Recording Vox with Compression

[DonaldM]

Several things I've recently read about recording good vocals suggest using a bit of compression while recording. That seems plain enough, but I'm not understanding how that works with PT. If I set up an audio track and insert a compressor on it, sure I can compress the vocal track,but I don't see how that effects the actual vocal track printed on the track because if I play it back and bypass the compressor, there's no compression on what's recorded on the track. (The same, for ex, if I insert a reverb for the vocalist to hear while recording).

So, in PT, I'm not clear on how to compress the vocal input while recording it and having it record that way. Or am I misunderstanding what I'm reading? But it sure seems like what they all say is to add the compression on the vocal input and record the vox compressed that way.

What am I not understanding?

[Dorian Green]

heya!

To achieve that you have to set an Aux track first where you insert your compression plugin,the input will be you mic and the output an available bus.Then you just set the audio track input as your bus.

IMO I wouldn't do that as you can't reverse the process.Unless you want to save a bit of RTAS power I can't see the point using it during tracking as you can use it during mixing.

You may think it could avoid your signal to peak but it's a false limiting as your signal has already been thru the AD converter.So maybe the signal has peaked during tracking but you can't check it as the plugin compressor will hide it.

The only way to apply an effective soft compression during tracking is thru an hardware compressor placed between your preamp and your AtD converter.

But don't worry working at 24bitdepth you can record at a quite low level (with peaks around -10 to -5 dBFS).You won't loose any quality.

Welcome in digital world!

[RiF]

SOME THEORY FIRST:
You cannot record ("record" as in "print to the track") any compression (or whatever fx) using software plugins. The signal hits the preamp and then A/D-(audio-to-digital)converters of your MBox and it then goes into Pro Tools via USB or Firewire.
To get ANY benefit from compression during recording, the compression has to take place BEFORE the A/D-conversion. That said, you'll need a hardware compressor. If it would take place after the A/D-conversion, there's no difference between applying it or doing the same thing during mixing (as you already noticed).

SOME HISTORY:
Compression during recording has been used because in those tape-days, you want to record a signal as hot as possible to fight tape-hiss on too-low signals. But on the other side, you don't want to overdrive the tape too much on louder peaks. Compression did the job to even out the levels and get you the best ratio between a hot signal and not overdriving the tape. In the digital age with 24 bit converters and loads of headroom, there's no need to do this anymore.

But... I only find a single reason to compress during recording: If I had a hardware compressor that's so much better than any of my plugins, I would use that one on my way into the computer.

[albee1952]

+1. I record most vocals thru an external preamp with a compressor in line. If you are using the onboard mic preamps, you can't use an external compressor so I would just record at 24 bit(and insert a compressor plugin if it makes the singer perform better).

[DonaldM]

Dorian,
Thanks for the response. Some of what I read pertained to doing this even with a DAW, so hence my question. But I see your point!

Thanks

[DonaldM]

+1. I record most vocals thru an external preamp with a compressor in line. If you are using the onboard mic preamps, you can't use an external compressor so I would just record at 24 bit(and insert a compressor plugin if it makes the singer perform better).

Well, this is what i thought, but what confused me was that some of the engineers in one article said they did use pre-record compression on vocals even with their DAW. What they didn't say was whether or not is was hardware. Probably that's what they meant. Thanks for the explanations. I thought I might have overlooked something.

[albee1952]

Yeah, I would bet they meant using external preamp and compressor. As described already, you CAN bring the vocal into an AUX input and compress it, then bus that to an AUDIO track for recording, but it would sound the same as using a plugin later(and would not prevent a clip).

[DonaldM]

Yeah, I would bet they meant using external preamp and compressor. As described already, you CAN bring the vocal into an AUX input and compress it, then bus that to an AUDIO track for recording, but it would sound the same as using a plugin later(and would not prevent a clip).

Okay, thanks!

[nst7]

Keep in mind that some engineers using hardware compressors may also do it for the sound the hardware might impart, because of transformers, etc. They may not even be compressing with it, or not very much. As an example, some reissue models of the Universal Audio 1176 actually have a 1:1 setting, which is basically no compression, for this very reason. I could also see this being the reason with some old fairchilds, etc.

[Keybeeetsss]

U can use a Comp on an aux track as Dorian explained; do that & too record simultaneously a track with the input set from ur pre that ur using(normal input setup)as well; u will here the difference...

[Jono_G]

Does anyone have a suggestion what settings could be used to replicate the sound of an orban 787a mic processor?