I've just finished producing and recording a singer/songwriter's
record where no compression was used in tracking or in mixing by
request of the artist. No reverb was added either, by the way. It is a
very stark and beautiful recording and I've been very curious to see
how it would turn out after not using compression at all to smooth out
the hills and valleys etc.
Anyway, I will also be mastering it myself, at least for now, and
would like to get any tips on how I can use very gentle compression to
reel some things a tiny bit without being able to then "hear" the
compressor working. I need to have it be transparent, but functional.
The artist will freak out if she hears anything squashing her voice or
guitar. But I know that some is needed for obvious reasons.
I have the Waves C4 and Renaissance compressors as well as a few other
basic ones, and I use SawPro on a PC.
Please inform if anyone can get me at least started on the right track
with a preset perhaps that will do most of the work or any other
useful info.
Thanks a lot.
Todd

The "right track" is to do nothing to it. A "stark and beautiful recording" is
what the client wanted.

You think that something needs to be done to it for"obvious reasons" but the
client thinks otherwise.

Unless you are using the most gentle of leveling devices and only 2-3dB worth
at that, it will be heard.

If you are doing this for your own amazement, try a very low compression ratio
( 1.5:1) and a very low threshold, long release time, so the compressor never
releases.

You will be able to hear it, but nasty artifacts aren't going to be present.
Richard H. Kuschel
"I canna change the law of physics."-----Scotty