Vocal Compressors (Hardware)

Hello,
New Mac user here. Picked mine up on this past Saturday. I can't believe you "Apple People" were right this whole time...this thing is incredible!
One of the things I am amazed at is the power of GarageBand. Considering the program came installed, a convert such as myself is amazed at how fantastic it is.
I do have a hardware question though. In my spare time I enjoy recording music with a good friend of mine. I plan to record a bit of everything (guitar, bass, vocal and likely some basic drums down the road - not a concern atm). At this point, I have my Line6 POD running direct into the line-in, which works for guitar, bass (sorta), and for crappy vocal place holders with my CAD$30 Sony mic. I just finished reading the very helpful post on Audio Interfaces, but I am curious about Vocal Compression. I have read that hardware compression is the best bet. Assuming that I have around USD$200 to spend, and that I pick up an m-Audio 410 (firewire) with the free condenser mic, what are some good compressors to look at? Also, as a recording newbie, what would the connection chain look like (ie: mic->compressor->interface->firewire input)?
Thanks very much in advance,
Matt
iMac 17" 1.83GHz Intel Core Duo Mac OS X (10.4.6)

"New Mac user here. Picked mine up on this past Saturday"
Hi Nuff. Welcome to the wonderful world of Macs Great to have you here!
"I can't believe you "Apple People" were right this whole time...this thing is incredible!"
Shhhhh! ...not so loud... We don't want all the peecee people to be buying Macs as their 'don't-go-to-the-dark-side peecee attitude' can be a great source of entertainment
"I have read that hardware compression is the best bet."
Yes. There are currently some very nice compressors on the market, but they are still a bit pricey. Most of the ones worth buying today are in the 500-900 price range so you may want to stay with software based options, or buy a used compressor from a music store. The least expensive good quality compressor would be the M-Audio TAMPA Pro with Class A circuitry. I think it's going for around 399.00. It will also give you the very warm sonic characteristics of vacuum tube triodes. I am currently in the middle of writing a special article on the art of recording and processing vocals. It goes into detail about compression and micing techniques, as well as general compressor settings and tips on adjusting compressor Attack and Release settings and it also explains when and why to use "soft knee" on your vocals. You should be able to read it at Planet GarageBand in the next week or so. You will want to set your compressor after the pre-amp section. The compressor manual will have detailed instructions on how to set it up. The easiest way to think of a compressor is that it's like an invisible hand on a volume control. You tell it what the maximum volume should be, and it will remember and watch that level for you. If the volume goes over that pre-set setting the compressor will automatically reduce the level for you. However if you set the levels wrong you will get a 'pumping' effect. You'll always want to first get the cleanest vocal recordings possible, because there are just some things you just can't "fix in the mix". Just remember that compression cannot be undone so use it sparingly for best results.

Similar Messages

How to match audio levels across tracks?

I'm creating a CD of two-person conversations to use for language study--30 conversations in all. There are several different voice sources; all of them were recorded in a studio, though at different times and places, with small variations in audio levels.
For each conversation, I start by putting each voice in its own track in the timeline. Then I go into the mixer to balance them. While playing the tracks, I check to make sure that the overall volume is just short of maxing out in the Out 1 channel strip; if the red peak indicator comes on, then I lower the volume slightly in the offending track. Once everything is OK, I go back into the timeline and use Export Mix to save the conversation. I go through this same procedure for each of the 30 conversations.
I thought this would result in 30 tracks which have the same overall volume; however, when I burn these tracks to a CD and play them one after another, there is enough variation between tracks that I am forced to fiddle with the volume on the CD player.
What's more, some of the tracks are a bit softer than I'd like. I want to be able to play the CD in a classroom and be sure that all students can hear it clearly. Yet, while I was mixing each track, I made sure to run the volume up as far as possible without causing clipping.
So my question: Have I done something wrong? Is another step needed to get separate tracks to match levels? If so, is this done within Soundtrack, or is it done when burning to CD? And how does one get the tracks even louder without causing clipping?
I'm quite new to audio work, so any help would be greatly appreciated!
Dual 1 GHz Quicksilver Mac OS X (10.4)

