Use automation to control side-chained ARP filters for dynamic interest
Problem: static ARP filter lacks movement and interest
Instead of using a static side-chain on the ARP filter, the producer uses automation to control the side-chain manually. This allows for more expressive and dynamic control over the filter's behavior, making the sound…
Randomize side-chained elements for unique sound variation
Problem: predictable or static sound design
Randomizing the on/off pattern of side-chained elements introduces unpredictability and interest to the sound. This technique can make a track feel more dynamic and less repetitive, especially in ambient or mellow…
Use randomized side-chained elements with filters for more depth
Problem: lack of depth or cohesion in randomized elements
Pairing randomized side-chained elements with filters enhances the depth and character of the sound. The filter can shape the frequency content of the randomized element, making it more cohesive with the rest of the…
Use the built-in compression section for dynamic control
Problem: lack of dynamic control over bass
Rumble includes a compression section that allows you to control the dynamics of your sound. You can choose different types of compression and monitor the gain reduction in real time. This is useful for shaping the…
Use short release times to avoid transient overlap
Problem: muddy or overlapping kick transients
Keeping the release time short on the kick ensures that the transient remains clean and uncluttered. This is especially important when using distortion or other effects that can cause the kick's tail to bleed into the…
Apply sidechain with a band activated to avoid kick interference
Problem: kick and bass clashing in low-end
Using a sidechain with a specific frequency band activated helps prevent the bass from clashing with the kick. This technique allows the kick to cut through the mix more clearly by muting the bass during the kick's…
Use side-chained volume shaping to enhance lead clarity
Problem: lead gets lost in the mix
Applying side-chained volume shaping to the lead helps it cut through the mix by ducking it slightly when other elements (like bass or percussion) are present. This technique ensures the lead remains audible without…
Use SSL 4K channel strip as a go-to tool for all sessions
Problem: lack of consistent processing across tracks
The SSL 4K channel strip is used on all tracks and buses in the session. It's a versatile tool that provides a familiar SSL sound with EQ and compression. It's used on individual channels and buses, making it a staple in…
Use SSL 4K channel strip on drum buses for shaping and compression
Problem: drums lack punch and clarity
The SSL 4K channel strip is used on all drum buses, including snare, kick, and sub kick. It provides a familiar SSL sound with a compressor and EQ that can be used to shape the tone and dynamics of the drums. The…
Use the 1176 blackface compressor with a fixed 4:1 ratio for consistency
Problem: inconsistent compressor settings across sessions
The 1176 blackface compressor is used with a fixed 4:1 ratio and fast release. This setting is used consistently across all sessions unless a special effect is required. The 4:1 ratio provides a balanced compression that…
Use the 1176 blackface compressor on vocals for tight, punchy sound
Problem: vocals lack punch or control
The 1176 blackface compressor is used on vocals with a fast attack and a release of 4, set to a 4:1 ratio. It's used to compress the vocal heavily, keeping it tight and controlled while preserving its natural character.…
Use multi-band sidechain to open space for vocals
Problem: vocals masked by synths, lack of clarity
When vocals are masked by synths, using a multi-band sidechain allows the plugin to duck the main frequencies of the synths in response to the vocal. This creates space for the vocal to cut through without completely…
Use gentle sidechain settings for a more natural sound
Problem: overly aggressive sidechain causing unnatural sound
Instead of using a very aggressive or 'needle-like' sidechain setting, a slightly less focused approach can yield a more natural and musical result. This avoids the harshness that can come from overly aggressive ducking…
Use Degan for free multi-band sidechain processing
Problem: cost of high-quality sidechain plugins
Degan is a free plugin that offers multi-band sidechain capabilities, making it a powerful alternative to paid tools like Soothe. It's particularly useful for vocal clarity and frequency management in mixing. The plugin…
Side-chain the bass to the kick to avoid sub-bass frequency competition
Problem: kick and bass compete in sub-bass frequencies
Sub-bass frequencies are delicate and can cause muddiness if both the kick and bass occupy the same space. By side-chaining the bass to the kick, the bass ducks slightly every time the kick hits, preventing frequency…
Think of compression in four quadrants based on attack and release settings
Problem: overwhelmed by compressor controls
Compression can be conceptualized using four main quadrants defined by attack and release settings. This model helps producers make more informed decisions about how compression affects the sound. Fast attack and fast…
Use fast attack and fast release for transient management
Problem: drums lack punch or are too dynamic
