what does an external compressor do exactly

[maxidud999]

hi I'm just getting into home recording with avid, and i want to know what compressing does, external compressor vs plugin compressor, I've been using pro tools for a little while now but just for basic demos but want to expand my knowledge and get better quality results, any help would be great
thanks

[Craig F]

A compressor makes the loud parts softer (controls the dynamic range)

Depends on were the compressor is in the chain:

When recording a compressor between the mic pre and the ADC can help prevent digital clipping of the ADC

During mixing it would be a matter of preference of the sound of the external compressor over the sound of the plug-in

[zedhed]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamic_range_compression

[albee1952]

Insert a software compressor and play to your heart's content. That the best way to learn what it does(as well as learning how different compressors, real OR plugin, affect the same sound, but in somewhat different ways).