Marking and Releasing

Hello Every one,
When i am doing ck24 the cost of good sold is also updating in the Material Master. In the cost estamation the cost of goods manufacturing is 2000 and sales admin is 200. but when i am doing the marking the total price 2200 is updating in the material master. but it shoulld be 2000 right.....in ck11n cogm is 2000 , cogs 2200 and sales & admin 200 is showing saperatly....
kindly give advice..
Regards
Srinivas

Hi Srinu,
Go to OKTZ, Select your Cost Component Structure, double click on "Cost Components with Attributes" in the left side navigation.
You will be able to see all the Cost Components in your CCS. Now, double click on the the Cost Component "Sales Overhead" (or related Cost Component which you created for Sales cost) and you will be able to see all the attributes.
There, you will able to see the radio buttons for "Cost of Goods Sold" and "Inventory Valuation".
For the Rs.200/- in you question, you might have selected the radio button "Cost of Goods Sold" and radio button Variable / Fixed n Variable under "Inventory Valuation".
So, they system is showing the 200/- as Sales Overhead and including it in the Inventory cost (Standard Price in CK24).
Select the radio button "not relevant" under "Inventory Valuation" and try again.
Pls revert back with result..
Srikanth Munnaluri

Similar Messages

CK24 - mark and release with different costing version

Hi,
We are currently using standard costing variant PPC1 and costing version 1 to mark and release the standard costs. However when we try to recost the material cost due to price changes, system does not allow to mark & release revised standard cost if we try to mark & release on same day. pls note standard cost estimate is already released for the month. And we do not want to delete existing standard cost estimate. Instead we want to explore other options. We are using 4.7.
My questions are :
a) Can recost using costing version 2? CK11N allows to save the costing result. However in CK24 Marking allowance, system does not allow to change Costing Version. is there any config option to change this.
b) If we cannot use different cost version, can we update material cost with same costing variant (PPC1) and costing version (1) in this case. However when we tried to do recost with same costing variant & verison on same day, system gives an error 'Material AAAA in plant MMM has a released cost estimate.'
Any inputs on above issue highly appreciated.
thanks
Sunil

Hi,
While, you can use any of the Costing versions to mark & release Standard cost estimate, you can release Cost estimate only once in a fiscal period. If you want to release correct prices, then you have delete existing released cost estimates using CKR1 transaction and then re-run CK40N to release.
Hope this helps.

Regarding marking and releasing in CK24.

The customer has a direct delivery process as in they purchase finished goods and just sell them. Such a material is newly created under a plant.
In this case there is no in house production of that material and the price needs to be maintained manually in MM01. But the user has created a PIR for it and run CK24.
Now when I try to change the value of the std price using MM02 I am not able to.
how do I set the std price manually for this material after the CK24 run is carried out?

Dear Ajitha Koti,
check this,
1. A raw material's (Externally procured material)price can be captured either using a moving average
price or using a planned price or using a price change done in MR21.
2.Standard cost estimate are generally carried out for the Finished product and while doing the
calculation the system calculates the cost of the Semi-finished product or sub-assemblies.
3.Standard cost estimate will be carried out only once in a period for a product.
4.This can be done either using CK40N alone or else using CK11N for cost estimate and CK24 for
Marking and release.
5.Creating a PIR has no impact or no way related to costing.
so now check and come back with your queries.
Regards
Mangalraj.S

Sales order Costing mark and release

Dear all,
Kindly help on the following issue:-
Can we mark and release Sale order costing like product costing(in CK24).
best regards,
Gaurav

Hi,
Sale order costing is determined by Requirement Class and Item category defined for MTO process in Product Costing.
Sale Order costing keeps changing when you compare normal costing with CK11n or CK40n.
Regards
Balaji

Mark and release a new cost estimate in a different system than the one run

Hello all,
Here is my functionnal lanscape: in system A, I am managing all the stocks hence material master data.
In system B, I am managing production, financials and Controlling.
Hence, once I edit a costing run to have a new standard price in system B, how can I mark and release this new standard price for my material that is maintained in system A. Do you know any standard idoc for this purpose ?
Also, how will happen the stock revaluation.
regards,
Irène

hi
kindly check the link below:
http://help.sap.com/saphelp_40b/helpdata/fr/1a/0e3599539911d1898b0000e8322d00/content.htm
regards
eashwar

