOMPRESSIONTENDSTOOFFERWIDEFREQUENCYRANGES FOREACHBANDANDGIVESA hBIGGERPICTUREvKINDOF CONTROLWHEREASDYNAMIC %1CANBEUSEDFORVERYPRECISEANDCONTROLLEDCHANGESTOAVERYNARROWRANGE OFFREQUENCIESANDISAMUCHMOREMICROSCOPICKINDOFCONTROL
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7ITH ANY KIND OF %1 HARDWARE OR SOFTWARE ANALOG OR DIGITAL IT IS GOOD TO ALWAYS TRY TO ACHIEVEWHAT YOUWANT TO DO BY CUTTING FREQUENCIES INSTEAD OF BOOSTING THEM 4HIS GENERAL RULE CAME FROM THE TIME BEFORE DIGITAL %1S ANDWAS BORN LIKE SOMANY THINGS OUT OF NECESSITY 9OU SEE EACH TIME YOU BOOST A FREQUENCYWITH AN %1 YOUWILL ALSO BE BOOSTING THE INHERENT BACK GROUNDNOISEINTHATPARTOFTHESOUND7HILEEACHINDIVIDUALBOOSTMIGHTBE VERYSMALLANDWOULDONLYRESULTINASMALLINCREASEINBACKGROUNDNOISETHE CUMULATIVEEFFECTOFALLOFTHESELITTLE%1BOOSTSINAWHOLEMIXCOULDBEVERY NOTICEABLE7ITH DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY THIS ISNT ASMUCHOF A PROBLEMBECAUSE THEAMOUNTOFBACKGROUNDNOISEINDIGITALSYSTEMSISGENERALLYMUCHLESSTHAN IN ANALOG ONES (OWEVER THERE WILL STILL BE NOISE ON ANY RECORDINGS MADE THROUGHMICROPHONESPREAMPSANDANYKINDOFANALOGINPUTSIGNALSOTHERE isSTILLNOISETOBEBOOSTEDBY%1ING%VENIFTHEREISNTSOMUCHOFATECHNICAL NECESSITYINADIGITALSYSTEMCUTTINGRATHERTHANBOOSTINGISSTILLAGOODHABITTO GETINTOEVENONADIGITALSYSTEM
WHAT IS COMPRESSION? #OMPRESSIONISAWAYTOMAKELOUDSIGNALSQUIETER)TCANBEALITTLECONFUSING BECAUSEMUCHOF THE TIME COMPRESSION IS USED TOMAKE THINGS louder RATHER THANQUIETER#OMPRESSIONISACTUALLYATWO STAGEPROCESS4HELOUDESTPARTSOF THE INPUT SIGNAL ARE SQUASHEDDOWN COMPRESSED AND THEN THEOVERALL LEVEL OFTHESIGNALISRAISEDTOCOMPENSATE)FWEASSUMETHATTHELOUDESTPARTSWERE REDUCEDBYD"INTHECOMPRESSIONSTAGEANDTHENTHEOVERALLSIGNALWASRAISED BYD" THEEFFECTWOULDBE THAT THE LOUDESTPARTS STILL REMAINEDAT THESAME LEVELBUTTHEQUIETERPARTSWHICHWERENTAFFECTEDBYTHECOMPRESSIONPROCESS WERETHENBOOSTEDBYD"ANDWERENOWD"LOUDERTHANTHEYWEREBEFORE
4HIS ISASOMEWHATSIMPLIlEDDESCRIPTIONOF THETOTALPROCESSBUT ITGIVESAN IDEA OF ONE OF THE AIMS OF COMPRESSION AT LEAST7ITH APPROPRIATE SETTINGS COMPRESSIONCANALSOBEUSEDTOEMPHASIZEORSUBDUEEITHERTHEATTACKORSUS TAINPORTIONSOFA SOUNDAND IF THECOMPRESSOR INQUESTIONHASA SIDE CHAIN
CAPABILITYYOUCANALSOUSEITTOCREATEAPUMPINGEFFECTLIKETHATUSEDSOME WOULDSAYOVER USED ONANUMBEROFDANCETRACKSINRECENTYEARS!COMPRES SOROFBOTHTHESINGLE BANDANDMULTIBANDVARIETY ISALSOANESSENTIALPARTOF THEMASTERINGPROCESS!NOTHERRELATEDPIECEOFEQUIPMENTISTHELIMITERWHICH ISACOMPRESSORWITHINlNITECOMPRESSIONRATIOS
4OCOMPREHENDTHEDIFFERENTUSESOFCOMPRESSORSWENEEDTOUNDERSTANDTHE MAINPARAMETERSOFATYPICALCOMPRESSORANDTHENlGUREOUTHOWTOSETTHESE TOACHIEVETHEDIFFERENTSCENARIOSWEDESCRIBEDEARLIER
COMPRESSION PARAMETERS Threshold 0UT SIMPLY THE THRESHOLD CONTROL ON A COMPRESSOR IS THE LEVEL OF INCOMING AUDIOSIGNALABOVEWHICHTHECOMPRESSIONSTARTSTOTAKEPLACE!NYSIGNALSTHAT AREBELOWTHETHRESHOLDLEVELWILLPASSTHROUGHTHECOMPRESSORUNAFFECTEDAND ANYTHATAREABOVETHETHRESHOLDWILLBEREDUCEDBYANAMOUNTDETERMINEDBY THE RATIO CONTROL4HE THRESHOLD LEVEL CONTROLNORMALLY STARTS ATD"ANDCAN BEADJUSTEDDOWNWARDFROMTHERE4HELOWESTVALUEYOUCANSETTHETHRESHOLD LEVEL TO VARIES FROM COMPRESSOR TO COMPRESSOR BUTMOSTWILL GO DOWN TO AT LEASTD"TOPROVIDEAWIDERANGEOFADJUSTABILITY
Ratio 4HERATIOVALUEISTHEAMOUNTBYWHICHANYSIGNALSABOVETHETHRESHOLDWILLBE AFFECTED4HISISEXPRESSEDASARATIOTHATDElNESHOWSTRONGTHECOMPRESSIONIS &OREXAMPLEIFARATIOOFISSELECTEDTHATWOULDMEANTHATIFTHEINPUTLEVEL
ISD"ABOVETHETHRESHOLDLEVELTHENTHECOMPRESSORWOULDREDUCETHATTOJUST D"ABOVETHETHRESHOLD)FTHEINPUTLEVELWERED"ABOVETHETHRESHOLDTHEN THEOUTPUTWOULDBED"ABOVETHETHRESHOLD,IKEWISEIFTHERATIOWERE THENAN INPUT LEVELD"ABOVE THE THRESHOLDWOULD RESULT INANOUTPUT LEVEL THATWASONLYD"ABOVETHETHRESHOLD"ECAUSEOFTHISTHEHIGHERTHERATIO SELECTEDTHESTRONGERTHECOMPRESSIONEFFECTWILLBE)TISNORMALFORCOMPRES SORSTOHAVEARATIOTHATISVARIABLEBETWEENNOCHANGE ANDSTRONG COMPRESSION 4HEREDOEXISTRATIOSHIGHERTHANBUTATTHATPOINTTHEPRO CESSBECOMESMORELIKE limiting THANCOMPRESSIONANDTHISWILLBEEXPLAINED INMOREDETAILLATERINTHISCHAPTER4HEREISALSOTHEOPTIONTOHAVERATIOSLOWER THANBUTAGAINTHISISNTCOMPRESSIONASITSERVESTOemphasizeLEVELSTHAT AREABOVETHETHRESHOLDANDISKNOWNASexpansion/NCEAGAINWEWILLLOOKAT THISLATER
/NEFURTHERVARIATIONWHICHIS FAR LESSCOMMONIS THATOF inverse ratiosSUCH as 4HISWOULDMEAN THAT IF THE INPUT SIGNAL LEVELWERE D" ABOVE THE THRESHOLD LEVEL THE OUTPUT LEVELWOULD ACTUALLY ENDUPBEING D" below THE THRESHOLD LEVEL 4HISPUTSUS VERYMUCH INTO hSPECIAL EFFECTSv TERRITORY AND IT WOULDNT BE SOMETHING YOUWOULD USE THAT OFTEN &OR THE SAKE OF COMPLETE NESSWEWILLLOOKATPOSSIBLEAPPLICATIONSFORTHISSHORTLY
Attack/Release 4HESETWOCONTROLSINCOMBINATIONDETERMINEHOWACOMPRESSORSEFFECTSVARY OVERTIME4HEattackCONTROLDETERMINESHOWQUICKLYTHECOMPRESSORWILLREACT TOCHANGESINTHEINPUTSIGNAL4HEreleaseCONTROLDETERMINESHOWQUICKLYTHE EFFECTSOFTHECOMPRESSORWILLDIEAWAYONCETHEINPUTSIGNALHASDROPPEDBACK BELOWTHETHRESHOLD)FASHORTATTACKTIMEISCHOSENTHECOMPRESSORWILLVERY QUICKLY RESPOND TO ANY CHANGES IN THE INPUT LEVEL THAT TAKE THE SIGNAL ABOVE THETHRESHOLD7HEREASWITHALONGERATTACKTIMEIS IT ISENTIRELYPOSSIBLETHAT VERYSHORTDYNAMICSPIKESWILLSNEAKTHROUGHWITHOUTTHECOMPRESSORSQUASH INGTHEMDOWNASWOULDNORMALLYBETHECASE3IMILARLYIFASHORTRELEASETIME ISSELECTEDASSOONASTHELEVELDROPSBACKDOWNBELOWTHETHRESHOLDTHECOM PRESSORWILLSTOPCOMPRESSING"UTIFALONGERRELEASETIMEISCHOSENITISPOS SIBLETHATTHECOMPRESSORWILLCONTINUEREDUCINGLEVELSEVENTHOUGHTHEINPUT SIGNALISBELOWTHETHRESHOLDLEVEL4HISHASTHEEFFECTOFREDUCINGTHELEVELOFA MORESIGNIlCANTPARTOFTHESIGNALANDNOTJUSTTHEPEAKSABOVETHETHRESHOLD AND CANMAKE THE COMPRESSION SOUND GENTLER AND LESS hPUMPINGv )N COM BINATION THEADJUSTMENTOF THE TWOPARAMETERSCANRESULT INAWIDERANGEOF DIFFERENTEFFECTSWHICHCANBEUSEDFORANYTHINGFROMGENTLEOVERALLDYNAMICS CONTROLTOMORESPECIlCCONTROLOFTRANSIENTS
