Parallel Compression *question*

[imdrecordings]

Quick question.....

When you use Parallel Compression, are you also using EQ or just applying compression to an unaffected track?

For example:
Parallel Comp on a vocal track. I EQ the vocals the way I like it and then bounce to a MONO track and apply compression. Then set the levels.
And so on and so forth with other instruments... I've really fallen in love with Upward Compression. Sometimes I'll use no EQ and just duplicate the track. Which do you prefer?
or
What do you do?

 

[BTLG]

I'll usually rock a pre-fader send to a group channel, set it in 'listen mode' so I can hear what it's doing on it's own.

From there I'll try to work mostly with the unaffected group as far as EQ goes and try to get what I want. Another thing that works is to send both tracks ultimately to a group/buss and then use EQ on THAT track after getting a balance between the two.

When I'm dealing with drums I usually won't affect the compressed kit anything past squashing the living crap out of it.

Not that I'm a guru or anything.... it's all experimentation for me.

 

[imdrecordings]

Another thing that works is to send both tracks ultimately to a group/buss and then use EQ on THAT track after getting a balance between the two.

ingenious

man I've been stupid lately..... It must be all of this pollen in the air.

 

[brian]

I also usually rock the PF send. To the extreme to the max.
Unless I'm using a console, then I just rock the hell outta the small fader output function deal to a group.

Sometimes I leave the parallel track just squished but sometimes I do some exaggerated EQ pre-comp to get it pumping a certain way. Otherwise I might just add a fair amount of mids or top end back to the smashed signal if it needs it for more attack or if it gets too dark. I usually send the smashed group straight to the stereo bus and ride the group fader during the song.

 

[Farview]

With a vocal or something like that, I would use an aux send to send the vocal to a group channel where I would compress it. I would also have another group channel set up that would have the uneffected vocal and the mopressed vocal routed to it. I would EQ that group channel

 

[BTLG]

I've never gotten it to work on a vocal. I've tried it a few times and never really dug the results.

It's funny how often that happens, right? One person gets great results doing something one way, the other gets great results another way.