Product Costing - Two Costing Variants - Mark and Release In Same Company Code Same Period

Hi All,
We are currently handling a CO-PC project where client has requirement to use two different costing variants in the same period in the same company code. SAP standard does not allow use of two costing variants in the same period for the same company. We can have only One Costing Variant per Co Code for Marking / Releasing Standard Price.
There are some materials in Plant 1 or Plant 2 for which cost estimates using costing variant ABC1 calculated and than prices are marked and released (CK24), now same materials are received in Plant3 where mixed costing is used and thus need to have cost estimates from second costing variant ABC3 (second costing variant) marked and released. Object is to have ABC3 cost estimates in material master standard price field, but SAP does not allow to mark and release for second costing variant in the same period for same co code as ABC1 variant already ran for plant1 or Plant2 under same company code,therefore, business is not able update ABC3 prices in Standard price of the material master.
Purpose of this second costing variant mark and release run is that for some materials business would like to implement costing at Plant3 level also, where they get same materials from different production sites (Plants). At Plant3 level, business is using mixed costing where the standard price is a weighted Average standard price, taking the different production sites standard cost into consideration in combination of the volume split between those production sites.
Did any one worked on this kind of requirement? Is there any SAP standard way to handle? Or this will need some ABAP enhancement?
Kindly advise.

Hi Atul
1. You dont need separate Valuation Variant in Plant 3
2. Use Costing Variant ABC1 and ensure that it has the needed Valuation Strategies in Valuation Variant
Allow Complete Transfer in the Transfer Control i.e. Cross Plant Transfer in it
3. Assign the Qty Str Type you have used in ABC3, to ABC1.. i.e. In the Costing Version, assign the Qty Str Type to the Costing Type and Valuation Variant from ABC1
After this, do CK11N and CK24 for Plant 1
Then do CK11N and CK24 for Plant 3, using ABC1.. You dont need to change anythiing before doing CK11N for Plant 3
To make it simple, you can use any one of ABC1 or ABC3 in both the plants.. You only need to ensure that Valuation Variant, TRansfer Control are set up as desired
Br. Ajay M

Delete Costing run - marked and released

Hi
I did one costing run which was marked and anolther costing run which was marked and released also.
I want to delete both the above.
Which transaction I can use for this and what is the implication of them ?

Hi NIkhitha,
CKR1 is the Tcode for Deletion of Cost Estimate as told by Ajay. However to add few implications and points to be reviwed before deletion.
1. Check whether it is really necessary to delete
2. Any Orders are being valuated by this Cost Estimate price
SB

Mark and release

Hi All,
I have a cost estimate which has been marked in my previous period i.e 'VO' . During this period if I try and release that material will it pickup the already marked cost estimate of previous close?
Please reply ASAP.
Points will surely be rewarded for helpful answers .

Hi,
You say that there are around 10000+ materials which means there will be definetly some material price changes. If you go ahead and released the cost estimates which are marked earlier, then these price changes will not be taken into effect. It is better to re-calculate the estimates and then release it.
Coming to the quantum, this is not at all a problem in CK40n with a background job to recalculate and release the prices.
Good Luck!!!!
Thanks and Regards,
Bhuvaneswari.S

Mark up and release

One of the users used a wrong variant in doing the cost estimate ( ck11n)
then we did the mark and release of that material for period 4. He used variant ppc1 instead of zpc1, he now wants to
reverse that mark up and release and re do with the correct variant. I tried in qa and i dont think this is possible.
I tried used Ckr1 and with that i could delete the cost estimate but the material still shows as it was released.
Is it possible to re do the mark up and release for the current period?
Thanks,
Zaid Azam

