Compressors 103 - Going deeper

Today I'm going to go a little deeper into how compressors work. But first do an experiment. This experiment will allow you to SEE what a compressor does. When I did this, things started to become a lot clearer for me. We have to listen differently when it comes to compressors. We are not listening for frequency, we are listening to dynamic range (amplitude, loudness).

For this experiment it would be better to use a bass track. The reason for this is one, we ALWAYS use a compressor on a bass track and two, one of the reasons to use a compressor on a bass track is because we want to lengthen the sustain of the notes, as they fade out quickly. Try to use a track that has a regular-type bass line, not one that is super busy.

1. Find a bass track (or create one using a VI)  If a virtual instrument is used, use one that emulates a real bass guitar, not something like a synth bass. What is needed is a sound whose note decays after the initial onset of the note, like a real bass. Also the track will need to be printed. For this test to work we need an audio clip, not a MIDI clip.
2. Put a compressor on the bass audio track.
3. Set the ratio to something higher, i.e. 6:1. Set a fast attack, i.e. 3 ms; fast release, i.e. 18 ms.
4. Lower the threshold until the meter shows roughly 8 dB of gain reduction. Then add some makeup gain. Set this to the amount being reduced. If the gain reduction meter shows 8 dB of reduction, set makeup gain to 8 dB. This way the volume remains the same.

What you should start to notice is that the initial attack of the notes (when the player first strikes the notes) no longer punches. Now the dynamics are a little flatter, smoothed out. The second thing you should notice is that the notes are more sustained. You will no longer hear the decay, but a nice solid note that holds out for it's full duration of note value (i.e. quarter note, half note, etc.)

NOW, print the track again with the compressor engaged. What you should have are two printed bass tracks. One without compression and one with compression. Look at the differences between the two. The first track has a pronounced attack with high amplitude and fast decay. The second, the initial punch is now all or mostly reduced and the sustain of the note stays strong longer. Below is a picture of what this should look like. 

I have done exactly that here. I used an Instrument track with Trillian Bass module - played a bass line - printed it - ran compressor with 6:1, 3 ms attack, 18 ms release, 8 dB gain reduction, and 8 dB make up gain. I think this helps to drive home what a compressors job is. In this example my goal with the compressor was to lessen the attack and give it more sustain.

I hope this helps - it did for me! Next time I will start to go into specific parts of a compressor, i.e. threshold, knee, attack, release, etc.

And as always - HEY! Make it a great day!

Tim

Compressors 102 (More of the Basics)

After learning the basics about compressors (see Compressors 101 earlier blog entry), then you can use this general guide of the type of overall effect you are going for.

If you want a Natural sound (the compressor is not noticeable):
Use a slower attack (longer than 75 ms) and gentle ratios (less than 2:1). Always allow the compressor to "relax" back to zero several times a measure.

For a Punchy Response:
For a harder, punchier sound, use higher ratios and thresholds, but keep an ear out for any distortion.

If you want a Thick and Dense sound:
For a thicker, denser sound use faster attacks, medium ratios, and lower thresholds. There will be much more gain reduction though.

If you want a Pumping Effect:
For an overstated pumping effect use fast attacks, high ratios, and a longer release time.

DO - Avoid using extreme settings to begin with. This is especially true if you are just trying to control the dynamics.

DON'T - Add compressors to every channel just because you think you're supposed to! Start with minimal compression and carefully choose where, when and why to add a compressor.

DO - Experiment with different kinds of compressors. There can be some big differences!

DON'T - Don't forget to bypass the compressor occasionally to check that you're getting good results.

DO - Remember to balance the output gain so the level doesn't change when you engage the bypass. In other words the before and after volume level should be the same. We hardly ever use compression without changing the output makeup gain. If you add 3 dB of gain reduction (GR), then you should be able to add 3 dB or so of make up gain for the output.

DON'T - Don't be afraid to experiment. Some of the greatest sounds in the history of recorded music came from misused and abused compressors!

Next blog about compressors I will talk about the "Knee" of a compressor! I really do hope this helps. It helped me in the beginning!

As always - Make it a GREAT day!

T

Creating a Click Track

Using a click track during recording is, of course, imperative. We can't do our work if we can't play to the beat! Luckily for us Pro Tools makes it easy to set up a click track! Just simply go to Track on the menu bar, scroll all the way to the bottom and choose Create Click Track. Pro Tools will create an auxiliary track and automatically put a metronome plugin on the track. The metronome will automatically set to the tempo (bpm) of the song.

