OK, so usually I have both my Bass Track and my Kick Track routed to a single group channel (in Cubase its a Group Channel, it may be a subgroup or mixer bus in other DAW apps). Now generally, I'm compressing both my Kick and Bass individually, then compressing the entire group channel as well. In effect, I'm compressing these two elements twice, individually and then together.

I usually have the compressor on my kick track "pumping" with fairly extreme settings such as using the 1176 compressor with the input turned all the way up and/or in "all buttons in" mode to add a bit of distortion. Then I can use the Attack/Release settings to kind of "tune" the impact of the Bass Drum.

I'll also have the bass track compressed but usually with less extreme settings, as most of the time I'm not looking for too much distortion on the bass track, depending on the source material. Just enough to increase the "perceived loudness" by rounding off the peaks.

On the Kick/Bass group track, I'll usually have some light EQ and a compressor with fairly conservative settings. The reason i have been doing this is that is seems to help the Bass and Kick gel a bit better together.

So my question is: How many of others out there are using this "double compression" setup?

Me, although I dont really compress the kicks as I've offline processed them to be right little belters on their own. I usually apply the compressor to get the colouration of the particualr compressor - I use Kjaeshaus alot or a limiter if i really want to bang it out!!

Interesting sidenote Hybrid used to apply 4+ compressors in series with very subtle setting, each applying a bit more and they said it hardened the kicks without getting the squashed sound.

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well this double-compression is pretty widely used...anyway you should be able to judge yourself if it's needed...I mean if it sounds good...it is good...

if it sounds good without it...why to do it???

Just a bit of common sense...

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depends on the type of track im doing

but i commonly use it with the huge farty basses

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quote:

Originally posted by meDina huge farty basses

funny way to describe it, but i know exactly what you're referring to.

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I'll almost always compress the kick, then the kick+bass. Whether or not I compress the bass depends on the bass.

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quote:

Originally posted by BOOsTER well this double-compression is pretty widely used...anyway you should be able to judge yourself if it's needed...I mean if it sounds good...it is good... if it sounds good without it...why to do it??? Just a bit of common sense...

Oh yeah, I definitely agree, I usually go by my ear, and it almost always sounds good, I was just curious how many others were doing it this way.

quote:

Originally posted by DJChrisB funny way to describe it, but i know exactly what you're referring to.

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I also do that double compression, only I add a lot of other effects too (especially on the kick - I like unique kicks, not ones that sound like they were taken from a sample cd).

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try using a compressor on the send to stack the compressed kick with a normal kick just to colour it a little

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I will say that compressing kick, bass if needed, and kick+bass did some real good for my production quality. A real issue, I found, was to not forget to go back, after setting up the compressors, and adjust the levels of your kick and bass relative to each other if necessary. That and, of course, EQing.

Also, I found that it worked best to have the grouped compressor set with a VERY small, if not the smallest, attack time. Comments on this?

http://tutorials.djbooster.net that's how I do it usually...a bit generalised but I think its a tutorial thats worth a look

wrote it for ableton but the grouping method described can be used in any other sequencer also the plugins can be used anywhere so you can apply it to whatever daw you use

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