SAP documentation on your scenario is this
Please refer to http://help.sap.com/saphelp_46c/helpdata/en/7e/cb938143a311d189ee0000e81ddfac/frameset.htm" under Price Update--> Releasing Standard Cost Estimates. below the second caution icon.
"Releasing a cost estimate can only be done once in a period. It cannot be reversed. For this reason you should check your future standard price beforehand and compare it with the current standard price.
If you have inadvertently released the wrong standard cost estimate, you can delete it and recost, remark and rerelease.
Deleting a standard cost estimate affects all applications that use it for evaluation purposes (such as Profitability Analysis and confirmation).
Please make sure you ran the CKR1 succssfully, like removing the test run and selecting the Current Std. Cost Estimates under control parameters. Once you have done this, you may to see in the material master for that plant, under the costing 2 tab, there shall be no value in planned price under current tab.
Then re-do the recosting CK11N followed by CK24 for mark and release. If there is quantity greater than zero for that material and plant, you would be able to see a costing document being generated when you re-released.

I am recording with Logic Pro X, using my Yamaha XS8 keyboard as a Midi controller. I also have a Thunderbolt Display. Every time I play and release a note on the keyboard, the Thunderbolt Display speaker emits a doink sound. How do I get it to stop?

I am recording with Logic Pro X, using my Yamaha XS8 keyboard as a Midi controller. I also have a Thunderbolt Display. Every time I play and release a note on the keyboard, the Thunderbolt Display speaker emits a doink sound. What is causing it and how do I get it to stop? My sound is running through the Saffire Pro 40 Interface (Focusrite) into external speakers with powered amps.
Also, When I record I am hearing little pops in the system. I have checked all of my meters and they are not clipping. What is causing it and how do I get it to stop?
Ken

MUYconfundido wrote:
Pancenter,
Thanks for the response, but I do not have a midi interface. I am using a midi to usb connector cable, thus bypassing the need for a Midi interface.
The Mac reads the USB cable as a midi device, but not the keyboard that I am trying to use as a controller. I have tried it with my korg sp 300 and with my Nord Electro 2.
Thoughts?
Thanks,
Tristan
Tristan...
This is what you have, correct?
http://www.alesis.com/usbmidicable
This from Alesis..
"The AudioLink Series USB cable receives and outputs MIDI signal thanks to its internal interface. The USB-MIDI Cable connects plug-and-play to your Mac or PC for an all-in-one USB-MIDI solution."
Notice, -internal interface-. What you have is a simple USB MIDI Interface. Most MIDI interfaces are USB.
My point is (was), MIDI OUT of the Korg goes to the connector marked MIDI IN on the Alesis, those new to MIDI often get this wrong.
pancenter-

Toolbar is missing. Clicking Alt and releasing has no effect. Help !

The toolbar - File View etc is missing. Tried alt and release, NBG, tried switching laptop (an Acer) on and off, ditton

'''Menu Bar''' (File, Edit, View, History, Bookmarks, Tools, Help) , see: 
http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Menu+bar+is+missing
* Press F10, Menu bar will appear, click View, click Toolbars, click Menu bar
* Press ALT, the Menu bar will appear, click View, click Toolbars, click Menu bar 
* Hold down the ALT button while pressing V+T+M
'''Navigation Toolbar''' (Back/forward, Refresh...Home, URL/Location Bar, Search Bar): Do one of the following
#click View > Toolbars, click on "Navigation Toolbar" to place a check mark, OR#right-click the Menu Bar, click "Navigation Toolbar" to place a check mark. See: 
#*https://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Back+and+forward+or+other+toolbar+items+are+missing
#*http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/How+to+customize+the+toolbar
#*http://kb.mozillazine.org/Toolbar_customization
#*http://kb.mozillazine.org/Bookmarks_history_and_toolbar_buttons_not_working_-_Firefox
#*http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Navigation+Toolbar+items
'''Bookmarks Toolbar''': Same procedure as Navigation Bar except click "Bookmarks Toolbar". 
'''Status Bar''': click View, click Status Bar to place a check mark 
'''Full Screen Mode''': If you have no Toolbars or Tab Bar: Press F11 (F11 is an on/off toggle). See: http://kb.mozillazine.org/Netbooks#Full_screen 
Also see: http://kb.mozillazine.org/Toolbar_customization_-_Firefox#Restoring_missing_menu_or_other_toolbars
 