Knee +NEE IS THE RATE AT WHICH THE COMPRESSION TAKES EFFECT 4HE CHOICES ARE NOR MALLYhard knee AND soft knee ALTHOUGHSOMETIMES THERE ISAVARIABLE CONTROL RATHER THAN A SWITCH BETWEEN THE TWO 4HE PRACTICAL DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HARD
KNEE AND SOFT KNEE IS THATWITH HARD KNEE COMPRESSION THE RATIO KICKS IN AS SOONASTHESIGNALLEVELCROSSESTHETHRESHOLD)FTHEINPUTSIGNALISEVEND" ABOVETHETHRESHOLDITWILLBECOMPRESSEDBYTHEAMOUNTSETBYTHERATIOCON TROL7HEREASWITHSOFTKNEECOMPRESSIONTHEREISAMOREGENTLETRANSITIONINTO COMPRESSION
4O GIVE YOU A COMPARISON BETWEEN THE TWO LETS LOOK AT AN EXAMPLE )F THE INPUT SIGNALWAS D" OVER THE THRESHOLD AND THE RATIOWAS THENWITH HARDKNEECOMPRESSIONTHED"WOULDBECOMPRESSEDTOJUSTD"WITH SOFTKNEECOMPRESSIONITMIGHTBECOMPRESSEDLESSSOTHATTHEOUTPUTLEVELWAS D"WHICHGIVESANeffectiveCOMPRESSIONRATIOOF7HENTHEINPUTSIG NALINCREASESTOBEINGD"ABOVETHETHRESHOLDHARDKNEECOMPRESSIONSTICKS TOITSRIGIDRATIOANDGIVESANOUTPUTOFD"ABOVETHETHRESHOLD4HISTIME THESOFTKNEECOMPRESSIONWOULD TAKEMOREOFANEFFECT SO ITMIGHTPERHAPS GIVEANOUTPUTOFD"WHICHGIVES AN effective COMPRESSION RATIOOF )F THE INPUT SIGNALWASD" ABOVE THE THRESHOLD THENBOTH THEHARDKNEE AND SOFTKNEEWOULDGIVETHESAMECOMPRESSIONRATIOOFASWEWOULDEXPECT !S SUCHYOUCANSEE THAT THEKNEECONTROLONLY REALLYHASANEFFECTWHEN THE INPUTSIGNALLEVELISFAIRLYCLOSETOTHETHRESHOLDLEVEL
Peak/RMS Detection 7EHAVESEENSOFARTHATACOMPRESSORDEALSWITHREDUCINGTHELEVELOFANINPUT SIGNALWHEN IT EXCEEDS A PREDElNED THRESHOLD 4HERE ARE ACTUALLY TWO DIFFER ENTWAYSINWHICHACOMPRESSORCANDETERMINEWHETHERTHESIGNALHASCROSSED THETHRESHOLDLEVELpeak detectionANDRMS detection)WONTGOINTOTOOMUCH DETAILABOUTHOWTHETWODIFFERENTSYSTEMSWORKONATECHNICALLEVELTHEREIS PLENTYOFINFORMATIONABOUTTHATONTHE)NTERNETIFYOUARETECHNICALLYMINDED IN THATWAY BUTWILL JUST SAY THATONEWORKSBYDETECTING THEABSOLUTEPEAK VALUEOFASIGNALATANYTIMEPEAKDETECTION ANDTHEOTHERWORKSBYDETECTING THEAVERAGESIGNALLEVELOVERAPERIODOFTIME2-3DETECTION
4HESIMPLESTADVICE)CANGIVEYOUINTHISRESPECTISTHATPEAKDETECTIONISBET TER FOR APPLICATIONSWHERE YOUWANT FAST OR INSTANTANEOUS CONTROL OF THE SIG NAL LEVEL SUCH AS CATCHING LOUD TRANSIENTS FROMDRUM SOUNDS TO AVOID THEM CLIPPING )N USE THIS STYLE OF SIGNAL LEVEL DETECTION IS MORE LIKELY TO SOUND JUMPYBECAUSETHEINPUTSIGNALMIGHTBECONSTANTLYCROSSINGANDRECROSSINGTHE THRESHOLDLEVELANDTHEREFOREMOVINGINANDOUTOFCOMPRESSION$EPENDING ONHOW YOU SET UP THE OTHER PARAMETERS THIS COULD EITHER SOUNDQUITE SUB TLEORVERYOBVIOUS.EITHEROF THESE ISABADTHINGDEPENDINGONTHECONTEXT INWHICHYOUWANTTOUSEITANDITCERTAINLYPAYSTOEXPERIMENTWITHDIFFERENT SETTINGS
/NTHEOTHERHANDIFYOUWANTTOACHIEVESOMETHINGTHATISMORELIKEANOVER ALL LEVELINGEFFECTSUCHASKEEPINGAMORECONSISTENTVOCAL LEVELTHROUGHOUTA TRACKEVENTHOUGHTHESINGERVARIESINVOLUMEQUITEALOTTHEN2-3DETECTIONIS MORELIKELYTOBETHEMOSTUSEFUL"ECAUSEITWORKSONANAVERAGELEVELTHEREIS
LESSLIKELIHOODOFTHEAVERAGESIGNALLEVELJUMPINGAROUNDWILDLYANDMOVING THECOMPRESSORINANDOUTOFCOMPRESSION!SARESULT2-3DETECTIONGENERALLY SOUNDSMUCH SMOOTHER AND LESS OBVIOUS AND IS USEFUL FOR SITUATIONSWHERE YOUALMOSTDONTWANT TOHEAR THECOMPRESSORWORKING/FCOURSE LIKEMOST THINGSMUSIC PRODUCTION RELATED YOU CAN TAKE IT TO EXTREMES AND EVEN 2-3 DETECTION CAN BE PUSHED TO THE POINT WHERE IT SOUNDS HEAVILY SQUASHED !S WITHPEAKDETECTIONCOMPRESSIONALTHOUGHTHEMETHODOFDETECTINGTHEINPUT LEVEL ISDIFFERENT THERE ISAWIDERANGEOFPOSSIBLESOUNDS TOBEHADDEPEND INGONHOWTHEOTHERPARAMETERSARESET!NDOFCOURSEUSINGPEAKDETECTION FORTRANSIENTLIMITINGDUTIESAND2-3DETECTIONFORMORESUBTLEDUTIESISNOTA RULEASSUCH4HOSEARETHEROLESTHEYSEEMTOWORKMOSTNATURALLYINBUTTHAT DOESNTMEANITISIMPOSSIBLETOUSETHEMINOTHERWAYS
Sidechain 4HESIDECHAINPARTOFACOMPRESSORISNTREALLYACONTROLASSUCHBUTITCANHAVE AVERYDRAMATICEFFECTONHOWTHECOMPRESSIONWORKSSOITISWORTHDESCRIBING 5NDER NORMAL CIRCUMSTANCES COMPRESSIONOCCURSWHEN THE LEVEL OF THE INPUT SIGNALISABOVETHETHRESHOLD)NTHISWAYANYLEVELPEAKSINTHEINPUTSIGNALCAN BE CONTROLLED(OWEVER IF YOU USE THE SIDECHAIN INPUT THE COMPRESSION PRO CESSCANBETRIGGEREDBYTHELEVELOFTHESIGNALCOMINGINTOTHESIDECHAININPUT INSTEAD)FTHEUSESOFTHISARENTIMMEDIATELYOBVIOUSTOYOUTHENDONTWORRY THERE ARE A FEW very USEFUL WAYS IN WHICH SIDECHAIN COMPRESSION CAN HELP US WHENWE AREMIXING TRACKS AND ONE OF THEM HAS ACTUALLY BECOME VERYMUCH A TRADEMARKOFCERTAINGENRESOFDANCEMUSIC%VEN IFYOUWOULDNTUSE IT INA REALLYOBVIOUSWAYITCANBEAGREATPROBLEM SOLVERTOHELPUSDEALWITHEXCESSIVE BASSLEVELSINATRACKORWITHALITTLEMOREEFFORTWITHSIBILANCEINAVOCALRECORD ING4HESIDECHAININPUTMAYWELLHAVEVERYSIMPLE%1CONTROLSINTHEFORMOF HIGH ANDLOW CUTlLTERS4HESEARETHERETOHELPUSlNE TUNETHERESPONSEOFTHE COMPRESSORTOTHESIDECHAININPUTBYGIVINGUSMORECONTROLOVERTHEPARTICULAR PARTOF THEFREQUENCYSPECTRUMTHECOMPRESSORWILLBE LISTENINGTO INORDER TO DETERMINEWHETHERTHETHRESHOLDLEVELHASBEENEXCEEDED
Using Compression for Level Control /NEOFTHEMOSTCOMMONUSESFORACOMPRESSORISTOMAKETHINGSLOUDER4HIS SEEMS TO GO AGAINSTWHAT ) HAVE ALREADY SAID ABOUT COMPRESSION BEING USED TO REDUCE THE LEVELOF SOUNDSABOVE THE THRESHOLD LEVELBUT IT ISNT REALLY THE COMPRESSORTHATISMAKINGTHESOUNDLOUDER7HATTHECOMPRESSORISDOINGIS REDUCING THE SIZEOF THEPEAKS IN THEAUDIO SIGNALWHICHMEANS THATWE CAN NOW INCREASE THE OVERALL LEVEL OF THAT SOUNDWITHOUT IT CLIPPING 0ERHAPS AN EXAMPLEWILLHELPCLARIFYTHIS
!SSUMEWEHADANAUDIORECORDINGWITHQUITEAFEWSHORTPEAKSINITWHICHHAD AMAXIMUMLEVELOFD")FWEWANTEDTOINCREASETHELEVELOFTHISRECORDING BYD"THOSEPEAKSWOULDCLIPBECAUSETHEYWOULDTHEORETICALLYENDUPATD" ABOVETHEMAXIMUMPOSSIBLELEVEL4HISWOULDENDUPCAUSINGDISTORTIONTOTHE
SOUNDANDWOULDNTBEGOOD"UTIFWEAPPLYACOMPRESSORTOTHERECORDINGWITH ATHRESHOLDLEVELOFD"ANDARATIOOFTHENTHECOMPRESSORWOULDTAKE THOSEPEAKSAND SEEINGAS THEYWERED"ABOVE THE THRESHOLDWOULD REDUCE THEM TO D" ABOVE THE THRESHOLD RATIO WHICH WOULD MEAN THAT THEY WOULDNOWBEATD"7ECOULDTHENHAPPILYINCREASETHELEVELOFTHETRACK OVERALL BY D"BECAUSE EVEN THEN THE LOUDEST PEAKSWOULD STILL BE ATD" WHICHISACTUALLYD"lowerTHANTHEYWEREBEFOREEVENTHOUGHWEHAVEraisedTHE LEVELOFTHETRACKBYD"
