Avid Pro Audio Community

Avid Pro Audio Community

How to Join & Post  •  Community Terms of Use  •  Help Us Help You

Knowledge Base Search  •  Community Search  •  Learn & Support


Avid Home Page

Go Back   Avid Pro Audio Community > Pro Tools Software > Tips & Tricks

Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
  #1  
Old 03-13-2010, 02:31 PM
Mattitude Mattitude is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 58
Default Vocal compression help

Hi guys,

just a bit of help needed on Vocal compression. I am still quite new to all of this :)

Anyway I have my track recorded. I have my vocals recorded and they fit in with the track great!

My vocals sound quite nice with the track already but I've got to use compression. I use the standard compression limiter that comes with Pro Tools 8 - the 'Compressor/Limiter Dyn 3' and I just use the preset - 'Vocal Comp'. I personally feel that my vocals sound fine with this preset, but I am still new to all of this so I don't know what other sounds I can achieve by using different settings. What do you guys think to the settings used in the 'Vocal Comp' preset?

COMPRESSOR - Compressor/Limiter Dyn 3
Vocal Comp preset settings:
KNEE: 10.0 dB
ATTACK: 1.2 ms
GAIN: 8.0 dB
RATIO: 1.8:1
RELEASE: 175.0 ms
THRESH: -30.0 db

Also, when you compress your vocals, should the meter be totally peaking?..or should it not? I have tried a compression setting where the vocal totally peaks all the way through the song, and there's no distortion or anything. Am I right when I say when the meter is totally peaking throughout the song, this means the vocal track levels are equal (quieter parts are brought up)? When I just use the 'Vocal Comp' preset, the vocal meter does not peak, and the meter changes.. so this must mean all the levels are not equal?

Sorry that I sound like a complete newbie hehe :)

Anyway, if anyone understands what I'm saying then give me a reply :)

Thanks guys,
Matt.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 03-13-2010, 03:20 PM
AdamPT8 AdamPT8 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 393
Default Re: Vocal compression help

Use the bombfactory compressor its much better

Put the attack and release all the way to max (7 i believe) thats fast, its opposite on this than other comps. Then turn the input knob until your hitting about -8dB then turn your output gain to a nice level
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 03-13-2010, 03:22 PM
AdamPT8 AdamPT8 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 393
Default Re: Vocal compression help

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mattitude View Post
Am I right when I say when the meter is totally peaking throughout the song, this means the vocal track levels are equal (quieter parts are brought up)? When I just use the 'Vocal Comp' preset, the vocal meter does not peak, and the meter changes.. so this must mean all the levels are not equal?
Kind of, but you don't want to compress it too much as it you will lose the dynamic range of the vox
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 03-13-2010, 07:16 PM
D3lta D3lta is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Posts: 80
Default Re: Vocal compression help

If it's already fitting in the track nicely, why do you have to use compression? If you don't have to, then don't use it.
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 03-14-2010, 12:17 AM
albee1952's Avatar
albee1952 albee1952 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Norwich, CT
Posts: 39,310
Default Re: Vocal compression help

Quote:
Originally Posted by D3lta View Post
If it's already fitting in the track nicely, why do you have to use compression? If you don't have to, then don't use it.
I'm all over that. If it sounds good, it IS good when I NEED compression on vocals, I use the BF76 as my first vocal comp(4:1, fast attack, medium release and about 3-4db of GR on the meter). If I want more, I add SMACK! after the BF76 and grab the WARM setting, 6:1 and only hitting on peaks. I usually follow with a Pultec EQ1-A to add a little sparkle up top(10-12K). But before I do ANY compression, I roll thru the entire performance and use the Audiosuite GAIN plugin to boost/cut any regions that are too soft or too loud.
__________________
HP Z4 workstation, Mbox Studio
https://www.facebook.com/search/top/...0sound%20works


The better I drink, the more I mix

BTW, my name is Dave, but most people call me.........................Dave
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 03-14-2010, 03:19 PM
DonaldM's Avatar
DonaldM DonaldM is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Indiana
Posts: 4,588
Default Re: Vocal compression help

Quote:
Originally Posted by albee1952 View Post
I'm all over that. If it sounds good, it IS good when I NEED compression on vocals, I use the BF76 as my first vocal comp(4:1, fast attack, medium release and about 3-4db of GR on the meter). If I want more, I add SMACK! after the BF76 and grab the WARM setting, 6:1 and only hitting on peaks. I usually follow with a Pultec EQ1-A to add a little sparkle up top(10-12K). But before I do ANY compression, I roll thru the entire performance and use the Audiosuite GAIN plugin to boost/cut any regions that are too soft or too loud.
I'm curious, Albee, why you opt for the Gain function instead of some light compression. Aren't you, in effect, doing the same thing?
__________________
"Never believe anything you hear in a song." Tyrion Lannister, Game of Thrones
Owner: Dragon Rock Productions LLC


Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 03-14-2010, 04:19 PM
AdamPT8 AdamPT8 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2009
Posts: 393
Default Re: Vocal compression help

Turning up the volume will be better than compression because it doesn't affect the audio like compression does.

