I'm trying to do my first mix on drums and i see a lot of people use compression on their kicks. The only thing is, when i do compression it doesn't sound any different at all. I was using a ratio of 3:1, threshold of -6 and an attack of around 28 and it just doesn't sound any different at all so what is compression supposed to do?
Compression
- Thread starter Steve1234
- Start date
Let it burn...
Orgasm Donor
Make you dynamic range smaller. If you hear the compressor working, you're overcompressing and sometimes that can be a good thing but most of the times it isn't that good 
. When people compress their kicks, they want to "even out" the hits so that you get a less dynamic kicksound.
. When people compress their kicks, they want to "even out" the hits so that you get a less dynamic kicksound.
Sacha
Throbbing Member
Its usually set pretty intense since you are only blending it in parallel. Bring down the threshold, turn up the ratio and play with the attack and release.
Ok i can kind of see how it works thanks. I'm just trying to get a good overall drum sound. It isn't drums i've recorded though i'm using Addictive Drums
Unavailable
Member
If you really want to hear how compression sounds/works, pull the threshold WAY down, turn your ratio WAY up, and screw with the attack and release.
John_C
formerly Skeksis268
I have to say that compression is a very valuable tone shaping tool for any percussive sound. It's not just a leveller
Fox Mulder
The Truth Is Out There
Unless you're going for parallel compression you're not supposed to easily hear the "compression doing it's thing" with the track solo'd. It's supposed to reflect upon the whole mix. Trust me, even 3db of gain reduction can at times make a world of difference.
If you're not happy with the end result, the problem could be elsewhere. Clashing frequencies maybe? Unfriendly bass guitar? Boomy and/or inappropriate guitars?
compression shouldnt be used to even out volume of kicks, use automation for that.
I use comp. on kicks to clamp down on boominess by setting the attack slow enough to let the transient through, but compressing the overtones to get rid of the ringing of the drum.
I use comp. on kicks to clamp down on boominess by setting the attack slow enough to let the transient through, but compressing the overtones to get rid of the ringing of the drum.
John_C
formerly Skeksis268
+1
or for levelling you can transient split and then normalise them all seperately. Quick fix
DanLights
Santa Hat Forever
I haven´t used addictive drums (maybe it has an artificial dynamics creator or something) but, isn´t compressing a sequenced, constant robotic beat totally pointless? most you could do is make it louder or quieter, hell use the fader for that.
Erkan
mr-walker.bandcamp
It's supposed to reduce dynamic range of audio, meaning that there is less difference between the high volume and low volume in the signal. If someone whispers in the mic, then shouts, there will be huge difference in volume, but the compressor will bring up the whispering and bring down the shouting to even those out a bit, depending on the ratio you have set. If you have an infinite ratio and the threshold pretty much as low as you can, you will get like a constant volume, no matter what is going on in the sound. It will look like one long sausage on the waveform
This is not something to aim for though, I can guarantee you this will not sound good on anything that is dynamic.What can it be used for? Anything you want to reduce the dynamic range of
It can also save you from some manual automation, if you use it wisely.