You need to update your plugins. It is important to keep them updated due to continuing security fixes and improvements in those plug-ins:
* Shockwave Flash 10.0 r42
#'''Check your plugin versions''': http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/plugincheck/
#*'''Note: plugin check page does not have information on all plugin versions'''
#'''Update Shockwave Flash'''
#*Use Firefox to Download and SAVE to your hard drive from one of the links below; '''the links take you directly to the download and you avoid the "getplus" download manager and "extras" (i.e., toolbars, virus scan links, etc.) on the main Adobe page.'''
#*SAVE to your Desktop so you can find it
#*After download completes, close Firefox
#*Click on the file you just downloaded and install
#**Note: Vista and Win7 users may need to right-click the installer downloaded and choose "Run as Administrator"
#**Note: Most browsers other than IE will also get updated with this one download
#**Note: To update IE, same procedure '''but use IE''' to go: http://fpdownload.macromedia.com/get/flashplayer/current/install_flash_player_ax.exe
#*After installation, restart Firefox and check your version again.
#*'''Download links and other information''':
#** https://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Managing+the+Flash+plugin#Updating_Flash
#** '''or''' you can download, save, then run the manual installers for IE, then for Firefox (and all other browsers) from here: http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/191/tn_19166.html#main_ManualInstaller
#* Also see: http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Installing+the+Flash+plugin
#* Also see (if needed): http://kb2.adobe.com/cps/191/tn_19166.html#main_Uninstall

Credit Note to be approved and released by Maanager before allow to print

User wanted all credit note to be viewed and released by higher authority before allowing to proceed with printing.
If there any configuration I can set for this task?
if yes, can anyone guide me on the setup?
Thanks a million

Hi,
You can achieve the same through User Status and following developments.
Define User Status
SPRO----> Cross Application Component -
> SAP Business Partner ---> Business Partner ---> Basic Settings ---> Status Management -
> Define Status Profile (T-Code BS02) Here you have to create on Status profile with 1. Approved 2. Rejected.
Assign this status profile to your documebt type details screen T-code VOV8,
Now you have to create Authorization Key for the User who will change the status, and assign in you it to ur status profile.
Now for printout
Create one routine with the help of ABAPer T-code VOFM select Requirement ---Output
otherwise write Logic that if user status is Approved then only systmem will give printout.
Functions to use for this
"example logic"
IF flg_set = 1.
 CALL FUNCTION 'SSF_OPEN'
 EXPORTING
 user_settings = ' '
 output_options = w_output
 control_parameters = w_control
 EXCEPTIONS
 formatting_error = 1
 internal_error = 2
 send_error = 3
 user_canceled = 4
 OTHERS = 5.
 IF sy-subrc <> 0.
 MESSAGE ID sy-msgid TYPE sy-msgty NUMBER sy-msgno
 WITH sy-msgv1 sy-msgv2 sy-msgv3 sy-msgv4.
 ENDIF.
ENDIF.
CALL FUNCTION g_fm_name
 EXPORTING
 w_name_1 = w_name_1
 user_settings = ' '
 output_options = w_output
 control_parameters = w_control
 TABLES
 i_out = i_out
 i_name_1 = i_name_1
 EXCEPTIONS
 formatting_error = 1
 internal_error = 2
 send_error = 3
 user_canceled = 4
 OTHERS = 5.
IF sy-subrc <> 0.
 MESSAGE ID sy-msgid TYPE sy-msgty NUMBER sy-msgno
 WITH sy-msgv1 sy-msgv2 sy-msgv3 sy-msgv4.
ENDIF.
IF flg_set = 1.
 CALL FUNCTION 'SSF_CLOSE'.
ENDIF.
*ENDFORM. " F_CALL_SMART_FORM
PERFORM f_select_data. " Subroutine for all select statements
PERFORM f_build_out_table. " Subroutine to build output table
PERFORM f_text_conversion. " Subroutine to call text ID to text conversion
PERFORM f_call_smart_form. " Subroutine to call Smart form
ENDFORM. " ENTRY_SD13
for Identifiying which User Status is marked in document during calling of routine.
Get the Object Number (OBJNR) from VBAK for SD and PRPS for PS and Pass the OBJECT NO (OBJNR) into Function Module ALM_ME_READ_USER_STATUS, based on that we can write logic in our FS if user status is not approved or according to our requirement then system will not allow to take printout.
Regards
Shambhu Sarkar

How do I put a copyright mark and initials on picture using elements?

