TheAudioMasterclassMusicProductionandSoundEngineeringCourse

MODULE05AUDIOEXAMPLES

This section includes a number of examples of different voices and instruments, with a variety of
compression settings. You are strongly encouraged to experiment with different settings on the
original uncompressed files.

The principal compressor used here is the DigiRack Compressor/Limiter that is included free of
charge with Digidesign Pro Tools and Pro Tools LE. This is to demonstrate the capabilities of a
basic but fully competent compressor.

We have also used the Focusrite Liquid Channel which combines hardware processing with plug-in
functionality. This unit models various 'classic' compressors. We have tested this unit against
several original hardware units and we can confirm that its emulations are very good indeed. This
is to demonstrate the additional capabilities of exotic compressors.

Note regarding the screenshots - All of the screenshots were taken as the relevant audio was
playing. However, because each shot is a moment in time, and the precise moment is
unpredictable, the In, Out and GR (Gain Reduction) displays are not comparable between the
examples. The settings and the shape of the gain reduction curve however are directly relevant.

Female vocal

The singer is Audio Masterclass Featured Artist, Chilli Gold.

As you will hear, the vocal is already clear and well recorded. Notice the small mouth noises,
ventilation noise in the background, ambience, a singer rehearsing in another room at one point,
and the assistant engineer's comment at the end. All of these will reveal interesting characteristics
in the compression employed.

Example file: 1-vocal-female-uncompressed.wav

Let's start with the default setting of the DigiRack plug-in. Clearly Digidesign will have thought
long and hard about which settings will be generally most useful...

Example file: 2-vocal-female-compressed-1.wav

Module05AudioExamplesNotes
As you will hear, the compressed version is lower in level than the original. This is normal. Make-
up gain is required to bring the peaks back to where they were in level approximately. This will
have the effect of bringing the quiet sounds up in level. As with all compressors, this increases the
noise level, whatever the source of noise in the original signal.

The only control that is changed is the red Gain control on the right...

Example file: 3-vocal-female-compressed-2.wav

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Here we have changed the compression ratio to a lower value. To achieve the same amount of
compression (so that the amount of gain reduction is approximately the same), the threshold has
been lowered.

The relevant controls are the gray Ratio control, and the yellow Threshold control...

Example file: 4-vocal-female-compressed-3.wav

In the next example, the compression ratio is increased. The threshold has been raised to keep the
amount of compression approximately the same...

Example file: 5-vocal-female-compressed-4.wav

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Here, the settings have been put back to their default positions, except for the Release control, the
value of which is lowered. Setting a short release time increases the perceived strength of the
compression effect. However, the compression may be more noticeable. If it is required that the
compression is unnoticeable, a long release time is preferable.

The relevant control here is the gray Release control at bottom center...

Example file: 6-vocal-female-compressed-5.wav

In this example, a long release time has been set...

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Example file: 7-vocal-female-compressed-6.wav

In the above example, the compression is certainly very smooth. In fact it is almost unnoticeable.
The reason for this is that there is hardly any active compression going on. Compression only
occurs when the gain reduction (GR) meter is changing. Setting a very long release time reduces
the amount of active compression almost to zero. If the gain reduction meter shows a fixed or
very slowly changing reading, then what you are hearing is almost the same as if you had lowered
the fader by that number of decibels. Try it.

The knee control below sets the rate at which the compression effect starts to 'bite' as the signal
rises above the threshold. You would set a longer knee time if you wanted the onset of
compression to be unnoticeable. The effect is very subtle and you will have to compare this
example carefully with the example made at the default settings (above)...

Example file: 8-vocal-female-compressed-7.wav

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For most purposes the attack time can be set to 10 milliseconds or so. You would only need to
adjust it if the initial start of each sound wasn't sounding right. Here, you can hear that the
compressor is slow to respond.

All the controls are at their default settings, apart from the gray Attack control in the center...

Example file: 9-vocal-female-compressed-8.wav

It might be thought that a short attack time would be better, so that the compressor can respond
immediately. However, this often distorts the initial transient and can sound unpleasant. Here is a

Module05AudioExamplesNotes
very short attack. All of the other controls, including make-up gain, are in the same positions as
the previous example so that you can compare them directly...

Example file: 10-vocal-female-compressed-9.wav

Finally in this section we will hear the Focusrite Liquid Mix set to emulate the classic Fairchild 670
variable-mu vacuum tube compressor. The result is rather different to anything the DigiRack plug-
in can achieve...

