Ableton Forum

Hey Patch,

I believe that Version2 supports VST effects:


http://www.kjaerhusaudio.com/classic-compressor.php
http://www.kjaerhusaudio.com/classic-master-limiter.php

These are fairly transparent and they are free. ( no lookahead though).

Put the compressor on first: keep the attack fast, the ratio low and be ultra careful with the out put gain.

the trick with this compression is that you are giving the whole output the same compression sheen. This makes your mixes sound smoother - but try to sort this one out by starting with zero effect and turning it up and up and up until you can just hear the effect of the compression - then nudge it back a little.

Next put the limiter on, so that its the last thing happening this will give everything you play the same perceived volume output. try to have the limiter peaking around -1db this will make sure you're not distorting the sound at all. and you can always nudge it up a touch if you need to kick the dancefloor's teeth in.

This is fairly standard procedure and most clubs will have hardwear limiters in their rig - but hardware is too slow for transparent limiting.

Anyway have fun.

Robin

Patch

We're just trying to help - Personally I don't see the benefit of putting a compressor over the top of my Live DJ mix (especially if I'm mixing digital records)

I don't put a compressor over my vinyl dj mixes when I play through a club mixer so I don't see the point of doing it to my computer (unless that's the effect I'm going for - which is what your trying to do correct?)

My vinyl sounds the same weather it's still in it's native plastic form or digital form so....

djadonis206 wrote:Patch

We're just trying to help - Personally I don't see the benefit of putting a compressor over the top of my Live DJ mix (especially if I'm mixing digital records)

I don't put a compressor over my vinyl dj mixes when I play through a club mixer so I don't see the point of doing it to my computer (unless that's the effect I'm going for - which is what your trying to do correct?)

My vinyl sounds the same weather it's still in it's native plastic form or digital form so....

true enough, if you can't hear the difference then you don't need it.

Personally, I use PSP Vintage Warmer on the master output in Live... for some light compression. I keep the settings subtle, but if you toggle the VST on/off you can hear the difference.

Only problem with this is that the VST adds some latency to the master output, so I had to setup a Send/Return with a delay for my headphone Cue. But other than that, it's great.

Thanks again, Czechchap - I've PM'd you...

subterFUSE wrote:Personally, I use PSP Vintage Warmer on the master output in Live... for some light compression.

For a VST, the vintage warmer has a lovely sound and is ace on vocals and guitars.

I feel it colours the sound too much to be used as effect on the main outs. I've actually started using the TC works native bundle for this. It's not being sold anymore but you can still pick up secondhand ones - and if they are not on sale in shops there may be other places to get them, such as ebay or loot or whatever.

Patch wrote:THANK YOU CZECHCHAP!!!! That is exactly the type of answer I was looking for! I've only got Live v2 - so compressor II is not available. But mixing odd genres is exactly why I asked the question! Can you please expand a little on the technique you use?

why don't you use the volume/gain? it gives you much more control than an semi-automated solution imho

Olaf

czechchap wrote:

djadonis206 wrote:Patch

We're just trying to help - Personally I don't see the benefit of putting a compressor over the top of my Live DJ mix (especially if I'm mixing digital records)

I don't put a compressor over my vinyl dj mixes when I play through a club mixer so I don't see the point of doing it to my computer (unless that's the effect I'm going for - which is what your trying to do correct?)

My vinyl sounds the same weather it's still in it's native plastic form or digital form so....

true enough, if you can't hear the difference then you don't need it.

i find it strange to come up with "audiofile snobbish" remarks and at the same time advice to re-compress an already mastered and probably compressed original....you will degrade dynamics and fidelity, all for the sake of some kind of automatic volume-control which will only make a mix sound boring and lost of dynamics..you could just as simple use a gain or a volume fader to control loudness..

Olaf

Olaf

czechchap wrote:

subterFUSE wrote:Personally, I use PSP Vintage Warmer on the master output in Live... for some light compression.

For a VST, the vintage warmer has a lovely sound and is ace on vocals and guitars.

I feel it colours the sound too much to be used as effect on the main outs. I've actually started using the TC works native bundle for this. It's not being sold anymore but you can still pick up secondhand ones - and if they are not on sale in shops there may be other places to get them, such as ebay or loot or whatever.

i agree, VintageWarmer on a mix gives quiet a "ragged" and tiring sound, especially on large club PA's where you play at loud volumes...

Olaf

olafmol wrote:
i find it strange to come up with "audiofile snobbish" remarks and at the same time advice to re-compress an already mastered and probably compressed original....you will degrade dynamics and fidelity, all for the sake of some kind of automatic volume-control which will only make a mix sound boring and lost of dynamics..you could just as simple use a gain or a volume fader to control loudness..

Olaf

Olaf

Yeah I regretted that comment when I made it, I was in a bad mood and felt mildly insulted by dj adonis.

I'm definitely not suggesting compressing an already compressed track. I'm talking about a method of subtely equalising the output of different types of tracks so that when you go from playing a really sonically full track recorded and mastered in the 1990's to playing a thin reedier track recorded in the 1950's that you take some of the shock of the dynamic step down away. If you read what I said, I suggest upping the compression ratio til you can just hear the difference and then backing it off a nudge. the real work is done by the maximizer / limiter.

i maybe came off like a twat - but I could really be bothered rebutting Dj Adonis' remarks.