4HIS KIND OF COMPRESSION IS USED COMMONLY WITH SOUND SOURCES THAT CAN HAVE TRANSIENT PEAKS WHICH ARE MUCH HIGHER THAN THE OVERALL AVERAGE LEVEL )NSTRUMENTS SUCH ASDRUMSANDGUITARSOFTEN EXHIBITPEAKS LIKE THESE WHICH CANEASILYBED"ORMOREHIGHERTHANANAVERAGELEVEL SOAWELLSET UPCOM PRESSORCANMAKETHERESULTINGSOUNDMUCHMOREMANAGEABLEANDmEXIBLETO MIXWITH"UTTHEREAREOTHERWAYSINWHICHWECANUSECOMPRESSIONTOCONTROL THEDYNAMICSOFOUR TRACKS7ECANEQUALLYUSECOMPRESSIONONAWHOLEMIX RATHERTHANJUSTANINDIVIDUALSOUND7ECOULDUSEOURCOMPRESSORINASIMILAR WAYTOJUSTSQUASHDOWNTHEPEAKSOFOURWHOLEMIXBUTBEINGAWHOLEMIX RATHER THAN JUST ONE SOUND THEPEAKS ARE LIKELY TOBEMUCHMORE REGULAR AS THEYWILLBEACOMBINATIONOFTHEINDIVIDUALPEAKSOFALLTHEDIFFERENTSOUNDS IN THEMIX-OREOVER THEOVERALLAVERAGE LEVELWILLPROBABLYBEMUCHHIGHER GIVEN ALL THE SOUNDSMIXED TOGETHERWHICHMEANS THAT THE PEAKSWILL PROB ABLYNOTSEEMAShPEAKYvCOMPAREDTOTHEAVERAGESIGNALLEVEL"ECAUSEOFTHIS IFYOUTRYTOUSEACOMPRESSORONAFULLMIXINTHESAMEWAYYOUWOULDONAN INDIVIDUALSOUNDYOUWILLPROBABLYNEEDTOUSEAVERYHIGHRATIOTOREALLYHEAR ANYREDUCTIONOFTHEPEAKS!NDHIGHRATIOCOMPRESSIONISESSENTIALLYLIMITING 4HISDOESHAVE ITSPLACEWHENUSEDONOURlNALMIXBUT ISNT REALLY THEBEST WAYWECANUSEACOMPRESSORINTHISCONTEXT9OUSEEWHATWEAREDOINGWITH LIMITING IS BASICALLY A hTOPDOWNvPROCESS IN THATWE ARE TRIMMING FROM THE TOPANDTHENRAISINGTHEOVERALL LEVEL TOCOMPENSATE7ECANHOWEVER TACKLE THINGS FROMADIFFERENT ANGLEWITHAMORE hBOTTOMUPvWAYOF COMPRESSION ,ETMEEXPLAINWHAT)MEAN
7ITHHIGHRATIOHIGHTHRESHOLDCOMPRESSIONORLIMITINGYOUNOTICETHEEFFECT ONTHEPEAKSBUTMOSTOFTHESIGNALREMAINSUNAFFECTED(OWEVERIFYOUUSEA MUCHLOWERRATIOANDAMUCHLOWER THRESHOLD THECOMPRESSIONWILLHAVEAN EFFECTONMOSTOFTHESIGNALBUTITWILLBEAMUCHSMALLEREFFECT/NCEAGAINWE WILLUSEANEXAMPLETOCLARIFY
)FYOUHADATRACKWITHPEAKLEVELSOFD"INCERTAINPLACESBUTMOSTOFTHE SONGHADPEAKSOFABOUTD"THATSQUITEANEXTREMEEXAMPLEBUT SERVES TO CLEARLY ILLUSTRATE THE POINT ANDWE SET A THRESHOLD OFD" AND A RATIO OFWHATWOULDHAPPEN7ELLTHEPEAKSINTHETRACKTHATWEREATD" WOULDBED"ABOVE THE THRESHOLDWHICHMEANS COMPRESSIONWOULD LEAVE THEMBEINGD"ABOVE THE THRESHOLDATD" SO THESEPEAKSWOULDHAVE BEEN REDUCEDBY D" 4HEPEAKS THATWERE ATD"WOULDBE D" ABOVE THE THRESHOLD SO WOULD END UP AFTER COMPRESSION BEING D" ABOVE THE
THRESHOLD ATD" REPRESENTING A REDUCTION IF D"7E COULD THEN APPLY D"OFmakeup gainTOBRINGTHELEVELOFTHELOUDESTPEAKSBACKTOWHERETHEY WEREBEFOREWESTARTED)NTHISCASEWEHAVEAPPLIEDQUITEALOTOFGAINREDUC TIONBUTASALOWERRATIOWASUSEDITSOUNDSTOTHEEARLESSLIKEYOUARECUTTING OFFCERTAINLOUDPEAKSINTHETRACKANDMORELIKEAGENERALINCREASEINLOUDNESS ANDDENSITY4HISTYPEOFLOWRATIOLOWTHRESHOLDCOMPRESSIONISOFTENUSEDIN THEMASTERINGPROCESS
Using Compression to Shape the Sound )MENTIONEDEARLIERHOWADJUSTINGTHEATTACKANDRELEASETIMESOFACOMPRESSOR CANBEUSEFULINEMPHASIZINGCERTAINCHARACTERISTICSOFASOUND(ERE)WILLGO INTOALITTLEMOREDETAIL,ETSUSEAKICKDRUMASASTARTINGPOINT)FYOUTHINK ABOUTAKICKDRUMSOUNDANDWHATPARTS ITHAS TO THESOUNDYOUCANPRETTY EASILYSPLITITINTOTWOTHEINITIALHITANDTHENTHERESONANCEOFTHEDRUMSHELL )FYOULOOKATTHEWAVEFORMOFATYPICALKICKDRUMRECORDINGYOUWILLSEETHAT THEREISAVERYSHORT INITIALPEAKFOLLOWEDBYAMORESTEADYDECAYTONOTHING 4HISINITIALPEAKREPRESENTSTHESOUNDOFTHEBEATERHITTINGTHEDRUMSKINAND THEMORESTEADYDECAYISTHERESONANCEOFTHEDRUMSHELLGRADUALLYDYINGAWAY TONOTHING#OMPRESSORSGIVEUSAFEWOPTIONSHERE
)F WE SET A VERY SHORT ATTACK TIME AND CHOOSE AN APPROPRIATE THRESHOLD AND QUITEAHIGHRATIOTHENTHECOMPRESSORWILLREACTALMOSTINSTANTLYTOTHEPEAK ATTHEBEGINNINGOFTHESOUNDANDSQUASHTHISDOWN"UTWHENWEGETTOTHE DRUMSHELLPARTOFTHESOUNDTHISWILLBEBELOWTHETHRESHOLDSOTHECOMPRES SORWONTCHANGETHISATALL4HISHASTHEEFFECTOFMAKINGTHEDECAYPARTOFTHE SOUNDLOUDERINRELATIONTOTHEATTACKPARTSOWEHAVEINASMALLWAYATLEAST REBALANCEDTHOSETWOPARTSOFTHESOUND)FWESETALONGERATTACKTIMETHElRST PARTOFTHESOUNDWILLBEABLETOPASSTHROUGHUNAFFECTEDWHILETHESECONDPART OFTHESOUNDwillBEAFFECTED7EMIGHTNEEDTOADJUSTAFEWPARAMETERSTOGET THE REQUIREDEFFECTBUTWECAN IFWESET THISUP RIGHTUSE THECOMPRESSOR TO ALLOWTHEPEAKOFTHEBEATERHITTINGTHESKINTHROUGHUNAFFECTEDANDACTUALLY REDUCETHELEVELOFTHEDRUMSHELLPARTOFTHESOUND/NCEAGAINWEAREREBAL ANCING THEPARTSOF THESOUNDONLY THIS TIMEWEAREDOING IT IN THEOPPOSITE DIRECTION
)F YOUHAVE A COMPRESSORWITH INVERSE COMPRESSION RATIOS THEN YOU CAN TAKE THAT KIND OF EFFECT EVEN FURTHER ,ETS STICKWITH THE KICK DRUM AND SEEWHAT WOULDHAPPEN IFWE SET UP A RATIO OF )FWE USE A FAST ATTACK TIME THE COMPRESSOR IS TRIGGERED BY THE INITIAL BEATER HIT ,ETS ASSUME THAT IT PEAKED at D" WITH A THRESHOLD LEVEL OF D" SET 7ITH A CONVENTIONAL RATIO OF SAY THATWOULDMEAN THAT THE SOUNDPEAKEDATD"AFTER COMPRES SION BUT WITH AN INVERSE RATIO OF IT WOULDMEAN THAT THE PEAKS WERE NOWREDUCEDTOD"&ORASLONGASTHEINPUTSIGNALREMAINEDABOVETHE THRESHOLD LEVEL THE OUTPUT SIGNALWOULD REMAINBELOW IT )T IS QUITE HARD TO EXPLAIN THE FULL EFFECT OF THIS INWORDS SO ) RECOMMEND THAT YOU LISTEN TO IT YOURSELF IF YOU POSSIBLY CAN 4HERE ARENT MANY COMPRESSORS THAT HAVE AN
INVERSE RATIO BUT THE ELYSIAMPRESSOR WHICH IS AVAILABLE AS BOTH A HARDWARE COMPRESSORANDASAPLUG INISONEVERYGOOD EXAMPLE5SEDONAFULLDRUM SUBMIXTHEEFFECTCANBEDEVASTATINGANDITCANSQUASHTHEPEAKSOFTHEDRUMS DOWNINSUCHADRAMATICWAYTHAT IT FEELS LIKETHEYHAVEBECOMEALIVINGAND BREATHINGCREATURESTRAININGTOBURSTOUTOFYOURSPEAKERS)TREALLYCANBEQUITE AN INTENSE EFFECT NOT SOMETHING YOU WOULD USE ALL THE TIME BUT CERTAINLY SOMETHINGWORTHHAVINGINYOURBOXOFTRICKS
