I just read about this, and I don't know when I'll have time to try it myself. Actually, I don't even know if it makes any sense, but it aroused my curiosity.

Have you tried it: Reverse audio, and compress it more heavily than you'd ever compress it when unreversed. Then reverse it again, back to the original position.

The assumed benefit of this is that the heavy compression doesn't destroy transients when audio is reversed. But of course, the result must be a little weird... My first thought was that of course the transients are destroyed, just in a diffrent way, when they're left in the release tail.

It is a lesser known technique for sure. Mike Stavrou who writes for Audio Technology here in Australia (and also has written that very good book 'Mixing With Your Mind') swears by it.

If you think about it then the reason it works so well is the compressor is acting in quite a different way on the end of the sound first and the start of the sound last. And it handles transients differently because the way the transient is presented to the compressor.

Stav also talks about doing your mixes in reverse as well. He says they come out sounding a little better than normal and you end up with a more percussive mix compared to mixing in the normal manner. I have not spent time on the reverse mixing concept so much but applying compression to reversed audio definitely sounds better and it also means you can use a lesser compressor to get a much better result than normal. 

hmm.. That's a new one. have to try that.

verry interesting ....

Interesting.... so the compression would be running before the event..... 

OK I have to admit.... (the way my mind works) as I'm reading I'm thinking.... OK reverse the audio, compress it, reverse it again and the compression undoes itself.... 


OK... to be honest I have never even thought of doing that, but it would be an interesting experiment to conduct ....ya? 

Very interesting concept. I'll try this one out today and post a sample...

Hey Kalle. do you have a link where you read about this?
Thanks

Please note Herb after compressing reversed audio, when you return the audio to normal the compression does NOT undo itself. The compression remains and it can sound good too. It works very well on vocals.

There was a good article in Audio Technology by Stav about this technique but you cannot view previous articles from the AT website like you can from SOS.

If people are really wanting to see this I could track it down, scan it and send it to those who are interested. But I will have to find the original article first.

Quick sample I just did with VC-64. Pushed it overly hard to try and emphasise the effect. First clip is uncompressed - I sang it deliberately with lots of dynamics. Second is forward compression and third is reversed.

http://snd.sc/McpQvQ

My take from that, not really worth the effort... It's different, but if I changed my compressor or compressor settings I reckon I could achieve a similar result just going forward anyway. It does I guess act a little just like a lookahead compressor. You can hear that in some parts I think.

Anyway, may not really be the most useful sample, but thought I'd try it out anyway and share the results.

And I really don't imagine this working well on drums...

Well I listened to that sample and there are a few points. Firstly the VC64 is not a good compressor on vocals. In fact I don't think the VC64 is good for much at all. I have used it on harmonies and used a little EQ and compression and the widening effect but that is about all. It is not a serious vocal compressor and I don't think you should treat it as such. There are so many compressors to my ear that sound better. You are doing yourself a disservice running the all important vocal sound through it. The design is a great idea but I think you just have to be mindful what you are using it on. 

So for that reason it is not a great test. Use a better compressor. Also listening to your vocals you are singing more normally if you like and you are probably right in that the reverse effect may not be that different.

I think it is meant to work better on vocals that are very dynamic and contain not only smooth attacks but very sharp and fast attacks as well. Vocals or instruments that might give an average compressor a hard time but in reverse it might cope better if you know what I mean.