All language subtitles for Compressor Threshold Explained - iZotope Pro Audio Essentials

The threshold is the
level that the signal needs to rise above

in order
for the compressor to begin to work.

If the signal is too low
or it doesn't cross the threshold,

the compressor will simply allow
the signal to pass through unchanged.

The more the signal lives
above the threshold,

the more consistently and more often
the compressor will be working.

Set the compressor with a medium ratio,
say 3 to 1.

Start with the threshold at the top

and gradually move it lower and listen to
what happens.

Make sure that you don't have
any automatic make up gain

enabled so you can hear the full effect
of the compressor.

You'll notice some sonic changes,

but the most obvious
is that the signal level is reduced.

When we set a
compressor, we usually start with a ratio

and threshold to roughly the amount
of compression that we want,

and then we move on to adjust
the other parameters

to refine the compression
to suit the music.

As we reduce the threshold,
we can see the effect

the compressor is having on the signal
by looking at the gain trace.

The lower
the threshold gets, the more compression

and gain reduction.

It takes time to learn
how much compression is just enough.

So play around with the settings at the
threshold and ratio to get the hang of it.