Comp Att and Rel Times

[donmega]

Hey all
just wondering if i can get some feedback on drums compression attack and release times. I cant seem to get it to sit right. in particular kick and snare, but kit overall also.
any takers?
thanks in advance

 

[Ermz]

Kick and Snare usually between 20 to 30ms attack and around 100ms release.

Overall kit compression I haven't done very often, but 30ms attack and 300ms release has worked in the past.

 

[Tym_ex]

I use around 6 to 10ms attack for the snare. Kick a bit more, around 15 to 25.

 

[JeffTD]

16+ attack on snare, release low, but to taste. I find high attack with low release gives that perfect 'smack' to snares and toms.

 

[greyskull]

i tend to use 1176 compression, or ssl compression on drums, so the numbers i tell you will make no sense!

but on 1176, in 2 oclock, out 2 o'clock attack 4, releas 2 on snares, or fast attack and medium release on ssl

oh yeah... and always at 4:1

 

[ArtGarceau]

Depends on what you are trying to do. Are you trying to shape the tone with compression or are you trying to control transients? It also depends on the compressor.

With every song I've mixed I don't think I've ever started with a particular setting to work from. Usually I'm just turning knobs until it is right.

 

[axeman720]

No one seems to mention that if you understand how the attack and release of a copmressor really work, which im sure many of you do, you should have no problem finding a good starting point and using your ears from there to get it dialed in.

When you apply compression you need to think of a few things, am i applying this for gain reduction and control, or am i applying this for sound design purposes? For instance, on a snare drum most of us strap one on the insert to get more crack and squeeze more tone out of the drum. A slightly slower attack time like 16-30ms will allow the initial smack of the stick to come through uncompressed while the release of maybe 100-150ms will bring up the full tone of the drum and it lends itself a bit better to eq in my opinion, when you compress correctly. On vocals you may just want gain control to keep the lines even through the track, Start at medium attack and release settings and tweak from there depending on whether you want more or less peaks and more or less sustain and room tone.

So my point is, when you turn on the compressor, what is your goal? Do you know exactly what oyu need to do with it? Or are you just turning it on because you think it may need to be there but dont have a clue what its gonna do when you flip the switch.

 

[Eduardo Apolonia]

When you apply compression you need to think of a few things, am i applying this for gain reduction and control, or am i applying this for sound design purposes? For instance, on a snare drum most of us strap one on the insert to get more crack and squeeze more tone out of the drum. A slightly slower attack time like 16-30ms will allow the initial smack of the stick to come through uncompressed while the release of maybe 100-150ms will bring up the full tone of the drum and it lends itself a bit better to eq in my opinion, when you compress correctly.

So my point is, when you turn on the compressor, what is your goal? Do you know exactly what oyu need to do with it? Or are you just turning it on because you think it may need to be there but dont have a clue what its gonna do when you flip the switch.

Well said

 

[donmega]

Hey all, thanks for your answers so far
this would be in response to the axeman. i was asking not so much about controlling the snare, but to give it character and personality. that distinct controlled splat that come from acurate compression as an effect nearly.
am i making sense, if so, that was my point

 

[axeman720]

Yeah, i thought kind of explained that. Maybe i wasnt clear enough. I was trying to state that many of us do use compression for a distinct sound, i described as "sound design". I use compression on alot of things kind of as an eq, hence what i was saying about giving the drum a nice crak and really bringing up the tone of the drum, etc...my description about vocal usage would have been more along the lines of using if for control and gain reduction. Make sense?

hope that helps

 

[donmega]

absolutely, thanks for your response axeman