ABSTRACT
The original sound can be blended with the processor or can be run directly into the processor. Signal processors can do everything from making a sound more consistent to making a sound appear to be from out of this world. Basically, they are used to treat a sound for a desired effect or control. Compressors, limiters, gates, equalizers, reverbs, and delays are a few signal processors people may run across. This chapter argues that compression is harder to master and much more difficult to initially hear and understand than the other signal processors. Compression helps control the dynamic range of an instrument, voice, or recording. Many engineers also apply a stereo compressor to the stereo bus to control peaks, color the sound, or glue the entire mix together. The main parameters on a compressor are: Threshold or input, Gain Reduction, output or makeup gain, attack, release, ratio, link, side chain and bypass.
