#audiocompression

[moochatron]

I used to be completely baffled by compression and just fiddled with knobs until something happened. This resource really helped me. It allows you to change compression parameters like attack, release, threshold etc and then shows you what that does to a waveform in real time. Really powerful to visualise what you're actually doing to the audio instead of just using your ears. You can then take that information and sort of imagine what the compressor is doing to the audio in your project. (tbh I wouldn't mind seeing a compression visualiser in a DAW that would be sick)

[smartrapperbeats-blog]

How Do I Make My Beats Hit Hard!

Compression is another one of those elements that are very important to hip hop kicks, snares, and especially vocals. 

When a rapper is spittin’ a verse in double time (like Twista or the Migos) there will be parts in that verse that will be too loud or too low. Therefore, it’s always good to use compression to bring up those low parts and squeeze those peaks in the rapper’s voice. 

This works the same way with instruments. When I use 808s and slide them from one note to the next, this often creates a lower volume on the notes that slide so I use compression to bring them up with the rest of the bass. 

A Compressor - is an audio processing operation that reduces the volume of loud sounds or amplifies quiet sounds thus reducing or compressing an audio signals dynamic range. 

Types Of Compression 

Downward Compression - Limiter - reduces loud sounds over a certain threshold while quiet sounds remain unaffected

Upward Compression - Ex-pander - increases the dynamic range of the audio signal making quiet sounds louder. 

Controls

Threshold - how loud the signal has to be before compression is applied. Threshold timing behavior is subject to attack and release.

Ratio - The amount of gain reduction is determined by ratio: a ratio of 4:1 means that if input level is 4 dB over the threshold, the output signal level is reduced to 1 dB over the threshold. The gain and output level has been reduced by 3 dB.

Attack and Release - Attack - how quickly the compressor starts to work. Release - how soon after the signal dips below the threshold the compressor stops.

Soft and Hard Knees - “sets how the compressor reacts to signals once the threshold is passed. Hard Knee settings mean it clamps the signal straight away, and Soft Knee means the compression kicks in more gently as the signal goes further past the threshold.

    Stereo Linking - A compressor in stereo linking mode applies the same amount of gain reduction to both the left and right channels. This is done to prevent image shifting that can occur if each channel is compressed individually

Make-up gain - allows you to boost the compressed signal. as compression often attenuates the signal significantly.

Look-Ahead - The look-ahead function is designed to overcome the problem of being forced to compromise between slow attack rates that produce smooth-sounding gain changes, and fast attack rates capable of catching transients.

[ebookerhub]

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[bwrdbwrd]