How do I put a copyright mark and initials on my picture usng Adobe Elements 12?

Select the T tool and click on the part of your image where you wish to add the copyright.
On windows hold down Alt and on the numeric keypad type 0169
The copyright symbol only appears when you release the Alt key.
Add your name or initials. Save using a new copy file name so that you don’t permanently change your original.
On Mac OSX Press the "alt" key (or "option") and hold it down while typing "g" on the keyboard to create the © symbol.

I have some old pagemaker files that I need to open so I have bought a G3 on ebay. It turns on OK but all that comes uo on the screen is an envelope with alternating question mark and apple logo. Any ideas?

I have some old pagemaker files that I need to open so I have bought a G3 on ebay. It turns on OK but all that comes uo on the screen is an envelope with alternating question mark and apple logo. Any ideas?

I suggest you get 9.2. You need to install the same or later version of the OS. One some computer the shipped version has extra drivers. The drivers will not be in the official release in this case 9.1. They would be in 9.2.
Mac OS 9.1 (Mac OS ROM 7.5.1) and Mac OS X 10.0.4 (4P13)
*blinking question mark*
The blinking question mark means that your mac firmware could not find a valid operating system
on one of your disk volumes.
Somethings to do to resolve the blinking question mark.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=58042
Try holding down the option key then power on. This brings up the startup manager. Click on your hd. Click on right arrow key.
You need to figure out the level of your firmware before installing 10.2 or greater. ( The PC name for firmware is BIOS. ) Installing 10.2 with a down level firmware will most likely make your iMac unusable and difficult to fix.
What is firmware?
The firmware software receives control when you poweron your machine. It does some hardware testing and some hardware configuration then passes control to your version of Mac OS. It reside on a PROM ( program read only memory ) chip on the logic board.
Figuring out what level of firmware you have?
Open Firmware, boot into Open Firmware.
Power on your iMac while holding down command+option+o+f
The first output line contains the firmware level. Mine reads:
Apple PowerMac4,1 4.1.9f1 BootRom built on 09/14/01 at 13.18.04
Copyright 1994-2001 Apple Computer Inc.
On my machine, I have 4.1.9f1.
What firmware do you need?
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=86117
For a slot loading iMac, this article indicates that you need to be running 9.1 or later version of Mac OS Classic.
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=75130
"The iMac Firmware Update 4.1.9 will only run on iMac computers with lot-loading CD or DVD drives running Mac OS 9.1 or later from a local drive. If you are using Mac OS X you must boot from a local Mac OS 9.1 or later writeable partition (not a CD, or network disk) prior to following the update instructions."
You can download the Mac OS 9 updates from the Apple site.
http://support.apple.com/kb/HT1387?viewlocale=en_US

Attack and Release in Compression

Okay, rather than a problem, another of my academic "how does it work" discussions.
On another forum, I've been debating the meaning of "attack" and "release" in compression. My contention is that the attack time is how long it takes to achieve the preset level of gain reduction once the signal crosses the threshod level...and release is the opposite: the time it takes to return to no gain reduction, again once the levels cross the threshold in downward direction.
Another poster, who usually knows what he is talking about, contents that the attack and release times are triggered, not by levels hitting the threshold, but rather simply by the compressor sensing an upward or downward level change.
As proof he posted a test from Soundforge: A tone that transitioned between -12 and -3dB at 300ms intervals. He then applied compression with the threshold set to -16 (so everything should be compressed) and, indeed, the waveform shows the effect of attack and release at each transition even though the whole test should be compressed.
I tried the same in Audition and, although the artefacts aren't as noticeable as in Sound forge, you can see the pumping on the waveform.
I can't see that the attack and release can be clever enough to react to every change in level (especially on a real signal, not his test) so have to assume the cause is a bit more basic.
Here's a picture of the original file I made:
And here's the same file compressed with an attack of 2ms and a release of 5ms and a threshold of -15dB, i.e. lower than anything in the clip.
As you can see, you can see where the attack and release happens (I won't post a pic but, with attack and release set to zero, you can't see any transitions) so if anyone can explain this you'll cure my curiosity!