I just did a similar project, and I must agree that compression is your friend! It's also an art form. I recommend you search the web and find an introduction to the concept.
You can think of it like this: You set a "threshold", and the compressor automatically reduces the volume of any part of the track gets louder than your threshold. This can have the effect of making the quiet parts of your track louder without letting the loud parts clip.
Of course, there are trade-offs. Go too far, and you'll squash out all the dynamic range from your audio. Also, making the quiet parts louder means making the noise louder too!
Play with it and see if it helps: Click on the "*" button on the track, and add the Soundtrack Pro Compressor effect. Click the "Advanced..." button for the effect, and click the "Show Presets" button. Under "User Presets, Vocal Compressors" you'll find some good starting points. Try them all and see what kind of effects you get.
Once your tracks are balanced you can experiment with putting a single compressor on "Out 1". It can help you get the level of your whole mix up without inducing a bunch of clipping.
Yo should also experiment with the "DeEsser" which helps take the edge of "sss" sounds, among other things. It might be very useful for your project. Take a look at the presets and listen to what they all do. If you use both DeEsser and Compressor, you should probably put the DeEsser first.
When you play with effects, it's good to strive for moderation and to give your ears a break once in a while. Also a good idea to listen to your results on multiple speakers. It's easy to get carried away and make your audio sound very unnatural!
Have fun!

Vocal hardware advice for L8 - Apogee Duet?

I realise this isn't strictly logic related, but value a lot the opinions & advice I've read here (& don't really use any other forums!!) so hope no one minds me asking...
After a few years of remixing I'm looking to start recording original vocals shortly, & wandered gearwise what my modest budget would best be spent on..
My set-up/situation is currently as follows:
I currently have a focusrite saffire LE, & am mixing 100% in the box. I've only ever used a stereo line in (for DJ mixes from CDJs) & stereo out (to dynaudio BM5a's) so my I/O needs are pretty basic - The few bits of vocals I have done roughly (guide vox etc) have been on a cheapish Audio Technica Mic straight into the saffire. I have some decent quality plugs (Inc Sonnox, URS) but only a budget (& now unused) outboard DBX compressor
My studio is in a single room, so vocals will need to be recorded in the same space, the room is treated with a dozen or so home made rockwool traps but is far from perfect.
I'll be working with a variety of vocalists, from MC's to Female R&B singers so a versatile/neutral Mic would be great.
My Budget is £600-800.
Because of the above, my thoughts initially were as below
1) An apogee duet card (replacing the saffire) OR an voicechannel like focusrite voicemaster PRO or TLA audio (2nd hand) to go into Saffire
2) An SE relexion Filter
2) Rode NT2a or SE3300 Mic (again 2nd hand if neccesary)
Would I get better results from the better A/Ds & inbuilt preamps on the duet, or outboard voicechannel... or voicechannel into a duet???? - any advice much appreciated.
Cheers.
Adam

Hi,
have you been looking into the t.bone mics?
If not - well - they are Neumann rebuilds... I own 5 Neumann Condenser mics . U87,TLM170,M149,M147. After comparing the t.bones to what I own and making the the a>b test looking like a random guessing contest I have stopped buying the brand and only pay for the mic. t.bones are amazing.... I can recommend the SCT2000 though it aint no tube mic.. T.bone also makes tube mics - check this link:
http://www.thomann.de/gb/search_dir.html?sw=t.bone&x=0&y=0
THis will save you a bunch of money and I PROMISE you - that you are going to like them - If not - I will personally buy the mic from you to the org. price....;-))))
Since the t.bones are sooo cheap - maybe now you can look into the avalon.... I aint no avalon endorser but I know what a difference a great mic amp makes.... A great mic amp + a mediocre mic will give you a better result than a great mic + mediocre mic amp....
And by the way . t.bone is TOP notch... even their condenser mics for €40 are amazing...
Most people dont believe it - they wanna get neumann - as they think it's gonna make them a hit... Well neumann charges more than double just for the name...
I have a t.bone copy for any neumann I own - and this fare NO ONE has made the blind test...
Good Luck

Hardware compressor and am not quite sure how to use it in logic express 9. Please help???

I recently bought a dbx hardware compressor and am not quite sure how to use it in logic express 9. I hav a focusrite saffire 6 usb audio interface and am not sure how to use it in logic. Please help???

Hi Ujjawal,
Use the Tab-order property of IR object.
In design mode, select the any command button, right click and select the property. you will find the window for "Tab-Order". It lists all the objects available in that dashboard. Here you can arrange the tab order..
Hope it will help you.
Thanks & Regards,
Mohit Jain

I recently bought a dbx hardware compressor and am not quite sure how to use it in logic express 9. I hav a focusrite saffire 6 usb audio interface and am not dont how to use it in logic. Please help???

