#15

Mixing/Bus Compression: I love opto compression for glue but i always wanted a more radical tool, when i stumbled upon the elysia mpressor i knew i was there. This is the only compressor that can act like an envelope in a synth voice. I use this to eat peaks or in extreme settings in parallel. It took a good 20years in my recording career to grasp the concept of a compressor and actually know what i‘m doing. Since now this is the case the mpressor is a marvelous companion but its concept needs understanding and adapting.

When i started in the 8ies the overeasy use of a hardware 1176 on voice was phenomenal. Then i had this big confusion when inthebox compressors didnt sound like i wanted and it took 20 years, the tools gotten better and i became more confident.
Remember, from the late 9ies until 2012 we had this loudness war going on in Broadcast-limiters like the hardware Jünger were the shit then. In flashy studios you‘d stack 2 in series :laughing:.
Luckily in 2012 we were introduced to the R128 norm of leveling. I took 3-4 years of adapting but as of now i‘m happy again like in the 8ies. Unless i did Musicmastering in the last 10years, i would not touch a limiter but for the bare boosting level to zero.

I have a hard time with stock ableton dynamic plugins-to me they sound thin (multiband limiter especially) and dont take me where i want to go. Probably just me😃

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#16

Very easy to patch up a compressor on a modular too, started a thread on it on the MW forum about 11 years ago:

https://www.muffwiggler.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=6417

You only need three modules (four if you include the Mult), either a filter, VCA, LPG or VCF (whichever sounds best, or TRY THEM ALL!!! I used a Wiard Borg filter here which is vactrol based and has a nice thwappy sound) as the gain reduction element, an Inverter, and some kind of Envelope Follower (I used a Serge VCS patched as such in this example, but you could use a “proper” Envelope Follower such as the one in an MS-20, or a Maths etc.) Depending on how you patch it, it’s FeedForward or FeedBack, and you can insert whatever else you like in the Side Chain for ultimate flexibility. :slight_smile: It can be very tweaky but can also sound amazing!

Comp Patch
Comp Patch2856×3285 1.74 MB

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#17

Loving heavy compression and side chaining as stylistic element as used in Low’s ‘Double Negative’ (https://lowtheband.bandcamp.com/album/double-negative) or some Colin Stetson records. Big fan …

In the modular I tend to use side chaining on parts of the mix (e.g. long delays, either side chaining the delay input signal agains the delay mix out or percussive/kick elements agains the whole ‘voice’) to clean up a bit. Usually with on board tools — envelope followers, attenuverters, VCAs.

For more percussive elements I also compress/limit a copy of the signal and mix it back in with additional reverb. Nice effect. Sort of a ‘room mic’ thing …

As mentioned in the original post, I feel, often synths are very constant in dynamics and don’t need compression as such, but I like to use it as glue. It really works for bringing sound sources closer together, making them feel as ‘one’.

That said, I sometimes like to use the inversion of compression (also mentioned here already), expansion. Multing a voice trough an envelope follower and the resulting CV into a VCA (with offset/attenuation for more control). One of my favourite effects, actually …

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#18

I like doing that in feedback loops (with a reverb in particular), with just enough of an offset into the VCA to act as a gain boost when needed. With the right settings it’ll keep the feedback going forever without clipping.

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#19

I quite often compress delay sends to get them to fade out a specific way rather than in a linear fashion. It also works to get them to “mush” and not necessarily focus on the transient in the dry sound.

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#20

Naive question: is that with the comp before or after the delay on the send bus?

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#21

What I’m describing is after but before is also valid for another reason.

When you put the compression after the delay, depending on the ration it’s going to sustain for a while and then quickly fade out once it goes below the compressor’s threshold.

Putting the compressor before doesn’t achieve that but what it does achieve that I use relatively often is if you have sounds with a sharp attack and short sustain like a banjo or mandolin (or synth sounds with a similar type of envelope), running those through a delay without compression usually means you mostly get the attack, a bunch of annoying clicks and very little of the actual note ringing out.
When you add compression before the delay, this equalizes what gets picked up and goes through the feedback path. It doesn’t necessarily destroy the clicks but the tones are much clearer as there’s more of that content going into the delay.
It also balances out the effect you get where louder notes get more delay than quieter ones, this may or may not be desirable depending on the effect you’re looking for.

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#22

Super helpful details!! Thank you!!

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#23

I’ve been using the compand as a crazy agressive gate to turn acoustic drums and guitars into circuit bend-y clicks and beeps, and it’s been my recent favorite sound.

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#24

with delays and reverbs I use both ways. More standard (i think) that compression goes before delays-verbs, but sometimes reverbed signal into compression creates some fresh sounds.

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#25

My favorite compressor is the Inward Connections Brute, I believe an updated version with ratio control is now sold by Tree Audio. It just makes everything sound more “like a record,” I basically run everything through it that’s mono for a slight gain reduction. It’s particularly special on vocals and bass.

