Hiya,
I need a good tutorial about compression... Definitely.
I got the notions (the basics) of it:
Attack: How long does it take to compressor to compress.
Release: How long does it take to compressor to stop compressing and release the signal untamed.
Knee: Curve or peak of compression.
Threshold: From which decibels on you want to apply the compression.
Ratio: How much compression ratio you want.

But, said that, for years I've been struggling to apply that knowledge to my music with more or less success and I realize I play by ear, but, after a time, I re-listen to what I had finished time ago and there's some noticeable mistakes. So I think a good, concise and right to the point tutorial would help me to understand what I am doing wrong.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I also know that compression is not it all, because you have to let tracks into your composition breathe, meaning that you have to suppress frequencies that do nothing for the sound you're using, which means EQ'ing. And after eq and some compression I find the result does not satisfy me completely. So in the end, I find myself in the same point: compression is not working properly. And I need to improve my use of it, not so much the concept itself.

I hope I explained it correctly.

For example, when I listen to this fella music (video down there), I feel this track (and his whole work, if I may say) is perfect, like rounded, smooth and punchy. Not that I want to sound like that or that I want to produce that style of music, but I do want to make things work into my mixing to get a good mastering. I don't know, maybe I'm confusing terms and concepts...

Here the example I'm talking about:

I know you all are always very helpful, so thanks in advance.

 

Obligatory Gregory Scott video:

 

https://www.audiotechnology.com/tutorials/understanding-compression-1
https://www.audiotechnology.com/tutorials/understanding-compression-2
https://www.audiotechnology.com/tutorials/understanding-compression-3
https://www.audiotechnology.com/tutorials/understanding-compression-4

 

This is probably the most in-depth and didactic resource on youtube:

 

Then there is a problem with either your workflow consistency or your listening environment. Your definitions are correct, no further theory needed.

Punchiness is btw. a pure design decision not a requirement for whatever and needs some structural song prerequisities.

 

Last edited: Mar 27, 2026 at 9:20 PM

1. What is OVERcompression? It's not just evidently destoyed sound, that is distortion. You faced this problem.

2. You don't have to compress every track in your mix. Compress where it is appropriate.

 

Last edited: Mar 28, 2026 at 3:23 AM

you are talking about "mistakes" you made, but there is no ultimatively "right" way how to apply dynamics processing to music, it always depends on the material, the context, eventually the mastering target, and of course your personal taste.

 

A good way to learn this by doing it, is as follows. First deliberately slam your signal with severe overcompression, obliterating it. This means: lowest attack, lowest release, high ratio and almost unbearably low threshold. Adjust the makeup gain so it's about the same loudness as it was before you started. Just by ear, no need for ultra precision.

Listen to all the pancaked glory of what you have now for a little bit. It's important to learn what overcompression sounds like and why it (probably) sucks on your signal. Totally squeezed the life out of it, probably.

Now start adjusting it back to sanity, in the following important order: adjust Attack, adjust Release, and only then Adjust Thresh and ratio (and dry/wet).

When adjusting Attack, listen to the way it slots in, how it allows certain punchy hits to pop back into existence. Tune it very exactly to get the feel you want for your signal. There's no one correct setting or anything, but when you find the correct setting for YOUR signal, there's a very distinct feeling of "wow, this is it, locked in bro!". All about catching that vibe, once found leave it like that.

Adjust Release, and listen to how it starts getting its own grooviness (going up and down sexy) at a certain weird setting. That's the one you want, find the sexy groove and leave it like that.

Now everything is epic, but it's very slammed still. So you go and adjust Ratio, which will let you dial in the amount of slam you want to have (it's almost like a "strength of the compression" control) and is simple to set. If on your compressor the ratio is only in set values like 2/4/8, maybe you feel like you need finer control. That's where you go and play with Threshhold, also basically using it as a "how bad is it allowed to wreck my stuff" control and can be used along with dry/wet. Dry/wet is useful if you want both thicc compressor character and some nice original dynamic feel, blended.

DONE! What nicely set compression can do to a boring flat sound is a total miracle. AND, with this method under your belt, you'll be able to hear for yourself just how different various compressors can sound. That's why there are a million+ of them, you intuitively pick a spice you think will fit because you remember how it sounds, and lather it on. They all have the same controls, but the way each sounds can be wildly different. And that's glorious!

 

Last edited: Mar 28, 2026 at 1:52 AM

I tried to keep these simple but ironing out a couple of wrinkles.

Attack: How quickly the compressor starts working after the threshold is crossed. Different circuits respond at different speeds, so the same attack setting can feel faster or slower. It is not how long a compressor takes to go from completely uncompressed to completely clamped.

Release: How long it takes for compression to return to zero and be ready for the next signal above the threshold.

Knee: How gradually the compressor reacts near the threshold. Signals just above or just below it may be partially compressed. A soft knee smoothes the beginning, a hard knee reacts fully immediately. It’s basically the judgment call zone right around the threshold.

Threshold: The signal level that triggers compression; anything below it passes through untouched.

Ratio: Determines how much the compressor reduces the signal above the threshold, example, 2:1 lets 1 dB through for every 2 dB above it, 1:1 means no compression. A higher ratio also makes the compressor reach full gain reduction faster, which is useful for external sidechain ducking without lookahead. The Fabfilter Pro-C2 infinity ratio trick.

