Getting vocals to the "Front" of your mix.

[Sinister Mephisto]

Question about different types of compression - I've read in some places that it can be more transparent to have one compressor with a medium attack (medium for me is 5-15 ms), gradual release and low ratio, and then another with a super-quick attack and release, and high ratio (or just drop the pretense and use a limiter ); does anyone here try to compress vocals like this, and if so, which do you prefer to have first? (limiter or comp)

I have in the past. I used the limiter at the end. Sounds cool maaaan.

 

[Ermz]

Question about different types of compression - I've read in some places that it can be more transparent to have one compressor with a medium attack (medium for me is 5-15 ms), gradual release and low ratio, and then another with a super-quick attack and release, and high ratio (or just drop the pretense and use a limiter ); does anyone here try to compress vocals like this, and if so, which do you prefer to have first? (limiter or comp)

Very common. The first type would just be your archetypal 'opto' compressor envelope, and the latter the 1176-type. I think having the limiter-type compression second would be wisest. Reason being that you don't want those attacks on the vocals peeking out from the opto, and you gently 'massage' the vocal before pinning the crap out of it.

 

[Metaltastic]

Cool, thanks guys, that's what I figured, but I could see some logic in the reverse too (getting rid of the peaks first so they don't screw with the slow attack comp., even with the slow attack time) - what kinda GR would you shoot for on the Opto-type one?

 

[AerialThesis]

You could also automate your faders to reduce the overall dynamics of the vocals that you have previously tracked with a nice, subtle compressor (at the tracking). Then you can shape it a bit with a compressor so it compresses all the time, but doesn't jump from 3 db compression to 9 at some parts. You'll get a clearer sound that defines every syllables insted of smashing everything in a lazy way that you judge sounds the same but does not... at all.

 

[jval]

you have to also understand that compressing a vocal that much isn't just to control dynamics and level. it gives you that up front sound because it's bringing out all the low-level nuances in the voice.