This is pretty much all I think about. Wife at dinner: "How was your day dear?" Me: "Well I learned that short release times can emphasize pumping and if I really crank down the threshold I can hear it but is there a way to time that to the beat? And if the threshold is higher I can't hear it is it still there and will others hear it? And then does it make sense to adjust that separately in one or more bands in ReaXComp?" Wife:"Have you tried an LA2A clone? It might be interesting with its variable release time..." Thanks Kenny for all you do in keeping the dinner conversation flowing.
Ha ha! Loved this as I’m just having breakfast with my wife and talking about this video/compression to her - she’s excellent at faining interest! 🤭 Maybe I need to tweak her ‘make up’ gain?
Damn, there's so many compressors in Reaper, that I didn't take any time to inspect the others, just went with ReaComp and fiddled with it. Frankly, I didn't even know that 'General Dynamics' was a compressor, but that tool looks great! Graphic illustration made it so much easier to understand.
this for me is one of the greatest mysteries. the theory is clear to me, the practice is not. Thanks to your video, the theory is even clearer to me, and the practice a little less obscure
@@Beemerboy324 You are definitely right! I often ask myself: am I operating correctly? Up to which point do I have to (or can I) intervene on the threshold and correspondingly increase the gain? Not to mention how to apply compression to various instruments or even the mix (for me it is a dark chasm). It is clear that, as in theroy music in which I am most skilled, it is a path in which one should study, deepen the basic concepts and, as you rightly said, do numerous tests. You can't improvise.
This is probably the one channel that teaches the most and is the easiest way to learn. It approaches individual techniques thoroughly, explains why and what for, and gives examples of the outcome. The fact that you have only 117K subs says everything about the softwares market penetration and nothing about the quality of your videos. Thank You Kenny!
Theres a little trick that i learned from a channel named Nando Costa, to listen better the effect of a compression just after that i really started to understand better what was happening. the attack tend to affect more on low frequences(yep like an eq), less attack on comp = more low end on that sound, more attack on comp = less low frequences listen to the kick at 2:35 the release tend to affect more on high frequences less release on comp = more high end on that sound, more release on comp = less high frequences listen to the hats at 3:08 the other parameters affects exactly like Kenny said on the video, remembering that each compressor can have his own parameters, tbh the only one that even today i still struggle on how to listen to it is the ratio, i understand how it works but to listen and associate that change on my brain still a problem so i tend to use compressors in a more conservative form(2:1-4:1) and experimenting with higher ratios
Just want to add that, I believe that the reason for this tendency is not that compressors are frequency sensitive. But that Low frequencies tend to use a lot more “energy” than High frequencies, and the compressors are responding to that energy crossing the threshold. The ADSR envelope of a sound is being reshaped by the (dynamic range) compressor. The High frequencies may never reach the threshold or decay quickly, and they can often be reshaped by the Release settings as you say. But it isn’t because they are high frequencies, just lower levels. To my understanding…
@@G_handle if i understood correctly, yes, the change on other parameters, threshold for instance, also affects how much we perceive the changes on these frequences
Thank you for this important lesson! I could hear he compression results clearly in the vocal, but not so much on the drums. When you played the uncompressed mix, yeah, the vocal got lost and the drums overpowered it. But after you compressed the vocal, everything was more cohesive and clearer. Great tutorial, as always! Thank you so much!
Just getting back to Reaper after years of doing non-audio stuff. This is excellent for refresher/reminder time! Now I must dig up my Izotope plug-ins and figure those out all over again. Thanks for these fine vids!
Ever since I discovered upwards compression, I've been doing that a little bit, BEFORE my usual compressor. I use the Waves MV2 for subtle upwards compression, and then the Fabfilter Pro-C afterwards.
Yes! Some peak downwards compression coupled with lower level upwards compression in General Dynamics has been a perfect formula for evening out vocal tracks without making them spitty or hyperventilating! 👍
@@REAPERMania I'm just greatful to able to play these video over and over until something clicks, I've always a hard time retaining things. Cheers for you help Kenny, it's greatly appreciated.
My ears can't distinguish as much as my eyes can. I'm learning to use visual mixing as much, if not more than audio mixing. I can see the difference more than I can hear it, but doing that way, I can eventually hear the difference. Probably doesn't make sense but works for me
I've learned it's all about the attack and release times to create a groove after the ratio and threshold recently...thanks covid..😁 It's never ending the learning though. I want to combine the Silika with the General Dynamics or the 1175 in Paralell...a bit of each. The swing changes on the attack and tail. I only got into that this last year. Another great video. Nice pop meets Amy btw. Like that old style.
Slam - Bam - Simple... Man! JS's GD compressor was the one that helped illuminate the light bulb moment for me as I am a visual then apply learner. In today's music, compression is unfortunately many times trapped in a gang bang orgy of over use. The result is shooting blanks and creating sterilized sound.
Hi there, Kenny, I understand the concept of compression, but lemme ask this ( not only you but the audience as well ): when I have vocals like you have in the video, should I automate the volume first at least a bit? you did one perfect video regarding the automation of vocal volume, so my question is: when to use compression as the one and only tool and when to use volume automation/adjustment? many thanks in advance for the answer :) P.S.: without you, Kenny, the world wouldn't be such a great place to live, you've helped me tremendously and brought a joy from recording and mixing my own music, and I'll be forever thankful for that :) I wish I could live in your neighborhood and pay for some face-to-face lessons, but being in Slovakia is not really possible :D
HI Kenny. All your videos are very useful, Thanks for that. I wonder if there is a chance you could explain a little bit of Pseudo Stereo, and how to use it. Have a nice day.
why I am not hearing Out Of Control by Gloria Tells on the radio more, instead of Amy (too much) Wine-house on repeat great track plus a great tutorial too, thx Kenny (thank god South Park never killed him) lol
Thanks for yet another GREAT video, Kenny. Although I usually avoid mixing using visual tools instead of my ears, the General Dynamics plugin makes it so much easier to better understand compression theory that it's really the best of both worlds! One question though, because I've read so many variations regarding an answer: Do you place the plugin at the beginning of your chain? Alternately, when using EQ on the same track I've always read the order should be EQ>Compressor. Thanks in advance for any advice.
inspiring video, as always, thanks Kenny! I wonder if it would make sense to use JS 5-band Splitter (and Joiner) with 5 instances of JS General Dynamics, to make something like multi-band gate on drums, or some advanced vocal processing/deessing on vocals/voice? not quite sure if Reaper would deal with varied lookahead settings and phase shifts in parallel 5-band scenario?
@@REAPERMania What is that supposed to mean? There are more than 2 types of RU-vidrs. Coincidentally, your answer does not pertain to topic of the commentary. Doesn t take a genius to figure out why, does it? I don't know what you figured, I didn't mean anything wrong man....Maybe you had a bad day...Fine, no problem Kenny ;)....I m cool.....hope you are too ;)
