From the course: Tips and Tricks for Modern Producers

Tasteful compression

- [Instructor] So one thing that's really important to me, when using compression, is the stylistic consideration here. Because compression is really just a tool, and all we're doing with our tools, when we mix and when we engineer, is trying to bring out the emotions of the song. And so, for example, this vocal is so well sung, and it's well recorded, we don't want to step on that. We don't want to super crush the vocal, we don't want to get rid of her dynamic range, we just want to bring her some urgency. ♪ Oh I keep losing my way ♪ - [Instructor] And, you know, we put a beautiful plate on her. ♪ Oh I keep losing my way ♪ - [Instructor] I mean it, it just sounds great. We don't want to, we don't want to go crazy on that. Maybe we could give her, a little bit more tonality if we wanted to, give her some extra vibe, but we don't want to smush that vocal. However, there are certain things that you might want to smash. Like, for example, these claps sounded really good, with a lot of compression. I've got a distressor emulation here, that's really stepping on these claps. (clapping) These were recorded in the room, many of them. (clapping) We've got the human clap, and then we've got the other claps. And then we've also got these guys, and by the way, if you're just hearing a little sound every time I unsolo, that's just the return effects. And then I had the, the choir give me some clapping. And this is interesting because we have a bus compressor on here. This is a PSP BussPressor. And you know, they're only a few different categories of compressors. It's very rare that one comes along, that's totally reinventing the wheel. This is supposed to be similar to like an SSL compressor, something that's a nice VCA that glues things together. Let's listen to what that's doing. (clapping) (laughs) (clapping) That's a good sound. (clapping) Here's without. (clapping) - So we're holding a lot back there. (clapping) (clapping) So the idea here with this, was that we were going to add some transient, to the other claps that we had, and just add a little messiness. That's how I felt about it. (clapping) Here's without. (clapping) You hear that? (clapping) So adding that extra transient, and that extra human aspect went a long way. And smushing it with the compressor, actually made a lot of sense because of what we were trying to do with it. So what I want you to consider, as you're on your compression journey, and let's face it, all of us are on a compression journey, is really just thinking about what you're actually trying to do. Because the thing is that, just reaching for a compressor, because the gain staging is wrong, or because the EQ is wrong, It's not going to get you out of the hard work, of mixing properly in terms of the nuts and bolts. You must use compression judiciously, because very often you can do more damage than good. And the other thing that you can do, is really alter the character of something, which in many cases is great. But what I'm saying is that, real intention makes a huge difference, and it's going to get you a lot further, in terms of helping your mixes, and bringing out that emotion.

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