The metronome is customizable. You can change the sounds used for beat 1 and all other beats (2, 3, 4, etc.). The volume for beat 1 can be set and the volume for all other beats can be set to something different. I usually have mine set so that beat 1 is louder than other beats and is a different sound. That makes it easy to find the downbeat while tracking.

When I set up my templates, I already have the click track set up and ready to go! Easy! And since I organize and colorize my tracks, for me, the click track is all the way to the left in the Mix window and a bright lime green. I always know where it is in the session, no matter working in the mix or edit window.

Peace! And HEY! Make it a great day!

Tim

6 Recording Myths - Busted!

It is hard to learn how to record and mix music today. With so much information available on the web, sometimes it is hard to know if the information is true or not - whether it can be trusted or not. Here are six myths that are not true! Ask anyone who really knows his stuff and is experienced and successful.

Myth 1 – You can’t use ribbon mics on loud sources

This myth is a good one to start with because like the best myths, there’s just enough of a grain of truth to it to keep it going. It’s true that the actual ribbon element can be more fragile than the diaphragm of a moving coil or condenser microphone. It’s also true that in the early days of ribbon mics, those classic RCA mics from the 1940s would fail readily if you tried to use them on a screaming guitar amp or a kick drum. However, that hasn’t been true for decades. These days, arguably the most venerated guitar cabinet mic, the Royer R-121,  is a ribbon mic. Ribbon mics these days can easily withstand extremely high Sound Pressure Levels (SPL) and can be used on any source. Some ribbon mics such as the Shure KSM313/NE utilize a ribbon made of Roswellite, a substance created using carbon nanofilm technology that is virtually unbreakable and can endure levels up to 146dB SPL.

Myth 2 – Always record as hot as you can

This is another myth that has roots in the early days of recording to tape. Back when your recordings had to stay above the noise floor of the tape, tracking too quietly could render your recording noisy and unusable. Not only that, but recording engineers realized that for rock music, slamming your recording levels produced a very pleasing tape compression and “heat” that could make things sound great. With digital recording, however, both of these are no longer true. With 144dB of dynamic range (24-bit recording) you can even record at -40dB and have 100dB of dynamic range. Early analog-to-digital converters (from decades ago) did sound better when recording near the top of their range but that is no longer the case. In fact, with digital recording, overloading your recording levels is decidedly unpleasant, resulting in a digital distortion when clipping that is ugly and abrasive.

Myth 3 – External digital clocking improves the sound of your audio interface

If you’re interconnecting a lot of digital gear you may want to use a master digital clock. Get the best clock you can afford, and make sure everything is connected properly via Word Clock cables. In many cases, the master clock won’t have a drastic influence on the sound; the uniform clocking simply makes everything work together without digital pops and ticks. Just taking your audio interface and hooking it up to an external clock isn’t going to improve the sound quality of its digital-to-analog and analog-to-digital converters unless the clock in your interface is really poor. If you really want to improve your recorded sound, get the best mics, preamps, and audio interface you can. Only buy an external digital clock after you’ve made sure the rest of your audio chain is the best it can be.

Myth 4 – Egg cartons or mattress foam are good acoustic treatments

No, not even close! And despite what you may read on the internet, they don’t sound-proof anything. Materials such as drywall, insulation, and acoustic foam can be great acoustic treatment materials. With these materials and proper construction and application methods, you can effectively tackle the two general aspects of studio construction: isolation and acoustics. First, if you’re concerned with keeping sound from getting in or out of your recording space, you’ll need to tackle isolation. This is best done with some form of mass-air-mass construction. A wall with drywall and insulation, empty space, then another identical wall with drywall and insulation will provide a great start. For controlling the acoustics inside your space, you’ll need a combination of absorption and diffusion. There are myriad ways and a long list of proper materials to implement this — egg cartons and mattress foam are NOT on the list!

Myth 5 – External hardware always sounds better than digital plug-ins

In the early days of digital, this may have been true, but definitely not today. Sure, there are hardware compressors, equalizers, and effects processors with a certain mojo that sound amazing. But there are also digital software processors that sound incredible and offer a level of precision and recall that you’ll never get with external hardware. There’s a reason that nearly every pro studio has a ton of high-quality plug-ins even if they already have and use great outboard gear. You may like the sound of a piece of hardware, but you may like, or even prefer, the sound of a digital processor. The days of digital being second best are far behind us.

