Mixing With Massive Bus Comp Gain Reduction

[Mikaël-ange]

YEs and Yes.
A- DISTRESSORS-NEVE 1084
B- SSL QUAD BUSS- Tube Tech EQs
C- 1176's
D- Focusrite Red 3-API 550a's

A-Gtrs
B-Drums/Bass
C-Extras
D-Vocals

Ok, now I feel better to don't overlove Randy work like Ermin

Nice setup man
About your red: older one (transformer version) or new one?

 

[mjlaudio]

The SSL clones and such are based on the ssl compressor and it is similar to the one in the console and probably the same as the xlogic ones you can buy now.....the older e/g/g+/ even j had a vca(the compressing element) by dbx the 202c it has been replaced by another vca (that) because the dbx one is discontinued. the xlogic doesn't sound like the older grey fx384, but this is kinda immaterial because the rack unit ssl doesn't sound exactly like the console.

All of them have different meter ballistics in my experience. One persons gr to 6db is anothers 4db.

The place where they sit electronically is slightly different when you are running converters with way lower headroom in to a box that was designed to run at a specific voltage, than when you are running the console into it.

SSLs have a sweet spot that is where there is a combination of distortion and as CLA put it "sag". Thats why there is usually some gain stage trickery going on in the form of bussing. Let alone if you are running the motors as automation or the vca's as automation there are different things that happen to the sound.


My main point is that rather than shooting for a number on 1 piece of gear that is only a small part of a bigger picture, used by someone you admire. Find your go to setting given the sum of all the gear you have. Chasing someones mixes with exactly the same gear you have is hard enough. Without the centerpiece (let alone the same tracking) its impossible to get the same mix.


@CFH i used to use something similar to this but found that the calibration was too time consuming. Are you on a console? Do you run tones to calibrate the system?

 

[Ermz]

^ Very cool post. I'm on board with that. Chasing someone else's sounds is futile, especially with the huge disparity between ITB and console mixing. For the most part I've been able to hunt down and somewhat implement most techniques I've heard about, but this is one of the only ones that still eludes me.. so it's just a bit infuriating.

Cheers to everyone for the input.

 

[amarshism]

We all understand this, it's just an interesting exercise in technique. Alot of the big mix guys are known for big gr on their masterbus, so clearly they're doing something we've yet to figure out how to pull off.

Edit: that was at the guy above ermz

 

[ahjteam]

One of the things I'm still trying to nut out is how to maintain a cohesive mix when running into the GSSL at 30ms attack, 100ms rel, 4:1 and around 6 to 12dB of gain reduction.

I don't know, I did the Celine Dion "My Heart Will Go On" extreme metal cover with like 20dB master bus compression and it was loud as fuck

IIRC the settings were something like 1-2ms attack, 125-150ms release

 

[Mikaël-ange]

The SSL clones and such are based on the ssl compressor and it is similar to the one in the console and probably the same as the xlogic ones you can buy now.....the older e/g/g+/ even j had a vca(the compressing element) by dbx the 202c it has been replaced by another vca (that) because the dbx one is discontinued. the xlogic doesn't sound like the older grey fx384, but this is kinda immaterial because the rack unit ssl doesn't sound exactly like the console.

All of them have different meter ballistics in my experience. One persons gr to 6db is anothers 4db.

The place where they sit electronically is slightly different when you are running converters with way lower headroom in to a box that was designed to run at a specific voltage, than when you are running the console into it.

SSLs have a sweet spot that is where there is a combination of distortion and as CLA put it "sag". Thats why there is usually some gain stage trickery going on in the form of bussing. Let alone if you are running the motors as automation or the vca's as automation there are different things that happen to the sound.


My main point is that rather than shooting for a number on 1 piece of gear that is only a small part of a bigger picture, used by someone you admire. Find your go to setting given the sum of all the gear you have. Chasing someones mixes with exactly the same gear you have is hard enough. Without the centerpiece (let alone the same tracking) its impossible to get the same mix.


@CFH i used to use something similar to this but found that the calibration was too time consuming. Are you on a console? Do you run tones to calibrate the system?

Great post

 

[Machinated]

I don't know, I did the Celine Dion "My Heart Will Go On" extreme metal cover with like 20dB master bus compression and it was loud as fuck ]

im guessing this is a joke, as ermz is looking for the bus compressor to add something (glue/flavour/character/whatever you want to call it) to the mix as opposed to getting a loud mix.

 

[Machinated]

and this is a cool thread

 

[nwright]

At the Sweetwater clinic with CLA last night, he said he is only getting "a dB or 2" of gain reduction on his master bus comps. He said that if you are trying to get more to get "the glue", then the mix itself needs work...When he said this, I was skeptical about the truth to it, but also immediately thought of this thread.

 

[Mikaël-ange]

At the Sweetwater clinic with CLA last night, he said he is only getting "a dB or 2" of gain reduction on his master bus comps. He said that if you are trying to get more to get "the glue", then the mix itself needs work...When he said this, I was skeptical about the truth to it, but also immediately thought of this thread.

100% true
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