Analog Compressor Q: How hard on the way in?

[botus99]

I've recently adopted a less "fix it in the mix" attitude and started leaning more towards "play it right, you dummy". It's really shown positively on the album I'm currently working on. Vocals are next and last and I want them to be, well, different than vocals on my previous recordings (as my old recordings were more like jamming a big puzzle piece into an already busy mix instead of carving out spaces for everything. Mixing's a journey, I swear. You think you know so much, but your ears gotta learn everything as fast as your brain or you'll never get it)

Anyway, I'm planning on using my FMR RNC1773 (the Really Nice Compressor) on the way in on vocals as it turned out awesome on the bass tracks.

My question is: What kind of GR are you guys getting for vocals on the way in?
-Fast and hard compression with 6-8db of reduction to really slam it into place
-Slower attack to thicken it but not to affect it so permanently
-Something else? Somewhere in between?

Bonus question: if anyones tried the SuperNice mode on vocals, I've found that the fastest attack (0.2ms) and fastest release (.05ms) with up to 12-16db of GR STILL sounds pretty transparent, but adds a nice sense of aggression and really just tightens up a vocal track. Anyone have any cool inputs on the SuperNice mode?

 

[waltz mastering]

I've always tracked vocals with compression, but never with eq.

Depends what comp your using, but usually med to slow attack, 3:1 to 6:1 ratio - fast to med release and gain reduction between -2 and -6 dB

Gotta be careful not to over compress on the way in... cause it can't be undone. You can always add more later.

I'll use something like the Tube Tech CL1B post record and a FET on the way in.