"EFOREMOVINGON )WOULD LIKE TOGIVEYOUA LITTLEADVICE!SAGENERAL RULE ) THINKTHATITSALWAYSBETTERTOCOMPRESSTOOLITTLERATHERTHANTOOMUCHUNLESS YOU ARE AIMING FOR A VERY SPECIlC EFFECT INWHICH CASE THEY SKY IS THE LIMIT ) ALWAYS TRY TOMAKE SURE THAT A COMPRESSOR IS GIVINGNOMORE THANnD" OFGAINREDUCTION)F)lNDMYSELFNEEDINGMORETHANTHIS)WOULDMORETHAN LIKELY PLACE ANOTHER COMPRESSOR IN SERIES AND USE THIS SECOND ONE TO REDUCE THEPEAKSSOMEMORE&ORSOMEREASONTWOCOMPRESSORSPLACEDINSERIESEACH GIVINGD"OFGAINREDUCTIONGENERALLYSOUNDSCLEANERANDCLEARERTHANASIN GLE COMPRESSOR GIVING D"OF GAIN REDUCTION-ANY TOPPRODUCERS ANDMIX ENGINEERSUSEMULTIPLECOMPRESSORSINSERIES)NADDITIONTOTHEFACTTHATEACH COMPRESSORHAS TOWORK LESS THERE IS THEPOSSIBILITY THAT YOUCAN SET THEDIF FERENTCOMPRESSORSUPDIFFERENTLYTODODIFFERENTTHINGSTOTHESOUND4HElRST COULDBESETUPWITHAVERYFASTATTACKANDRELEASEPEAKDETECTIONQUITEAHIGH THRESHOLDANDAHIGHRATIOTOESSENTIALLYACTASAPEAKLIMITER&ROMTHERETHE SOUNDCOULDMOVETOTHENEXTCOMPRESSORWHICHHADASLIGHTLYSLOWERATTACK ANDLONGERRELEASEALOWERRATIOANDLOWERTHRESHOLDBUTSTILLWITHPEAKDETEC TIONPROVIDINGANADDITIONALSTAGEOFGAINREDUCTION&INALLYYOUCOULDADDIN A LOW RATIO LOW THRESHOLDCOMPRESSORWITH2-3DETECTION TOADDSOMEDEN SITYTOTHETRACKOVERALLANDGIVEALITTLEMOREGAINREDUCTION4HEREREALLYARENT ANYHARD AND FASTRULESHEREANDUSINGCOMBINATIONSOFDIFFERENTCOMPRESSORS FOR DIFFERENT PURPOSES AND THENUSING THEM IN SEQUENCE CAN GIVE SOME TRULY GREATRESULTS9OUCANIFYOUWISHSTILLSTICKTOUSINGJUSTONECOMPRESSORIFTHAT ISGIVINGYOUTHEEFFECTYOUWANTBUTCERTAINLYDONTBEAFRAIDTOTRYTHISMUL TIPLECOMPRESSORTECHNIQUE
Using Compression as an “Effect” (Sidechain) 3OMETIMESYOUWANTYOURCOMPRESSIONTOHAPPENWITHOUTITREALLYBEINGDIS CERNIBLE)FALLYOUWANTTODOISCONTROLTHEPEAKSINASOUNDTHENYOUDONT REALLYWANT IT TOSOUNDLIKEYOUAREDOINGANYTHINGYOU JUSTWANT IT TOSEEM LIKE THE SOUND IN QUESTIONWAS PLAYED QUITE UNIFORMLY/N OTHER OCCASIONS SUCH AS WITH PARALLEL COMPRESSION YOUMIGHT WANT TO HAVE THE COMPRESSOR TAKEAMOREUPFRONT ROLEANDBEMOREDOMINANT IN THE SOUND%VEN THEN IT WOULDNTNECESSARILYBEOBVIOUSTHATAHEAVYCOMPRESSIONWASGIVINGTHEEFFECT 4HERE ISONEUSAGEOFHEAVY COMPRESSIONHOWEVERWHERE THEEFFECTS AREvery AUDIBLEANDVERYIDENTIlABLEASBEINGCOMPRESSION!NDTHATISWITHsidechain compression 4HIS HAS BECOME A DEEPLY INGRAINED PART OF THE WHOLE &RENCH HOUSESOUNDANDWASUSEDTOIMMENSEEFFECTON%RIC0RYDZSHUGEHITh#ALLON -EvWHEREITCAMETODElNETHEWHOLESOUNDOFTHETRACK
3IDECHAIN COMPRESSION IS ACTUALLY A VERYGENERAL TERMBUT ITHAS COME TOBE ASSOCIATEDWITHAVERYSPECIlCTYPEOFUSAGE )FAREGULARKICKDRUMIS FED INTOTHESIDECHAININPUTOFACOMPRESSORANDAREASONABLYHIGHRATIOANDLOW THRESHOLDAREUSEDALONGWITHAFASTATTACKANDAMEDIUM TO LONGRELEASETHE EFFECTONTHESOUNDWILLBETOhDUCKvTHESOUNDWHENTHEKICKDRUMISPRESENT BECAUSE THE KICKDRUMWILL BE TRIGGERING THE COMPRESSOR TO REDUCE THE LEVELS EVERY TIMEITSOUNDS4HECOMBINEDEFFECT IS TOMAKEWHATEVER ISBEINGCOM PRESSED SOUND LIKE IT IS PUMPING OR SUCKING )F THIS COMPRESSION IS APPLIED TO THEWHOLE TRACK MINUS THEKICKDRUMOF COURSE THE EFFECT CANBEPRETTY INTENSE
)T CAN ALSO BE USED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF A NATURAL PHENOMENON TO GIVE THE IMPRESSION THATOUR TRACKS ARE LOUDER THAN THEY ACTUALLY ARE 4HEHUMANEAR LIKE ANY KIND OF LISTENING DEVICE OR RECORDER HAS LIMITS TO HOW LOUD SOUNDS CANBEBEFOREITWILLDISTORTANDOVERLOAD7HATHAPPENSWHENTHOSELIMITSARE REACHEDISTHATOUREARSJUSTCOMPRESSORLIMIT ANYSOUNDLOUDERTHANITSOWN INBUILT THRESHOLD )N THE CASE OF KICK DRUM HEAVY CLUBMUSIC THE KICK DRUM WILLMOST LIKELY TRIGGEROUREARSBUILT IN LIMITERWITH ITSHUGEBASSENERGY LEV ELS7HENTHESOUNDOFTHEKICKDRUMDIESAWAYEVERYTHINGELSEWILLSEEMTO GET LOUDER FOR A SECONDUNTIL THEKICKDRUMCOMES AGAIN!ND THIS IS EXACTLY THE EFFECTWE HAVE BEEN DESCRIBINGWITH SIDECHAIN COMPRESSION 3O IFWE SET THISSIDECHAINCOMPRESSIONUP IN THERIGHTWAYANDONTHEWHOLEMIX ITcan HAVETHESAMEEFFECTONTHESOUNDASLISTENINGTOITEXTREMELYLOUDWOULD/UR EARSHEARTHEEFFECTANDNATURALLYMAKEACONNECTIONBETWEENTHEhOVERLYLOUDv EFFECTANDTHEhSIDECHAINCOMPRESSIONvEFFECTANDITGOESSOMEWAYTOWARDGIV INGTHEIMPRESSIONTHATWEARELISTENINGTOTHETRACKREALLYLOUDBUTATTHESAME TIMEQUIETLY/FCOURSENOTHINGWILLEVERTRULYGIVETHESAMEIMPRESSIONASLIS TENINGONAHUGECLUB0!SYSTEMWOULDBUTITISAUSEFULSIDE EFFECTOFTHESIDE CHAINCOMPRESSIONPROCESSTHATCANWORKINOURFAVORTOHELPMAKEOURMIXES SOUNDSOMEHOWBIGGER
Parallel Compression 0ARALLELCOMPRESSION LIKESIDECHAINCOMPRESSION ISAGENERIC TERMFORAPRO CESS THAT HAS BEEN ADOPTED BY A VERY SPECIlC PRODUCTION TECHNIQUE /FTEN CALLED .EW 9ORK COMPRESSION PARALLEL COMPRESSION IS PRETTY MUCH SELF EXPLANATORY 2ATHER THAN THE COMPRESSED SOUND REPLACING THE ORIGINAL ONE WITHPARALLEL COMPRESSION THE TWOVERSIONS RUNSIDEBY SIDEANDCAN THENBE BLENDED IN DIFFERENT PROPORTIONS TO GIVE DIFFERENT EFFECTS 3OMETIMES THIS IS POSSIBLEWITHINASINGLECOMPRESSORIF THEREISAWETDRYCONTROLBUTINOTHER CASESYOUWILLNEEDTOMAKEACOPYOFTHESOUNDYOUWISHTOPROCESSINTHIS WAYAPPLYTHECOMPRESSORTOTHECOPYOFTHESOUNDANDTHENBLENDTHETWO BY ADJUSTING THE LEVELS OF BOTH VERSIONS !NOTHER OPTION MIGHT BE TO ROUTE THESOUNDTOABUSANDAPPLYTHECOMPRESSORTOTHEBUS4HISISTHEPREFERRED METHODFORUSINGPARALLELCOMPRESSIONONDRUMSBECAUSESEVERALSOUNDSEACH OFTHEDRUMSINTHEDRUMKIT CANBEROUTEDSIMULTANEOUSLYTOTHESAMEBUS ANDTHECOMPRESSORCANACTONALLTHESOUNDSATONCE
)NGENERALPARALLELCOMPRESSIONTECHNIQUESWILLUSEAVERYHEAVILYCOMPRESSED VERSIONOFTHESOUNDTOBLENDWITHTHEUNCOMPRESSEDVERSIONANDWILLUSETHE BALANCEBETWEENTHETWOTOCONTROLTHEDEPTHOFTHEEFFECTRATHERTHANSETTING ABALANCEANDTHENADJUSTINGTHEAMOUNTOFCOMPRESSIONTOCONTROLTHE DEPTHOFTHEEFFECT4HEREAREAFEWDIFFERENTREASONSFORDOINGITTHISWAYBUT THEMAINONEISTHATBECAUSETHECOMPRESSIONISSOHEAVYONTHEPARALLELVER SIONOFTHESOUNDITISLESSRESPONSIVETOLEVELCHANGESONTHEINPUTSOTHEOUT PUTLEVELWILLREMAINMUCHMORECONSISTENTOVERTHECOURSEOFTHEWHOLETRACK )FTHECOMPRESSIONWERELIGHTERITWOULDmUCTUATEMUCHMOREOVERTHELENGTH OFTHETRACKANDWOULDBEHARDERTOCONTROLANDWOULDPROBABLYNEEDQUITEA LOTOFAUTOMATIONTOCONTROLTHELEVELOFTHECOMPRESSEDVERSION
3OHOWDOESITSOUND7ELLTHEEFFECTREALLYDOESDEPENDONHOWMUCHOFTHE COMPRESSEDVERSIONYOUMIXINWITHTHEORIGINALBUT TYPICALLYYOUCANEXPECT THE COMBINED SOUND TO BE LOUDER ANDMORE ENERGETIC WHILE STILL RETAINING A GOOD SENSEOFDYNAMICS ANDNOT SOUNDING TOO SQUASHED 4HISWORKSBECAUSE WHAT YOU ARE DOING IS TAKING A VERY DYNAMIC SOUNDWITH A LEVEL THAT IS CON STANTLYVARYINGANDADDINGTOITAVERSIONOFTHATSAMESOUNDTHATHASAMORE OR LESSCONSTANTLEVEL7HENYOUHAVEALOUDPARTINTHEUNCOMPRESSEDVERSION THENRELATIVELYSPEAKING THAT LOUDPARTMAKESTHEORIGINALUNCOMPRESSEDVER SIONSEEMMOREDOMINANTSOTHEEARWILLTENDTOHEARTHATVERSIONMORE7HEN YOUHAVEAQUIETPARTINTHEORIGINALVERSIONTHECOMPRESSEDVERSIONISRELATIVELY LOUDERWHICHMEANSTHATTHEEARMIGHTTENDTOPICKUPONTHATMORE4HISWILL GIVETHEIMPRESSIONOFAHIGHERVOLUMEANDMOREENERGYINTHEQUIETERPARTS
