Should i really need compressor, if my mix sounds good without compressors

Discussion in 'Mixing and Mastering' started by james123, Apr 15, 2015.

  1. james123

    james123 Newbie

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    Hey Guys, I Want to know that should i need to put compressor on individual tracks, till now i use panning and shaping with eqs, and it sound pretty good but i dont know that should i use compressor or not ?
    Thanx Guys m waiting for rplys...
     
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  3. MNDSTRM

    MNDSTRM Platinum Record

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    If it doesn't need it, don't use it.

    Here's a checklist that should go through your mind every time you want to load a plugin:

    1-What do I want to accomplish?
    2-What tool will I need?
    3-Do I know how the tool works and how to use it?

    If the answer to all of the above is 'yes' then you load the chosen plugin and evaluate:
    4-Did I accomplish my goal?

    If the answer to 4 is 'no', you answered questions 1-3 incorrectly.
     
  4. Baxter

    Baxter Audiosexual

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    Dude.
    If you don't feel the need to use compressors, don't use them.
    If you feel the need to use the (once you grasp/know/understand what they do and how they can help you in a mix), then use them.

    It's that fucking simple.
     
  5. SillySausage

    SillySausage Producer

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    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=543y5bzih1o
     
  6. fiction

    fiction Audiosexual

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    After all the loudness war nightmares I'm really happy to see your wise answers, guys :wink:
    And now please don't say "Yes but I'm using limiters like hell all the time" :rofl:
     
  7. Gramofon

    Gramofon Producer

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    The last mix I made (orchestral-electronic hybrid) peaks at -4 dB and it sounds great to me. Just used a bus comp that barely glued everything together and a transparent limiter to boost the overall volume by 6 dB and barely, even if at all, catching peaks. I've started to put the limit at where my ears start to protest. With the slightest hint of pain I turn it down immediately. That, and mixing at about 30% of the OS mixer volume. I feel liberated.

    Did almost everything with gain/volume and saturation. And it rises along with the volume. It's a great thing to feel that it actually gets empowered when turing it up, rather than hurting your ears. And feeling that it has so much more to give when turning it down, whereas a super limited track sounds choked and flat.
     
  8. Vince Bramich

    Vince Bramich Ultrasonic

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    yeah i agree with the others don't bother if it sounds better without it.
    i'd render both versions and compare them on other set ups just to make sure.

    side note I've started listening to some of my dads jass and blues records to really get a better idea of staging in the mix.
    they sound incredible
     
  9. Enoch007

    Enoch007 Kapellmeister

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    Always compress your individual tracks & automatically put a L2 on the master buss. Always use an 18dB hi-pass filter on all tracks around 150-250Hz except for the bass & kick tracks. Mix in mono unless you want your track to be completely out of phase. Always record into your converters at -18dBfs RMS and continue this gain stage through every plugin except for some UAD plugs which nominally want to see -12dBfs. Always Always Always use Sylenth!! This is even more important than using the L2 on the 2buss!!! Remember to trust you DAW's lightning speed super accurate channel meters and spectrometers and shoot for a completely flat mix with equal energy per octave in all frequencies your ears are secondary in this day in age of mixing. Presets are not your friend, its imperative this becomes your mantra. Automation is not necessary anymore due to side compression unless you want that "old school vibe". Never commit nor print anything to audio, this will ensure you can change that stubborn delay that keeps muddying up the vocals from 150ms to 150.01ms. Eq each channel in solo, that way you will be able to hear every track in all its full glory. Keep mixing until you are finished, then start COMPLETELY over after precisely the 6th listen to your original final mix but start this mix with a much more "I got this" kind of attitude, because attitude is everything in this business. Words such as warm, air, glassy, sheen, boxy, mud, muddy, honk each represent a very precise frequency band. Most importantly never be too proud of yourself, remember every mixing technique was originally pioneered by Geoff Emerick & Ken Scott. Lastly, if you truly want to know how your mix will translate, buy a pair of Apple ear buds & Dre Beats...

    Edit - Buy a Twizzle Flanger.
     
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