Anyone have a good setup for parallel compression?

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razor
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2013/12/09 19:00:14 (permalink)

Anyone have a good setup for parallel compression?

So I'm reading Bob Katz mastering book and come across upward compression and I've got to try it.

I've got X2 Pro and the only other compressor I have that is really good is the UA Powered Plug-ins.

Can I still do it and not have phase or comb filtering issues?

Thanks

Stephen Davis
 
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    ...wicked
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    Re: Anyone have a good setup for parallel compression? 2013/12/09 19:34:11 (permalink)
    I dunno about katz's setup, but regular 'ole parallel compression is quite easy. Just setup a send on the relevant track, put your compression on the bus and set to taste, along with any other processing (I usually fairly drastically cut lo's and boost highs, but obviously it depends on the material and desired effect...and I usually put some distortion on it) and mix it back to taste. 
     
    Many compressors now come with wet/dry knobs, which basically let you do the whole thing in-track...but I don't like those as they don't let you do any other treating to the wet material. 
     

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    Anderton
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    Re: Anyone have a good setup for parallel compression? 2013/12/09 21:18:59 (permalink)
    An option to using a send is to copy a track and have two parallel tracks. One of the reasons I use Sonar is because it's very good about maintaining sample accuracy, so you don't get comb filtering with parallel tracks.

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    e.Blue
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    Re: Anyone have a good setup for parallel compression? 2013/12/09 21:24:11 (permalink)
    If you have X2 then you probably have the PC76 'U-Type Compressor' ProChannel module.
    1. Place the PC76 on your drum bus in 'Post' mode
    2. Set the ratio to 10, 20 or infinite
    3. Adjust the Input and Ouput (makeup) gain so that the drums are really pumping (almost to the point that it sounds like the drummer is playing inside of a closed dumpster)
    4. Finally dial back the Mix knob so that the real drums come through
     
    Et voila...Parallel Compression aka the NY Drum Sound. 
     
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    razor
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    Re: Anyone have a good setup for parallel compression? 2013/12/10 12:04:57 (permalink)
    Cool--thanks all. I'll give these all a try and see which one sounds best on the material I'm working on.

    Stephen Davis
     
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    CJaysMusic
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    Re: Anyone have a good setup for parallel compression? 2013/12/10 12:20:43 (permalink)
    Insert any compressor on a bus. Then enable the send for the track you want to parallel compress and send that sent tot that bus. Then you control the amount of signal you sent with the send itself. Its pretty easy and you can use any compressor that can upward compress.
     
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    sharke
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    Re: Anyone have a good setup for parallel compression? 2013/12/10 12:37:55 (permalink)
    Anderton
    An option to using a send is to copy a track and have two parallel tracks. One of the reasons I use Sonar is because it's very good about maintaining sample accuracy, so you don't get comb filtering with parallel tracks.


    I have the occasional phase problem on duplicated tracks if I have them on loop. They'll run through the first iteration of the loop sounding fine, then on the second iteration they'll sound out of phase. I've never been able to replicate it with enough reliability to bug it up but it definitely happens now and then. I have the metronome turned on as per the loop issue workaround.

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    #7
    razor
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    Re: Anyone have a good setup for parallel compression? 2013/12/10 21:24:46 (permalink)
    Here's a page or two out of Bob Katz's book. The transparent element of it is what really perked my interest.
     
    http://books.google.com/b...ompression&f=false
     
     

    Stephen Davis
     
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    konradh
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    Re: Anyone have a good setup for parallel compression? 2013/12/10 23:57:20 (permalink)
    I have been very happy with the Wet/Dry mix on the 1176 emulation.  I like the 1176 sound on vocals.

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    ston
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    Re: Anyone have a good setup for parallel compression? 2013/12/11 04:56:24 (permalink)
    I typically use a very high ratio (or even limiting) and 20-40 db gain reduction (i.e. for loud signals) on the compressed path, then mix the direct and compressed paths back together at unity gain.  This gives you a 6db boost ('upwards compression') for quiet signals, and little or no contribution from the compressed path for loud signals, which helps to preserve the original transients of the material.
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    razor
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    Re: Anyone have a good setup for parallel compression? 2013/12/11 11:01:06 (permalink)
    konradh
    I have been very happy with the Wet/Dry mix on the 1176 emulation.  I like the 1176 sound on vocals.


    You mean the 1176 plug-ins from Universal Audio? I have that too.

    Stephen Davis
     
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    jb101
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    Re: Anyone have a good setup for parallel compression? 2013/12/11 11:13:14 (permalink)
    razor
    konradhI have been very happy with the Wet/Dry mix on the 1176 emulation.  I like the 1176 sound on vocals.

    You mean the 1176 plug-ins from Universal Audio? I have that too.


    I think the Mighty Konrad is referring to the PC76 compressor included in Sonar. The PC4K Bus Compressor has a wet/dry knob, too.

    @Konrad - I like the 1176 on vocals too, especially when followed by the Ca-2a.

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