Fast attack and fast release settings on a compressor are ideal for managing transients in percussive sounds like drums. This combination allows the compressor to quickly respond to the initial transient and then release…
Fast attack and fast release can act like a limiter
Problem: overusing compressor for limiting
When using fast attack and fast release settings with a high ratio, a compressor can function similarly to a limiter by setting a ceiling on the signal. This is useful for preventing peaks from exceeding a certain level,…
Avoid using fast attack and fast release unless managing transients or limiting
Problem: unnatural compression sound
Unless you're specifically managing transients or using a compressor as a limiter, fast attack and fast release settings are generally not necessary. This can lead to an overly aggressive or unnatural sound. It's better…
Use a limiter instead of a compressor for fast attack and fast release tasks
Problem: using the wrong tool for limiting
When dealing with fast attack and fast release settings, a limiter is often a better tool than a compressor. This is because limiters are designed for this specific task and can provide a more transparent and controlled…
Use a limiter to tame transients quickly
Problem: transients too aggressive, peaks too loud
For material with strong transients, a limiter is often more efficient than a compressor with a fast attack and release. Limiters can achieve similar results with simpler settings, making them ideal for quickly…
The 1176 compressor's default setting is slow attack and fast release
Problem: lack of understanding of classic compressor settings
The 1176 compressor is known for its default setting of slow attack and fast release, which provides a punchy and aggressive sound. This is achieved by turning the attack all the way to the left (slowest) and the release…
Fast attack and fast release is useful for controlling transients and headroom
Problem: transients too loud, inconsistent dynamics
Fast attack and fast release settings are typically used for precise transient control and headroom management. This is especially useful in mastering or when dealing with aggressive transients that need immediate…
Mistake: using fast attack and fast release for tonal shaping
Problem: over-processing, pumping
Using fast attack and fast release settings for tonal shaping can lead to over-processing and a loss of natural dynamics. This approach is more suitable for problem-solving or headroom management rather than shaping the…
Fast attack and slow release is useful for specific problem-solving
Problem: overly aggressive transients, pumping
Fast attack and slow release settings are useful for specific problem-solving scenarios, such as taming overly aggressive transients on a picky guitar. This approach can help control the initial transient while…
Slow attack and fast release is the most common compression setting
Problem: lack of common compression strategy
The majority of compression applications fall into the slow attack and fast release category. This setting is ideal for adding punch and aggression to transients without over-processing the sound. It is commonly used in…
Use slow attack and fast release for punchy compression
Problem: lack of punch, dull transients
A slow attack (e.g., 5–10ms) and fast release setting is ideal for adding punch to transients like snares or vocals. This allows the initial transient to pass through unattenuated while the compressor clamps down on the…
Use slow attack and fast release for punchy compression
Problem: lack of punch and clarity in transients
A slow attack allows the initial transient of a sound (like a kick or snare) to pass through unprocessed, preserving its punch and impact. A fast release then quickly lets the compressor relax after the transient,…
Mistake: using fast attack on kicks and snares without considering the release time
Problem: over-compression of transients
Using a fast attack on kicks and snares can cause the compressor to clamp down too quickly, potentially robbing the sound of its natural punch and transient. This is especially problematic if the release time is not…
Fast release makes the compressor sound more aggressive
Problem: lack of punch and aggression in compressed sounds
A fast release time causes the compressor to release the gain reduction quickly after the signal drops, which makes the compressor work harder and sound more aggressive. This is especially noticeable on percussive sounds…
Slow attack and slow release creates a 'gooey' or smooth sound
Problem: overly aggressive or unnatural compression
Using both slow attack and slow release times allows the compressor to let more of the transient and sustain pass through, resulting in a smoother, more musical, and 'gooey' sound. This is often used on elements like…
The release time is the most important control for the tone of a compressor
Problem: not understanding the impact of release time on tone
While threshold and ratio are crucial for how much compression occurs, the release time has a significant impact on the overall tone and character of the compressed sound. A fast release adds punch and aggression, while…
Slow attack on SSL channel strip defaults to 30 milliseconds
Problem: not knowing default attack times on compressors