But I'd still like to know how software compression works anyway.
I do not claim credit for writing this description. It comes from another recording site I frequent but puts things in pretty plain words that we made a "sticky."
[quoted post]
Shotgun's Compressor Tools 1 of 2
What you have to do is understand what compressors do, and what each of the controls do IN GENERAL. Then you apply that knowlege to what you want out of using the compressor and what your ears hear AT THE TIME OF USE so that you can adjust as necessary. So, read below for an overview of the box as a whole and each knob you're likely to find on it.
Compression
From the name, one can surmise that a compressor is going to squish, squash, mash or pulverize something. Given that we plug audio signals into it, we can further surmise that what is getting squished, squashed, mashed or pulverized is, indeed, our audio signal. And one would be completely correct in assuming that. But what does that really mean?
Well, consider an audio signal. Let's say it's a recording of my mom yelling at me about leaving my laundry piled haphazardly in the hallway. First, mom starts out trying to reason with me, gently, "Shotgun, you know, it's just not condusive to laundry efficiency leaving that stuff piled haphazardly like that..." her voice is calm, even and even somewhat soft. As I stare at her blankly, not understanding the finer points of sorting one's laundry and transporting it to the appropriate room in the house her voice becomes stronger and louder. "SHOTGUN! I'M GOING TO BEAT THE LIVING **** OUT OF YOU WITH A TIRE IRON IF YOU DON'T PICK THIS **** UP IMMEDIATELY AND PUT IT WHERE IT BELONGS SO HELP ME GOD!" Now she's yelling, screaming, in fact. Her face is red and frankly, I've just soiled myself which makes the entire laundry issue even more complicated.
Now, let's assume we're going to lay this recording of mom over some Nine Inch Nails-style door slamming, pipe clanging, fuzz guitar backing tracks. It's going to be an artistic tour-de-force. However, when mom starts out, her voice was hitting only about 65-70dB--normal conversational speech. By the time she's done it's more like 105dB worth of banshee howling. Unfortunately, our backing tracks are a pretty even volume the whole way through. So, at the beginning of the track mom will be virtually inaduible whereas at the end she'll be drowning out my samples of whacking a stapler on a desk. How do we deal with that?
WE USE A COMPRESSOR!
You see, what a compressor compresses is volume. That is, technically, it compresses the amplitude of the signal, or its "gain". So for every decibel that goes into the compressor, only a fraction of it will come out. That means that (depending on our settings, see below) if mom's voice uncompressed winds up at 105dB then we can set our compressor so that it only gets as high as 52dB if we want. How does that help you ask? Won't it still be too low to hear over the backing music? Yes it will, but read on and we'll cover that in the controls discussion.
Threshold
The threshold control on a compressor sets a level below which the compressor will do no work. The control is graduated in dB (in this case dBV of signal level) and allows you to set an "on/off" point so that you can compress the LOUD parts of a signal, and leave the soft parts alone. At times you may want to set this control low enough so that you're affecting the entire signal, at times you may not. In the case of mom's rant-on-tape, what we may want to do is set the compressor so that it doesn't touch the signal until her voice reaches something like 85dB or so***, say, about halfway up the scale from softest to loudest. So, we set the threshold so that we only see activity on our "gain reduction" meter when the track gets to a certain point.
To USE the threshold control effectively, you generally need to use your ears. Have some idea, before you start, of what you hope to accomplish by using the compressor and set the threshold to Capture the part of a signal you wish to do whatever that is to. In our example I want to lower the louder parts of my mom's tirade so I set the threshold to activate the compression at some arbitrary point in the track. I could have done it several other ways and the only way to learn which is best is to experiment and listen.
Ratio
This is the control that tells us how much signal comes out of the box relative to what's coming in. It is graduated in terms of a ratio (hence the name) of output to input. So, let's say we set the control to point at "2:1". That means that for every 2dB of incoming signal, we're only going to get 1dB of outgoing signal. Which means that at its very loudest, mom's voice isn't going to be nearly as loud as it was originally. Keep in mind that this ratio only applies to signals that meet or exceed the threshold setting. Any signal that is below the threshold just passes through as though the compressor weren't there (kinda).
