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Is it okay to return track compress?
Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 9:15 pm
by SMOR3S
Is it okay to put a compressor on a return track, and compress multiple tracks, within the mix, or is it better to load multiple instances of that compressor, on each track, and then compress each track individually... Different sounds, have different ways of being compressed, so the second method is more viable, correct?
Re: Is it okay to return track compress?
Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 9:27 pm
by Phase Down
depends, do u like ponies?
Re: Is it okay to return track compress?
Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 9:33 pm
by efence
what are you using the compression for? are you using it to manage db or are you shaping a sound?
Re: Is it okay to return track compress?
Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 9:34 pm
by wub
Sounds good = do it
Doesn't sound good = don't do it
Re: Is it okay to return track compress?
Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 9:40 pm
by wub
Compressor on a group bus is fine if that's what you need...based on that assumption a Send channel with a compressor on it should do the same job. Plus opens up the opportunity for parallel compression etc.
Try it though, seriously. Experiment, piss about, throw together crazy shit and see what the fuck happens. Almost gets my back up when folk asking for the right/wrong way to do things. It's like an early caveman asking whether he's hitting his rocks together in the right way. Own style etc etc.
Re: Is it okay to return track compress?
Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 9:47 pm
by SMOR3S
Phase Down wrote:depends, do u like ponies?
Depends :3
SMOR3S wrote:wub wrote:Compressor on a group bus is fine if that's what you need...based on that assumption a Send channel with a compressor on it should do the same job. Plus opens up the opportunity for parallel compression etc.
Try it though, seriously. Experiment, piss about, throw together crazy shit and see what the fuck happens. Almost gets my back up when folk asking for the right/wrong way to do things. It's like an early caveman asking whether he's hitting his rocks together in the right way. Own style etc etc.
true that... I have always side chained comp/comp from Return for a while + doing it straight on the bus, and it works the same for me... I feel Return is easier, so I'll go about my business with that..
Re: Is it okay to return track compress?
Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 9:48 pm
by SMOR3S
Dbl post *delete*
Re: Is it okay to return track compress?
Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 10:32 pm
by Hircine
Sending different sounds to a compressed aux is called parallel compression, it's the same thing as bussing all the tracks together and compressing while riding the D/W knob. Great way to beef up and glue things together without overcompressing them.
Re: Is it okay to return track compress?
Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 11:35 pm
by Artie_Fufkin
There are strengths and weaknesses to doing that. Know what you want to do with compression. I'm assuming you know since you've thought of routing stuff together like that.
Something I like to do when 'pissing about' is bussing stuff together and having an 808 kick and then boosting the low end and smashing it all into a limiter. It's cool what the bass does to the hi hats

Re: Is it okay to return track compress?
Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2012 11:44 pm
by SMOR3S
Hircine wrote:Sending different sounds to a compressed aux is called parallel compression, it's the same thing as bussing all the tracks together and compressing while riding the D/W knob. Great way to beef up and glue things together without overcompressing them.
For sure... I bus compressed my first EP, but lately I have been routing through a return track, with sends, and such... Finding this a lot more promising...
Artie Fufkin wrote:There are strengths and weaknesses to doing that. Know what you want to do with compression. I'm assuming you know since you've thought of routing stuff together like that.
Something I like to do when 'pissing about' is bussing stuff together and having an 808 kick and then boosting the low end and smashing it all into a limiter. It's cool what the bass does to the hi hats

I need to learn more about, when, and when not to use a limiter... Obviously I use a limiter when I master, cause I use Ozone 5, but during a mix... ya... I mean, it's not bad to use a limiter, on a bus right? like to give stuff headroom, or raise volume, without clipping?.... Cause the limiter will compress whats on that bus, aye?
Thanks everyone!
Re: Is it okay to return track compress?
Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2012 2:14 am
by Hircine
SMOR3S wrote:Hircine wrote:Sending different sounds to a compressed aux is called parallel compression, it's the same thing as bussing all the tracks together and compressing while riding the D/W knob. Great way to beef up and glue things together without overcompressing them.
For sure... I bus compressed my first EP, but lately I have been routing through a return track, with sends, and such... Finding this a lot more promising...
Artie Fufkin wrote:There are strengths and weaknesses to doing that. Know what you want to do with compression. I'm assuming you know since you've thought of routing stuff together like that.
Something I like to do when 'pissing about' is bussing stuff together and having an 808 kick and then boosting the low end and smashing it all into a limiter. It's cool what the bass does to the hi hats

I need to learn more about, when, and when not to use a limiter... Obviously I use a limiter when I master, cause I use Ozone 5, but during a mix... ya... I mean, it's not bad to use a limiter, on a bus right? like to give stuff headroom, or raise volume, without clipping?.... Cause the limiter will compress whats on that bus, aye?
Thanks everyone!
usually a compressor with a ratio above 10:1 is a limiter. Tbh, I only use limiting during the mixdown process if I want to tame peaks in sounds like reese basses or squeeze as much loudness as I can from my claps and snares. Not something you should hot your head with. Due to the high quality of samples today, compressing is something that should be done very lightly, if done at all. Use it to glue stuff together and sum a bit of weight instead of using it to squash things down or use it for sound design to get those huge snare tails or pads that feel like anal constipation, maybe for some sound colouration, whatever. Electronic music is not as dynamic as acoustic music so don't go crazy on compressing, focus on understanding it and knowing the right time to apply it, if you want to.
Re: Is it okay to return track compress?
Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2012 3:02 am
by twilitez
wub wrote:Sounds good = do it
Doesn't sound good = don't do it
This.
Re: Is it okay to return track compress?
Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2012 3:41 am
by factory presets
SMOR3S wrote:I mean, it's not bad to use a limiter, on a bus right? like to give stuff headroom, or raise volume, without clipping?.... Cause the limiter will compress whats on that bus, aye?
Or just turn everything else down. Get yourself some real headroom.
Re: Is it okay to return track compress?
Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2012 4:38 am
by Sharmaji
Super useful tool; all of my mix templates have various compressors on sends. Great way to add vibe, character, volume or punch to sounds.
Re: Is it okay to return track compress?
Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2012 6:43 pm
by DubMikey
wub wrote:Sounds good = do it
Doesn't sound good = don't do it
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USE YA FACKING EARS, PLEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAASE.
Re: Is it okay to return track compress?
Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2012 8:35 pm
by Samuel_L_Damnson
I dont get it. Is SMORES a brony?
Re: Is it okay to return track compress?
Posted: Mon Nov 26, 2012 11:59 pm
by dickman69
ya dawg
Re: Is it okay to return track compress?
Posted: Tue Nov 27, 2012 1:31 am
by Hircine
Sinestepper wrote:I dont get it. Is SMORES a brony?
proper ponyfucker