0ARALLELCOMPRESSIONISAVERYUSEFULTECHNIQUEFORADDINGDENSITYANDENERGY TO SOUNDSOR SUBMIX GROUPSWITHOUT SIMPLYPUSHING THEMHARDER INTO COM PRESSIONORLIMITINGBUTITDOESTENDTOWORKBESTONSOUNDSTHATHAVELOTSOF DYNAMICS!SSUCHITWORKSMUCHBETTERONDRUMSVOCALSANDSOMETIMESAT LEAST BASSES THAN IT DOESON SUSTAINED SOUNDS LIKEPIANOS STRINGS PADS AND LEADSOUNDS)NRECENTTIMES)HAVEUSEDPARALLELCOMPRESSIONONNEARLYEVERY VOCAL)HAVEWORKEDONEVENIFONLYINASUBTLEWAY)RECENTLYINCORPORATEDIT INTOMYTEMPLATESWITHIN,OGICANDHAVEASUBMIXBUSALREADYSETUPWITHA COMPRESSORASANINSERTANDTHEOUTPUTROUTEDBACKINTOTHElNALVOCALSUBMIX BUS7HEN)WANTTOAPPLYITTOANYVOCAL)SIMPLYSETUPANAUXILIARYSENDON THEVOCALCHANNELINQUESTIONTOTHEvox parallelBUSAND)AMALLSET
Multiband Compression -ULTIBAND COMPRESSION IS AMORE RECENT DEVELOPMENT )T AIMS TOMAKE THE COMPRESSIONPROCESSMORETRANSPARENTBYALLOWINGTHEINPUTSIGNALTOBESPLIT INTOANUMBEROFDIFFERENTFREQUENCYBANDSANDTHENEACHOFTHOSETOBECOM PRESSEDINDEPENDENTLYWITHDIFFERENTSETTINGSFOREACHBAND4HEMAINREASON FOR THIS IS TOAVOID THEPUMPINGEFFECTYOUSOMETIMESGETWHENCOMPRESSING A FULL TRACK THAT HAS SOMETHING LIKE A VERY PROMINENT KICK DRUM IN IT7HAT HAPPENSWITHASINGLEBANDCOMPRESSORISTHATTHEHIGHLEVELOFTHEKICKDRUM WOULDPROBABLYPUSH THECOMPRESSORQUITEHEAVILY INTOCOMPRESSION TODEAL
WITH THEKICKDRUMBUT THATWOULDALSOHAVE THEEFFECTOF REDUCING THEGAIN OF THERESTOF THE TRACKASWELLWHICHGIVESRISE TO THATPRONOUNCEDPUMPING EFFECT
4HISRESULTCANCERTAINLYBEUSEFULASANEFFECTBUTTHATONLYAPPLIESifYOUACTU ALLYWANTIT7ITHOUTMULTIBANDCOMPRESSIONITWOULDBEMUCHMOREDIFlCULT TOAPPLYANY SIGNIlCANTAMOUNTOF COMPRESSION TOYOURMIXASAWHOLEBUT WHENYOUSTARTUSINGAMULTIBANDCOMPRESSORITALLOWSYOUMUCHMORECONTROL OVERTHECOMPRESSIONPROCESSASAWHOLE)NITSSIMPLESTFORMYOUCOULDSIM PLYSETUPTWOSEPARATEBANDSˆONETHATONLYCOVERSTHEFREQUENCYRANGEOFTHE KICKDRUMAND LOWBASS SOUNDS MAYBEUP TOABOUT(Z THEOTHER THAT COVERSEVERYTHINGELSEˆANDSETTHEMUPIDENTICALLY4HISWOULDGIVEYOUASIM ILAREFFECT TOHAVINGASINGLEBANDOFCOMPRESSIONWITHTHOSEPARAMETERSBUT YOUWILLCLEARLYSEETHATTHEKICK DRUMBANDWILLHAVEMOREGAINREDUCTIONON IT THANTHEOTHERBAND)FYOUDIDTHISYOUWOULDPROBABLYTHINKTHATSOME THINGWASWRONGBECAUSENOWTHEBALANCEBETWEENTHELOWANDHIGHFREQUEN CIESINYOURMIXWILLBEALLMESSEDUP&ORTUNATELYALLMULTIBANDCOMPRESSORS THAT)AMAWAREOFINCLUDEmakeup gainORSOMETHINGSIMILAR FOREACHBAND INDEPENDENTLYSOYOUCANNOWUSETHEMAKEUPGAINFORTHEKICKBANDTOBOOST THE LEVELANDBRING THINGSBACK INTO LINE4HEGAIN REDUCTIONMETERS FOREACH INDEPENDENTBANDCANBEVERYUSEFULATTHISPOINTBECAUSETHEYWILLGIVEYOUAT LEASTABALLPARKlGUREOFHOWMUCHMAKEUPGAINTOAPPLYTOBRINGTHINGSBACK TOHOWTHEYWERE
"UTHEREINLIESTHElRSTPROBLEM/NCEWEHAVEAPPLIEDTHEMAKEUPGAINTHE APPROXIMATEFREQUENCYBALANCEOFTHEINPUTSIGNALISRETURNED"UTBECAUSEWE HAVECHANGED LEVELSWITH THECOMPRESSIONAND THENCHANGED THEMAGAINWE RISKCHANGINGTHEFREQUENCYBALANCEANDSPECTRALCONTENTOFINDIVIDUALSOUNDS WITHIN THEMIX ASSUMING YOU ARE PROCESSING A FULL MIX THROUGH THEMULTI BAND COMPRESSOR 4HESE CHANGESMIGHT ONLY BE SUBTLE BUT CAN BE ENOUGH TOSTARTTOMAKETHINGSSOUNDALITTLESTRANGE9OUMAYBETHINKINGTHATMUCH THESAMETHINGHAPPENSWHENYOU%1SOUNDSSOWHYWORRYABOUTITHERE4O SOMEEXTENT THAT IS TRUEBUT IN THISSITUATIONYOUARECHANGING THE FREQUENCY RESPONSEOFTHESOUNDSANDTHEDYNAMICRESPONSE)FYOUREDUCEDTHELEVELOF APARTICULAR FREQUENCY RANGEWITHAN%1 THAT CHANGE IS CONSTANT UNLESSYOU AREUSINGDYNAMIC%1WHICHISINMANYWAYSSIMILARTOMULTIBANDCOMPRES SION BUTWITHMULTIBANDCOMPRESSIONTHEREMIGHTBEPOINTSWHENTHELEVEL OFTHATFREQUENCYBANDISREDUCEDANDOTHERTIMESWHENITREMAINSTHESAME )TISTHISKINDOFEFFECTTHATMAKESMULTIBANDCOMPRESSIONHARDTOSETUPCOR RECTLY&ORTUNATELYIFUSEDSUBTLYTHESEEFFECTSAREGENERALLYMINIMALANDOFTEN CONSIDEREDACCEPTABLE
4HEPOSSIBLEAPPLICATIONSOFMULTIBANDCOMPRESSIONGOWELLBEYONDTHESIM PLE TWO BAND POSSIBILITY WE DESCRIBED EARLIER -OST MULTIBAND COMPRESSORS INCLUDEAT LEAST THREEBANDSANDASMANYAS SIX IN SOMECASESWHICHALLOWS FOR SOME FAIRLY SPECIlCDYNAMIC CONTROL IF YOUNEED IT!NOTHERPOSSIBLEUSE IS IN ISOLATING THEVERYHIGHFREQUENCIES IN THESAMEWAYWEDID FOR THEBASS TOAVOIDTHEVOCALSANDOTHERMIDRANGESOUNDSBEINGhCLAMPEDDOWNvBYAN ESPECIALLYLOUDCYMBALHIT/NCEWEHAVETACKLEDTHESETWOPOTENTIALPROBLEM AREAS WE CAN SPLIT UP THE REMAINING FREQUENCY RANGE STILL FURTHER ASSUMING THEREAREENOUGHBANDS LEFT TO SINGLEOUTOTHER SOUNDS9OUHAVE TOBEAR IN MIND THAT THEMIDRANGE FREQUENCIES AREWHEREMANY DIFFERENT SOUNDS OCCUR 0IANOSWHENPLAYINGCHORDSATLEAST STRINGSBRASSGUITARSSYNTHPADSLEAD ANDARPEGGIATEDSOUNDSALLSITINTHISMIDRANGEAREA,ASTBUTNOTLEASTSODO VOCALS#ONSEQUENTLYTHEMIDRANGEOFAlNALMIXCANBECOMEQUITECROWDED 4RYING TO ISOLATEPARTICULAR SOUNDSOR INSTRUMENTS THISWAYWITHAMULTIBAND COMPRESSORCOULDPROVEQUITEDIFlCULT
4HEMENTIONOFVOCALSBRINGSUSTOONEQUITESPECIlCAPPLICATIONFORAMULTI BAND COMPRESSOR 9OUHAVEPROBABLY ALREADYHEARDOFde-essing AND CHANCES ARETHATYOUWILLHAVEANEEDFORITONAREGULARBASIS4HEPROCESSOFGETTINGRID OFHARSHSIBILANCEhSSSvSOUNDSINAVOCAL ISNOTEASYATLEASTACHIEVINGITIN AWAYTHATDOESNTMAKETHERESTOFTHEVOCALPERFORMANCESOUNDSTRANGE9OU COULDSIMPLY%1OUTTHEHARSHFREQUENCIESBUTIFTHAT%1CHANGEWASASTATIC ONEITWOULDPROBABLYMAKETHERESTOFTHEVOCALSOUNDQUITEODDBECAUSEWE doNEEDTOBEABLETOHEARTHOSEhSSSvSOUNDSBUTJUSTINACONTROLLEDWAY)F YOUAPPLYENOUGHOFAN%1CUTTOGETRIDOFTHEHARSHSOUNDINGONESTHENTHE RESTOFTHEhSSSvSOUNDSINTHETRACKWILLBEREDUCEDINLEVELASWELLRESULTING IN THEVOCALIST SOUNDING SUSPICIOUSLY LIKEHEHASA LISP/NEPOSSIBLEOPTION HEREISTOAUTOMATETHE%1CUTAMOUNTBUTDEPENDINGONTHEVOCALOFCOURSE THIS COULDBEA LABORIOUS TASK!NOTHERPOSSIBILITYWOULDBE TOCUTALLOF THE
