Compress Master Fader before deciding on individual fader's plugins?

[Roy Howell]

I know I may get pointed to do a 'Search' on Compression, but still as a matter of personal preference, do any of you guys WAIT to see how say, a c4 on the Master will affect the mix beFORE putting compressors or other plugins on individual faders?

I ask, because I often hear about using a compressor on the master(I do it too sometimes). Yet, how does it affect the compressor you used and tweaked on say, the cymbals?

Does anyone, like me, sometimes use the Master JUST to fade overall volume?

I'm still learning all I can, so thanks...

Roy

[finalcut]

A lot of your question greatly depends on your tracks them selves. For me, I like to use the L1 ( soon the L2 ) and a C4 at the master out just like you. Many times that is all I need because I will add the right amount of compression to my tracks as I'm recording them.
If I have say a vocal or a bass line that is a little to dynamic I will compress those tracks at their on in-puts , but not a lot. I leave room for the master fader and the L1/C4 combo to finish the over all job.
As you may know, compression is to be used in moderation. It can make or break you.
You mentioned the C4. It sounds like you have some Waves stuff. Many of us here like Waves. If you don't have an external compressor to use while laying down your tracks, you may want to consider one.I use a dbx DDP that I scored at a pwan shop for $200. new, and it works real nice.
Hope that helps.

[Roy Howell]

finalcut,
Great info and thanks...

Roy

[Jorge442]

Hi Roy,
hhhhhhmmmmmmm cymbals.......good question. Very recently I´ve found myself going back to the mix session to adjust the compression on them. I think it´s different what the C4 does compared to regular comps on the individual channels though. I said it was a good question because the cymbals are almost alone in their frequency range, and you might get all the high frequency compression needed just from the C4 alone.....

Compression on the master fader is diferent than compressing individual tracks too. On an individual channel is like taming it so you can get it as loud as you need without clipping and with the desired sound, or I use them to glue together guitar submixes, drums, vocals, etc. I like Meek comps on stereo guitars, La2a on stereo drums....sometimes I even use compressors back to back! one with a fast attack, followed by one set with a slow attack......
On the master fader you´re taming the whole mix and glueing things together as a whole.
I usually don´t consider putting a C4/L1 on the master fader of the mix session because of the lack of horsepower of my machine. If I could, maybe I would, but I´d rather use a bunch of Bomb factory plug ins and Ren Eq´s and all that on individual channels first and then get a whole new chain exclusively for the stereo mix. ....I tend to use compression before, after and in between lol
Sometimes I do it just because I have to get things to ROCK! Other times it´s just to tame the track or mix a bit before hitting a limiter. The La2a(and the faichild 660) I like to use very sparingly, sometimes set to just a couple of db´s of reduction, you can hear their pumping otherwise ..I do like the way they color the sound by just having them in the chain.
Lately I´ve been using an L1 on the master fader of the mix session, to gain a few db´s before going to the mastering session. 6 db here and 6db there sounds much better than 12db´s of limiting at once....


my .02


cheers,

jorge