I recently bought a dbx hardware compressor and am not quite sure how to use it in logic express 9. I hav a focusrite saffire 6 usb audio interface and am not dont how to use it in logic. Please help???

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-

Compressor 4.1... Hardware Acceleration Test.?.

I made a test to see if Compressor 4.1 is using the GPU for hardware acceleration.
Video: 1080p 30 minutes, Single Pass, High Profile, CABAC, took about 14 minutes to encode to h.264. From my understanding when using hardware acceleration the computer is using the GPU. Below is iStat and Apple's OpenGL Driver Monitor during the encoding.
iStat and Apple's OpenGL Driver indecate that the GPU isn't used during encoding.
Below is Motion 5 is using the GPU for playback within the app (no ram preview). (The arrow to the left is before playback and the arrow to the right is during playback.)
As you can see my computer can and does use the GPU in Motion and Compressor doesn't .
My computer specs:
27" iMac mid-2011
3.4GHz Quad-Core Intel Core i7
16GB 1333MHz DDR3 SDRAM - 4x4GB
2TB Serial ATA Drive + 256GB Solid State Drive
AMD Radeon HD 6970M 2GB GDDR5
You can download Apple's OpenGL Driver Monitor (Free) from the Developer's page. You don't need to download Xcode for it to work.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Quick_Sync_Video
http://www.larryjordan.biz/compressor-4-1-hardware-acceleration/?utm_source=Larr y%27s+Newsletter+-+131230&utm_campaign=12%2F30+Newsletter&utm_medium=email

Compressor working after hardware Fix

Hi Everyone,
I thought this might be of help to some of the folks having Compressor problems. I was never able to get Compressor to work stably on my Dual 2.0ghz G5. Despite always downloading the latest updates, adding new user account and running the software from within those, and swapping out RAM to look for RAM issues, I was never able to use the program on this machine.
Then, disaster. My G5 up'n'died. It had been having some strange crashing issues from time to time, as well as a weird "computer won't boot but fan gradually builds to an intimdating roar" thing. When it finally wouldn't turn on at all, I took it to the nearest Apple store for repair. After a $950 repair and replacement of the logic board, with no software changes, I get the machine back and all is happy, hardware-wise.
Moreover, Compressor is suddenly chugging along. I've still yet to put it through its paces, and am outputting files to it as I would nervously slip the two of diamonds onto an already high tower of cards, but, thus far, nothing seems to have gone wrong.
So, the moral is, if your "Compressor" problem is seemingly intractable, don't rule out a hardware issue.
G'luck.
G5 dual 2ghz Mac OS X (10.4.2)
G5 dual 2ghz Mac OS X (10.4.2)
G5 dual 2ghz Mac OS X (10.4.7)

Something simple worth trying:
1) Quit Safari if it is running
2) From Finders "Go" menu, choose "Go to folder", type in ~/Library/Preferences, then click "Go" button.
3) Within the "Preferences" folder, sort by filename, then look for, and Trash, all the files that begin with "com.apple.Safari....". In particular, make sure to trash "com.apple.Safari.plist".
4) From Finders "Go" menu, choose "Go to folder", type in ~/Library/Caches, then click "Go".
5) Trash the "com.apple.safari" cache file
6) Try opening Safari again.
If that does not work, then I would recommend using another browser like Chrome (http://chrome.google.com) to download the latest version of Safari for your Mac OS version from (http://support.apple.com/downloads/#internet). Try installing it if it will alow it.
And lastly, if all else fails, backup your Mac, reboot, then download and install the latest "Combo Update" for your Mac OS version (http://support.apple.com/downloads/#combo). Installing or reinstalling a Combo update will almost certainly replace nearly many files associated with Safari and therefore would solve an issue where a critical file used by Safari is corrupted.
Good luck.

Using a hardware compressor with logic

Hi All,
This is my first piece of hardware i've bought, an Alesis 3630 compressor. I'd like to use it on certain channels in logic pro 9.
My interface is a Presonus firestudio project. I've sent the outputs from my interface to the inputs of the 3630, and the outputs of the 3630 to the inputs 7-8 of my interface.
My problem is i can't seem to hear the compressor in logic. I know the compressor is doing it's thing as it's showing gain reduction on the l.e.d's, but i'm confused as to how to get the compressed sound into logic.
Any help would really be appreciated,
Thanks.

