#PRO TOOLS MIXING AND MASTERING PDF HOW TO#

Dial-in by ear.ДЄ good starting point for a rock vocal would be a 4:1 ratio with a medium-fast attack and a medium release. Gain added to bring back the level lost because of compression.

Soft knee is subtle, hard knee is more aggressive. 4:1 = for every 1dB that goes over the threshold, 4 dB will be reduced.Дetermines how quickly, or slowly, the compressor reacts to the incoming signal, making the vocals sound either smoother or edgier and aggressive.Дetermines how quickly, or slowly, the compressor allows the audio to return to its normal level, shaping the ends of words, phrases or breaths.Дetermines the sharpness of compression. The amount of level reduction that takes place once the signal crosses the threshold. The point in signal volume at which compression starts There are six main controls on a compressor:

The two compressors used in this way, traditionally, are the Urei 1176 followed by the LA2A. The result is a more natural yet fully present sound. Split the compression over two compressors in series, one to hit the peaks with roughly -4dB reduction and the second for a more gentle, overall compression of -2 to -3dB. In fact, using multiple compressors can work better than having only one do all the heavy lifting. I find around -6dB clip gain on breaths and sibilance works really well for me. Mastering the release setting will control this aspect of the vocal but also, you can tackle these problem areas BEFORE the signal even touches the compressor circuit by using clip gain to manually control the peaks and breaths. It brings up the background noise, breaths and emphasises sibilance in a vocal. Vocal compression can cause its own problems. If a singer isnвЂ™t that well acquainted with recording and rely on their live singing technique, then problems could arise and compression can save the day. Vocals are very dynamic and can usually benefit from a little, or a lot, of control, depending on the singerвЂ™s experience, performance and the musical genre. The most important thing with vocals is that you can hear every word. They impart certain sonic qualities depending on the type used that can further enhance the sound beyond the standard parameter settings. Stick a pin in this idea and look into it later down the line but the TL DR description is that their names describe the gain reduction circuit for that particular type of compressor and how they react to the input signal. The four most common ones are:Д®ach has their own sound characteristics and is probably something to consider further, once youвЂ™ve got the basics of compression down.

They each have their own вЂњcharacterвЂќ or sound. Not all compressors are of the same design.

Adds вЂњcharacterвЂќ or not, depending on the compressorДЇor more indepth discussion about compression you can check out my blog and video on the Simply Mixing website.

Brings the loudest and quietest parts of a signal closer together.

Changes the transient with vocals, thatвЂ™s the consonants.

We all have to start somewhere, even the pros werenвЂ™t awesome in the beginning.

#PRO TOOLS MIXING AND MASTERING PDF HOW TO#

Only by playing and experimenting over time will you properly understand how to use a compressor on vocals and in this post I hope to make that path a little shorter so you can get a great vocal sound dialled in quickly and confidently. How many tutorial videos have you watched by the mix engineer legends where they demonstrate vocal compression from a famous mix that leaves you feeling frustrated because they can hear something you simply canвЂ™t?

Pro tools mixing and mastering pdf