The default attack time on many SSL channel strip compressors is around 30 milliseconds, which is a common starting point for many producers. This slower attack time allows more of the transient to pass through, making…
Changing the knee affects how much compression is applied
Problem: harsh or unnatural compression
The knee setting on a compressor determines how abruptly the compression starts. A softer knee allows for a more gradual onset of compression, which can result in a smoother and more natural-sounding effect. This is…
The amount of gain reduction affects the tonal character of the sound
Problem: inconsistent tonal balance
The amount of gain reduction applied by a compressor can significantly influence the tonal character of a sound. For example, using peak detection (which reacts to the highest peaks) can result in a different tonal…
Use fast attack and fast release for managing transients
Problem: overly punchy transients, lack of control
Fast attack and fast release settings are ideal for controlling transients, such as on drums or percussive elements. This setup allows the compressor to react quickly to the initial hit of a sound, reducing its peak and…
Simplify your mental model of compression by using different tools for different tasks
Problem: overcomplicating compression settings
Rather than trying to use a single compressor for all tasks, it can be more effective to use different tools for different purposes. For example, a limiter or clipper can be used for managing transients, while a…
Use fast attack and slow release to thicken a track
Problem: thin or lifeless sounds
A fast attack paired with a slow release can add thickness and body to a sound. This is because the compressor quickly reduces the initial transient but holds the gain reduction for a longer time, allowing the sustain of…
Use hard knee with high ratio for fast attack and fast release to manage transients
Problem: transients not controlled, inconsistent dynamics
When dealing with fast attack and fast release settings, a hard knee provides more precise control over the signal, especially when managing transients. A high ratio ensures that the compressor aggressively reduces the…
Use a higher threshold and higher ratio to catch peaks rather than massaging the audio constantly
Problem: peaks not controlled, inconsistent loudness
When the goal is to catch and control peaks, using a higher threshold and a higher ratio allows the compressor to only engage when the signal exceeds the threshold, making it more effective for peak control. This is…
Use peak metering for fast attack and fast release compression
Problem: compressor not reacting to peaks, inconsistent transient control
When using fast attack and fast release settings, it's more effective to use a peak meter rather than an RMS meter. Peak meters respond to the highest instantaneous levels in the signal, which aligns with the behavior of…
Feed forward compression is more logical and direct in its behavior
Problem: compression not reacting as expected, unclear behavior
Feed forward compression operates in a more logical and direct way by reacting to the input signal before any gain reduction occurs. This makes it easier to understand and predict how it will behave, which is why it's…
Feedback compression has a self-correcting nature that makes it more musical and smooth
Problem: compression sounds too aggressive or unnatural
Feedback compression works by listening to the output signal after gain reduction has occurred, which allows it to self-correct and adjust based on the result of its own processing. This makes it more musical and smooth…
Feed forward compression is more punchy and fast, while feedback compression is smoother and more musical
Problem: inconsistent compression behavior, unclear compressor types
Feed forward compression reacts to the input signal before any gain reduction occurs, making it faster and punchier. This is ideal for situations where you want the compressor to respond instantly to changes in the…
Use fast attack and fast release for controlling transients
Problem: transients too loud or inconsistent
Fast attack and fast release settings on a compressor are ideal for controlling transients, such as in percussion. This setup mimics the behavior of a VCA compressor like the 1176, which is known for its fast response.…
Use a soft knee for punchy slow attack and fast release compression
Problem: loss of punchiness with aggressive compression
When using a slow attack and fast release compression setup to maintain punchiness, a soft knee is generally preferred. This allows the compressor to gradually engage rather than abruptly, which helps maintain the…
Use peak detection for more precise control in slow attack and fast release compression
Problem: loss of transient clarity with RMS detection
Peak detection is preferred over RMS detection when using a slow attack and fast release setup because it provides more precise control over the transient. Peak detection reacts to the highest amplitude peaks in the…
Start with peak detection and feed forward for punchier compression
Problem: compression lacks punch and responsiveness
For a punchier sound, starting with peak detection and feed forward compression is recommended. Feed forward compressors react to the input signal before the gain reduction is applied, making them more responsive and…