However, using a slow attack time can make uneven performance dynamics worse. First and foremost, decide if you even need compression and go from there. How quickly the compressor reacts to the vocals exceeding the threshold is called the attack. The Ratio setting determines how much the compressor reduces or attenuates the signal. On a technical level, the controls of a compressor are pretty simple. I'm going to put you on the trail of some advanced vocal compression tricks that the professional mixers use, but I can't go into full depth on any of them. Release Basically, threshold means how loud the sound has to be before the compression starts, ratio deals with how much compression is applied (for instance, 4:1 = for every 4dB over the threshold, the signal is increased by 1dB; Attack, meaning how fast the compressor is going to kick in and release, stating how long until the compressor stops. Learning how to properly use compression is hard. Whether you’re going for explosive room mics or subtle bus glue, the attack and release settings are key. Fast attack times are great for controlling dynamics since they start attenuating the signal as soon it crosses the threshold. For instance, if you’re looking for a punchy, exciting sound with lots of impact, you’ll probably want to use a slow attack and a fast release. There are some general starting points you can use, but you will have to tweak them to taste, as we walked through above. Fast = 25-50ms; Medium = 100-500ms; Slow = 1–2sec (all are plus or minus). For vocals, push it to 1.0 and call it a day. For instance, with a traditional four-to-the-floor beat, the needle of the compressor would return to its original position just before each beat. Are the vocals too squashed? I’m going to tell you a secret no one in the music business wants you to know. I usually choose 1 millisecond here but up to 5 ms to 10 ms can be fine. In addition, I'm going to provide you with some professional tricks of the mixing trade that you can explore once you understand the lay of the land and feel comfortable with your results. Set the threshold to 0 dB, your ratio to 5:1, the attack and release as fast as they can go (usually 1 millisecond), and the knee to 1.0. Now you want to think about the attack and release. Again, there are no hard and fast rules or formulas that work in all situations. But if you’re looking for neutral-sounding gain reduction with lots of control, try a fast attack and a slow release. At Audio Issues you’ll learn simple and practical audio production tips you can use right away to improve your music from your home recording studio. The Threshold setting determines when the compressor actually begins compressing. Also called New York Compression, parallel compression is the act of combining either a completely dry (uncompressed) or a lightly compressed version of a track with a more heavily compressed version of the same track. The advantage is you'll have independent control over the volume of each version of the track and can mix them to taste. Fast Release Speed (50 to 100 milliseconds) The release setting controls how long it takes for the compressor to let go of a signal. How much you reduce the volume is decided by the ratio setting. Turn the release time up slowly while listening to the track. Note: You must resist the temptation to mix with your eyes. How fast it stops reacting when the volume dips below the threshold is called the release. The release setting is the secret to getting your mixes to “breathe,” or pump in perfect tandem to the rhythm of the song. Learn more about, Sidechain Compression: A Critical Method for Mix Clarity, How to Use Autotune for Natural or Extreme Vocal Tuning, How to EQ Bass Guitar for Energy, Punch, & Clarity, How to Use Reference Tracks to Emulate Top-Tier Mixes. There may still be cases where you're dealing with tonal compression, which will use a lower ratio and focus more on the attack and release. A slow attack (30ms) will make your vocals sound punchy and aggressive. The attack setting is essentially the reaction time of the compressor. So any time your vocals are present in the mix, you'll automatically compress the guitars so that they duck out of the way of the vocals. If the vocals sound too compressed (you'll know it if you hear it) then start slightly reducing the ratio and slightly bumping up the threshold in increments. Just Industry News, Tips, and Exclusive Deals. My assumption here is that you've already done this. The point is to push the volume back up in the mix to appropriate levels. 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