Myth 6 – There’s a “correct” way to record

It might seem counter-intuitive after all these “wrong” myths to proclaim that there’s no “right” way. But it’s true! One way of doing things may not get you the results you’re after, but then there are multiple ways that will. The name of the game is experimentation! Never stop experimenting and searching to find techniques that work for you, your music, your musicians, your studio. If you wonder if something will work, even if it seems patently false, give it a go! At worst you’ll need to redo it. At best you may add another unique tool to your toolbox. And that’s what recording is all about!

These are truths that all of us can learn from. I hope this helps musicians and engineers alike get better at their craft!

Peace - and HEY! make it a great day!

T

Compressors 101 - the Basics (part 1)

Compressors seem to confuse a lot of people in the beginning, they certainly did me! Here is some helpful information concerning using a compressor in your mixing to help get you started. I will have other blogs on compression, so keep a look out!

1.  Decide what you want to achieve. There are really only 4 reasons for using a compressor - control a dynamic signal, add punch or impact, change the sound, create an unusual effect. Make a decision on what your goal is, which one of the four you would like to achieve. Keep listening with your final goal always in mind. Here is a neutral starting point: 2:1 ratio; 75 ms attack; 100 ms release.

2.  Overdo to begin with. Pull down the threshold until it starts working. It can be helpful to start with exaggeration. If you're having to turn the threshold way down - boost input level instead. Exaggerating can help get settings right.

3.  Listen. Fine tune settings keeping end goal in mind. Once you get close, adjust the threshold.

4.  Listen again and balance different settings against one another. Higher ratios usually need higher thresholds. Lower ratios usually need lower thresholds.

5.  Experiment. Don't be afraid to change a setting. Just keep listening! Radical amounts are common: 15-20 dB for electric guitars, room mics, drums and even vocals.

For a smoother sound - Use faster attack and higher ratio (But don't lose energy & excitement)
To reduce 'bounce' - Use shorter release time & ease off threshold, or use a lower ratio. Bounce is when you hear the level ducking as the compressor kicks in and then springs back up when it releases.
To add punch - Use a higher ratio, slightly longer attack and shorter release times, but watch out for pumping. Pumping is where the end of the note is louder than the start. Also when adding punch, be careful not to introduce any distortion.

If you add stereo buss compression - be gentle - 1.5:1 and only 2 - 3 dB of gain reduction.

Don't be afraid of using compressors. Experiment with them until you understand them. Try this experiment: print a bass track with heavy compression. Compare the original audio track with the compressed audio track. This will help you understand just exactly what the compressor is doing. You will see a visual representation of what your ears are telling you.

Compressors are a vital part of making music. We use them while tracking, mixing, and many times both tracking and mixing.

I hope this helps! Peace - and as always - make it a GREAT day!

T

10 Tips for a great vocal recording

Here are ten quick tips to think about the next time you record vocals:

1)  Warm Up:
Every vocalist needs to warm up. You wouldn't run a marathon without stretching first, would you? Vocalists should warm up for at least 15 mins. before laying down a great performance.

2)  Don't record vocals in the morning:
No vocalist is at their best if they've just rolled out of bed. If possible, try to schedule the vocalist in the mid-afternoon or evening. Use mornings for setting up and testing ideas. Always try to give the vocalist plenty of notice in advance before the recording session.

3)  Comfort:
Make it your job to ensure that the vocalist has space to move, the room is at the right temperature, and there's nice ambient lighting to help set the mood.

4) Monitoring:
Spend time getting the balance in the headphones that the vocalist wants. Add reverb to their vocal sound if they want it, and be prepared to adjust levels as the session progresses. Watch out for the vocalist drifting out of tune, this is often because they can't hear themselves but are too polite to mention that!

5)  Be extra kind and sensitive:
Vocalists are a very sensitive breed! A lot of pressure rides on them to really deliver - on stage and in the vocal booth. One of the greater skills we can possess is the art of encouragement and support. Being able to coax amazing performances using expert direction is a real plus. Patience and confidence building are also important. The ability to keep the vocalist focused is essential. Always use tact!

