When to use what compressor?

[Ren]

OK, I am a newbie ( ), I am stupid and I know I'm stupid, but hey, I like to make music, so please a little forgiveness...

Before the UAD I was using Cubase host plugins for FX, though I have the Steinberg 'Mastering Edition' as well, though I failed to really get on with the included 5-band compressor, and ended up returning to the 'VSTY dynamics' which at ealst I unsderstand.

The main reason I bought the UAD was for a decent reverb, and I was biased to the UAD from the TC Powercore by various reviews and advice. To this end, I am delighted with the UAD, and now finally have a reverb that is better than I can tell (it's analogous to being promoted to your level of incompetence!).

Of course I was also looking forward to getting to grips with the other UAD plugins that everything said is going to make my music sound like magical tinsel falling from the laps of Gods! And I believe it! I am simply not really experienced enough (especially with having only had the UAD a few days now) to know how to use them wisely - I know this can only come with time. But I was wondering if somebody could at least give me the benefit of their wisdom and put me on some right tracks.

My main confusion is with the proliferance of compressors on the UAD. So far, I have tried the 1176LN, LA/2A, EX-1 and the Fairchild 670.

Which one do I use where? is my basic question. I'm used to making just one work for more or less everything. Is one UAD compressor known to be particularly good on vocals for example, one especially noted for mastering, one good for limiting but not so good for compressing, etc, etc. The manual was excellent at telling me exactly what knob does what, but gave no real insight into the practical use, e.g. the Fairchild doesn't seem to have a normal ratio control - it's difficult for my ears to understand what's happening (though it normally sounds quite cool!). I know some might say 'use your ears', and others that it's all so material-dependent, but I bet experienced users have their own preferred combinations and settings.

Any insight, pointers or advice much appreciated.

Cheers.

 

[the baronluigi]

I use the LA-2A limiter when tracking (recording) at the end of my input chain.

I use the 1176 on Bass and Vocal tracks to make them stand out a bit.

I use the Fairchild 670 on the mastering buss very sparingly

basically most use the LA-2A and 1176 on tracking and maybe the fairchild on the master buss



compared to vst dynamics you are going to be blown away by the quality of the UAD-1's compressors

 

[Ren]

Hey baronluigi,

Thanks!!! Apprecaite you reading my message. That's exactly the sort of information I was after ( ). Anyone else?

 

[ChrisMilne]

As you get comfortable with compression you will understand that compression may be the most important difference between good and bad recordings. Though it can be subtle at first...start playing!

I haev to check again, but do they give examples in the manual? Try bringing up some instrument tracks and bring up some of the presets..then start playing around with the settings.

 

[jr213]

A good idea to get familiar with compression might be to use the LA2A on everything for a while. This way all you need to worry about is how much compression. Once you get familiar with that sound, start using the 1176 and you will more quickly hear the differences and, as you get to know it, know where you would want to use it instead.

Good luck.

 

[Ren]

Many thanks for people's sound advice! Working from the presets sounds like a good place to start.

 

[MatsD]

There really aren't any rules. Some people think LA2A is great for drums, some think a chain of 1176 and LA2A is fabulous for vocals. The Fairchild is such a rare gem that if you had a real physical one you'd probably use it on everything just because it's so exclusive. All of these three are really allround but does things a little differently. It's more about what you want to do with the track than what instrument is on it, that makes you choose one over the other in my opinion. Start out with the LA2A, since it's so simple to handle, continue with the 1176 (and remember the attack and release dials work backwards) and then finally go to the Fairchild which is somewhat more complicated.

As for the presets, I think the ones for 1176 are generally a bit too much, for an average track, you usually have to back off on the input dial to get a compression that is reasonable and add some make up gain on the output dial.

/Mats D

 

[Empty Planet]

...It's more about what you want to do with the track than what instrument is on it...

Great one, Mats.

