I usually add it after reverbs and delays, but always before volume slides and morphing because it tends to totally screw it up.

For me, working with a hardware DAW, I usually compress my kicks first (I rarely use any other effects on my kick drums), on the basslines I usually add a little flanger or delay or whatever I'm going to use and than come back and compress it, than again, I usually compress the final mix as well, but not too much otherwise 'flattening' the mix.
I'd say effect first than compression.

Probably not much help since I'm not working with software (yet ).

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I use compression first on everything.

I think you will find, most engineers will always compress first. If you compress after effects, the effects will have no life and sound dull and squashed.

Yeah especially reverb you really dont want to compress that unless you are looking for that effect.

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Originally posted by dannib I think you will find, most engineers will always compress first. If you compress after effects, the effects will have no life and sound dull and squashed.

yup...this make sense. thanks!

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Originally posted by djsphere yup...this make sense. thanks!

It may sound like it makes sense, but it isn't correct.

You can compress at any point in the mix chain. If you aren't sure where or when to do it then it signifies a lack of understanding of the mechanics and purpose of compression. I don't mean to put anybody down by saying that, it's just that "where should I compress" is absolutely the wrong question to be asking, no matter what the circumstances are.

You should compress if and only if you need to soften peaks and/or increase the apparent loudness of a channel. Too much compression *anywhere* (before or after effects) will make a track sound lifeless.

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thanks m8!

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DigiNut is right, you can compress at any time you please. There might be some unwritten rules about placing effects in front or after, though actually it's totally up to you or the sounds you are programming.

I myself (to my experience) usually place EQ's in front of the compressor and delay, reverb, chorus (all 'almost-non-volume' effects actually if you can call them that way) I place after the compressor. I noticed that compressing delays and reverb took away a lot of their 'life' as someone already said. Though placing a volume or eq after compressing seems a bit useless to me personally, as it might undo the effect you had going with the compressor itself. My two cents though

Also, as DigiNut said: don't be in a hurry to compress EVERYTHING. For example strings and guitars may really need to keep the full dynamics to make them sound as pure as possible; compressing them might take away that effect.

I think it are often kicks, basslines (and perhaps some other percussion) that will mostly need to have their peaks cut down.

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+1 diginut and icone.

you can put a compressor anywhere in the chain of processors but its place in the chain will have a different effect depending on where it is.

for instance. say you want to overdrive and compress a 303 acid stabbing sound.

overdriving it will add harmonics to it. the more distortion, the more harmonics. essentially thats what distortion is. it will also make the signal louder across the board. if you then compress the signal after overdriving it, the compressor will effectively flatten all the peaks and troughs, reducing the dynamic range of the whole sound. again, the extent of this depends on how much you compress it.

if you compress the acid stab first, you reduce the dynamic range of the untreated sound. then overdrive it, you add harmonics to the compressed sound.

the important thing is that in both examples, the end result will sound different. if you add reverb to that stab then compress it, you are reducing the dynamic of the reverberated sound. thus you are also compressing its reverb tail. if you add reverb after compression, you are adding a reverb tail to an already compressed sound.

its hard to explain, except to say that you should go and try it out and see what kind of effect it can have.

guess it doesn't have to be said but I'll say it anyway ().
Where you add the compression in the chain is 100% up to you and the effect you want from it. I've noticed that most people first EQ, then compress and that's probably because it works pretty well and does what people want it to do BUT, if you don't se a reason to do it that way then don't do it that way.

ohh and a little tip, if you have a pretty complex delay (not just the regular 3/4 or 4/4 delay) try putting compression on that (not much though). It's a good way of taking control over the sound

but remember, there are no rules, if it sounds good it is good, no matter how you did it
I mean if I could record one of my farts, distort it, overcompress it and in some magic way detune it so it sounded like a jp8000 supersaw it would be a good way of doing it if you want that sound, a bit odd but good

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