6)  Phrasing:
Spend time getting the vocal phrasing right. Subtle changes can transform an OK take into something exciting. Make sure the vocalist articulates the end of words as much as the beginning: this is vital for a sense of passion and engagement. Even if some rewriting has to take place, it's better than compromising with an awkward line.

7)  Vocal ticks:
It's tempting to edit out breaths and other bits and pieces from the take. These details are an essential component of any vocal performance and can make your track sound more alive, no matter what your style!

8)  Choice of microphone:
Condenser microphones are generally a better choice for vocals than dynamics. A Neumann U87 or TLM 103 are good choices if you have the budget. Experienced vocalists will have their own preferences. Accommodate them if you can.

9)  Compression:
Some engineers swear by compressing a vocal on the way into the DAW. This can work, but you can't remove compression once it has been recorded. Be sure you have tried this out with good results or you may end up ruining an otherwise perfect take. Another strategy is to set up the vocal mic with lots of headroom and just make sure to avoid any clipping if the vocalist suddenly starts getting loud. You can always add compression during mixing.

10) The room:
I saved the most important one for last! Don't forget that your recording will only sound as good as your room. If you have any nasty resonance build up, reflective surfaces, closets without acoustical treatment, etc., then steps 1 - 9 are kind of pointless. Obviously, this would need to be taken into consideration long before any vocal tracking were to take place. You can always use something like a Reflexion Filter (by sE Electronics) or something similar to improve your space.

I hope this helps and HEY!, make it a great day!

T

Organize Pt. 3 (patchbays)

Patchbays

Having a patchbay helps to optimize your signal routing and organization. Even the most modest of studio setups can benefit from the simple addition of a patchbay. Almost any configuration of cable connection - xlr, 1/4" TRS jack, Cat5, etc. can be connected to a patchbay. And you can make your connections without ever having to leave your seat!

If all your equipment I/O is connected to the patchbay and it is labeled well, it will save you time by not having to go around the back of your gear to connect things. It will save wear and tear on the connections of equipment. It also centralizes the grounding of gear and reduces potential ground loop noise problems.

I use two main types of patchbays in my studio: xlr and 1/4". The [Hosa] xlr patchbay is configurable. That is, the two types of xlr - male and female - can be configured to fit one's needs. You can have the front panel all xlr male, all xlr female, or a mixture. Conversely, you can set the back of the patchbay as well.

The [Neutrik] 1/4" patchbay has a two-row topology and is typically set up with an out-over-in signal flow, or a downward signal flow direction. For instance, outputs on the top row and corresponding inputs below. Or, sends on top and returns on bottom. TRS patch panels have configurable setups called "normalled" and "half-normalled". In patchbays, a normal is an internal connection from the top row of jacks, to the bottom row. Normalling allows connections that are normally in effect to exist without the need for inserting a patch cable in the front of the bay. For example, the stereo outs of a mixer are generally connected to the inputs on a stereo mixdown deck. By connecting the mixer’s outputs to the top back row of a normalled patchbay’s jacks, and the mixdown deck to the bottom back row, a connection is made internally in the bay, and does not require extra patch cables. 

When a jack is inserted into the lower plug, however, the normal connection is broken. This provides a convenient way to route signals to multiple destinations. For example, the output of a mixer that is normalled to the input of a DAT on the patch bay can also be simultaneously routed to another patch point. To do this one would simply run a patch cable from the patch point that is the output of the mixer (an upper jack) to the patch point that is the input to the other device (a lower jack). This connection will break the normal of what would normally be feeding that other device in favor of the mixer signal that has been patched in. Signal will now be routed to the DAT and the other device. Another application might be to insert an EQ after a preamp but before the converters. Simply route the output of the EQ (an upper jack) to the normal input jack (a lower jack) for that mic preamp.

As a final note - label, label, label!! In a previous post I mentioned owning a digital label maker. This is when it comes in handy! Also, write all the routing options down on paper first to help figure out organization.

Having a patchbay will simplify your studio life and make routing an easy task!

Peace - and HEY! make it a great day!!

T

Organize Pt. 2

Group Cabling
Keep cables grouped together by type (audio, MIDI, mains, etc.). This makes it easier to find faulty cables, patch equipment quicker and easier, and help reduce cable-borne noise problems. Putting a little distance between different types will reduce the potential for EMI (electromagnetic interference) problems, because mains cables can induce a 50Hz hum on audio cables. Always try to keep power cords of any kind separate from audio cables. If they do have to cross, try to do it at a 90° angle to minimize hum induction.