 

If there's no right way to do it, any way would be right, and that's not the case at all. In any mix, you have hundreds of ways of screwing it, and only a very few to get a great sound.

 

Oh, my...
I'm overwhelmed with all this information. All those resources of information and theory deserve hours of studying, which I'll do, of course.
I'm so thankful

 

Hello @clipper, you should always use the same compressor and familiarize yourself with it, understanding the effects of each control. It can take months or even years for your ear to grasp this. I'd recommend a book, because a YouTube tutorial won't solve this. Learn it properly, and you'll have sound knowledge for life.

Spoiler: The Mixing Engineer's Handbook: 6th Edition (English Edition)

The Mixing Engineer's Handbook: 6th Edition (English Edition)
https://bobbyowsinski.com/mixhandbook/
https://www.amazon.de/Mixing-Engineers-Handbook-6th/dp/1946837520

 

Thanks @PulseWave , I came back to FabFilter Pro-C2 after using H-Comp Stereo by Waves for a while, but I noticed that Waves one behaves not exactly as I would expect when twitching the knobs so I came back to Pro-C2 to keep on familiarizing with it. I hope I will end up using it properly some day... hehe!

 

Hello Clipper, at least you've chosen an excellent compressor!

How To Use A Compressor | Threshold, Ratio, Attack, Release & More

How to Use a Compressor in Audio Production --> www.avid.com/resource-center/how-to-use-a-compressor

Spoiler: Bob Katz book "Mastering Audio - The Art and the Science"

Bob Katz book "Mastering Audio - The Art and the Science"
https://www.amazon.de/Mastering-Audio-Science-Bob-Katz/dp/0240818962?language=en_GB
https://www.soundonsound.com/reviews/bob-katz-mastering-audio

 

Last edited: Mar 28, 2026 at 12:22 PM

Hello @clipper, what do you want to achieve

When using equalizers, there are three primary goals:

- To make an instrument sound clearer and more defined.
- Make the instrument or mix sound larger and more oversized.
- All the elements of a mix should blend together better. This is achieved by adjusting their frequencies so that each instrument occupies its own predominant frequency range.

Range / Description / Effect

Sub-Bass: 16 to 60 Hz / Sense of mMight / Too much makes the music unwatchable

Bass: 60 Hz to 250 Hz / Contains fundamental notes of rhythm section, makes the music fat or thin / Too much boost tends to make the music boomy

Lower midrange: 250 Hz to kHz / Includes fundamental notes of most instruments / Boost at 500 Hz to 1 kHz sounds horny, nasal, at 1 kHz to 2 kHt sounds tinny

Upper midrange: 2 kHz to 4 kHz / Includes features for speech recognition, such as m, b, and v / Too much causes listener fatigue

Presence: 4 kHz to 6 kHz / Responsible for clarity and definition of vocals and instruments / Boost makes music seem closer to the listener

Brilliance: 6 kHz to 16 kHz / Responsible for brilliance and clarity / Too much causes sibilance in vocals

If possible, try iimer first to cut frequencies. This is preferable because all equalizers add phase shifts to the sound when you boost a range. This results in an undesirable coloration of the sound. The more you boost frequency ranges, the more phase shifts usually creep in, and the harder it becomes to fit the instrument into the mix.Many engineers use their equalizers extremely sparingly. Nevertheless, the maxim that anything goes applies here as well! If it sounds good, it's right.

 

I must confess that it took me ages to 'hear' dynamics. Took way longer than getting frequencies into my head. I'd say after 5 years I was able to hear something I didn't like and knew what frequency I needed to tweak. And the common advise "dial in/out and sweep through" never really worked for me. From there it took me another 2 or 3 years until I really heard dynamics. I mean, sure I could clearly hear what the compressor does, but the compressor changes the overall loudness and my brain needed to learn to hear the dynamic of a sound independently from its level.
Today I'm glad I don't have to think about that any more. It comes as natural as walking. So I perfectly understand your frustration. And I know: You know how it works and what you should do, you're just not yet at the point where you leave the dial alone when it's perfect. But that day will come. Maybe keep it simple for now: Just give your isntruments the snappy attack (dial the attac UP until you have a nice snappy attack at the beginning) and the long sustain (dial release DOWN until the sustain stays on level.
You can do that with piano or with guitar, or synths. For vocals just stick with catching the syllables that stick out. You need a relatively fast release for that, and an attack that sounds natural, rather fast too. You can add a second compressor after that with slower setting where you don't try to catch the syllables but rather give softer words or phrases additional gain.
Don't forget, there is multiband compression. And that is widely used today to give sounds the extra density a single band compressor won't.
So when you compare your work with the pros and the pros sound more in your face then that could be the secret ingredient.
But multiband compression is compression problems times 4. You have to solo the bands and decide for each frequency group what to do.
I'd still start using it now anyways to get practice on that thing as well.
Just be patient and don't let frustration sink in. I remember that when the old guys showed me a trick or two, I wrote that down, down to the frequency values and the dBs. Those guys went mad when I did, because they said I shouldn't do that, the trick needs to be adapted to any given source and that I need to use my ears for that and not my notes.I clearly remember that I heard the differences, but just could not tell what the 'good' setting was. And I clearly was not able to tell what this or that meant down the road when I added more tracks. But that all comes over time, just keep going.