A compressor is simply an automatic volume controller.
It has controls to program the manner of volume control
When compress is done well, you actually shouldn't be able to hear it.
Unless it's being used as an effect
To hear a heavily compressed vocal mix, google 'sax' by Fleur East
It takes some training to be able to hear compression or when a track has been compressed
The basic way a compressor works is that you set a level beyond which the loudness of the track will be affected if it crosses that level. If the tracks loudness doesn't cross that level, it's volume will not be affected
This level that you set is called THRESHOLD
the other controls (attack, release, knee) are to manipulate the behavior of the compressor once the loudness of the track crosses that THRESHOLD.
Ratio is the amount of volume control you want.
High ratio- plenty of volume control
Low ratio-small volume control
The gain or make up gain is to ensure that the volume you hear before and after compression is kept constant.
How to apply a Compressor
How to actually apply the compressor in practice
Study the waveform of the sound you want to compress. This gives you a rough idea of how much compression you may need to apply to get the track sounding more consistent
Set your ratio. Do you want heavy compression or medium level compression? Vocals usually do well with ratios of between 3:1 and 5:1
set your attack time and release time as desired, depending on if you want to take care of sharp spiky peaks in the audio or if you want to go for the body of the audio and leave the peaks untouched
Lower the the threshold gradually, keeping your eye on the gain reduction meter till you begin to see compression happening on the audio. Lower the threshold till you are satisfied with the level of compression you are getting
If you are doing it right, you will hear the overall volume of the audio drop. Adjust the 'make up gain' (or just 'gain') knob to bring back the audio to Its overall original level prior to compression
But you could also try this method in real sense..
When the aim is to balance out levels:
(First of all, be sure your ATTACK & RELEASE controls are set for the lowest minimum settings.)
Step 1. The THRESHOLD comes first: Most compressors have some sort of input level meter that gives the user valuable clues on how the signal is fluctuating. Take some time to study this fluctuation & then use that information to set your threshold - so that it's just immediately above the quietest signal.
"Once you do it this way, all the fluctuations are captured."
Step 2. RATIO. Dependent on the extent of overshoots (fluctuation) and to what degree you want to retain dynamic sense. High ratio can smash an instrument, while low ratio might not be sufficient to balance the levels. Find a compromise between those limits.
3. ATTACK & RELEASE. For less percussive instruments set to fast so more compression is applied and level changes are quickly tracked. At the same time, you must observe low-frequency distortion and how the natural attack and decay are affected.
4. KNEE. Use a soft knee, as mostly when balancing levels we are not after the effect of compression.
5. MAKE-UP GAIN. Set so A/B comparison is fair. (The perceived level of the track shouldn't change as you bypass the compressor.) ```
Let's drop our comments and try these methods privately and let's see how well it upgrades your knowledge about compression..
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