Compression... Good settings for DBX?

Can anyone possibly share a little experienced know how on the (i think) complex subject of compression?

I have a DBX 1066 Compressor, through which I run my drum machine (Yamaha RM1X)...

Now it sounds fairly sweet, I think... and I've read up quite a bit on compression and I've done quite a bit of tweaking and fiddling and listening an all that but... basically my drums sound fat, but I want them to sound as good as they can possibly sound, before I take them on to the mastering process (computer based editing and polishing)....

So any expert advice would be very much appreciated...

At the moment I run the drums from the drum machine (with the master level at maximum volume) through the comp with these settings..

Threshold +1dB
Ratio 4:1
Attack 2.8dB/Msec
Release 175dB/Msec
Output gain -10dB
Limiter +5dBu

As I say, this seems to sound sweet, and I know its also a matter of personal preference but I my personal preference is as fat and aggressive as possible but still clean!

As I say, any help at all,

Go ráimh mÃ*le maith agat (lit- a million goodnesses on you)

ideally, you will want to eq and compress each drum sound individually to get them sounding clear and strong, then compress the mix again to get it to gell together and pump, with all the sounds moving as one.

for a pumping mix, use an attack slow enough to let the transients of the kick through, and a release timed so that the the signal returns to full volume just before next kick hits.

there's lots more info on compression if you search through some of the older posts in this forum too. it takes a while to be able to hear what a compressor is doing to your sound, but with experimentation and time it starts to become easier.

Thanks for the advice, evil G,

Hmmm, maybe I'll try to work out a way of doing what you are saying..
Only problem is, if I seperate the drum track, I'm afraid I'll end up with a completely different sound.... See my music is mainly drums.. and theres stuff that goes on when, say, three different kick patterns, two mid-range percussion patterns and three hi-freq parts fight each other within the drum machine... even before compression... then, as you know theres stuff that goes on when they all get squashed by the compression, or 'gel' as you put it... and then there is way that I want the live feel going on in the drums like quick track mutes, effects messing, and time shifting, etc...

So, to do what you are talking about is messy... I would have to record a live performance as one audio track, then record all the parts individualy compressed, then track them out in cubase, copying the layout of the live performance, then record the final mix through cubase back out through the compressor? Some of the effects and nuances would be impossible to recreate in the multi-track version...

And as I say, things sound pretty sweet as they are, running straight out of the hardware... (the RM1x also sequences a synth, both run into a desk with full eq)
... so I was kind of hoping for advice like - "you should use a different compression ratio, or "you should set the output gain this much more than the limiter..."

I rekoned I could get the sound sweet enough without having to try that messy route?.... I'll give that a try anyway. I won't know otherwise..

thanks man. Hope your music is going well.

:wink:
(peace of mind is knowing you're in safe hands!)