To use the ratio control effectively you, again, need some idea of what you want out of your compressor overall. In our case I just need mom's voice to be more easily mixed in with the backing tracks so I just want it to be kind of even. However, I still want it to start softer and get louder, just maybe not AS soft at the beginning and not AS loud at the end. That is, still changing, just not as much.
Attack
The attack control tells us that, once a signal meets or exceeds the threshold, how quickly does the compressor put the smack down on said signal? The control is usually graduated in intervals of time, usually marked in milliseconds. So, let's say that I set my attack control to say 5ms. That means that when the signal passing through reaches the threshold I've set, the compressor waits an additional 5ms before it begins to reduce the amplitude (again, gain). This seems counter-intuitive doesn't it? I mean, we want the level controlled WHEN it reachest threshold, right? Not 5ms later. Well, there are reasons for slightly delaying the attack (and for that matter release) times.
To use the attack time effectively (and by now you should have seen this coming) you need to know what you want out of your compressor in general. Do you want the signal clamped down on fairly quickly? Or not? How do you know? This brings in one of the most important concepts of recording: attack and decay. Each sound has an attack and a release. Imagine hitting a drum (the easiest place to see this concept). You hear the sharp, immediately loud sound as the stick hits the head, but you also hear the sound gently fade away, also. That initial WHACK, that initial spike in amplitude is the sound's attack. Everything else is it's decay. Note that I use these terms in a "Shotgun" type of way and there are more correct ways to say this, I think, but I tend to, over time, develop my own language, so you're at a disadvantage.
So then, we can hear an attack in mom's voice, too. It's more subtle than the attack of a drum hit with a stick, or a guitar player's pick against a string, but it's there. And if we set our compressor's attack time too short, we will lose all the definition of the attack of the sound. Sometimes that's desirable, but in our case it is not. A very large percentage of how people perceive sounds comes from the attack. You must strive to preserve that unless it is your desire to purposely not. Therefore, be very careful with the attacks under your care. In the case of a vocal track, the attack of the voice will lend very much to the intelligibility of the track, so we do NOT want to destroy it. So, we may want a slightly longer attack time than 5ms here. But we can only tell BY LISTENING. LISTEN to the track, sweep the attack control back and forth and listen to what happens to the attack of the sounds. If it sucks, move the control. Don't look at where it's pointing until you're satisfied with how it sounds. Then only look for the sake of curiosity because that setting may never work the same way again. if you're using a plug-in make sure you allow ample time for the movement to take effect. Moving a plug-in's controls can sometimes not take effect for a full second or two after you move it so if you're sweeping it back and forth rapidly you'll fool yourself. In the case of plugins, make a move and pause until it changes. If it doesn't change within 2-3 seconds, maybe you didn't move it far enough.
Release
As you might guess the release control handles the other end of the signal from the attack. That is, when a signal drops back below the threshold, how long does the compressor wait to actually stop compressing. All the same counter-intuitiveness applies here as well. However, remember that the decay or "tail" of a signal isn't as important to the listener as the attack so you can get away with a little more here. Again this control is going to be graduated in units of time, usually ms. However, the numbers will be larger than the attack times. Sometimes up into the 100's of ms or even full seconds.
To set a proper release time, again, understand what you want out of your compressor. Do you want a major thrashing to your sound, or do you just want kind of a gentle corrective measure? What you have to look out for in the case of release times is pumping. If your release time is set too short then the sound will drop below the threshold, the compressor will release it, but the sound will then jump UP in level because the compression is no longer making it softer, but it's below threshold. That probably sounds confusing, but it happens. And it will sound pretty odd. The first time you hear it you'll understand why it's called "pumping". It sounds almost like there's a new "attack" near the end of the signal's decay. As I've said before, sometimes this is actually desirable. Usually it's not though. Your goal is to set a release time long enough to give the sound time to naturally decay to a point that when the compressor lets go it won't "pump" yet short enough so that the compressor isn't still active when the next "attack" comes along. If you set your release time too long it will start ****ing around with the attacks because it's taking so long to let go the next loud signal is there before the last one is finished compressing. So, if you get your attack set where you think it's right, but then you start losing your attack again, consider dropping that release time lower (faster).