In my experience, the LA2A brings a softer, sometimes darker quality to a track, though the attack and release is sometimes a little too soft for things like a particular set of drums that you really want to have a whack. On the other hand, it can really fatten up a snare (if you like fat snares -- NOT the trend these days) and give certain drums a dreamier, 70sish analogish meld. It's great on basses and vox.

The EX-1 is a great, low-CPU-cost compressor. The attack and release can be finely tuned, and it's a great general comp to turn to. The sound is perhaps somewhat like the LA2 without so much personality. Great on drums if you can't spare the CPU for an 1176 or just -- gasp! -- think it sounds better in that particular case. It happens.

The 1176 is brighter and is great for sharp wacks (remember the attack and threshold gets longer when you go COUNTER-clockwise with the knobs), but sometimes you lose some of the low end. Also sometimes great for bringing out the attack in basses, if that's needed. It can add a certain iron-in-the-path crispness to some vox. Don't be afraid to blend different compressors for different effects.

The Fairchild is a beast, and in all the time I've spent with it, I'm sure many of its subtleties still elude me. It emphasises the mids at the cost of the lows, and for, well, I'd probably say most tracks in my experience, it's not the comp to use, but SOMEtimes it really does add this weird mystical something...certain drum tracks get more groove, kicks get some luscious air I can't find with anything else, vocals somehow sound more polished. No doubt I'm going to be sitting with that one for a while.

All good advice in the previous posts. Hope all this helps.

Cheers.

 

[Doublehelix]

I had the same issues several years ago when I got my first UAD-1 card (Pre-Mackie also, although they lost my registration and I missed out on some of the cool promos like the reduced-price Cambridge...).

I had never actually used a *real* 1176 or LA2, so I was a bit confused, and this forum either wasn't around, or I hadn't found it yet...

I started by using:

LA2 - Vocals
1176 - bass and drums

This got me started getting used to the sounds of each one...

Now of course, I can get really creative depending on the song, the music (or voice), etc.

Good luck, and welcome to the world of UAD!!!

 

[coolout]

my 2 cents...

here's what i use them for...

LA-2A for smoothing things out- vocals and wind instruments for example

1176 for giving things bite and that THWACK- like drums. with the knobs you can really have a lot of subtle control over the feel. put it on a drum submix and you can get everything from that retro \"pump\" to just balancing the kick and snare right.

i wish it could sidechain though...

of course you might want to smooth out your drums or give vocals more bite.

just get in there and learn how each one affects the sound

 

[mattdean]

My 3 Cents (Canadian - exchange you know)

Being a vocalist, i have really tried to get them to sit in a mix. here's my usual process.

For lead vocals, use the La-2A in Limit mode so it gets about 3 or 4db compression on the peaks of the track. then put the 1176N on a ratio of 8:1 with the attack fully counterclockwise and the release fully clockwise. just adjust the input so you can't hear it 'pumping'. Also, be sure to check the output so you're not redlining all the time. i find this makes the vocal sit nice and fat without hearing obvious compression. I usually EQ before the compression, however after EQ - LA-2A - 1176 I sometimes put the Pultec on for character.

For backgrounds, i use the EX-1 on each part at about 3 or 4db compression on the loud parts then the 1176 setup the same way the lead vocal is setup. the backgrounds sit nice on all parts.

good luck! :lol:

 

[Middleman]

The Fairchild can be used to add body to a bass that is a little wimpy sounding. Use the Thick Bass preset and oh yeah, you're there.

 

[cAPSLOCK]

The suggestion to start out using the LA2A is a great one. It is great for the smooth all purpose sound that will work on almost anything. The 1176 gives you more control and therefore more time must be spent setting it up. The easy way to get an idea of what it is doing is to pick a track and listen to it a little, a vocal or drum overhead would be good. Then set the different controls from one extreme to the other listening for the difference. It's not too much more complicated than the LA2A really, and if you listen you will hear what it does. The 1176 can do DEEEEP compression without making the sound yukky, and it can also sound really gritty or crunchy if you want it to... try a fast attack and release setting to see what I mean (clockwise i think)

cAPS

 

[Suntower]

My 2p of ignorance:

LA 2A --- Smoothes bass and vocals. Unobtrusive. My fave for bass.

