Compressor on Main Bus

Vocals too high in the mix? Too low? Not even sure? Snare sounds wonky? And how do I make everything louder than everything else? Step in, step in, for your mix Viagra from people who know the secrets.
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ido1957
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Compressor on Main Bus

Post by ido1957 »

Took me this long to figure out it's not working and never will. Individual channels only from now on. Sounded amazing when I first got it (CA2A) but then again, anything helps my mixing skills lol. Hopefully no more fighting with the bass and kick levels. I'll keep the limiter for volume but that's it. :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm: :facepalm:
People want something for nothing, they want it right now. Either they can't tell quality or don't care but feel it is important that everyone agrees with them.
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witzendoz
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Re: Compressor on Main Bus

Post by witzendoz »

Way back I used to always use a compressor on the main bus, over the years I went away from it, however I do use compressors on the sub buses sometimes. A compressor on the main bus can be beneficial, but it needs to be mild if you do use it, more as a glue then a volume thing.

Alan.
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ido1957
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Location: Edmonton. Alberta

Re: Compressor on Main Bus

Post by ido1957 »

Yes I use a comp on the busses which works better as you are not fighting a wide range of frequencies (guitars/vocals for example)
People want something for nothing, they want it right now. Either they can't tell quality or don't care but feel it is important that everyone agrees with them.
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JD01
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Re: Compressor on Main Bus

Post by JD01 »

I've never used a comp on my master - and given what I've read here I don't think I'll try! I use a comp individual busses.

Like the drum buss, gets the "NY Drum Buss" Reaper Preset with a few tweaks to it.
I generally don't use any on overdriven guitars, but I do carefully get a guitar submix together so that I can move them all up or down as a group. If I've got clean guitars though, I comp those, particularly the pseudo-reggae fake ska thing I do sometimes.
Vox are all crushed to death and arranged into a neat little submix.
Farview
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Re: Compressor on Main Bus

Post by Farview »

Compression on the main buss has to be subtle, I don't think I get much more than 1db of reduction at 2/1.

It's doing almost nothing dynamically, but it just kind of glues the mix together.

If you are trying to really affect the levels, it will sound bad. I'm sure I've said this 1000 times, compress for the sound of compression, not to deal with out of control dynamics.
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miroslav
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Re: Compressor on Main Bus

Post by miroslav »

I use a hardware unit on the MB of my console...but it has a Blend knob, so it's a parallel compression scheme.
I'll first set the comp action...then I blend into the mix just at the point where I can here it being added to the uncompressed signal.

It's the Overstayer Stereo VCA, and it's kind of take on the API and SSl bus comps.
I like it a lot...never notice anything detrimental from its use.
Roman
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Re: Compressor on Main Bus

Post by Roman »

I use an aphex compellor. You can't even tell it's engaged, it's so transparent. Broadcast stations used to use them for volume leveling.
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