Effect Series: How to use Compressors

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Ella

• February 28, 2020 12:30
• Edited

In this post, we'll guide you through different ways of using Compressors. Do you have any questions on this? Comment below and our Audio Producer will explain further!

Compressors are able to smooth out the dynamics of a track. The quiet parts of a sound gets boosted in volume, and the loudest parts get lowered. The outcome is a more distinct, compact and ‘in-your-face’ sound. Use ‘Compressor One’ on a bass, adjust the knob to 1 o’clock, and enjoy the newfound punch of your bass.

Do you have any questions on this? Comment below and our Audio Producer will explain further!

Compressors are powerful tools, and can be used to sound natural, but can also be used for creating a trashy or more bluntly compressed sound. To hear the different styles of compression, apply ‘Dynamics Compressor’ to one of your beats. Start out with setting the threshold to 12 o’clock. Sound pretty nice and clean, right? 

 

Clean Compressor

Then, gradually slide the threshold all the way to 7 o’clock. Also adjust the ratio to 3 o’clock, and listen as the sound gets more aggressive and explicit.

 

Aggressive Compressor

In what compressor setting do you think your beat sounds best? Comment below!

 

The ’Dynamics Compressor’ lets you fine-tune volume smoothening in insane detail. For stuff like vocals, we want the compressor to work hard, but still sound natural. Apply the compressor to a vocal track, set the attack to 11 o’clock and the release to 8 o’clock. Then, adjust the threshold and ratio to about 13 o’clock. Smooth yet powerful! 

Natural

Try adding this to a project in the studio.

Do you have any questions on this? Comment below and our Audio Producer will explain further!

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  sundigeridoo

  • December 07, 2019 16:02

  Sounds like something I just need to play with. Is that right?

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  Dogs_ Harambae

  • December 07, 2019 19:27

  wow it is pretty good

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  Andreas Pejler

  • December 10, 2019 08:51
  • Edited

  sundigeridoo - I definitely think you should play around with the compressors in Soundtrap! They're really one of the most useful tools in music production, so it's both great fun and a wise time investment to dig into compressors! 

  Andreas Pejler, Audio Producer

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  Yann

  • April 24, 2020 07:51

  Hi, 

  In mine the GR meter doesn't work, is it the same for someone else ?

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  salazste000

  • April 27, 2020 17:49

  same here, did you get it fixed yet? 

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  Ella

  • April 29, 2020 12:28

  Hi! Thanks for reaching out about this! We’ve disabled the Gain Reduction (GR) indicator in the Dynamics Compressor effect for now because of its impact on CPU usage which resulted in reduced performance in the studio. We’re working on fixing this and hope it will be back soon :) Let us know if there's anything else, we're happy to help! 

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