1176SE --- General purpose, sounds good on most things which require more control. Low memory usage.

1176 --- GREAT for drums or vocals with -attitude- (especially SNARE)

Fairchild --- Love it for rhythm guitars. Great for making drums and bass sound HUGE. Seems to make vocals sound like you're a chat show host ---very noticeable. When it works it's da bomb, but as they say: Less is more.

---JC

PS: Don't forget EX-1: It gets lost in the shuffle but it uses very little memory and is quite decent for a lot of things which don't need 'added character' only smoothing.

 

[Eurocide]

My use in EBM/Darkwave style:

1176SE: single drum tracks (BD, SD, HH) for extra hard attack. Anything with transients that need attack/release control.

LA2A: vocals, and backing subgroups (Pads, arpeggios) and anything smooth

Fairchild: drum subgroup, synth basses, mastering chain and for feeling very good

 

[Bob 1]

Here's what I use:

1176LN- Acoustic Guitar. Quite a bright sound, try using a medium attack and release and also experiment with the ratio setting as the sound can differ.

Fairchild- Great for vocals. Time constant at 2 and back off the DC setting to let a bit more 'air' in, then add threshold to suit. Also I add a bit when comping stereo backing vocals.

LA2A. Doesn't get much of a look in now that I've got the Fairchild .Use to use it on thinish vocals to add a bit of body.

Try all the compressors on different source material and see which ones you like the sound of.

Have Fun!!

 

[Ren]

Many thanks to everyone for sharing their experiences. It really is very helpful. My ears aren't yet fully attuned to the subtleties of the compressors, but an early (personally experienced) amazement has been with the Cambridge as a surgical tool - I never realised how poor by comparison the standard SX2 EQ was! The Cambrisge is so musical and never makes your fillings fall out!

Thanks to everyone again, but please no need to stop with advice.

 

[lazlominimart]

I'm probably repeating someone else in this thread at this point, but I find myself using the compressors this way most often:

1176LN: bass, vocals, some electric guitar sounds

LA2A: acoustic guitars (so great for this!) and pretty much any drum signal that needs compression/limiting (I am the rare engineer who doesn't feel that drums always need compression/limiting)

Don't have Fairchild yet.

 

[jcat]

For me, when I first started using compressors, it was all about the ration and how much it was taming the sound or not. To some extent I always set attack and release, but it was early days and I had little appreciation of what I was really doing to the dynamics, or how much I might of been killing the initial transient of a sound.

But you must pay attention to the attack particularly, it's all to easy to take the life out of a sound by having the attack faster than it's needed. Be careful you don't fall into the \"it sounds louder, well it must be better\" camp.

Always reference what you've done by bypassing the compressor, and see if you've actually made it sound better, or just louder and bodiless.

Don't forget that instead of using compressors as track inserts, you can also use them on aux sends. This is often a great way to go, it reinforces the sound without touching the initial transients of the original. That leaves you room to be more experimental with compressors, you can then mix it back in with the original sound to taste.

Start with the LA2A (no attack and release controls (except that limit mode has a faster attack)), then get to grips with the 1176 (should be really great for learning about attack and release times).

The 1176 is the king of compressors for me, and the LA2A is great for it's ultimate smoothness. The Fairchild is pretty crazy, it has a very unique sound, but watch out because it steals the sub from any audio, I normally end up using it on strings more than anything. Personally I wouldn't use it on an overall mix, it's really far too much.

Just some thoughts...




Cheers,

jcat

 

[johnz]

i use the la2a for bass, love it
fairchild for vocals. sometimes 1176ln
fairchild for drum buss,
kick and snare i try all compressors to see which works best
la2a is great for giutar solos (distorted)

john