Example file: 11-vocal-female-fairchild.wav

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Male vocal

The singer is Audio Masterclass Featured Artist Clyde Meredith.

Listen once again for small mouth noises, background sound, ambience, and some stand
transmitted noise caused by the enthusiasm of the singer. The stand noise can be filtered out
using a high-pass filter with a steep slope. We left it in for this example as it is interesting to see
how it reacts to compression. Listening to these small and subtle sounds as well as the vocal will
help 'tune in' your ears to compression.

Example file: 12-vocal-male-uncompressed.wav

Now listen to the difference made using the default settings of the compressor...

Example file: 13-vocal-male-compressed.wav

Of course, all of the controls can make significant differences to the sound. Please experiment with
your own compression plug-ins. For the sake of brevity however we will not duplicate all of the
settings used with the female vocal here.

Here is the Focusrite Liquid Mix set to emulate the Focusrite Green hardware channel strip.

Example file: 14-vocal-male-green.wav

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Additional female and male vocals

The singers are Audio Masterclass featured artists Charlotte Roel and Guy Barzily.

We'll let these examples speak for themselves...

Example file: 15-vocal-female-2-uncompressed.wav

Example file: 16-vocal-female-2-compressed.wav

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This emulation is of a Urei LA-4 optical compressor/limiter...

Example file: 17-vocal-female-stellar-4.wav

Example file: 18-vocal-male-2-uncompressed.wav

Example file: 19-vocal-male-2-compressed.wav

This emulation is of a PYE 84 4060/01 compressor/limiter...

Example file: 20-vocal-male-2-meat-pie.wav

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Bass guitar

Bass guitar is an instrument that often responds very well to compression. Here is an example of a
typical uncompressed recording...

Example file: 21-bass-uncompressed.wav

The recording sounds OK, but the notes are all different levels and strengths. Evening the notes
out with compression suddenly makes the whole thing very much more powerful...

Example file: 22-bass-compressed.wav

Module05AudioExamplesNotes
In this example however, the first note was played louder than any other note in the entire track.
This doesn't sound quite right when compressed. To correct this, the first note was reduced in
level using a gain plug-in, then compressed as before...

Example file: 23-bass-compressed-first-note-fixed.wav

It sounds a lot better and it isn't too much trouble to fix small problems like this.

Acoustic guitar

The guitarist is a member of Audio Masterclass Featured Artists, Those Dreaded Gnats.

The acoustic guitar is an instrument that sometimes responds to compression, sometimes not. It
depends largely on the playing style, but also on the instrument, studio acoustics and recording
technique. Experimentation is therefore called for, and if compression doesn't make an
improvement, then just don't use it.

Here is an example of what compression can do for an acoustic guitar...

Example file: 24-guitar-acoustic-uncompressed.wav

Example file: 25-guitar-acoustic-default-settings.wav

Module05AudioExamplesNotes
In the above example you will hear that the guitar is subtly but usefully strengthened and
enhanced. However, the bass notes are taking too much control of the compression process and
there is some 'bouncing' of levels.

What we can do therefore is filter out the bass notes from the 'side chain' of the compressor. The
side chain is the signal that controls the amount of compression. We don't hear the side chain
signal at the output, so we don't hear the filtering.

Notice the side-chain controls on the upper right, and the improved smoothness in this example...

Example file: 26-guitar-acoustic-optimized.wav

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Electric guitar

The guitarist is Audio Masterclass Featured Artist Mick Hutchings.

Often the electric guitar doesn't need any compression at all. This is because when the amplifier is
turned up and the distortion is high, then the signal is already compressed and at a consistent
level. A compressor can't make it any more consistent, and therefore there is no useful
compression effect. Of course, a vacuum tube compressor may add a little warmth due to the
nature of its circuitry.

Sometimes however, where there are dynamics in the playing and the notes are distinct,
compression can be useful. Another situation is where the guitarist plays power chords. The chords
may be required to provide a consistent backing to the song, however, they decay in level
between each chord. Compression can correct this...

