It was a pretty good explanation for people who have absolutely no idea what a compressor does or how it works, which is a pretty large number of people amongst the bedroom studio crowd. I usually recommend that people new to production and engineering work on compressing the sound of their own voice to get the best idea of what it does. Those kick and snare compression tutorials don't really show you that much.
@@seanyoung9014 You are obviously new to...Any serious producer starting out will understand compression 100x better than this in their first week, and they wont come to RUclips to learn how as 90%+ of creators on here, (or lets call a spade a spade), SELF PROCLAIMED PRODUCERS on here, has no idea what their doing. What real producers, serious about the industry, will do, is study to become producers, this includes music theory etc. Then after they did their practical evaluation, start their journey and build a studio or do work for well known artists, some even start labels. There is a BIG difference between you (a bedroom producer) and a real producer. This was a brief, or extremely brief description of what compression is. He explained about 30/40%.
You never know who is watching. I had no idea what compression did at one point, so maybe someone with zero knowledge is here to learn. You should never stop learning, especially in this industry.
@@seanyoung9014 Let me explain something to you. This is how compression really works: The reason why we use compressors is to automatically reduce the gain (volume) of an audio signal when it exceeds a certain threshold, which helps to smooth out volume inconsistencies. The ratio controls how much the signal is compressed once it passes the threshold... For example, a 4:1 ratio means that for every 4 dB the signal exceeds the threshold, only 1 dB of volume increase will be allowed. A higher ratio results in stronger compression, do the math. The attack time is the reaction time of the compressor-the time it takes for the compressor to start reducing the gain AFTER the signal exceeds the threshold... A fast attack time clamps down on peaks quickly, while a slower attack time allows more of the transient (the initial burst of sound) to pass through. The release time is how LONG the compressor takes TO RETURN to its normal state after the signal drops below the threshold... A fast release will allow the sound to regain its full volume quickly, while a slow release will keep the signal compressed for longer. The knee controls how abruptly the compressor reacts when the signal passes the threshold... A "HARD KNEE" means the compression KICKS IN INSTANTLY, while a "soft knee" gradually increases the compression as the signal approaches and exceeds the threshold...Since COMPRESSION REDUCES THE OVERALL VOLUME, makeup gain is used to bring the output volume back up to an appropriate level... SENSITIVITY on the other hand is how responsive the compressor is to changes in input signal. It’s controlled by adjusting the threshold and ratio to determine how aggressively or gently the compressor acts on the signal.... You can use compressors on vocals to smooth out volume inconsistencies and ensure the voice sits well in the mix. Drums, to control dynamic peaks and make drums punchier. Bass, to keep the bass level consistent and prevent sudden jumps in volume. Guitar and Synths to maintain a balanced sound, especially in busy mixes. Then how much to use.... Light compression: Typically a ratio of 2:1 or 3:1, used for gentle smoothing without drastically altering the sound. Moderate compression, classed as a ratio of 4:1 to 6:1, is used when you want noticeable dynamic control without losing natural dynamics. Heavy compression, or classed as a ratio above 6:1, is often used for more aggressive compression effects or for instruments that need to be tightly controlled in a dense mix (like drums or bass)... Over-compression can make a mix sound lifeless or flat. It’s better to use less compression on individual tracks and apply subtle bus compression (compressing groups of instruments or the entire mix) later. Use your ears to determine, listen to the effect on the sound. A well compressed signal should feel more controlled but still dynamic... Automation can also be used. ..Instead of heavy compression, sometimes automating the volume is a better way to maintain dynamic balance while retaining natural sound. If you're compressing a vocal, set the threshold so that it catches the louder phrases but doesn’t squash the quiet ones. Use a soft ratio like 2:1, with a medium attack (e.g., 10 ms) to let transients through, and a quick release to maintain energy. You might add makeup gain afterward to bring the vocal back up in the mix. I know i didn't cover everything, but this is about 80% of what you need to know about compression, the rest is up to you.. See the difference now? Talk to someone already in the industry if you want to learn.....don't come here, you'll learn nothing, not even the basics..
Best explanation I've seen.
Thank you so much! I’m glad you enjoyed it 💪
incredible content, it has always been difficult for me to understand this and with your video it was more than clear
I love that. So glad to hear it was helpful 🙌
Nice content, dude! You've got a charm for this
Thank you so much! ❤️
Great video brother.
Thank you! 🙌
Great video!
Wasn't hearing the difference on the snare in the attack portion. May be my crappy headphones though.
