All language subtitles for 02CompressorsExplained

Now, before we check out our first
compressor, we want to explain our

compression works in general, and the
easiest way to do that is using a drum

loop like we have here.

And a compressor plugin, the avid Pro

compressor. It has a graphical interface so it's

easier to see what it's doing.

Let's start off with the threshold, as

most compressors, even classic
compressors, let you adjust the threshold

decides at what point compression kicks
in.

Let's raise it as high as possible so no
compression will happen.

Let's hear the loop.

Notice it sounds very normal.

It's not compressing because it's not
reaching our threshold right here.

Right up here.

You can see the volume level of the drum

loop. And it never reaches the threshold.

Starts to bring the threshold down so
some of the notes of the drum loop go

above the threshold.

Let me switch the meter over here so you

can see the attenuation over here.

As well as over here.

So right now it's compressing about 6 DB.

That's how much gain is being reduced.

Our sound level is over here.

And as it goes above the threshold, it

kicks in the game reduction or
compression.

Now the ratio, which is another setting
we could sometimes adjust, is set to

three to one.

If we set it to one to 1:00.

No compression is going to take place.

Regardless when the threshold is because

once the sound gets above that threshold,
the change is 1 to one, so it's not

changing. If we change it to something else like 4

to one.
As the sound goes above the threshold,

every four DB of change will only be one
DB different.

That's the ratio 4 to one.

So for every four DB it goes above here.

We're only gonna hear a difference of 1
DB.

That's why compressors adjust the dynamic
range.

The sound is less dynamic as the ratio
affects those differences.

Snouts here.

So that's a four to one ratio.

Let's make it higher.

At about ten to one, instead of being

called compression, it's called limiting.

Notice it sounds harder as once it gets

above the threshold it's compressing even
more.

So a ten to one ratio for every 10 DB it
gets louder.

We're only hearing a one TB difference.

And you can bring up even more.

And it's like a brick wall.

It's once it hits a certain point or the

threshold. It's not going to get any louder.

It sounds kind of weird because once it
gets to the threshold, it's not going to

get any louder.

Whereas with the lower ratio it still

gets louder, but in proportion or at a
lower ratio.

And four to one is a pretty good place to
start.

Now, some of the compressors we're going
to be checking out won't give us the

option of adjusting the ratio.

It's a fixed ratio, but that gives that

compressor it's sound.

And another thing that gives a compressor

its sound.

Is the knee.

You might hear the words soft knee or
hard knee.

That's this setting right here.

If we move it this way to 0 DB notice

right here.
It's a sharp angle.

If we move it the other way.

It gets softer.

So it's basically happening here.

It decides how quickly that game

reduction is happening.

So with the soft knee, it starts before

the threshold and slowly gets brought
down by the ratio.

In this position, it happens very
quickly.

So it's a little more dramatic.

So let's see the difference.

This is a hardening.

This is a softening.

Notice how the color of the compressor
changes.

And once again, with a lot of classic
compressors, we can't really adjust this.

It's fixed, but it is still set to a
certain number, we just can't change it.

But it gives that compressor its own
sound.

Now another part of compression where we
can really tweak how it works is the

attack and release.

Now some of the compressors are going to

check out have these knobs, but some of
them don't.

And again, for those units it will be
fixed in a certain position, you just

can't adjust them.

That's what gives those compressors their

sound. So let's start with the attack knob does

is decides how quickly the compression
kicks in.

For instance, let's make it really slow.

One second.

Notice it doesn't sound very different
because what's happening is the

compressor is very slow to react.

It's going to react to sound going above

the threshold.
For a whole second.

Which for drums isn't really going to do
much.

It's not going to compress at all, but if
we make it very fast, it's going to react

very quickly to the transients.

It cuts down the transients almost

completely, because this is a very fast
setting.

Let's slowly bring it up and you can hear
the transients come back in.

So you could shape the sound of the drums
just by adjusting the attack, and if we

make it any quicker it's going to cut it
down even more.

Or any slower is going to let the
transient come completely through.

Since the attack, next we have the
release decides how quickly the

compression snaps back, so once again we
could check it by setting it as long as

possible. 10 seconds. Now watch the meters over

here. They stay there, it's still being reduced

for 10 full seconds after the threshold
is no longer crossed, so the compression

is going to sound very smooth as it
doesn't jump up and down as each

transient goes above and below the
threshold.

Let's hear it.

It's very smooth as the compressor is

very slow to start up again.

But as you make it shorter, it's going to

snap back a lot quicker.

And we're going to hear it react very

quickly. And you can see it very easily by

watching the meters.

But if you want something more dramatic,

you can make this really quick.

And this one quick as well.

And it cuts all the attack and brings up
the room sound.

So that's the attack and release.

Which brings U the snob down here, the

dry or wet mix.

Again, this is not very common on the

classic compressors.
This mixes the dry sound with the wet

sound. Most classic compressors are completely

wet. So we hear compression and nothing else.

But if we want to bring some dry sound
back in.

We could adjust this knob to have a
little bit of the uncompressed sound

mixed in with the compressed sound, fully
compressed ohf.

It's just a way of lessening the effect.

But again, most of the classic

compressors don't really have this sound,
so to achieve it you have to use parallel

compression and then finally.

We have the makeup gain which makes up

for the gain reduction that the
compressor is adding.

So right now.

Bypass is louder than the compressor

being turned on.

So we can match that using the makeup

gain. Making it easy to compare the before and

after. So that's the basics of how a compressor

works. Obviously it's gonna sound different on

every sound source.

But it's easy to hear all these controls

using a drum loop.

And once again, most of these controls

are not going to be on classic
compressors.

But those variables still exist, they
just fixed at certain points on those

compressors, which again gives them the
unique sound.

So let's get started with our first
compressor.