Levels of sidechain compression

Rakib · December 25, 2008, 18:15:23

I usually dont do any mastering on my songs(compression, limiter, eq), but since people are saying you can gain a lot better quality on your song with these toold I have been experimenting with it, if any one could comment on how much one should use, is to much and so on, it would help me a lot.

http://www5.speedyshare.com/data/963434251/14324965/566618/01-%20fko.mp3

Here is 3 similar pattern playing, nr 1 is with compression, nr 2 is without, nr2 starts without and the the compression kicks in.

LPChip · December 25, 2008, 21:23:05

The best tip I can give about mixing and mastering is simply this one: Its more important to get your sound configured right so you can hear the flaws. Upgrading to good headphones or monitor speakers and upgrading your soundcard can mean quite a lot between having a good and bad mix.

There are people that say that you must use a flat EQ because you can then hear what each changes does to the sound. I personally use my daily-listen EQ settings so I have enhanced bass and trebble and everything, so it sounds the way I like it most. That way, I can tweak the sound to similar songs and find a spot where it sounds familiar and like I want it.

Its really a matter of taste really.

As for using a compressor, I hardly use any. I use an EQ alot though. But then again, a compressor is used to change the dynamics of the sound, and I usually have that fixed at the source rather than after it.

You can use a compresor/limiter at the final stage (which I actually do always) to get your song a tad louder without clipping the sound which means distortion. As Atlantis once said: Using a compressor at the end is good to glue everything together. But you don't want to overdo your compressor here or it'll simply suck big balls.

Any tips? Well, if you like the changes, use it!

I often use the bypass to see if the new changes are better than without. Sometimes I even find that a plugin makes the sound worse. Then I simply remove that plugin from the chain.

Saga Musix · December 25, 2008, 23:08:56

Well, this example Rakib posted is certainly not about a master compressor, but a sidechain compressor (btw: how is this possbile in MPT?!). i like the first example most, it's more trance-ish.

psishock · December 25, 2008, 23:31:19

Quote from: "Jojo"how is this possbile in MPT?!

Everything is possible with the trackers that is with sequencers

As for sidechain compression, i'm not really using it because its not precise enough for me. Imo it's better to personally select the sound(s) that i want to fade out when the kick hit in (sidechain is about that, giving more room for the kick with decreasing the volumes of the other frequencies) with a custom shaped LFOs or with advanced volume envelopes.
And the worst thing about sidechain (in my case) that it might not work with complex basses at all, but the hand shaped envelopes are always sounding as you want.

Saga Musix · December 25, 2008, 23:56:05

Quote from: "psishock"Everything is possible with the trackers that is with sequencers

don't steal my sentence.

actually, i said this because OpenMPT does _not_ have a sidechain.

psishock · December 26, 2008, 00:02:11

Quote from: "Jojo"actually, i said this because OpenMPT does _not_ have a sidechain.

Since we have VSTs for a while now, i don't see having it not embed as a problem.

Quote from: "Jojo"don't steal my sentence

It's mine now... all mine!! (evil laugh)

Saga Musix · December 26, 2008, 00:21:51

Having VSTs and having a Sidechain channel (like in Buzz) is two entirely different things. I wouldn't know how to route audio through two different ways in MPT, for example. And you still need a VST for a sidechain to use, just so you know.

Rakib · December 26, 2008, 01:08:34

There are several sidechain compressor vst.

http://www.db-audioware.com/sidechaincompressor.htm
http://www.geocities.jp/webmaster_of_sss/vst/#sidech

I used the first one for my example, it actually works since it gets input data and give from that a basis of compression.

But yes it works, and I liked that limiter function, because usually I have to reduce the master volume to avoid clipping, especially with high tone sound it can occur to often and then the overall song gets to quiet.

LPChip · December 26, 2008, 01:20:51

You can simply side-chain in OpenMPT by choosing say: FX50, set your compressor up there, and make multiple plugins has its output set to FX50. That way several inputs will mix up to the compressor. If one of these inputs has a higher volume than the others, the compressor should narrow the others down.

If you have a sample that doesn't use any plugins, then you can set it directly to FX50. If you have multiple FX's chained together, then set the last one to FX50. If you also want an FX that is the master make sure its below FX50 (thus FX51 and more) and either make FX50 has its output set to that FX or check that plugin's master checkbox.