Scribd
Upload
84 views1 page

Audio Compression 101 How To Use A Compressor For A Better Mix LANDR

The document provides an overview of audio compression in music production, including what it is, why it's used, how it works, and tips for using a compressor properly and avoiding common mistakes. The key points are: 1. Audio compression reduces the dynamic range of signals with loud and quiet elements so that both can be heard clearly. It is considered an essential mixing tool. 2. A compressor includes controls like threshold, ratio, attack, and release that determine when and how much it reduces the volume of signals passing the threshold level. 3. Using a compressor properly requires understanding its purpose and effects, listening for which aspects of the sound it impacts, and ensuring it enhances the music rather than hiding important parts

Uploaded by

Roberto Oliveira
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
84 views1 page

Audio Compression 101 How To Use A Compressor For A Better Mix LANDR

The document provides an overview of audio compression in music production, including what it is, why it's used, how it works, and tips for using a compressor properly and avoiding common mistakes. The key points are: 1. Audio compression reduces the dynamic range of signals with loud and quiet elements so that both can be heard clearly. It is considered an essential mixing tool. 2. A compressor includes controls like threshold, ratio, attack, and release that determine when and how much it reduces the volume of signals passing the threshold level. 3. Using a compressor properly requires understanding its purpose and effects, listening for which aspects of the sound it impacts, and ensuring it enhances the music rather than hiding important parts

Uploaded by

Roberto Oliveira
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
You are on page 1/ 1

LANDR BLOG

Mixing & Mastering Recording Video

Audio
Compression
101: How to Use
a Compressor
for a Better Mix
Michael Hahn · 14 Oct 2021 · 10 minute read

What is Audio Compressi…

Audio compression is one of the


most important tools in your
producer tool kit.

In fact, it is one of the fundamental tasks in


mixing any type of music.

Despite that, compression in music


production is often misunderstood. With
such an important process, it can be hard for
beginners to get started.

In this article I’ll go through everything you


need to understand the role that audio
compression plays in mixing music. I’ll
unpack how it works and give you the best
tips for learning to use it in your own process.

Let’s get started.

Mix tips, production


tutorials, gear guides and
more—delivered weekly
Keep up with the LANDR
Blog.

Your email address Subscribe

What is
compression in
music?
Dynamic range compression is a process in
music production used to help even out the
loud and quiet parts of a sound in a recorded
track.

It’s considered an essential task in mixing


music alongside equalization and applying
audio effects like reverb and delay.

In fact, compression is an essential skill for all


music producers that has a huge impact on
everything from drums to modern studio
vocals.

Hot tip:
Dynamic range compression is
completely different from the data
compression methods used to make
digital files smaller for storage or
transmission. If you`re looking for
information about this type of
compression, head over to our guide
audio file formats to get the basics.

LANDR Mastering
Studio quality sound
Our powerful, AI-driven mastering engine
listens to your song and delivers pristine,
studio-quality music that’s ready for release.

Try LANDR Mastering

Why is audio
compression used
in mixing?
Compression is used in music to reduce the
dynamic range of signals with loud and quiet
elements so that both can be heard clearly.

Compression is used in music to


reduce the dynamic range of
signals with loud and quiet
elements so that both can be
heard clearly.

Think of the difference between a soft sound


like a whispered vocal and the aggressive
crack of a snare. To make them both heard
on a recording, the mix engineer has to
manage the dynamics.

But even within the same sound, quiet details


can be easily overshadowed by the loudest
moments.

A good way to understand it is to think of the


sound of a recorded drum set. The fast onset
of sound when the stick hits the drum skin is
a clear example of a transient.

It’s the term for the initial burst of energy


when a sound starts.

In most sounds, the transient is the loudest


moment in the signal. To hear the transients
equally with the body of the sound,
compression is often necessary.

To go back to the drum example,


compression lowers the level of the loud
stick hits, and raises the level of each drum’s
sustaining tone along with the decay of the
sound in the room.

How does audio


compression
work?
The basic effect of a compressor is to reduce
the volume of a signal once it passes a
certain level.

A compressor includes several controls to


help you control exactly how it behaves:

Threshold
The level where the compressor begins
working is called the threshold—you set it
with a dB control to determine the parts of
the signal the compressor acts on.

Set the threshold high and the compressor


will only reduce the gain of the most
aggressive transients

Set the threshold lower and it compresses


more of the signal.

Ratio
The ratio control determines how much the
compressor reduces the gain once the signal
passes the threshold.

Ratio is written as a comparison with the


unaffected signal. The higher the first
number in the ratio, the more intense the
compression.

The higher the first number in


the ratio, the more intense the
compression.

If that sounds confusing, it might be easier to


see with an infographic. Here’s a visual
comparison of how the level changes with
different audio compression ratios.

Hot tip:
A compressor with an extremely
aggressive ratio is called a limiter,
since it doesn`t let any signal pass
the threshold. If you can`t compare
the compressed signal to the
uncompressed signal, the ratio is
actually ∞:1!

Attack and release


Attack and release determine the timing of
the compressor’s action. These are the key
controls for making your compression sound
musical and pleasing.

