Compression again

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08-01-2005, 11:08 AM
Mindful

Compression again

Easy people
sorry to bore everyone with yet another compression question but here it goes.

The problem im having is this.
When applying compression to my finished track im almost getting the result im after appart from when the kick drum drops out every thing gets louder which is not the problem altho it would be better if it was slightley quiter but heres my prob when the kick comes back in the very first beat is super tight/loud compared to the ones that follow.Its as if the first beat is swollowing up the rest of the percussion but then it goes back to norm by the second beat.
Am I over compressing the overall track or is it down to the compression I have previosley applied to said kick.

Im sure this is probably somthing quite obvious maybe I should be a little more subtle with the attack but the rest of the track sounds spot on(to me anyway)maybe one of you clever people could suggest some good settings for overall compression of a track I more or less do the finishing of the track as im creating it but its nice to add those finishing touches no?

Thanks for your time ;)
08-01-2005, 11:23 AM
DJZeMigL

u can automate a second compressor or u can deal with it on wavelab.. (it's what I do... the very first kick transients get passed the compressor just do a gain redution on the very small fraction of audio.. or even copy the next bar and overwrite the first...) .

Sometimes I even use this technic for wild peaks ... some people at the mastering stage might clip the wave a bit ... imagine having a master that has a few peaks that are about 1-2 db louder than the averadge peak in your track... gain increase 1-2 dbs ... save... normalize back to -0,5db!

Clipping is a very touchy subject so if u are going 2 do lot's of work on yer "prodution master" leave it be.. but if u plan on being the "almost" last link b4 the pressing ....

PS - Just in case always keep a premaster version and a mastered version of yer tracks... if u have wavelab u can also record the master Plug ins used as a preset :)

Z
08-01-2005, 12:03 PM
Mindful

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ Ze Mig L

u can automate a second compressor or u can deal with it on wavelab.. (it's what I do... the very first kick transients get passed the compressor just do a gain redution on the very small fraction of audio.. or even copy the next bar and overwrite the first...) .

Sh*t this is so obvious why did I not think of this :doh: (cause im an idiot)I think this is what im gonna try.

Cheerz Z your a star ;)
08-01-2005, 12:21 PM
Mindful

Just out of interest why does this happen to the first kick?
08-01-2005, 12:57 PM
DJZeMigL

the attack and release m8... most of times yer release is long enought 2 keep the input level lower, in fact so that the sound is constantly compressed but the music never reaches it's pre-compressor level... when u reach a break the compressor eases up and releases the input level to its normal "state"... so when the first loud sound comes in the compressor is caught by surprise...

Think of a compressor as someone reducing the level on a mixer everytime the input starts reaching the red leds...

I hope I was able 2 explain properly!

Z
08-01-2005, 01:04 PM
Mindful

Pefect.
08-01-2005, 07:42 PM
stjohn

cheers for info lads
08-01-2005, 11:00 PM
Basil Rush

Quote:

Originally Posted by DJ Ze Mig L

the attack and release m8... most of times yer release is long enought 2 keep the input level lower, in fact so that the sound is constantly compressed but the music never reaches it's pre-compressor level... when u reach a break the compressor eases up and releases the input level to its normal "state"... so when the first loud sound comes in the compressor is caught by surprise...

You could back off on the threshold, how much gain reduction do the meters show at the moment?
10-01-2005, 04:05 PM
Mindful

Quote:

Originally Posted by Basil Rush

You could back off on the threshold, how much gain reduction do the meters show at the moment?

Ill get back to you on that Basil
10-01-2005, 04:18 PM
Dave Elyzium

Re: Compression again

Try loading the compressed wav into your audio editor then maunualy lowering hte volum eon breakdowns etc when the track is percieved as being louder (when the kick drops out) to try and level the track out a bit...also as long as the arrangememnt allows it, you could always copy the secoind bar after the beat kicks back in and replace the first bar with that...that should sort out your problem with the first kick
10-01-2005, 06:24 PM
DJZeMigL

Basil Is absolutly right as always. I didn't sugest that 'cause I had the ideia that U were happy about the db redution U were getting... so all U wanted was 2 get rid of those "nasty" transients... but Basil's way is the wisest ... try 2 first trimm down the Threshold and then use the "other tricks"...

Z
10-01-2005, 07:15 PM
dirty_bass

Using a compressor with a good "look ahead" may help.
10-01-2005, 07:22 PM
Barely Human

Quote:

Originally Posted by dirty_bass

Using a compressor with a good "look ahead" may help.

Whats that, one with a big floodlight installed? :lol:
10-01-2005, 08:44 PM
Mindful

Thanks every one advice will be put in to practice tonight and im sure the problem will be solved think ill check the threshold
Pasting the kick worked appart from after one break the reverb tail of a pad that i had used before it kicked back in was missing on the first beat :doh: so tonight i was going to bounce it all down without the kick and then treat the kick seperatly but its a lot of messing.Turning the wave down when the kick drops out is a good idea too for sorting my other slight problem.But hopfully sorting the threshold will be enuff think ill try Dirty basses advice too im sure that I can adjust the lookahead to be longer on the compresser im using.
infact thats what im going to try thats got to be the answer.
Again thanks people.
10-01-2005, 08:47 PM
Mindful

oh and thanks to IQ for making me laugh to myself:lol:
12-01-2005, 01:34 PM
Mindful

Sorted It
I just eased up on the threshold and the problem was sorted
so cheers again Basil/everyone!!