Thank you! And noted. I think my examples could be more obvious for sure. I appreciate the feedback 🙌🫡
Great step by step explanation in terms we can all understand. Thank you!
Thank you so much ❤️
Awesome video 🔥🔥🔥
Love you bro 🙏🙏🙌
You are obviously new....Everyone welcome Mr Drastic Box here.....lol
It was a pretty good explanation for people who have absolutely no idea what a compressor does or how it works, which is a pretty large number of people amongst the bedroom studio crowd. I usually recommend that people new to production and engineering work on compressing the sound of their own voice to get the best idea of what it does. Those kick and snare compression tutorials don't really show you that much.
@@seanyoung9014 You are obviously new to...Any serious producer starting out will understand compression 100x better than this in their first week, and they wont come to RUclips to learn how as 90%+ of creators on here, (or lets call a spade a spade), SELF PROCLAIMED PRODUCERS on here, has no idea what their doing. What real producers, serious about the industry, will do, is study to become producers, this includes music theory etc. Then after they did their practical evaluation, start their journey and build a studio or do work for well known artists, some even start labels.
There is a BIG difference between you (a bedroom producer) and a real producer.
This was a brief, or extremely brief description of what compression is. He explained about 30/40%.
You never know who is watching. I had no idea what compression did at one point, so maybe someone with zero knowledge is here to learn. You should never stop learning, especially in this industry.
Noted! and thank you for the feedback 🙌🫡 @seanyoung9014
@@seanyoung9014 Let me explain something to you. This is how compression really works:
The reason why we use compressors is to automatically reduce the gain (volume) of an audio signal when it exceeds a certain threshold, which helps to smooth out volume inconsistencies. The ratio controls how much the signal is compressed once it passes the threshold... For example, a 4:1 ratio means that for every 4 dB the signal exceeds the threshold, only 1 dB of volume increase will be allowed. A higher ratio results in stronger compression, do the math.
The attack time is the reaction time of the compressor-the time it takes for the compressor to start reducing the gain AFTER the signal exceeds the threshold... A fast attack time clamps down on peaks quickly, while a slower attack time allows more of the transient (the initial burst of sound) to pass through. The release time is how LONG the compressor takes TO RETURN to its normal state after the signal drops below the threshold... A fast release will allow the sound to regain its full volume quickly, while a slow release will keep the signal compressed for longer.
The knee controls how abruptly the compressor reacts when the signal passes the threshold... A "HARD KNEE" means the compression KICKS IN INSTANTLY, while a "soft knee" gradually increases the compression as the signal approaches and exceeds the threshold...Since COMPRESSION REDUCES THE OVERALL VOLUME, makeup gain is used to bring the output volume back up to an appropriate level...
SENSITIVITY on the other hand is how responsive the compressor is to changes in input signal. It’s controlled by adjusting the threshold and ratio to determine how aggressively or gently the compressor acts on the signal....
You can use compressors on vocals to smooth out volume inconsistencies and ensure the voice sits well in the mix.
Drums, to control dynamic peaks and make drums punchier.
Bass, to keep the bass level consistent and prevent sudden jumps in volume.
Guitar and Synths to maintain a balanced sound, especially in busy mixes.
Then how much to use....
Light compression: Typically a ratio of 2:1 or 3:1, used for gentle smoothing without drastically altering the sound.
Moderate compression, classed as a ratio of 4:1 to 6:1, is used when you want noticeable dynamic control without losing natural dynamics.
Heavy compression, or classed as a ratio above 6:1, is often used for more aggressive compression effects or for instruments that need to be tightly controlled in a dense mix (like drums or bass)...
Over-compression can make a mix sound lifeless or flat. It’s better to use less compression on individual tracks and apply subtle bus compression (compressing groups of instruments or the entire mix) later.
Use your ears to determine, listen to the effect on the sound. A well compressed signal should feel more controlled but still dynamic...
Automation can also be used. ..Instead of heavy compression, sometimes automating the volume is a better way to maintain dynamic balance while retaining natural sound.
If you're compressing a vocal, set the threshold so that it catches the louder phrases but doesn’t squash the quiet ones. Use a soft ratio like 2:1, with a medium attack (e.g., 10 ms) to let transients through, and a quick release to maintain energy. You might add makeup gain afterward to bring the vocal back up in the mix.
I know i didn't cover everything, but this is about 80% of what you need to know about compression, the rest is up to you.. See the difference now?
Talk to someone already in the industry if you want to learn.....don't come here, you'll learn nothing, not even the basics..