You compress the sound to make it sound louder but without red lining the meters (and what involves) a brief explanation is this but surely someone who knows more about compressors will tell you what they do exactly (or check google)

i think multiband compression is important especially if your synth moves around a lot (note wise), i spent years battling the "why do my low notes sound droney and my high notes sound way too loud!". As far as just a regular compressor on synth, it's not necessary unless you're going for a specific effect but in terms of headroom/mixing etc it's not always necessary, you're right

Redusing the peaks is one reason, another reason could be to give it more punch, or just simply getting it louder.

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a peak will still get through unless your using a limiter, im talking about just straight downward compression.

A peak will get through if you allow it, thats what the attack is for.

You asked for reasons he gave you perfectly good reasons. Its almost like you're trying to argue with those reasons.

I use a compressor for punch mainly and controlling the bassy regions of my samples (usually after the peak of my kick/bass). You CAN'T DO THAT with a typical env generator. NOT IN THE SAME WAY and it DOESN'T GIVE YOU the same effect.

What else do you really need to know? If you want us to define what a compressor does differently than an env generator (which is quite a bit) go read a book about compressors. This isn't barnes and noble and I'm not sure what you are getting at.

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Sequencers: FL Studio 9XXL & Reason 3.
Main Synth Bass GTs - Pro-53, V-Station, Sytrus, Subtractor, Trilian, Blue, Sylenth & Z3ta.
Main Synth Lead/Pad GTs - Z3ta, Sytrus, Sylenth, Vangard, Albino & Nexus.
Main FXs GTs - Waves Plugins, Soundtoys, Volcano, FL Native FX.
Hardware - Truths, Echo Audiofire, Virus Snow, & Novation Xio Midi-Synth.

quote:

Originally posted by DJ TL Like the title says, why do people do it? I've always compressed my synth's because I figured it needed to be done to compete in the loudness war. After spending sometime recently I am noticing that under any settings I use the uncompressed sound seems louder/fuller at the same peak volume. I see countless threads where people say I use these settings for punchier or heavier bass, etc. But why compress at all when you have an envelope generator in your synth, you have complete control of all the dynamics there. Before anyone jumps down my throat I know compression has its place with samples, sub groups, master, live recordings etc, but why on synths?

SC for one. Adding character. Changing the dynamics that the synth cannot.

A compressor is good for more than just a loudness boost.

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quote:

Originally posted by dj_alfi change your avatar for fucks sake.

I know about SC, and character im just really refering to dynamics. I could see maybe a tiny bit like 1-2db off the top, but i mean if your playing a sine wave or saw under 100 hz for a bassline and you compress it 5db or so your going to lose all of your low end weight...

Then.. don't do that?

I know not to i just see alot of people talk about how much they compress this and that, it never sounds good to me with anymore then a db or 2 at a time. After that it sounds like your taking too much out of the fundemental frequency...all im saying.

Are you using a good compressor or a cheap one?

i use cytomic the glue, and one from waves for more variable attack/release options...maybe its my peak meter in ableton acting screwy? I've been experimenting for a while now on leads and basses comparing compressed with uncompressed and when I match the gains the uncompressed keeps coming up with more presence.