"Compression is for kids."

[Laika]

Trix is for kids too and that shit is delicious.

[NKF]

I think compression is a great tool when it is warranted. I love compression. I also love those old recordings but those old masters would be rejected today. The aesthetic is different. Tastes change. I think as long as you do things that serve your taste, you don't need to justify anything.

I think his statement was made to counter those albums that were being made that were just ridiculous in terms of dynamic range. He also worked with the best musicians that played in a way that mimicked compression. The drums were layered with cloth to mimic say what a compressor would do if you had a longer attack and short decay. How the singer would ride the microphone. How the mixer would ride the faders. How the bass would just come after the kick which people would later use side chain on most rock albums which is really where that technique became almost ubiquitous. All that is dynamic control. Which is compression. And he does use compressors.

[mks]

Bruce Swedien is a don.

He has worked with so many talented artists, musicians and producers. He is just on a HNL (Hole Nother Level ) and a completely different mindset.

No way is that going to compare to a kid with Massive on his laptop making beats.

Tape Op is awesome by the way. It is my favorite mag along with Wax Poetics.

[Artie_Fufkin]

http://messageboard.tapeop.com/viewtopic.php?t=60547

and if you stick a contact mic on the chest of the drummer before you shoot him, you can get a really sick bass drum sound too. i shit you not.

[Ficticious]

the only compressors iv ever liked are ones for adding character

[pete_bubonic]

Personally I use compression specifically for only a few things:
- live recording, I'm not a recording engineer, nor do I have the best mics. Whether it be vocals, guitars or simply room ambience I do tend to compress so that the recording doesn't sound like it's been done by complete amateur.

- Sidechain the kick to the subbass. Because of my particular style I tend to find a use and lot of subbass, very warm and encompassing, as a result it becomes a little bit muddy and can fuck up your bass kick unless you do sidechain compression.

Although I have used compression in other areas, I try not to compress as I tend to find its one) very obvious and two) starts taking away from the natural organic dynamic range that exists already. Especially as I tend to work with live instruments.

One of the few things that I've been praised for in my production technical ability is that my mixdowns suit my tunes very well however because I don't make very clinical dubstep, I tend to find when I try and make those big growly clinical bangers, I really struggle.