SIBILANTPARTSOFTHEVOCALOUTASSEPARATEREGIONSMOVETHEMTOANOTHERTRACK ANDTHENAPPLYASTATIC%1TOTHATTRACKONLY)NPRACTICETHISWOULDSOUNDVERY CLUMSYANDUNNATURALBECAUSETHEREWOULDBEASUDDENCHANGEFROMONEVOCAL TONETOTHEOTHERWHICHWOULDNOTBEGOOD7HATWEARELOOKINGFORISAWAY OFCHANGINGTHEAMOUNTOFREDUCTIONOFAPARTICULARNARROW FREQUENCYRANGE INANAUTOMATICWAYANDTHATISWHERETHEMULTIBANDCOMPRESSORCOMESINTO ITSOWN
)FWESETUPA BANDCOMPRESSORWITHAVERYNARROWFREQUENCYRANGEONTHE MIDDLEBANDAND THENSET THE LOWANDHIGHBANDS TOHAVENOCOMPRESSION WHATSOEVER THEN WE CAN USE THAT MIDDLE BAND TO REDUCE THE LEVEL OF only THOSEFREQUENCIESASWEWOULDWITHAN%1 ANDonlyWHENTHELEVELINTHAT BANDPASSESACERTAINTHRESHOLD)FTHEFREQUENCYBANDISWELL CHOSENITVAR IES BY SINGER BUT IS GENERALLY BETWEEN+(Z AND+(Z AND THE THRESHOLD ANDRATIOARESETCAREFULLYITISPOSSIBLETOHAVETHEVOCALSOUNDTOTALLYUNAF FECTED IN EVERY PART OF THE SONG EXCEPT FOR THE VERY SPECIlC PARTSWHERE THE SIBILANCEISTOOLOUD)TISCERTAINLYPOSSIBLETOTRYTODOTHISONAlNALSTEREO MIXOFATRACKANDYOUMIGHTBEABLETOGOALITTLEWAYTOWARDlXINGITIFYOU REALLYHAVENOCHOICEBUTSOMETHINGLIKETHISSHOULDBEAPPLIEDTOTHEVOCAL TRACKS beforeMIXDOWN)TSPROBABLYSOMETHINGYOUWOULDNOTICEEARLYON ANYWAY
4HEREAREDEDICATEDDE ESSERUNITSBOTHHARDWAREANDSOFTWARE ANDSOMEOF THESEWORKVERYWELL)FYOUHAVEONECERTAINLYTRYITBUT)WOULDALSORECOM MENDTHEMULTIBANDCOMPRESSORASAPOSSIBLEALTERNATIVEBECAUSEYOUMIGHT EVENBEABLETOPERFORMSOMELEVELINGONTHEVOCALATTHESAMETIME7HETHER YOUPREFERTHECONVENIENCEOFANALL IN ONESOLUTIONINAMULTIBANDCOMPRES SORORPREFERTOUSEASEPARATEDE ESSERANDCOMPRESSORISSOMETHINGYOUWILL DECIDEASYOUGOALONG)FNOTHINGELSEGIVETHISMETHODATRYBECAUSEITMIGHT HELPTOGIVEYOUAGREATERUNDERSTANDINGOFHOWTHEPROCESSWORKS!NAPPRE CIATIONOFwhyCERTAINTHINGSHAPPENISEQUALLYASIMPORTANTASUNDERSTANDING howTOMAKETHEMHAPPEN
WHAT IS EXPANSION? 5NLIKE COMPRESSION WHICH DECREASES THE DYNAMIC RANGE OF AN INPUT SIGNAL THATISREDUCESTHEDIFFERENCEBETWEENTHELOUDESTANDQUIETESTPARTS EXPAN SIONSERVESTOACTUALLYINCREASETHOSEDIFFERENCES!NDWHEREASCOMPRESSIONHAS ASMANYUSESAS THEREARECOMPRESSORSEXPANSIONISPERHAPSMORELIMITEDIN ITSSCOPE4HATDOESNTMEANITISMORELIMITEDINITSUSEFULNESS
Expansion Parameters -ANYOFTHEPARAMETERSFORANEXPANDERARETHESAMEASTHOSEFORACOMPRES SORBECAUSE THEYWORK INASIMILAR IFOPPOSITEWAY3O THE threshold IS THERE as are attackANDreleaseTIMESETTINGS9OUMIGHTEVENlNDANOPTIONTOSELECT PEAKOR2-3DETECTIONBUTTHISISLESSCOMMONINEXPANDERSWHICHNORMALLY JUST USEPEAKDETECTION 4HEBIGGEST DIFFERENCE LIES IN THE FACT THAT THE hCOM PRESSION RATIOv IS NOW CALLED hEXPANSION RATIOv AND OFFERS RATIOS THAT START ATAND THEN reduce FROMTHERE INSTEADOFGOING FROMUP TO THEY MIGHTGOFROMDOWNTO7HENTHEINPUTSIGNALCROSSESTHETHRESHOLD IEWHEN ITDROPSbelow THE THRESHOLD EVERYDECREASE IN SIGNAL LEVELBELOW THATTHRESHOLDOFSAYD"WILLRESULT INANlNALOUTPUTDECREASEOFD"! D"DECREASEININPUTLEVELWOULDEQUALAD"DECREASEINOUTPUTLEVEL
When to Use an Expander 4HEUSESFORANEXPANDERMIGHTNOTNECESSARILYBEASIMMEDIATELYOBVIOUSOR FORTHATMATTERASDIVERSEASTHOSEFORACOMPRESSORBUTTHEYCANSTILLBEGOOD PROBLEM SOLVERS FOR US ,IKE PRETTY MUCH ANY AUDIO PROCESSOR AN EXPANDER DOESHAVEANUMBEROFWELL ESTABLISHEDUSESBUTTHEREAREPROBABLYOTHERWAYS OFUSINGTHEMTHATHAVENTYETBEENFULLYEXPLORED,ETSSTARTWITHTHEOBVIOUS ANDTHENMOVEONTOACOUPLEOFTHEMORESPECIALIZED4HETWOMAINUSESTHAT SPRINGTOMINDARETOREDUCETHELEVELOFHEADPHONESPILL INVOCALRECORDINGS ANDTOEFFECTIVELYQUICKENTHEDECAYOFSOMETHINGLIKEACRASHCYMBALORASIMI LAR&8SOUND
(EADPHONESPILLONVOCALRECORDINGSISANINEVITABLEFACTOFLIFE4HEDEGREETO WHICHITISAPROBLEMDEPENDSONMANYDIFFERENTFACTORSINCLUDINGTHETYPEOF HEADPHONESBEINGUSED THEMONITORING LEVEL THE SINGERWANTS THE TYPE AND
SENSITIVITY OF THE MICROPHONE WHETHER THE SINGER HAD ONLY ONE HEADPHONE PROPERLYONHISORHERHEADTHEMUSICTHAT ISBEINGPLAYEDBACKTHROUGHTHE HEADPHONESANDlNALLYWHETHERANYCOMPRESSIONWASUSEDAT THERECORDING STAGE)NMOSTCASESTHEHEADPHONESPILL ISNEGLIGIBLEBUTTHERECANBETIMES WHENITSQUITEOBTRUSIVE7HENTHEVOCALISTISSINGINGITGENERALLYISNTSOMUCH OFAPROBLEMBECAUSETOSOMEEXTENTAT LEAST IT ISMASKEDBYTHECOMPARA TIVE LOUDNESS OF THE VOCAL ITSELF BUT WHEN THE VOCALIST ISNT SINGING IT CAN QUICKLY BECOME APROBLEM ESPECIALLY IF THAT VOCAL RECORDING IS SUBSEQUENTLY BEINGQUITEHEAVILYCOMPRESSED!NOISEGATESEEBELOW ISOFTENUSEDTOTRYTO CLEANUPTHEBACKGROUNDNOISEBUTITISNTALWAYSTHEBESTOPTIONWITHAVOCAL RECORDINGATLEASTNOTONITSOWNBECAUSEOFITSINHERENTONOFFBEHAVIOR7ITH VOCALS THERE ARE OFTEN PARTS AT THE END OFWORDS OR PHRASES THAT GENTLY FADE AWAY ANDANOISE GATE ISNTPARTICULARLYWELL EQUIPPED TODEALWITH THIS9OU HAVE TOMAKEA CHOICEBETWEEN SETTING ITUP SO THAT IT REMOVES ALL THEHEAD PHONESPILLCOMPLETELYATTHERISKOFPREMATURELYCUTTINGOFFTHEENDOFSOME OFTHENOTESORSETTINGITUPSOTHATITONLYhCLOSESvRIGHTATTHEVERYENDOFTHE VOCALNOTESWHICHMIGHTRISKLEAVINGSOMEHEADPHONESPILLAUDIBLEATTHEEND OFTHOSENOTES
!N EXPANDER CAN BE A USEFUL ALTERNATIVE OR AT THE VERY LEAST AN ADDITIONAL STEP7HATWE TRY TODO IN THIS SITUATION IS SET THE THRESHOLDHIGHENOUGHSO THATMOSTOF THEVOCALPASSES THROUGHUNAFFECTEDWITHONLY THEVERY ENDSOF THENOTESˆTHEPOINTSWHERE THEHEADPHONE SPILL IS STARTING TOBECOMEAUDI BLE AGAINˆBEING AFFECTED/NCEWE HAVE lGURED OUT A GOOD AVERAGE FOR THIS LEVELWETHENUSEAHIGHEXPANSIONRATIOTOMAKESURETHATANYTHINGTHATDROPS BELOW THIS LEVEL IS REDUCED QUITE SUBSTANTIALLY 7HEN THE VOCAL LEVEL DROPS BELOW THE THRESHOLD THE REMAINING DECAY OF THE NOTE DOES CONTINUE BUT AT
AQUICKER RATE!SA RESULTWEGET SOMETHING THAT ISHALFWAYBETWEEN THE TWO EXTREMESWEJUSTDESCRIBEDFORTHENOISEGATEANDSOUNDSMUCHMORENATURAL THANSIMPLYCUTTINGOFFTHEENDOFANOTE)FYOUWANTEDTOYOUCOULDTHENADD INANOISEGATEWITHAVERYLOWTHRESHOLDTOMAKESUREANYRESIDUALBACKGROUND NOISEWASTAKENCAREOFBYTHENOISEGATE
5SINGSIMILARPRINCIPLESWECANMAKECRASHCYMBALSOROTHER&8SOUNDSSEEM TODIEAWAYABITQUICKER/FCOURSEYOUCANDOTHISWITHEITHERVOLUMEAUTO MATIONORA FADE OUTON THEAUDIOlLE ITSELFBUTUSINGANEXPANDERCANBEA BETTEROPTIONBECAUSEITDOESNTREQUIREYOUTOREMEMBERTOREPLICATETHEAUTO MATIONIFYOUCOPYAREGIONTOANOTHERLOCATION)NADDITIONITISNTADESTRUC TIVEEDITONTHEAUDIOlLEWHICHHELPSBECAUSE THEORIGINALlLECANSTAYAS IT WASINCASEYOUHAVEUSEDITINANOTHERPROJECTANDDONTWANTTHENEWCHANGES TOREmECTINTHEOTHERPROJECT/NEOTHERBENElTISTHATIFTHEORIGINALSOUNDHAS ADECAYTHATISNTASIMPLELINEARFALLINVOLUMETHEUNIQUESHAPEOFTHEDECAY ISSTILLMAINTAINEDINGENERALATLEAST AFTERBEINGPROCESSEDBYTHEEXPANDER