Example file: 27-guitar-electric-uncompressed.wav

Example file: 28-guitar-electric-compressed.wav

Module05AudioExamplesNotes
In the example above you will notice that the compressed version is lower in level than the
original, even though there is a gain make-up control available. The reason for this is that with the
attack set to 10 milliseconds, transients were not compressed, so that they are at the same peak
level as the original, only the sustained portion of the sound is compressed. This was found to be
subjectively the optimum setting, although please feel free to experiment and find your own
preference.

Kick drum

Both the kick drum and snare drum can be compressed. The result isn't necessarily better, but it is
different and might suit the project in hand.

Here we have an example of the kick drum, aimed at making it more powerful. This is a recording
of a kick drum being played (rather than a sampled kick drum sequenced). The original producer
of the recording has gated it before the mix. Clearly he wanted a clear distinct sound to work with.

Example file: 29-kick-uncompressed.wav

The drum sounds perfectly fine as it is, but compression can be a powerful sound-sculpting tool...

Example file: 30-kick-compressed.wav

Module05AudioExamplesNotes
In the above example, getting the attack time right is important. There is no 'right' attack time. It
depends on the material you are working with and on the compressor you are using. You will
notice however that the attack time here is very short. Sometimes you will set a long attack time
so that the initial transient gets through.

Here is another kick drum, this time ungated...

The drummer is Audio Masterclass Featured Artist Joe Clancy.

Example file: 31-kick-2-uncompressed.wav

Here we have fattened up the sound, but also notice how the spill from the other drums is now
louder. Sometimes careful compromise is necessary.

(Gating, by the way, is not always useful. Sometimes it changes the character of the sound so
much that the value of the original is lost.)

Example file: 32-kick-2-compressed.wav

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Full drum set

It is always worth experimenting with compressing the full drum set, unless there is a particular
requirement for it to sound as it originally did in the studio. This can be done in isolation, but it is
often better to judge the results in the context of the entire mix.

Here is a recording of drums mixing with the overheads quite low...

The drummer is Audio Masterclass Featured Artist Joe Clancy.

Example file: 33-drums-dryish-uncompressed.wav

And the compressed version...

Example file: 34-drums-dryish-compressed.wav

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The above is just one example of settings. There is a huge range of settings that will produce
interesting results, so experimentation is encouraged. In this case, the effect of compression has
been to make the sound more ambient and 'in the room'.

Here is the same recording with the overheads mixed higher in level...

Example file: 35-drums-wet-uncompressed.wav

Notice how once again one of the effects is to bring up the ambience...

Example file: 36-drums-wet-compressed.wav

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And just for fun, here are the drums through an emulation of a Teletronix LA-2A optical
compressor...

Example file: 37-drums-wet-leveller.wav

As you can hear, the above example offers excellent fullness. This may have something to do with
the fact that the original LA-2A uses vacuum tubes, as well as the optical compression method,
which have both of course been modeled.

Here is a technique that we have not demonstrated yet...

Module05AudioExamplesNotes
Compressors always work by bringing down the highest signal levels. But since the highest levels
are the most easily audible, there is an argument that says you shouldn't mess about with them.
It would be better to bring up the low signal levels that are not heard so noticeably.

One way to do this is to set up a duplicate track and compress it heavily. Then mix it with the
uncompressed track. This has the effect of bringing up the low levels and is often known as
'parallel compression', sometimes as 'New York' compression...

Example file: 38-drums-parallel-compression.wav

Full mix

Compression can be used on the entire mix, and indeed is often part of the mastering process.
Care must be taken not to overdo things however or the result can easily sound much worse than
the original.

Here however is a mix that could be a candidate for compression...

Example file: 39-mix-uncompressed.wav

And the compressed version...

Example file: 40-mix-compressed.wav

Module05AudioExamplesNotes
Although the compression is quite subtle - notice the low compression ratio - the result is now
usefully stronger, and there is little to say that any aspect of the mix has been made worse.

Parallel compression is useful for mixes too...

Example file: 41-mix-parallel-compression.wav

Summary

Module05AudioExamplesNotes
In conclusion, the compressor is clearly a very powerful tool. It also has an infinite range of
subtleties.

The best way to learn compression is to start with a basic compressor, such as the DigiRack shown
here. Experiment with the controls on a variety of sound sources until you are very comfortable
and in command of what they can do. Following that, experiment with different compressors,
preferably hardware as well as software, and see how they react differently.

It is important to note that a compressor is not a 'magic solution' to anything. It is your control of
the compressor that makes all the difference.

End of Audio Examples Notes.

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