I think i've sorted this - thanks to some help on the presonus forum.
The send and returns are for the instrument inputs only (inputs 1 & 2).
The way to set this up, haven't tried yet, is to use the input/output pairs.
So output from the FireStudio (general outputs 1 to 8 on the back panel) to the input of the 3630 then from the output of the 3630 to the matching input on the front of the FireStudio.
So output 3 to input 3 etc etc.
Hope this helps

The Best Compressor Settings for Rap Vocals

Does anybody know the best settings in compressor for rap vocals. I don't want it to sound over compressed but clean enough where the attack responds quickly. Thanks guys

I go for a ratio of about 8.0:1 on rapper vocals with an attack time of around 10 ms
Actually ( in Logic) if you click on an audio channel and go to settings at the top of the channel strip, in there under male vocals, there's a not bad rapper vocal setting which will get you started.

Vocal Mic in Ch 1 records MONO until I add a Compressor setting

Vocal Mic (Shure Beta 58a) in Ch 1 records MONO until I add a Compressor setting, then it records both Left and Right channels. Is this the best way to record vocals with GB?
Thanks
Message was edited by: DrumandRun

DrumandRun wrote:
Thanks for the reply.
Is it ok to add the stereo effects before recording?
effects are rendered in real time during playback:
http://www.bulletsandbones.com/GB/GBFAQ.html#nondestructive
(Let the page FULLY load. The link to your answer is at the top of your screen)
Just wondering if I should Record in Mono first and why?
everything about stereo and mono:
http://www.bulletsandbones.com/GB/Tutorials.html#bsqstereovsmono

Ideal compressor settings for vocal podcast?

Any audio guru got some ideas on how to set up the podcast for a optimal audiopodcast?
I'm using a external microphone and don't want my audio to be clipped. I wan't to raise the low sounds and try to keep the narration constant at around -10 dB.
I tried the AUMultibandCompressor at preset 0 with fine results.
Anyone got any other tweeks or suggestions?

It's in the menu of effects that you find in the track info window when you click that little "Details" triangle.
You can also select a preset from the "Podcasting" set of "instruments" - you have things like "Male Narrator", "Male Radio", most of them use this speech enhancer.

How to get a good vocal sound with Logic Pro 9

I apologize for the ignorance of this question, but I am really looking to figure out a way to get my vocals to sound the way I would like them to sound, but I'm not really sure where to start.
I started out using Garageband years ago, and really like the vocal setting of "Live Performance" when I went to real instrument/vocal. It had a sound that I liked, and I didn't have to go to a lot work to achieve it. When I went to Logic Pro 9 a while back I saw that they had the Garageband setting of Live Performance, but it really didn't sound the same, so I ended up starting songs in Garageband, and then importing them into Logic Pro.
I would really like to move on and be able to set up vocals from scratch, and put in different inserts and play around with different sounds to experiment with for vocals. Does anyone have any advice on learning inserts to use, and perhaps a tutorial video they might suggest that could help educate me on this?
I don't even know if you should start with Compressor, then Chan EQ. Perhaps someone might be able to steer me in the right direction. Thanks so much.

Klunde, you are missing out the most vital parts in your post. A vocal chain for recording is:
You (your voice) - Microphone - Mic Pre - (perhaps hardware compressor, perhaps not) - (perhaps hardware eq, perhaps not) - then finally what you are recording into.
The source is the single biggest influence on what you need to do in the mix regardless of what you are recording into. In our case here, it happens to be Logic. My own vocal chain changes depending on what i am aiming to achieve and this carries through to the mix. On one song I may use a blue face 1176 plugin if required and on another a CL1B etc. Both sound great but both sound different and there are a myriad of ways to use each one. The same goes for EQ's and reverbs. But what you need for all of this is a great source. Get this right and your mixes and decisions will be a lot easier and your desired results faster to achieve.
So what is your source for your vocals?
After this it is all down to taste. For example, a compressor going into an eq sounds different from an eq going into a compressor. Neither one is right or wrong. Experience and experimentation will tell you which you want to use for a particular song. Top mixer Chris Lord-Alge uses lots of compression on everything. Top mixer Bruce Swedien is notorious for using virtually none. Both consistently mix great records and both have spent a life time honing their art and skill set. Experiment but get your recording chain right which means choosing the right kit for your vocal and gain staging everything properly.