!NOTHER POSSIBLE USE OF AN EXPANDER IS TO REDUCE THE LEVEL OF REVERB ON A SOUND )F YOU WERE GIVEN A RECORDING THAT HAD REVERB APPLIED ALREADY AND WANTED TO REDUCE THE COMPARATIVE LEVEL OF THAT REVERB YOU CAN POSSIBLY USE ANEXPANDER TOHELPWITH THIS"EWARNEDHOWEVER THIS ISNTALWAYSGOING TO WORK)TRELIESONTHEORIGINALSOUNDHAVINGARELATIVELYCLEARANDQUICKDECAY INORDER TOBEEFFECTIVE4HEREHAS TOBEANOTICEABLECHANGE IN LEVELBETWEEN THEENDOFTHEORIGINALSOUNDANDTHEREVERBPARTFORTHEEXPANDERTOBEABLE TODISTINGUISHBETWEEN THE TWO )F THE SOUNDHASA LONGNATURALDECAY LIKEA SUSTAINEDPIANOCHORDFOREXAMPLETHISMETHODWONTREALLYWORKBECAUSETHE EXPANDERWILLSIMPLYLOWERTHEVOLUMEOFTHEDECAYPARTOFTHEORIGINALSOUND ASWELL AS THE REVERB 4HIS CANBE A USEFUL EFFECT IN ITSELF ASWE SAWWITH THE CRASHCYMBALEXAMPLEEARLIERBUTITDOESNTREALLYHAVETHEEFFECTOFREMOVING THEREVERBFROMTHESOUND
3OMETHING LIKE A VOCALOR ESPECIALLY ADRUMKIT THATHAS REVERBPRESENTWILL BEABETTERCANDIDATEASTHETHRESHOLDFORTHEEXPANDER)TCANBESETATALEVEL WHERE THEMAJORITYOF THE SOUNDHASDECAYEDNATURALLY 4HE EXPANDERWOULD THENTAKEEFFECTANDREDUCETHELEVELOFANYTHINGTHATFOLLOWSWHICHISINTHIS CASE REVERB7HEN THE NEXT DRUM OR VOCAL HAPPENS THE EXPANDER THRESHOLD WILL BE CROSSED AND THE REDUCTION EFFECT OF THE EXPANDER WILL STOP ALLOWING THESOUNDTOPASSUNPROCESSED9OUWOULDPROBABLYNEEDQUITEAHIGHEXPAN SIONRATIOFORTHISTOBENOTICEABLEANDEVENTHENYOUMIGHTNEEDTOUSETWO EXPANDERSINSERIESTOGETTHEDESIREDEFFECT7EAREINSIMILARTERRITORYHEREAS DEALINGWITHHEADPHONE SPILL SO YOUMIGHT CHOOSE TOUSE ANOISE GATE AFTER THEEXPANDERS TOTRULYGETRIDOFREVERB!SWITHHEADPHONESPILLANOISEGATE ALONEWOULDPROBABLYSOUNDTOOHARSHTOUSE
What Is a Noise Gate? ! NOISE GATE IS A TYPE OF DYNAMICS PROCESSOR THAT WORKS IN A VERY SIMPLE WAY )F THE INPUT LEVEL IS ABOVE THE THRESHOLD LEVEL THE SIGNALPASSES THROUGH
UNAFFECTED )F THE INPUT ISBELOWTHE THRESHOLD LEVEL THEGATEEITHERSTOPS THE SIGNAL COMPLETELY OR LESS COMMONLY REDUCES THE LEVEL BY A PREDETERMINED AMOUNT )N FACT IF YOUUSE A NOISE GATE THAT HAS A REDUCTION hAMOUNTv CON TROL IT ISMORE LIKE AN EXPANDER WHICH WE COVERED IN THE PREVIOUS SECTION (EREWEWILLFOCUSONTHEPUREGATINGEFFECT)NTERMSOFUSESWEHAVEALREADY MENTIONED MANY OF THE MAIN ONES 9OULL RECALL THAT ANY TIME YOU HAVE A RECORDINGˆPARTICULARLY ONEMADEWITHMICROPHONES RATHER THAN THROUGH$) BOXESORDIRECTFROMTHEINSTRUMENTˆTHEREWILLBESOMEDEGREEOFBACKGROUND NOISE7HILETHISMIGHTBEMINIMALANDNOTOBVIOUSLYAUDIBLEITISSTILLGOOD PRACTICETOUSEANOISEGATETOMINIMIZETHENOISEBECAUSEMULTIPLETRACKSOF BACKGROUNDNOISEPLAYINGATTHESAMETIMESOONBUILDUPANDTHENOISECOULD THENBECOMENOTICEABLE
Noise Gate Parameters 4HEGOODNEWS IS THATNOISEGATESAREGENERALLYVERYEASY TOSETUP4HEREARE MANYOF THE SAMEPARAMETERSWE SEE INOTHERDYNAMICSPROCESSORSWITH THE ADDITIONOFAFEWNEWOPTIONS!SUSUALTHETHRESHOLDCONTROLISPROBABLYTHE MOST IMPORTANT AS THIS DETERMINES HOW EARLY THE GATE WILL CLOSE 4HE ATTACK AND RELEASE PARAMETERS ALSO PLAY AN IMPORTANT ROLE BECAUSE THEY DETERMINE HOWQUICKLY THEGATEWILL REACT TOCHANGES IN THESOUND.ORMALLY THEATTACK TIMEWOULDBESET FAIRLYQUICKLYASYOUWOULDNTWANT TOMISSANYIMPORTANT TRANSIENTDETAILINTHESOUNDBEINGGATED/CCASIONALLYYOUMIGHTSETITALITTLE SLOWERBECAUSEYOUMIGHTWANTTOSOFTENTHESOUNDOFTHEGATEOPENINGALITTLE 4HEMOST OBVIOUS EXAMPLE ) CAN THINK OF FOR THIS IS ON A VOCAL TRACKWHERE THEREMIGHTBESOMEBREATHNOISEORAWORD THATBEGINSWITHASOFTERSOUND SUCHAShSSSvORhMMMvINTHISCASEASLIGHTLYSLOWERATTACKWOULDPRESERVEAT LEASTSOMEOFTHATSMOOTHTRANSITIONINTOTHEFOLLOWINGSOUND4HERELEASECON TROL ISPERHAPSMOREIMPORTANT INSHAPINGTHEOVERALL RESPONSEOF THEGATE )F YOUWEREUSINGTHEGATEWITHQUITEALOWTHRESHOLDFORQUITEHARDGATINGEFFECTS YOU WOULDMOST PROBABLY USE A QUICKER RELEASE TIME TOMAKE SURE NOTHING
SLIPPEDTHROUGH)FTHETHRESHOLDISSETHIGHERYOUMIGHTAGAINWANTTOSOFTEN THESOUNDOFTHEGATECLOSINGANDUSEALONGERRELEASETIME4HEREISONESPE CIlCEXAMPLE)CANTHINKOFWHERETHERELEASETIMEPLAYSACRUCIALROLEINSHAP ING THEEFFECT AND )WILL COME TO THAT SHORTLYBUTBEFORE )DO )WANT TO RUN OVERSOMEADDITIONALCONTROLSYOUWILLMOSTLIKELYSEEONANOISEGATE
4HERE IS AN ADDITION TO THE ATTACK AND RELEASE CONTROLS IN THE FORMOF Ahold CONTROL4HECOMBINATIONOFTHESETHREEANDTHETHRESHOLDCONTROLISFAIRLYSELF EXPLANATORYBUTCANBESUMMEDUPLIKETHIS/NCETHEINPUTSIGNALBECOMES LOUDERTHANTHELEVELSETBYTHETHRESHOLDTHENOISEGATEWILLOPENATTHERATE SETBY THEATTACKCONTROL )TWILL CONTINUEAS IT ISUNTIL THE INPUT SIGNALDROPS BACKBELOWTHE THRESHOLD LEVEL!T THISPOINT THEGATEWILL STAY FULLYOPEN FOR ANAMOUNTOFTIMESETBYTHEHOLDCONTROLANDONCETHATTIMEHASPASSEDWILL THENCLOSEATTHERATESPECIlEDBYTHERELEASECONTROL
3LIGHTLYMORECOMPLEXISTHEhysteresisCONTROL4HETERMhysteresisMEANSINA GENERALSENSETHERATEATWHICHACAUSERELATESTOANEFFECT)NANOISEGATETHIS ISACONTROLTHATDETERMINESTHEBEHAVIOROFTHENOISEGATEWHENPRESENTEDWITH A SIGNAL THATmUCTUATESQUICKLYAROUND THE THRESHOLD LEVEL7ITHOUTANYKIND OFHYSTERESISANOISEGATECANREACTINANUNPLEASANTWAYTOSIGNALSTHATHOVER AROUNDTHETHRESHOLDLEVEL4HEGATECANOPENANDCLOSERAPIDLYINRESPONSETO ANINPUTSIGNALANDTHERESULTISOFTENREFERREDTOASchattering4HISRAPIDmUC TUATIONBETWEENOPENANDCLOSEDSTATESCANBEDEALTWITHINACOUPLEOFDIFFER ENTWAYS/NEWAYISTOADJUSTTHEATTACKANDDECAYTIMESTOCOMBATTHISRAPID OPENINGANDCLOSING4HISCANDElNITELYWORKBUTIFYOULENGTHENTHETIMESSO THAT THE CHATTERINGHAS DISAPPEARED THENOISE GATEMAYNOWNOT REACT TO THE LOUDERSOUNDSPASSINGTHROUGHITINTHEWAYTHATYOUWANTED4HEOTHERMORE USEFULWAYISTOUSETHEHYSTERESISCONTROL4HISUSUALLYTAKESTHEFORMOFACON TROLTHATISMEASUREDINDECIBELSANDINSIMPLETERMSITSETSTHEDIFFERENCEIN LEVELBETWEENTWODIFFERENTTHRESHOLDSONETHRESHOLDFOROPENINGTHEGATEAND ANOTHER LOWER ONE FOR CLOSING THE GATE 3OMETIMES THEREWONTBE AN ACTUAL HYSTERESIS CONTROLBUTWILL INSTEADBE TWOSEPARATE THRESHOLDCONTROLS4HERE ISNTREALLYATECHNICALDIFFERENCEINTHEPROCESSWHICHEVERMETHODISUSEDBUT IN SOMEWAYS THE HYSTERESIS CONTROL ISMORE USEFUL BECAUSE IT ALLOWS YOU TO SET ADIFFERENCE IN LEVELBETWEEN THE TWO AND THEN THISDIFFERENCE TRACKS ANY CHANGESYOUMAKETOTHEMAINTHRESHOLDLEVELWITHOUTYOUHAVINGTOREMEM BERTOREADJUSTTHEOTHERTHRESHOLDTOCOMPENSATE