Use Cable Wraps
Using cable ties of some sort are definitely in order! Use Velcro or easy-release plastic ties. DO NOT use the infamous rock-n-roll duct tape! It will leave sticky residue once removed!

Label
Label Everything! I used to use the little string tags (and if I was to be honest, there are still some being used). But I did finally invest in a digital label maker. Good Investment! I now have 2 different tape sizes and label everything - patch bays, monitor control, hard drives, cables, wires, boxes, etc. You get the point!

'Faulty' Box
Get a large plastic box and label it "Faulty", "Not Working", "Needs Repair", "Bad" or something like this. You will end up with equipment that needs repair, faulty wires or cables, stomp boxes not working correctly, or just components that you can use later for recycling of parts. Almost everything in our studio can be repaired or used for parts. This helps keep unusable equipment from getting mixed up with the good. How many times have you reached for that cable that doesn't work or needs a wiggle when you use it! Throw it in the faulty box! When you have some time, get into the box and pick a project! Or better yet, sell the lot on eBay under 'needing repair' and get them out of your hair.

I now have initiated all of this in my own studio. I am much better organized, I have better workflow, waste less time and can focus more on my tracking or mixing. I hope this helps you too!

As always-
Make it a great day!

Tim

Powering Up Your System in the Proper Order

Did you know that it is important to power up your system and equipment in a certain order? In the early days, for me, I didn't know that!

Because systems are typically composed of both hardware and software, preparing your system for use might involve more than simply turning your computer on and launching your DAW of choice. The larger the system, the more important it becomes to follow a specific startup sequence. Starting components out of sequence could cause a component to not be recognized, prevent the software from launching, or cause unexpected behavior.

The recommended sequence is as follows:

1. Make sure all your equipment, including the computer, is off.
2. Turn on any external hard drives that use external power (wait about 10 seconds for them to spin up to speed).
3. Turn on any MIDI interfaces and MIDI devices (including any MIDI control surfaces) and synchronization peripherals.
4. Turn on your audio interface. Wait at least 15 seconds for the audio interface to initialize.
5. Start your computer.
6. Turn on your audio monitoring system, if applicable.

If your audio interface gets it's power from the computer, it doesn't need to be powered up in advance.

That's it! When you get in the habit of always starting your recording or mixing sessions this way, it will ensure that everything works properly as it should!

Till next time - Peace!
And, HEY, make it a great day!

T

Demystifying Pro Tools Preference Settings part 3/3

OK today let's first go over the Editing tab. There's really only one item I want to make sure you know about. At the bottom of the page is 'Levels of Undo'.  This preference sets the maximum number of actions that can be undone. The maximum is 32 levels of undo! That's a lot! You can "back up" 32 times. Sometimes I use this to my advantage - I may try something knowing that I can go back and undo whatever it is I'm trying. For instance, in editing I might try to edit two different sections together a certain way not knowing if it's going to work or not. And then if it doesn't work I can just back up until I see my two sections as they were in the beginning before I did any editing at all.

NOTE: The one thing to keep in mind is that setting this to a lower number can speed up the performance of slower computers.

The next tab in the preferences setup is Mixing. Under the Setup section I like to use the Default EQ and Default Dynamics windows. Here I set the EQ and Dynamics processors that I use most often. After setting them, they will show up when you're in the mix window and you click on an insert. The plugin appears at the top of the insert selector pop-up menu.

Next under Automation be sure 'Smooth and Thin Data After Pass' is selected. Pro Tools will automatically smooth and thin the automation data created in an automation pass if this is set. Be sure to set the 'Degree of Thinning' also. I have mine set to "more". I would leave this higher - either 'more' or 'most'.

And finally, notice 'After Write Pass, Switch To'. This determines what happens after you write the first pass of automation. Touch mode writes automation only while a fader or switch is touched or clicked with a mouse. When the fader is released, the writing of automation stops and the fader returns to any previously automated position. Latch mode works in the same way but continues to write automation until you stop playback.

So that's it for the Preference settings in the Setup menu! I hoped this helps. I hope this lessens any intimidation you might have felt while looking through this particular menu item!

Until next time -

And HEY! make it a great day!

Tim