Problem with Vocals PLEASE READ

okay so im using logic with my g5 all the mics are going straight into a presonus firepod, i recently just bought the antares avox vocal bundle the effects are great but im now looking through what othe audio units logic it self has because i cannot seem to get the recorded main vocals to sound warm and placed well, the vocals just seem to stand out no matter how loud or how low i make them, so please if anyone has any idea how to get the vocals to sound warmer are more "a peice of the song" please tell me what i can download buy or do with what i have.
thanks
johnpaul
Dual 2.7GHz PowerPC G5 Mac OS X (10.3.9) logic and eating souls

As far as getting the vocals "warmer", there are about 50 things you could do. Software EQ, compressor, tube sim, or hardware EQ, compression or tube, even the proximity effect on certain mics has a real warm character. The list goes on. My one general tip if you go the software route is if you are EQing, be subtle (dont boost and cut it like crazy) and use wide bandwidth to keep it natural.
Placement is a different story. This is where how you recorded it really comes into play. If your vocalist was way up close to the mic, the resulting vocal will sound too "forward" in the mix and sound out of place with the rest of (a common problem I describe as the vocals being "bluescreened" onto the music) . To fix this mess around with VERY subtle, short delays (20-100ms). It will give the illusion of depth and space, which is what you want if its all dry and close. Most vocals rarely ever go without at least a little delay treatment to "sit" them in the mix. You can also use Space Designer for this kind of thing. I have a few settings that literally just place the vocals for me. On the flipside, if you recorded too far back, you'll have a distant vocal that sounds like its in a different space. The best you can do here is try to EQ it, but I would say you are just polishing a turd at that point, so just rerecord if possible. Once again, the biggest thing is mic placement.
G5 dual 2.0 Mac OS X (10.4.3)

A way to limit overdrive in vocals?

There are moments when I sung to close to the microphone and the volume suddenly increases dramatically, is there a way to keep the volume between a certain low and a certain high so theres no drastic increases in volume?

A dynamics compressor can control the dynamic range of your vocals.
If your recording doesn't clip you can apply the compressor after recording, as a plugin. If you get clipping, try to decrease the gain at your interface or the preamp to avoid this. If this doesn't help you can insert a hardware compressor into your signal path before the analog to digital conversion happens. This is often done.
However, compression has severe effects on the sound and atmosphere of a recording and cannot be undone. So limit the application of compression to the absolute necessary during recording.
That said, you should learn how to work your microphone. A good microphone technique allows you to compensate for the level changes and is something I expect from a good vocal performer. For studio recordings but also for live performance it's essential to be able to play the microphone like a musical instrument. If you're serious about singing you should invest some time in learning that and you won't need a recording compressor.
Cheers,
Jazz

Vocal level mixing frustration -- is there a gear solution?

Hi
As I record more and more, I find I'm spending a great deal of time (in Logic 8) working my vocals with automation -- but I'm finding it very difficult to get the vocal exactly as I want it, word for word, throughout the track. I'm getting about 90% there, but that final 10% is eluding me. I'm beginning to wonder if there is some other gear I can buy (software or hardware) that can help me to even out my vocals in the way I want. The compressors in logic, however fast they are set, just don't react fast enough to sudden peaks. My time is very valuable to me, and I wouldn't begrudge splashing out on a top hardware compressor (like a CL1B) if it did the trick for me. Any thoughts?

Ekko,
I'm on the fence between what Christian and jnash have said. Yes, you can use tools (hardware and software) to help smooth out the vocals. But I think you can -- and IMO should -- spend more time riding (or drawing in) automation to achieve your goal. Think about it... aside from imparting some amount of coloration to the sound, if what you're after is a smooth, natural sounding vocal that doesn't peak too much then riding volume automation is pretty much the same thing as using a compressor, yes?
Yeah, writing in volume automation can get tedious. But so does hunting for settings on various compressors.
And what you won't get so much by riding or drawing in volume automation is pumping and breathing unless you want that sound.
There's also the possibility (happens to all of us, I think) that you're focusing too much on that 10%. So before you drive yourself nuts with more tweaking, try this: turn your control room volume down so that the track is barely audible. Set the song to loop. Get the Sunday paper out, and have a pen and pencil handy.
Ready?
Start the track and now start reading the paper. You must resist the temptation to turn the volume up. As you're concentration is shifted to reading the paper, and as the track loops, out of "the corner of your ear" you'll inevitably notice words that are too loud or too soft. Maybe even whole passages. Only after a few run-throughs should you start to make notes about what you don't like. And then, after enough repetitions of hearing the same "faults" over and over again, go back to your session at normal volume and fix only those sections using volume automation.
HTH,
-=iS=-

Vocal Compressors (Hardware)

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