Comments on: Compressor On A Subgroup

By: Bob Witte

Bob Witte — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 21:31:02 +0000

We only use compressors on individual channels for the very reasons noted in this excellent article. We have a dbx 160A for the lead vocal, Rane C4 for 4 other vocalists/instruments and two classic dbx163′s – one usually on bass, one available for something else. We never have compressed drums (would need many more channels since a subgroup of drums would be terrible).

Mix wise, sometimes a human being is a great live mix compressor.

Hey Seth, having a PM1D would be a terrible problem for most of us to have to play with compression combinations!

By: Seth

Seth — Wed, 06 Jan 2010 16:21:17 +0000

I have been playing around with subgroup compression for the past 2 months or so. I am about ready to finally write out a pretty detailed blog post on it. Essentially, what I have been doing (we have a PM1D so I have compressors to spare), is that I have light compression on snare, kick, vocals, etc and then on the subgroups for those, I have a separate DCA mix for the compressed subgroups and the regular subgroup. This allows me to even out the mix with the compressed subgroup but have dynamics through the uncompressed subgroup. It took a while to even out the heavier compression on the subgroups so that things still sound natural, but that it can take some of the extreme lows and bring them up and vice versa.

I can say though that through careful listening to what your subgroup compressors can add, they can really make the mix — although a caution is that they can quickly trash your mix too!

By: Jasen

Jasen — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:36:30 +0000

We run a single compressor on our praise team sub-group – six mics. A separate compressor for the worship leader, one for the pastor/speaker, and an overall mix compressor. No, it’s not ideal; but without going to a digital board with compression on every channel, it’s what we have.

I try to watch the vocalists so that they are not overly out of balance with each other – unless I want them to be. B^)

By: Steven

Steven — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 20:22:09 +0000

I was thinking from more of a recording standpoint. However, during a service, I’m thinking a compressor would be nice since one of our drummers is more dynamic than the rest. I’d still like the levels to be reasonable during loud and quiet points in the music. What I want to avoid when compressing is when the drummer hits a peak on the snare (or the bass drum especially) it doesn’t pull down the rest of the submix enough to lose the smooth reverberation of the cymbals. I hear this all too often on tracks that have been overly compressed during the mastering process, such as “Count Me In” by Leeland, or even “Death and All His Friends” by Coldplay.

By: Phil

Phil — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 03:28:03 +0000

Steven,

Do all of the drums need compressed? A compressor will help with consistency, but if you are looking to lower the volume of the drums overall, I don’t think a compressor will help very much.

Phil

By: Steven

Steven — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 02:56:35 +0000

Nice post, great information. The only subgroup I’ve considered compressing is the one for the drums. Is this reasonable, or should each drum be individually compressed?

By: Twitted by ASoundChurch

Twitted by ASoundChurch — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 21:11:18 +0000

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