how to fix the sound when you have too many compressors?
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how to fix the sound when you have too many compressors?
any one know??
i am making a track and i only have a couple ableton live's compressors active.
but seems like as the more i get into the track everything seems to be affected by the same compressor.
this compressor is not in the master channel either.
it is located on track x individually.
my question is...
is there a way to mediate the sound that u add to a song when you have some compressors
affecting some of the tracks in said song.
cheers and thankz.
i am making a track and i only have a couple ableton live's compressors active.
but seems like as the more i get into the track everything seems to be affected by the same compressor.
this compressor is not in the master channel either.
it is located on track x individually.
my question is...
is there a way to mediate the sound that u add to a song when you have some compressors
affecting some of the tracks in said song.
cheers and thankz.
Re: how to fix the sound when you have too many compressors?
I have a tendency to "overdo it" a lot, so when I began DAW &
audio engineering, it was no different. Disasters aplenty!
1. Are you "side-chaining?" (possble issue)
2. If you don't know how to use EQ's and Compressors, and use multiples of them, they
can "fight" each other, and even make sound you WANT dissapear totally! AND WORSE!
3. I have taken "overcooked" songs and stripped every single effect out and started over.
A) LISTEN BEFORE YOU ADD ANYTHING!
B) MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHERE, WHEN, WHY, AND HOW TO USE THEM BEFORE YOU DO!
4. There are many good books on MIXING and MASTERING. (two very different things)
Try one by a successful author on MIXING first. I can recommend;
"The EQ and Compression formula" by Nathan Nyquist. <- This helped me understand
the WHEN, WHERE, WHY, AND HOW...
Old Saying;
"You can't polish a turd."
G Pop
audio engineering, it was no different. Disasters aplenty!
1. Are you "side-chaining?" (possble issue)
2. If you don't know how to use EQ's and Compressors, and use multiples of them, they
can "fight" each other, and even make sound you WANT dissapear totally! AND WORSE!
3. I have taken "overcooked" songs and stripped every single effect out and started over.
A) LISTEN BEFORE YOU ADD ANYTHING!
B) MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHERE, WHEN, WHY, AND HOW TO USE THEM BEFORE YOU DO!
4. There are many good books on MIXING and MASTERING. (two very different things)
Try one by a successful author on MIXING first. I can recommend;
"The EQ and Compression formula" by Nathan Nyquist. <- This helped me understand
the WHEN, WHERE, WHY, AND HOW...
Old Saying;
"You can't polish a turd."
G Pop
Live10std. Win8x, 8G ram, Scarlette 2i2[1stGen] & ASIO[2ndGen]-KorgN5, M-audio MIDI, various guitarz!
Without skillz, we're all just Monkeys with Shotguns!
Without skillz, we're all just Monkeys with Shotguns!
Re: how to fix the sound when you have too many compressors?
I forgot to add;
"The EQ and Compression formula" by Nathan Nyquist.
THis is available for under $10 USD in Kindle form from Amazon!
Great deal, and he knows how to get very complex ideas across
in a simple and familiar way, using analogies.
Good luck!
G Pop
"Are you lost? OK. Then take it apart and start over."
- My Father (A Mechanic)
"The EQ and Compression formula" by Nathan Nyquist.
THis is available for under $10 USD in Kindle form from Amazon!
Great deal, and he knows how to get very complex ideas across
in a simple and familiar way, using analogies.
Good luck!
G Pop
"Are you lost? OK. Then take it apart and start over."
- My Father (A Mechanic)
Live10std. Win8x, 8G ram, Scarlette 2i2[1stGen] & ASIO[2ndGen]-KorgN5, M-audio MIDI, various guitarz!
Without skillz, we're all just Monkeys with Shotguns!
Without skillz, we're all just Monkeys with Shotguns!
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Re: how to fix the sound when you have too many compressors?
If you find it acceptable to learn about compression concepts in a general way, not Ableton Live specific, then The Ultimate Compression Tutorial by Mixbus TV both explains and destroys some myths. Compression is deep. It's better not do do it than to do it wrong, is how I feel. But you have to do it wrong in order to learn how to do it properly, I think.
Make some music!
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Re: how to fix the sound when you have too many compressors?
OP, what are you using the compressors for?
Re: how to fix the sound when you have too many compressors?
First tip would be to not really use the compressors when you are still writing your song. Don't use compressors as an instrument but as a mix tool.
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Re: how to fix the sound when you have too many compressors?
Absolutely (and respectfully) totally disagree with this.kj wrote:First tip would be to not really use the compressors when you are still writing your song. Don't use compressors as an instrument but as a mix tool.
Sure, they can be used as a mix tool. But they also are great for shaping sounds - they're great for sound design!
Although, it is very easy to go down the rabbit hole of getting your sound "just so" without getting on with the writing process (guilty!).
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Re: how to fix the sound when you have too many compressors?
thank you so much for suggesting those books.G-Pop wrote:I have a tendency to "overdo it" a lot, so when I began DAW &
audio engineering, it was no different. Disasters aplenty!
1. Are you "side-chaining?" (possble issue)
2. If you don't know how to use EQ's and Compressors, and use multiples of them, they
can "fight" each other, and even make sound you WANT dissapear totally! AND WORSE!
3. I have taken "overcooked" songs and stripped every single effect out and started over.
A) LISTEN BEFORE YOU ADD ANYTHING!
B) MAKE SURE YOU KNOW WHERE, WHEN, WHY, AND HOW TO USE THEM BEFORE YOU DO!
