Do you mix to a compressor?

[cacti]

meaing put a compressor on the master while making and mixing the track?

[e.g.:]

If it needs it.

[cacti]

what you mean? I thought people mixed to a compressor because the sound will be different once it is compressed in the mastering stage, so u compensate by having one on your master while you mix.

[leedsquietman]

Not usually. (in answer to the Q - Do you mix to a compressor?)

This is because I'm a broke ass who does his own mastering.

I don't put any compressors on the master while tracking at all. When I'm totally finished tracking and ready to mix, I will try the mix with or without a buss compressor (the Sonalksis SV315 mkII is my fave here, or if want that SSL G-Buss sound, Cytomic's 'The Glue'), I probably use a tad of buss compression with no more than 2-3 dB max. gain reduction 3/4 of the time, as a 'glue' for the mix, rather than to pump it louder.

The rest I handle usually in Soundforge with my array of mastering plugins etc in a seperate mastering session.

[B-S]

just limiter for cutting ocassional peaks. -0.03ceiling,.

[Hervé]

if you get a label deal, they will ask you for no limiter, no compression, -3db on the master channel. Then the mastering guy will do his job.

[UKRuss]

just limiter for cutting ocassional peaks. -0.03ceiling,.

Me too, that and a spectrum analyser just for a quick look see whats going on in the overall waveform when I introduce new elements. In all reality the limiter is just there for protection, i always try and keep the master down below -3db and render with nowt on the master track at all.

Then I have a nice 24bit stereo wav file with plenty of headroom for whatever may come next. (usually my own home mastering solution. Read: Ozone preset with some tweaks)

[3phase]

depends on the genre.. in modern dance styles you can find a shitload of compression in the mix allready...
if its part of the groove design you need it there..if its just loudness you better leave it to the mastering...

sidechain compression of subgroups is often the better way than master compression to achive groove related fx..


Like allways its a matter of taste and too much is usually rather bad than good..whenever you are not sure do less...or leave it out..

[3phase]

one more to this very relevant question.. it can be good to check a mix while you are doing it how it behaves on mastering sum compression and loudnez maximisation... you just have to be strong enough to ignore the end result and hold on mixing without... this is only to check what happens during heavy compression with a mix.. when suddenly the snaredrum kicks out heavily.. you know its a bit too loud... you will realise that minimal level changes about 1 db can make a difference there...
or some sharp frequencies that cut out point you to the single instrument that needs some filtering...

than you record your mix with just the compression it needs from an artistical point..and leave all the maximizing shit to the mastering. But the mastering can be performed with less moves than because your levels are better wighted..


and to the artistical point.. regarding plug ins that is pretty irrelevant..but when you have a rhode and schwarz or fairchild in the studio you defently like to use it in the mix.. same probably can apply to a plug that gives you the desired feel, punch or pumping aswell..

in this cases the compressor is part of the composition..

Or for conventional music with vocals..there are certain types of analog compressors around that melt the voice and the backing together... turns them into one sonical texture...

i dont know if one plug yet achieved that kind of quality, i actually doubt it... but anyway.. in such cases the compressor in the master is essential aswell... mastering engineers usually dont perform this kind of tricks or have the euipment to do it.
So when you dont do it, it wont be there..

The big majority of professional recordings runs thru some kind of compressor during mixdown..

[JAMM]

No compression on the master if i use compression on the single channels.
Only a limiter on the masterchannel.

[JAMM]

like 3phase....the use off compression depends on the genre.
In hiphop or dance projects i use heavy compression.

[B-S]

In hiphop or dance projects i use heavy compression.

yes, but definitely not on master chanel.

[B-S]

Then I have a nice 24bit stereo wav file with plenty of headroom for whatever may come next. (usually my own home mastering solution. Read: Ozone preset with some tweaks)

Exactly. -3,5dB peaks on master chanel is enough for leaving enough headroom for later stage.

No needs to squash it to death with overriding compressors. As you said. you end up having, nice open 24bit wav with loads of headroom. good good.

[SubFunk]

nope never, i only use channel / bus compression or during the mastering stage.

never on the master while mixing.

[digimixa]

I stick a compressor on the master channel to tighten and gel things together (producing Trance), I'm using the excellent Bombardier ( http://www.stillwellaudio.com/?page_id=342 )