Many musicians have a fair idea of what compression is, but not all of them know how to master it. To really get a good grasp of how to properly use compression, you’ll first need to get the basics covered. This article explains the compressor’s main functions, dials and parameters so you can get your head around this vital processing tool.
What is a compressor?
Essentially, compression reduces the dynamic range of whatever sound is run through it. For instance, if you ran a drum break through a compressor, you’ll start to raise the quieter signals while attenuating the louder signals. To help you along, here’s a handy glossary of the typical dials of a compressor:
- Threshold – Determines how loud the signal has to be before it starts compressing.
- Ratio – Determines how much compression is applied. For example, a ratio of 3:1 would mean that the input signal would have to pass the threshold by 3dB for the output level to increase by 1dB.
- Attack – How long it takes for the compressor to kick in
- Release – How long it takes for the signal to an uncompressed state
- Knee – Determines how the compressor responds to the signal once it has passed the threshold. Generally, hard knee settings result in a tighter, snappier reaction, while soft knee settings are more forgiving and gentle in tone.
- Make-up gain – As compression attenuates the volume of whatever’s passed through it, make-up gain serves as a tool to compensate (make up) for the reduction.
- Output – Allows you to boost or reduce the level of the signal’s output from the compressor.
How do I properly set up a compressor?
It shouldn’t matter too much whether you’re using a hardware or software compressor – they both have the same, interchangeable features.
- Adjust the threshold until the peaks of the signal exceed the threshold level and trigger the compressor.
- The ratio should be set up according to taste, but as a general rule the higher the ratio the more aggressively compressed the signal is going to become.
- Fine tune the ratio and threshold so that they work together and produce the amount of compression you’re looking for.
- If you want the compressor to snap, choose a faster attack and release setting. If you want a more transparent sound, opt for medium to longer settings. Experiment and get a feel of how you want the final product to sound.
- Finally, add make-up gain (or adjust the output) to compensate for the reduction in volume (if any).
- A fast attack (2-3ms) on a drum loop is going to clamp on the drum transients quite hard, and create a snappy attack sound.
- Want a really crusty, gritty and squashed drum break? Crank it up! Or if you just want to compress the loop enough so that it gels together, set the ratio at a reasonable level (2:1 or 3:1).
- Hard knee settings work particularly great with percussive instruments, while soft knee is useful when you’d like to be more subtle (like on vocals and guitars).
- Some compressors have an ‘analog’ emulation setting which is essentially a bit of tape hiss. Bear in mind that these low level signals will be raised in the mix so be sure to turn it off if you don’t want that audible.
- It’s easy to overdo compression, back it off (and then some more) if you feel that the compressor has imparted too much on the sound.
- Once you’ve mastered these ‘rules’, don’t be afraid to break them. The best engineers and sound designers are masters of experimentation – and a large part of that is throwing the rulebook out the window.
Wanamuziki wengi wana wazo zuri la unyevu ni nini, lakini si wote wanajua jinsi ya kuushinda. Kwa kweli kupata ufahamu mzuri wa jinsi ya kutumia vizuri compression, wewe kwanza haja ya kupata misingi kufunikwa. Makala hii inaelezea kazi kuu ya compressor, dials na vigezo hivyo unaweza kupata kichwa yako kuzunguka chombo hiki muhimu usindikaji. Kifuniko ni nini? Kimsingi, compression hupunguza mbalimbali dynamic ya sauti yoyote ni kukimbia kwa njia yake. Kwa mfano, kama wewe mbio ngoma kuvunja kupitia compressor, wewe kuanza kuongeza ishara utulivu wakati attenuating ishara kubwa. Ili kukusaidia pamoja, hapa ni glossary rahisi ya dials kawaida ya compressor: - Threshold <unk> Inaamua jinsi kubwa ishara lazima kuwa kabla ya kuanza compressing. - Uwiano <unk> Inaamua kiasi gani compression ni kutumika. Kwa mfano, uwiano wa 3: 1 inamaanisha kwamba ishara ya kuingia inapaswa kupita kizingiti kwa 3dB ili kiwango cha pato kuongezeka kwa 1dB. - Mashambulizi <unk> Ni muda gani inachukua kwa compressor kwa kick katika <unk> Release <unk> Ni muda gani inachukua kwa ishara kwa hali uncompressed <unk> Knee <unk> Inaamua jinsi compressor anajibu ishara mara moja imepita kizingiti. Kwa ujumla, magoti magumu husababisha mwitikio mkali zaidi, huku magoti laini yakiwa na sauti laini na yenye kusamehe zaidi. - Make-up faida <unk> Kama compression attenuates kiasi cha chochote <unk> ni kupita kupitia yake, make-up faida hutumika kama chombo cha fidia (kufanya up) kwa ajili ya kupunguza. - Output <unk> inaruhusu kuongeza au kupunguza kiwango cha ishara <unk>s pato kutoka compressor. Ninawezaje kuanzisha kompresor kwa usahihi? Haipaswi kuwa na maana sana kama wewe ni kutumia vifaa au programu compressor - wote wawili kuwa sawa, interchangeable vipengele. - Adjust kizingiti mpaka kilele cha ishara kuzidi kiwango cha kizingiti na trigger compressor. - Uwiano inapaswa kuanzishwa kulingana na ladha, lakini kama sheria ya jumla ya juu ya uwiano zaidi aggressively compressed ishara ni kwenda kuwa. - Fine tuning uwiano na kizingiti ili kwamba wao kazi pamoja na kuzalisha kiasi cha compression wewe ni kuangalia kwa. - Kama unataka compressor snap, kuchagua kushambulia kwa kasi zaidi na kutolewa kuweka. Ikiwa unataka sauti iliyo wazi zaidi, chagua mipangilio ya kati hadi ndefu. Jaribu na kupata hisia ya jinsi unataka bidhaa ya mwisho sauti. - Hatimaye, kuongeza faida ya make-up (au kurekebisha pato) ili kulipia kwa ajili ya kupunguza katika kiasi (kama yoyote). - Mashambulizi ya haraka (2-3ms) kwenye kitanzi cha ngoma itafunga kwenye transients ya ngoma kwa nguvu sana, na kuunda sauti ya shambulio la haraka. - Je, unataka kweli crusty, gritty na crushed ngoma mapumziko? Kuongeza kasi! Ikiwa unataka kuunganisha pete kwa kiasi cha kutosha ili iweze kuunganishwa, weka uwiano katika kiwango cha busara (2:1 au 3:1). - Hard goti mipangilio kazi hasa kubwa na vyombo percussive, wakati goti laini ni muhimu wakati ungependa kuwa subtle zaidi (kama juu ya sauti na gitaa). - Baadhi compressors kuwa na <unk>analog<unk> emulation kuweka ambayo ni kimsingi kidogo ya mkanda hiss. Kumbuka kwamba ishara hizi za kiwango cha chini zitainuliwa katika mchanganyiko hivyo hakikisha kuzima ikiwa hutaki hiyo isikikike. - Ni rahisi kupita kiasi compression, nyuma yake mbali (na kisha baadhi zaidi) kama wewe kuhisi kwamba compressor imetoa sana juu ya sauti. - Mara baada ya wewe <unk>ve mastered hizi <unk>sheria<unk>, si kuwa na hofu ya kuvunja yao. Wahandisi bora na wabunifu wa sauti ni mabwana wa majaribio <unk> na sehemu kubwa ya kwamba ni kutupa kitabu cha sheria nje ya dirisha.