4HISMETHODOFHAVINGTWODIFFERENTTHRESHOLDSWORKSEXTREMELYWELLTOCOM PENSATE FOR THE CHATTERING BECAUSE ITMEANS THAT THE SIGNAL WILL HAVE TO RISE AGAINBYA REASONABLEAMOUNT FOR THEGATE TOOPENAGAINONCE ITHAS CLOSED )NMOSTSITUATIONSYOUWILLWANTTOSETTHETHRESHOLDOFANOISEGATEASLOWAS POSSIBLETOALLOWASMUCHOFTHESOUNDTOPASSTHROUGHASUNAFFECTEDASPOS SIBLE7HENYOU REACH THE LOWESTPOINT THEREMAYWELL BEBACKGROUNDNOISE ORMICROPHONE SPILL THAT ISMUCHMORE CONSISTENT THAN THEMAIN SOUNDYOU ARE GATING )F YOUR THRESHOLD LEVEL IS RIGHT ON THE LIMIT OF THE LEVEL ATWHICH THISUNWANTEDNOISEOCCURSTHENEVENACHANGEOFD"UPANDDOWNINTHE
BACKGROUNDNOISECANCAUSETHEGATETOKEEPOPENINGANDCLOSING"UT IFYOU SETAHYSTERESISVALUEOFSAYD"ANYmUCTUATIONSINTHEBACKGROUNDNOISEOF EVENASMUCHASD"WONTCAUSETHEGATETOREOPEN
Using a Noise Gate versus Manual Editing !NOISEGATEISAVERYUSEFULTOOLFORCLEANINGUPMESSYRECORDINGSANDINTHE CASEOFMOSTMULTIMICROPHONE RECORDINGSOF LIVEDRUMS IS ANECESSITY IF YOU WANTTOGETANYTHINGWORKABLEASARESULTBUTITDOESNTSOLVEEVERYPROBLEM 3OMETIMESYOUMAYSETUPANOISEGATE THATWORKSPERFECTLYONOFYOUR TRACKBUTINAFEWPLACESTHEREARELITTLEGLITCHESORSOUNDSTHATTHENOISEGATE WONTDEALWITHPROPERLY)NSITUATIONSSUCHASTHESEYOUHAVETORELYONMAN UALEDITINGTOSOLVETHEPROBLEM)NANIDEALWORLD)WOULDRATHERDEALWITHall BACKGROUNDNOISEANDMICROPHONESPILLHEADPHONEBLEEDPROBLEMSBYMAN UALEDITINGBUTTHISISSIMPLYIMPRACTICAL)MAGINEHOWLONGITWOULDTAKETO MANUALLYCUTAVOCAL TRACK INTOSEPARATE REGIONSEVERY TIME THEREWASASPACE BETWEEN WORDS AND TO THEN DELETE THOSE REGIONS AND PERFORM FADE INS AND FADE OUTSONEVERYREGIONTHATWASPRECEDEDORFOLLOWEDBYONEOFTHESEGAPS) HAVEDONEITANDTRUSTMEITTAKESASUBSTANTIALAMOUNTOFTIMETODOPROPERLY SOITISNTALWAYSFEASIBLE
7HILEMANUALEDITINGCOULDBESEENAS THEBETTER IFMORECOMPLEXANDTIME CONSUMING METHOD FOR SITUATIONS LIKE THIS THERE ARE OTHER SITUATIONS WHEN ANOISE GATE IS THE FARBETTER ANDPOSSIBLYONLY CHOICE/NE SUCH EXAMPLE IS THECLASSICgated reverbEFFECT4HISISPROBABLYBEST KNOWNFORBEINGAPPLIEDTO DRUMSANDIF)HADTOPICKOUTONEEXAMPLETOILLUSTRATETHISMORECLEARLYTHAN ANYOTHERITWOULDBETHESOUNDOFTHETOM TOMSONTHE0HIL#OLLINSSONGh)N THE!IR 4ONIGHTv 4HE IDEA BEHIND GATED REVERB IS THAT QUITE A LONG REVERB A LARGEHALLORPLATEEFFECT ISAPPLIEDTOASOUNDANDTHISHASTHEEFFECTOFALMOST SUSTAININGTHATSOUND2EVERBCANTAKEARELATIVELYSHORTANDPERCUSSIVESOUND ANDMAKEITSEEMTOLASTMUCHLONGER&ORREVERBTOREALLYBEEFFECTIVEONAPER CUSSIVESOUNDYOUWOULDNEEDTOSETAREVERBDECAYTIMEOFANYTHINGOVEROR SECONDSANDMIX ITQUITEHIGH INVOLUME IN RELATION TO THEORIGINAL SOUND 2EVERB ON ITS OWN WOULD RENDER THE SOUND ALMOST UNUSABLE SO WE USE THE NOISEGATETOCLOSEOFFTHATREVERBAFTERASETPERIODOFTIMEBYUSINGACOMBI NATIONOF THEHOLDCONTROLAND THE RELEASECONTROL#AREHAS TOBE TAKENWITH THISKINDOFEFFECTBOTHINSETTINGUPTHEREVERBITSELFTOSOUNDOBVIOUSENOUGH WITHOUTOVERWHELMINGTHEORIGINALSOUNDANDINGETTING THEHOLDANDRELEASE TIMES RIGHT 4HE TIMES AND RATESNEEDED FOR THOSEPARAMETERSWILL DEPENDON THETEMPOANDTHECOMPLEXITYOFTHESONG4OACHIEVETHAThCLASSICvGATEDREVERB DRUMEFFECT)WOULDUSEAHOLDTIMEOFSOMEWHEREAROUNDnMSANDA RELEASETIMEOFnMSASASTARTINGPOINTANDTHENADJUSTTHETIMESWHILE LISTENINGTOTHEEFFECTINTHECONTEXTOFTHEWHOLETRACKRATHERTHANINISOLATION
/FCOURSE THISEFFECT ISNT LIMITEDTO JUSTDRUMSOUNDS )HAVEACHIEVEDSOME TRULYREMARKABLEEFFECTSBYAPPLYINGAVERYLARGESOUNDINGREVERBTOSOMESYNTH STABSANDTHENSETTINGUPTHENOISEGATESOTHATTHEhHOLDvTIMEWASCALCULATED
TOBEEXACTLYATHNOTEORANTHNOTE4HISCOMBINATIONGIVESAVERYORGANIC AND SHIMMERING RHYTHMIC QUALITY TO A VERY AVERAGE AND UNIMPRESSIVE SYNTH SOUNDANDTHEEFFECTCANBECOMEACRUCIALANDINTEGRALPARTOFTHESOUNDITSELF )AMSURETHATTHISISJUSTONEEXAMPLEOFMANYWAYSINWHICHNOISEGATESCAN BEUSEDCREATIVELYRATHERTHANCORRECTIVELY
SUMMARY !SSTATEDATTHEBEGINNINGOFTHISCHAPTERTHEIMPORTANCEOF%1ANDDYNAMIC EFFECTSONTHElNALSHAPEANDTONEOFAMIXSHOULDNEVERBEUNDERESTIMATED !SAPRODUCER INGENERALYOUWILLlNDYOURSELFUSING THEMALL THE TIMEAND HOPEFULLYINEVERMORECREATIVEWAYS!SAREMIXERYOUWILLPROBABLYNOTHAVE TOWORRYSOMUCHABOUTCLEANINGUPVOCALRECORDINGSASQUITEOFTENTHEVOCAL PARTSYOURECEIVEFROMTHECLIENTHAVEALREADYHADTHISWORKDONETOTHEMAT THE PRODUCTION STAGE "UT EVERY NOW AND THEN YOUMIGHT GET THROWN A VERY RAWVOCALWHICHDOES REQUIRE CLEANINGUP TOMAKE ITWORKABLE FORYOU4HIS ISPERHAPSEVENMORERELEVANTTOREMIXERSBECAUSEHEADPHONESPILLISUSUALLY MASKEDBYTHEMUSICINTHETRACK)NTHEORIGINALTRACKTHEHEADPHONESPILLWILL MATCHUPWITHANDBEINTIMEWITHTHEORIGINALMUSIC)NAREMIXHOWEVER THEMUSICWILLBECHANGINGSOTHESOUNDOFTHEHEADPHONESPILLCANSOMETIMES BEHEARDDISTINCTLY IF IT ISNThCLEANEDUPvEFFECTIVELY/NAREMIXYOUMAYBE CHANGING THEKEYOF THE TRACK CHANGINGACHORDOVERWHICH THEVOCAL SITSOR EVENJUSTCHANGINGTHEGROOVESLIGHTLYANDANYONEOFTHESECHANGESCANMAKE HEADPHONESPILLSOUNDMESSYINTHEBACKGROUND
4HEREARE SOMANYOPTIONS FOR%1SANDCOMPRESSORSAVAILABLENOW THAT IT IS SOMETIMESVERYEASY TOGETBOGGEDDOWNIN THEDECISIONOFWHICH%1TOUSE ORWHICHCOMPRESSORTOUSEFORAGIVENSOUND9OUWILLUNDOUBTEDLYBEGINTO DEVELOP FAVORITES PERHAPS BECAUSE OF THEIR EASE OF USE THEIR TONAL CHARACTER ISTICS OR PERHAPS BOTH AND YOUWILL AUTOMATICALLY REACH FOR THOSE FAVORITES (OWEVER IT IS CERTAINLY WORTH TRYING DIFFERENT OPTIONS BUT TRY TO AVOID TOO MUCH GOING BACK AND FORTH COMPARING EXTREMELY SUBTLE CHANGES AS ITS NOT THEBESTUSEOFYOUR TIME2EMEMBER THE TECHNICAL SIDEOFPRODUCTION ISNOT THE ONLY THING YOUHAVE TOWORRY ABOUTWHEN YOU ARE A REMIXER "EING ABLE TODELIVERAQUALITYPRODUCTon time IS ALSOVERY IMPORTANT9OURENDPRODUCT DOESNEEDTOBEOFAHIGHQUALITYBUTYOUMIGHTHAVETOMAKESOMECOMPRO MISESALONGTHEWAY-AKINGTHOSECHOICESCANBEHUGELYFRUSTRATINGFORYOUAS AREMIXERBECAUSEITMAYWELLGOAGAINSTANYPERFECTIONISTINSTINCTSYOUMIGHT HAVEBUTITISSOMETHINGYOUHAVETOLEARNTODEALWITHASYOUGOALONG
