Fav dialog compression settings?

[jahtao]

For TV (reality stuff for example)?
For drama?
For film?

Ratio?
Attack?
Release?
Knee?
Gain structure, threshold, make up, pre/post threshold gain???

[Frank Kruse]

bypass on.

f.

[mr.armadillo]

bypass on.

f.

Nice one!

[soundworx]

bypass on.

f.

;-), but I actually like just a little compression on the dialogue. Color, rather than dynamics.

[thierryd]

bypass on.

f.

LOL )))) yes, but on which compressor plug-in do you like the bypass sound best?

Greetings,

Thierry

[mikevarela]

there are no hard and fast compression settings. it all depends on the dialog.

[Starcrash]

there are no hard and fast compression settings. it all depends on the dialog.

Huh, that's weird. Most compressors I've seen have both a "hard" and "fast" setting. Also "soft" and "slow".

[mgoorevich]

Work with volume automations, EQ and Reverbs. Compressor for the dialogs will usually....compress it horrible. Well you might want it in some specific cases like phone calles, PA effect e.t.c.
But for dialogs - deadly hard work, experiments and experience. No short cuts.
Why did you think of compressor?

[jahtao]

Why did you think of compressor?

Because I've been compressing TX dialog daily for the last four years here in London, so has everyone else I talk to doing my job. That's tv stuff mostly. I find the dialog sounds too 'peaky' otherwise. With my working methods I feel I can really get something out of the added level control they offer. Film is another story. But quick turn-around TV stuff I know I'm not the only person using compressors! : )

I'm new to post on Pro Tools and am trying to adapt my working methods to it. Hence the question. I'll happily give away the type of settings I use, but i was hoping to perhaps refine the them a little after a round of input from other users.... but no one is forthcoming. Right now I can't help fiddling with them a bit from project to project, aaargghg.

No one?


Cheers,
Matt

[JKD99]

Hi there,
I use compression all the time, but fairly gently: 3:1 ratio, fast attack, not a ton of gain reduction usually, no big whoop. However, I do a ton of fader riding ("manual compression"), maybe more than most? I dunno. On particularly noisy sections I'll raise the threshold way up so the compressor isn't so much of a component, as compression tends to negate what I'm trying to do with the Cedar and other noise-reduction tools.

My 2¢ (since you're in England, maybe that needs to be 3¢ now?)

best,