4. There are many good books on MIXING and MASTERING. (two very different things)
Try one by a successful author on MIXING first. I can recommend;
"The EQ and Compression formula" by Nathan Nyquist. <- This helped me understand
the WHEN, WHERE, WHY, AND HOW...
Old Saying;
"You can't polish a turd."
G Pop
compression is definitely something i have not mastered
but i have learned my way around the essentials such as sjidechaining and such.
i will take a look at the books you suggested.
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- Posts: 28
- Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2017 1:06 am
Re: how to fix the sound when you have too many compressors?
i am using it to side chain the kicks so that the synth reacts to it overtime a kick hits.Shift Gorden wrote:OP, what are you using the compressors for?
however i also added minimal compression to some other elements that make my drum track.
but it sounds muffled when i attempt to add more tracks to continue developing the song.
take note that there are no effects in this new track.
and when i try to turn up the volume (via compressor in this case)
the track doesn't seem to change much either way.
Re: how to fix the sound when you have too many compressors?
Hey Strom!Stromkraft wrote:...It's better not to do it than to do it wrong, is how I feel.
But you have to do it wrong in order to learn how to do it properly, I think.
Well said, my friend!
I will have to check out the source you posted. I find that,
while there are many paradigms as individual as their engineers,
basics are still in operation here (Comp / EQ) but that the
"Art" of this Art&Science is unique in the way they approach
their USE of the tools.
G Pops
btw, I posted a track I need a female voice for, and it's raw, BUT
I would like your opinion; I am old and sometimes mistrust my ears!
It's here;
https://soundcloud.com/user-525559727/w ... roductions
UPDATED! SAME LINK AS BELOW POST! (Works!)
Last edited by G-Pop on Thu Aug 30, 2018 9:54 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Live10std. Win8x, 8G ram, Scarlette 2i2[1stGen] & ASIO[2ndGen]-KorgN5, M-audio MIDI, various guitarz!
Without skillz, we're all just Monkeys with Shotguns!
Without skillz, we're all just Monkeys with Shotguns!
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- Posts: 28
- Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2017 1:06 am
Re: how to fix the sound when you have too many compressors?
damn, thats a filthy track right there my guy!G-Pop wrote:Hey Strom!Stromkraft wrote:...It's better not to do it than to do it wrong, is how I feel.
But you have to do it wrong in order to learn how to do it properly, I think.
Well said, my friend!
I will have to check out the source you posted. I find that,
while there are many paradigms as individual as their engineers,
basics are still in operation here (Comp / EQ) but that the
"Art" of this Art&Science is unique in the way they approach
their USE of the tools.
G Pops
btw, I posted a track I need a female voice for, and it's raw, BUT
I would like your opinion; I am old and sometimes mistrust my ears!
It's here;
https://soundcloud.com/user-525559727/w ... roductions
Re: how to fix the sound when you have too many compressors?
Yeah! errr. Does that mean you like it or you don't?attack or decay wrote: damn, thats a filthy track right there my guy!
Define... "Filthy" please? (I can take it if it's bad, I got my
"Big Boy" pants on! Oh and plz listen to the REMIXED export at the URL below
first... as I said I picked the wrong (earlier) export for the first one.
I posted the wrong export (and had to kill it an upload a new one here;
"Whither" - "G Pops" FEAT KJ SAWKA! (Mad Beatz!)
https://soundcloud.com/user-525559727/w ... roductions
G pops!
Live10std. Win8x, 8G ram, Scarlette 2i2[1stGen] & ASIO[2ndGen]-KorgN5, M-audio MIDI, various guitarz!
Without skillz, we're all just Monkeys with Shotguns!
Without skillz, we're all just Monkeys with Shotguns!
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- Posts: 28
- Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2017 1:06 am
Re: how to fix the sound when you have too many compressors?
I mean it in a good way.G-Pop wrote:Yeah! errr. Does that mean you like it or you don't?attack or decay wrote: damn, thats a filthy track right there my guy!
Define... "Filthy" please? (I can take it if it's bad, I got my
"Big Boy" pants on! Oh and plz listen to the REMIXED export at the URL below
first... as I said I picked the wrong (earlier) export for the first one.
I posted the wrong export (and had to kill it an upload a new one here;
"Whither" - "G Pops" FEAT KJ SAWKA! (Mad Beatz!)
https://soundcloud.com/user-525559727/w ... roductions
G pops!
filthy because to me it sounds like it could be the soundtrack to a cyberpunk industrial dystopian film.
It is really good. the drum break gives me a Massive Attack feel.
respect!
Re: how to fix the sound when you have too many compressors?
See, this is the kind of world we've created - MF's don't even know what a compressor is doing or why it's needed, but because everyone's running around creaming their jeans for compressors (why, who knows???) everyone thinks they just need to slap compressors on everything by default... Because hey, that's all anyone every talks about. OMG Compressors.. let's all jack each other off over reducing the dynamic range...
Listen up - A compressor is a tool.... It helps you fix shit. ...Like wildly dynamic material. It's not some magical fairy dust you sprinkle on your drum buss and now you're a professional.
Learn to mix with your faders and then start to understand when you need to reach for tools like compressors and EQ's and other processing to FIX PROBLEMS...
Listen up - A compressor is a tool.... It helps you fix shit. ...Like wildly dynamic material. It's not some magical fairy dust you sprinkle on your drum buss and now you're a professional.
Learn to mix with your faders and then start to understand when you need to reach for tools like compressors and EQ's and other processing to FIX PROBLEMS...