Make up gain
Here's where we answer your initial question of "Won't it still be too low to hear over the backing music?" Remember that we noted that mom's voice started out so low that it was lost in the music. And all we've done so far is to use our compressor to take the bite out of the louder part of the track so that it's not overpowering. So, doesn't this leave the softer part still lost? And, possibly, doesn't it make the WHOLE TRACK too soft now? Yes, it absolutely does. But that's what we have makeup gain for.
The makeup gain is going to look very similar to any other gain control you have seen. It will be marked off in dB, possibly starting at 0dB and moving up to some obscene amount like 20 or 40 or 60 or 100,000 or something. (It won't really be 100,000). The makeup gain does just what it says it does, too. It allows you to "make up" the gain that you're losing by compressing in the first place. Now, that doesn't mean it UNDOES what you just did, not by any means. It means that you can now take your newly compressed signal and make the WHOLE THING louder. This is how we're going to get the parts that are too soft up where they belong.
To set this control we're going to, of course, listen. What we've done thus far is to compress down the loudest parts of the signal so that they're not so loud. You can say that the loud parts are now "closer" to the soft parts so to speak. So what you do with your makeup gain is to take the whole lot and move it back UP some smaller amount so that now the loudest parts are just still loud, but not AS loud and the softer parts are still soft, but loud enough to be heard. Think of yourself playing basketball. If you're short like me, there's no way you can slam dunk a basketball. However, let's say you can lower your basketball goal by one foot. Now it's lower, but you still can't slam dunk it, but lowering it any more would ruin the rest of the game because you'd just be dropping the thing in and not shooting. So what you do is you make yourself magically grow a foot as well. Now the goal is still a reasonable height, but you can slam dunk because you've grown a bit yourself. Same sorta thing. Your signal isn't so low it sucks now, but it isn't so high you can't get anything useful out of it as well.
Here's a shocker: in terms of makeup gain there IS a general rule you can keep in mind. As you're setting your compressor's other settings you will notice the meter marked "gain reduction" giving you some idea of what you're doing to the signal. It could be a schitzophrenic little peak meter or it could be a big, slow, thoughtful VU meter. Either way it'll tell you "hey, you're getting about 5dB of gain reduction here pal!" So, this tells you you can START your makeup gain at a setting of +5dB. That should give you a compressed signal at the same general level as the uncompressed signal. Kinda. Sorta. It's a really ROUGH starting point, but it's a starting point nonetheless. Again, though, twist it and listen to get it where it really needs to be. You may want more, you may want less.
The ******** you'll hear
Now, as you get replies to this thread there will be plenty of numbskulls along to give the following answers:
(1) Shotgun you're such a ****ing *******. The guy just wanted some basic info, some basic starting points for his compressor why do you have to be such a *****?
(2) Shotgun, you don't understand compression and you've never done any recording, HAVE you?
(3) Here are my basic settings and they'll probably work
None of that is even remotely true. Sure, there are plenty of basic starting points anybody here could give you. In fact, many of these folks have only been using compressors for about 6 months, but even THEY will have ONE setting group that they like for some reason and are DYING to tell you it in order to appear knowlegeable. Do not listen to any of this ****. Develop your own views on good starter compression settings by appying what you learn and what you hear and what you observe in your own experience. There are so many different kinds of compressors that anybody who gives you a rough setting diatribe is just pissing in the wind. In fact, many types of compressors don't even HAVE some of the controls I mentioned. Some have more. Also, there are plenty of points we haven't covered. For example limiting, which is a special kind of compression that uses a very high ratio (often infinity:1).
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This isn't the complete post but it is the pertinent section.
Jack

Marking and Releasing

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