I often prefer to have multiple stages of less compression for general control. I’ll get a little compression first hardware on the way int to the box, then a little more for mixing for further control or vibe. But of course I also love to slam the hell out of something sometimes too and the Brute with both knobs all the way up is a special sound.

In my modular I love both the SSF Autodyne and WMD MSCL. They sound very different and function rather differently too with MSCL having attack and decay controls and Autodyne capable of parallel compression, but both work great in the modular and processing external sources in the mixing process. The Autodyne for drums is just fantastic, and the MSCL as a bus compressor is impressive for sound, size, and rice. If you are into eurorack, it’s hard to find a better deal for a pro sounding compressor anywhere than these too. There are compressors a lot more expensive that these compete with sound quality wise.

I find myself using the UAD classic emulations quite a bit for mixing and while tracking if I need a certain sound as well that my hardware can’t get, and for general control of course too. For example, the 1176 to push things forward and create presence in a way that only a FET style compressor does, or the La2a to do some further smoothing to a legato part if my Brute is occupied. Also love the Goodhertz Vulf for vibe, UAD API 2500 for all around versatility in function and sound and especially for the stereo de-linking capabilities. Recently got Acustica Gold and I’m loving the compressors on there for busses and color, and their El Rey is pretty damn magical as well for a very vibey sound, another that’s great on most vocals.

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#26

I have not heard about MSCL before. It looks like a great tool for master compression for lives (stereo, easy setup). I hope it doesn’t suck a tone.

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#27

I don’t compress synths unless the envelopes aren’t up to snuff. Sometimes you gotta go with a nice mid-length decay on the VCA and then just squash the sustain up and use the compressor attack to dial in the “real attack”.

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#28

This is true, I should have given the caveat that I tend to choose envelopes with distinct curve controls on both attack and sustain so I suppose I have more control than some in that department.

A different conversation altogether but it would be interesting to see an envelope that emulated compression in its curvature as it is how we hear most instruments nowadays.

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#29

AFAIR this is doable with feedback on the VCA CV controlled by a second VCA?

Would love to be confirmed or corrected :heart_eyes:

Wait am I just thinking about a DUSG or Maths, etc? Im so tired…

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#30

I would need to experiment to actually create a patch like this but the way I see it, you’d need to emulate the knee of a compressor, the point in which the compression takes hold. Once the signal passes the knee, it gets reduced to a certain ratio.

The way I’d do this is probably with a VCA where the output of the VCA gets fed through whatever sets the knee (could be some type of comparator or a rectifier with an offset, it depends on what you have), this “knee’d” signal is then fed back negatively to the VCA, so its pushed back down. I suppose you could use a slew to dial it in too but for CV I’m fairly sure it could fare without.

I haven’t tried this patch though so I can’t tell you if it works or not!

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#31

As someone who knows very little about how to use compression (but still uses it frequently), this thread is very interesting! I am not ashamed to admit that I use n00b compression tools aimed at those of us who are not skilled: mostly Klevgrand Korvpressor, Izotope Neutron (the automatic channel strip tool is way better than I am at setting up multiband compression & EQ), and Izotope Ozone (limiting 4 dummies).

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#32

Thanks Gregg, an interesting read. I’m going to print it out. Really appreciate this kind of recipe with a logical order of how to tweak one parameter at the time. I tend to “tweak til it sounds good”, but really I’m a bit in the dark most of the time. Obviously mixing/mastering and working a compressor is about developing a good ear – but I believe it really helps to learn what it is you should listen for.

I find it fascinating that compression can be have so many different functions. Sound design, groove, audibility, energy, power, detail etc.

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#33

My modular rack ends with a Vermona TIA-4, which is connected to an Alesis 3632 (the more refined cousin of the 3630). It’s there mostly for its limiter, but I like having the sidechain option, patched into my old Electribe ER-1, since my Eurorack gets its clock from the Elecrtribe as well.

But what I’m really excited about these days was setting up a hardware bus with an HHB Radius 3 “Fat Man” tube compressor and an old DOD 830 equalizer. I built a calibration template in Ableton Live using pink noise and a spectrum analyzer to set the pair to neutral gain-wise across the spectrum. It requires that I let them both warm up for about 20 minutes and I still have to tweak the EQ a bit to get the compressor back to neutral before each session. But when it’s dialed in, it provides the sweetest glueing effect I’ve ever heard. Absolutely fantastic on drum machines, sampled electronic drums, and glitchy percussion.

I haven’t tried it on the master yet, but since I tend to mix into an opto-compressor plugin, I’m looking forward to giving it a try there too.

In the past, I’ve used the Fat Man on my ER-1, especially the kick, and my BassStation Rack to add incredible tube-y crunch. Found mine for around $100 on eBay.

#34

How do you like it? I got one in a package deal (two patchbays, two old Roland reverb racks and the 3632) and haven’t had time to figure out how to use it or how to connect it. I probably should use it for effect, right?