How should the gain reduction behave once


the compressor starts acting on the signal?
Should it kick in immediately or come on
more slowly? Should it stop all at once or
gradually let go?

Here’s some basic tips if you’re not used to


thinking about your sounds this way:

A fast attack setting is good for controlling


aggressive transients like those of a picked
bass guitar
A slow attack time will let some of the
sound’s transient through to keep some
punch and dynamics—this is often helpful for
drums and samples
A fast release can help create a sense of
pressure and rhythmic action to the sound
A slow release can make the compressor’s
action seem less pronounced and more
subtle

These are very general guidelines so make


sure to listen carefully and develop your own
intuition for compressor attack and release.

LANDR Plugins
30+ pro-grade plugins
Get the tools to shape your sound with 30+
synths, instruments, effects and utilities
plugins from industry leaders like Arturia,
UJAM and more.

Try LANDR Plugins

How to use a
compressor
properly
Using a compressor can be difficult when
you first start mixing.

Unlike audio effects like EQ or reverb, the


effect of compression on your sound isn’t
always obvious.

In fact, it can be so confusing that I wrote a


whole guide on just how to hear
compression itself.

That said, the best way to be effective with


compression is to understand it well and
have a clear goal when you apply it.

Here are some questions you can ask


yourself to help make good decisions with
compression:

1. Do I need it?
Many sounds you work with won’t have much
dynamic range to start with.

In these cases, audio compression isn’t


necessary and can even have a negative
effect.

I’m talking about sustained tones like synth


pads, distorted guitar or other naturally
compressed sounds.

Save your compressor plugins for more


dynamic sources.

2. What parts of the


sound get louder or
quieter?
As you increase the intensity of the
compression, listen for which aspects of the
signal come out.

As you increase the intensity of


the compression, listen for which
aspects of the signal come out.

Are you revealing more of the details or


burying the important parts?

Getting a feel for it takes time, but try to


focus on the parts of the sound you want to
bring forward as you apply compression.

3. Does it help the music?


This one seems pretty vague, but hear me
out.

Good compression should enhance the


basic musical qualities of the song.

If you’re using it on drums, it should make the


groove heavier. If you’re using it on vocals it
should compliment the singer’s voice.

This also takes some experience to get a feel


for, just keep an ear out in case you’re doing
more harm than good!

Hot tip:
Looking for a flexible compressor
plugin with quality sound that`s easy
to learn? Klevgrand Korvpressor is a
versatile option for any sound source
with a unique UI for visualizing the
compression effect. Korvpressor now
comes bundled in yearly subscriptions
to LANDR Studio, along with producer
essentials like mastering and
distribution.

LANDR Studio
End-to-end music
production
Get unlimited Mastering and Distribution, 30+
plugins worth over $2,000 and more.

Learn more

Common
compressor
mistakes
On that note, I’ll quickly cover a few ways that
beginner and intermediate producers can go
wrong with compression.

Watch out for these as you get used to


compressing the sounds in your mix.

Attack too fast on drums


When you first get your hands on a cool
compressor plugin it can be tempting to hear
it clamp down as aggressively as possible.

This can be a real problem on drums in the


context of a mix.

When the attack is too fast, the transients will


be pushed down too far into the body of the
drum to pierce through a dense track.

This can cause your drums to disappear and


make your mix sound flat and lifeless.

Threshold too low


You might think that cranking the threshold
down will increase the intensity of the
compression effect.

In a way it will, but it’s slightly more


complicated than that when it comes to
dynamics. Hearing the compressor’s release
is a big part of the character it brings to a
sound.

If the threshold is set so low that the


compressor never releases, you’re not really
hearing what it can do!

In many cases, musical compression means


you’ll see the gain reduction needle jumping
and bouncing along in time with the beat.

Hot tip
A faster release setting can
intensify the ‘pumping’ sound that’s
sometimes associated with heavy
compression—especially on drums

Our powerful, AI-driven mastering engine


listens to your song and delivers
pristine, studio-quality music that’s
ready for release. Master a track.

Audio compression
instead of levelling
This also might sound counterintuitive, but
sometimes a compressor can’t control very
large swings of dynamic range in an uneven
performance.

This can be particularly clear when mixing


vocals, especially if there are quieter
passages alongside yelled or belted parts.

In these situations you shouldn’t expect a


single compressor to provide enough
transparent gain reduction to even out the
entire performance.

In fact, if one segment causes your


compressor to work dramatically harder, you
should consider using automation or clip
gain to control the level that feeds into it.

The perfect squash


Once you get your head around compression
you’ll be addicted to its satisfying effect.

Before long you’ll find yourself searching for


the best compressor plugins to define your
signature squash.

But to get there you’ll need a firm grasp on


the fundamentals.

Now that you have the basics covered, get


back to your DAW and experiment with
compression.

Michael Hahn is an engineer and producer at Autoland


and member of the swirling indie rock trio Slight.

@Michael Hahn

Gear guides, tips,


tutorials, inspiration and
more—delivered weekly.
Keep up with the LANDR
Blog.

Your email address Subscribe

Latest posts

Take your music production


everywhere with LANDR Mobile
Learn mixing ×
From
Show LANDR
lesson plan
Get LANDR Mobile

You might also like