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#1
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Mastering compression on solo acoustic record
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 |
#2
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Mastering compression on solo acoustic record
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 |
#3
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Mastering compression on solo acoustic record
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. Try this: you will probably find there are 3 or 4 peaks in any given song that are several db above the majority of other peaks. Find those (Bias PEAK has a function called "Find Peak" or you can just watch meters as it plays) & draw down the volume of just the peak with automation by about 3 or 4 db. You'll very likely find you can now boost the entire track 2 to 3 db & it will never sound compressed to anybody, because the average level is untouched. Scott Fraser |
#4
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Mastering compression on solo acoustic record
Todd wrote: ...No reverb was added either, by the way.
Did the recording venue have adequate natural reverb to support the artist's intonation and tone? ...The artist will freak out if she hears anything squashing her voice or guitar. She is right. ...But I know that some is needed for obvious reasons. Please, what are the "obvious reasons"? James Boyk |
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