"Weatherman" Mrs. wrote in message ...
Dear all,
I've been trying hard, through looking through the archives and newsgroups,

dBx conducted a workshop on compression/limiting in the 80's, and I
think I learned more there in 1 day than my previous years in radio
with all the 'leveling amps' and peak limiters simply because they
applied the information to both recording and live sound which is what
I had gotten into by that time.
Some of the info is touched on briefly at:
http://www.dbxpro.com/ftp_mirror/PDF...sion%20101.pdf

etc as well as reading up, about compression. As a newbie, I understand WHAT
compression is supposed to achive - more or less, still learning. But I am
still stuck at HOW you actually apply it.

Do you apply compression to an incoming signal as it is played "live", or do
you apply it to a pre-recorded track as you mix or ping pong?

Normally, apply only to a track going in if it's absolutely needed
like on a
really rowdy vocal and then only enough to keep things from clipping.
Most signals need to be left clean until you decide how they will be
used in the mix. (Oh, it's OK to comp the bass guitar if it's lined in
but I like
to mike an amp, but that's just me ...)


Can compression make tracks which clip, reduce their level? My experiments
say no, but I am just learning.

DIGITAL CLIPPING IS BAD, VERY BAD !
Control levels as needed to keep things out of the red.
If your using 16 bit: then some very dynamic sources (that rowdy
vocal,
a slapped bass, maybe drums) might be helped along by some slight
compression or maybe a peak limit just below the clip point.
24 bit should never need dynamics control going in.

Finally (whilst I'm here, may as well go for broke) - although everyone
wioll have their own taste and style, and each song will have different
requirements, is their a basic starting point for people like me, as to what
kind of compression to apply - i.e. settings - for say,
vocals
Probably the most appropriate source to compress but only just enough
to
smooth out the loud stuff. If your'e reducing gain by more than 4-6 dB
on peaks it's too much.

guitar
electric: not needed
acoustic: maybe just a bit- 2-3 dB

final mixdown
if it's a good mix it shouldn't need much if any, but if you are
tempted
to compress a mix use a high pass filter ( dBx's 'contour') to keep
from
pumping on bass/kick. an eq in the sidechain rolled of below 100 or so
will work if the unit doesn't have a HPF.

Any advice, or pointers to websites, books, etc would be greatly
appreciated.

If it's creating an audible effect then it's too much, unless you are
using it just as an effect.


Jim

Good Luck
RD