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having trouble using compression in context

basically i know the purpose for compression, (ie reducing dynamic range etc) and i use it mainly on bussing groups to glue things together but i am still having trouble knowing when to use it on individual sounds or when to use it at all.. i know all of the parameters and what they do (ie using a long attack if you want the transient to go through)and having a long release for a more natural effect..but i guess my problem is that i can never tell if im adding to the sound or not..maybe its something that comes with time.. i mean i know compression has a more practical purpose when dealing with actually recording like vocals and drums ..but in edm its used for other purpose.. like fattening?

ps sorry if this thread isn't clear. im not quite sure what the question is ,but maybe I can get some insight.

Knowing compression means you know when to implement it.

You may know theorically what compression does, but if you can't hear its effect on the audio then reading won't help much.

You say you know the purpose of compression cit. (ie reducing dynamic range etc) but you're having trouble understanding when to apply it.

The answer stays in your question, when you have to reduce dynamic range.

Compression is a guy on meth in control of a volumed fader. It really is that simple. Dont think of it as just a tool to reduce dynamics because you will miss out on many uses. Just think volume fader.

quote:

Originally posted by Looney4Clooney Compression is a guy on meth in control of a volumed fader. It really is that simple. Dont think of it as just a tool to reduce dynamics because you will miss out on many uses. Just think volume fader.

i hate it when i am in the car and i get a really quiet song, turn the thing up and then when it finishes the next track nearly forces me off the road and kills me

so if its just a volume control...when people use the terms fattening and beefen up, their just turning up the freqs? or getting rid of the transients..since the sustain is the most important part to hear or whatever.

quote:

Originally posted by LoveHate so if its just a volume control...when people use the terms fattening and beefen up, their just turning up the freqs?

When you reduce the dynamic range (compress) you bring up front what before stayed in the back which translates into a bigger, more solid image.

quote:

Originally posted by TranceElevation When you reduce the dynamic range (compress) you bring up front what before stayed in the back which translates into a bigger, more solid image.

Just to clarify a little further, compression does not make the soft parts any louder, as it only acts on the parts of the signal that exceed the threshold (i.e., the loudest parts). By reducing those peaks, the overall dynamic range (and loudness) is reduced and, therefore, you can bring the overall level up before clipping occurs. Some compressors have a make-up gain which essentially does some of this for you by calculating the overall decrease in loudness caused by the compression, and compensating for this loss by increasing the compressed signal's loudness by the same amount at the output stage. Either way, it's actually the raising of the overall level that brings the quieter (i.e., uncompressed) portion of the signal forward, rather than the actual compression of the louder parts, that increases the perceived loudness and makes it sound "thicker."

quote:

Originally posted by LoveHate so if its just a volume control...when people use the terms fattening and beefen up, their just turning up the freqs? or getting rid of the transients..since the sustain is the most important part to hear or whatever.

it does what ever someone with ms reaction time could do with a volume fader. The previous post is somewhat not really hitting what compression is or what it does. It can reduce presence, it can add presence. But you need to understand what would add or take away and why compression / volume change would do this.

Just experiment.

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