The idea of turning up the gain is to get a more constant level which will make it better for compression because you can then compress it without using as much compression.

If that makes sense.
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 03-14-2010, 05:17 PM
maxcarola's Avatar
maxcarola maxcarola is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Italy
Posts: 128
Default Re: Vocal compression help

Quote:
Originally Posted by D3lta View Post
If it's already fitting in the track nicely, why do you have to use compression? If you don't have to, then don't use it.
Yes! right.
And if you really have to use it, use the LA2A bomb factory compressor. It's really nice on vocals and you can compress a lot without distroying the nuances.
But there is nothing that msut be done. Just follow this rule: if it's sounding good than IS good. Stop fiddling. There is always time to fine tune it in the mix.

__________________
Max Carola
Recording Engineer - Mixer - Producer - Composer
www.maxcarola.com
Pro Tools Ultimate 2023.6.0 - Monterey
MacBook M1Pro 10-16GB
Dangerous Music Summing - Focusrite Dante Rednet2 - Amek/Neve, Focusrite, TC Electronics, Mytek DA, Apogee ADDA
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 03-14-2010, 07:17 PM
albee1952's Avatar
albee1952 albee1952 is offline
Member
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Norwich, CT
Posts: 39,310
Default Re: Vocal compression help

Quote:
Originally Posted by DonaldM View Post
I'm curious, Albee, why you opt for the Gain function instead of some light compression. Aren't you, in effect, doing the same thing?
Not really, the idea is to get the vocal to be smoother overall, as that will put the compression into a more constant state. Bits that are way too hot can often blast thru the attack time or may require a higher ratio(that may not work for the rest of the track), while bits that are too soft don't hit the compressor at all(unless you set the threshold way low-like too low for the rest of the track). I tend to like modest compression most of the time(and the added character of BF76, SMACK! or the new softube Tube Tech CL1B). I also like the sound of uncompressed, but you have to ride it really well, and I just don't have the time for that on most projects. Give it a try and you might like it, or not. The beauty of all this is that there really are no rules, but tons of options
__________________
HP Z4 workstation, Mbox Studio
https://www.facebook.com/search/top/...0sound%20works


The better I drink, the more I mix

BTW, my name is Dave, but most people call me.........................Dave
Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 03-15-2010, 01:26 AM
Petander Petander is offline
Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: Finland
Posts: 297
Default Re: Vocal compression help

Quote:
Originally Posted by albee1952 View Post
The beauty of all this is that there really are no rules, but tons of options
Yeah and that can be confusing. Too many options.

I do like your AS idea for smoothing up before compression. I sometimes do the same, it´s simply gain riding before compressor. Or sometimes automate trim plug, whatever.

To confuse the OP some more : Try duplicating the track. Use the same plugins on both tracks to avoid delay / phase problems but don´t compress the main track ( set ratio 1:1 and/or treshold high ) at all while compressing only the duplicate. Try different settings.

That´s parallel compression, depending on the song / track it can sound very good.
__________________
--------------------------------------------------------------------

- i7 520 @ 3.6 GHz / P6T / XP32 / PTLE 8.01 . PT9 on Snow .
- PTLE8 on a macbook.

- And a bunch of miscellaneous obsolete hardware from the past. Like Mix ++++ 64 i/o with Control/24


I`m In The Band: www.ozofficial.com
My guitars are in tune : http://www.truetemperament.com/site/index.php
Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump

Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Vocal Compression cdavis6406 Tips & Tricks 11 03-30-2008 05:28 AM
LE vocal compression Sharritan 003, Mbox 2, Digi 002, original Mbox, Digi 001 (Win) 4 02-23-2005 05:30 AM
vocal compression mbuono 003, Mbox 2, Digi 002, original Mbox, Digi 001 (Mac) 9 01-22-2004 09:33 AM
Vocal Compression shendrie 003, Mbox 2, Digi 002, original Mbox, Digi 001 (Mac) 14 10-23-2002 09:03 AM
Vocal compression Voutsonios 003, Mbox 2, Digi 002, original Mbox, Digi 001 (Win) 1 11-03-2001 11:05 PM


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 05:08 PM.


Powered by: vBulletin, Copyright ©2000 - 2008, Jelsoft Enterprises Limited. Forum Hosted By: URLJet.com