Spencer
just throwing that out there, since we're on the subject and it could help some- if you can't seem to get the result you want with standard NY compression using the wet-dry knob, it's quite likely that your material is too mid-heavy for it to work properly and you could try using the bus method and inserting a notch filter or eq before the NY comp and taking out some of those mids until it sounds more balanced.

Oh yeah... I seem to recall seeing that in a tut. I guess you put the EQ before the compressor on the buss? For some reason I think the guy was using it as a desser though. I forget. Might be in my notes. Cheers.

Hello Mr Glenn
 
Firstly both Sidechaining and NYC or Parallell Compression has been discussed in this thread.
 
There are an excellent tutorial about sidechaining in Sonar here: http://www.cakewalk.com/CakeTV/SONARU.aspx/Go-Deeper Ducking a sound included:)
 
Secondly NYC/Parallell compression; there are different ways of doing this, often to get more "punch" in drums or other instruments and even vocals.
What I normally do for drums is is to create two busses; a drum bus whith a compressor or/and maybe a EQ to "glue" the drums together. The second bus is my NYC bus. On this I have a compressor (anything with a wet knob will do), I tend to use ProChannels built in P4K-S type bus compressor, but Cytomiks "the glue", Fabfilter C or other work as well.
 
I have my drums (Kick, Snare, Hats etc) on different channels and set the output of my drums to the drum bus. I then insert a send och the drum channels I want to compress in the NYC bus. I normally use send as Pre fader as it gives me more controll, but sometimes Post just sounds better. Kick and snare are pretty obvious to send to NYC, but sometimes all drums get some NYC. I adjust the amount of signal being sent to the NYC with the sent knob, and also adjust compressor settings on the NYC bus to taste. The wet knob in the NYC bus let me choose how much of the signal that will be compressed. I often tend to have about a 70/30 relationship.
 
Then it is up to music style and your own preferences in terms of what the "right" settings are.  
 
Good luck!

For drums, using BFD makes it super easy to set up parallel compression.
I use the oft-neglected amb3 stereo outs and route whatever parts of the kit I want compressed to it, and then insert the  compressor of choice in it's Fx bin (or Pro channel)
 
Smash it to death, then blend it back in with the rest of the kit - job done

amb3? Is that a BFD full version thing? I don't think I've seen that on eco. Just the aux outs.

M_Glenn_M
It's a compression/balance/clarity thing.
My tracks are sounding over compressed.
This is due to compression on the original track, often several times, in order to get the quieter passages up.
 

 
You want to automatically raise the level of a signal when it drops below a threshold.
 
What you may want to try, is an "Expander" such as the PC4K S Type Expander Gate Module instead of, or before, a compressor.
 
An expander brings the level up when it drops below a certain point (threshold) where a compressor reduces the level when it exceeds a certain point (threshold).  This makes an expander the opposite of a compressor.
 
 

js516

M_Glenn_MIt's a compression/balance/clarity thing.My tracks are sounding over compressed.This is due to compression on the original track, often several times, in order to get the quieter passages up. 

 You want to automatically raise the level of a signal when it drops below a threshold. What you may want to try, is an "Expander" such as the PC4K S Type Expander Gate Module instead of, or before, a compressor. An expander brings the level up when it drops below a certain point (threshold) where a compressor reduces the level when it exceeds a certain point (threshold).  This makes an expander the opposite of a compressor.  

An expander expands audio's dynamics by reducing a signal that falls UNDER the threshold, whereas a compressor reduces the signal that goes OVER the threshold.

oops, I was thinking in terms of how I use it and fumbled the explanation Sorry. :)
 
Just to make sure I remember correctly. The PCK4 is not a unity type expander, correct?
Now that I think about it, maybe I used the percussion strip's expander instead of the PCK4 to help out bringing up soft passages before a compressor to keep things from sounding overly compressed. Gah, I think my middle age brain is getting a bit rusty. :/
 
Note: A unity gain expander will not affect levels above the threshold. Where as a non-unity gain type does.
 
 The idea is that instead of raising the over all level of the single with the fader which will also bring up the normally inaudible parts (noises from dampening the strings with your pick hand when your not playing for instance), you would use a non-unity gain type expander to selectively bring up the louder portions of a low level signal without dragging up the noise with it.
 
Optionally, follow the expander with two or more parallel compressors that are mostly dry signal. The cumulative dry+wet sums of both compressors (with the expander controlling the feed into the first compressor) would bring up the levels in a more natural manner.
 
I am assuming that the peak levels of the quieter potions of the recorded track are low, which is why I suggested the expander (i.e. not transients to cause clipping issues). The Op can use the expander via automation to bring it in and out during the quite portions . A compressor may make the track sound too different, and bring it in and out will sound too obvious and unnatural.

Beepster
amb3? Is that a BFD full version thing? I don't think I've seen that on eco. Just the aux outs.

Beep, in BFD2, there are 3 sets of stereo outputs in addition to individual outs for your kit pieces - Overheads, Room & Amb3

a simple way I used is
1:export mix dry / without any compression on masterbus.
2:new project, import mix and clone track, add Concrete Limiter to cloned track.
then set 2 to 3 db compression on Concrete Limiter.
3: sometimes a 3rd track with just Vintage Channel 64, grab 'M&S Air' preset to add space.
then blend together, maybe 35% dry track, 55 Concrete Limiter & 15% Vintage Channel.
I'll stay well under 0.0db, export without limiter
1 more new project to limit with Boost 11  (Boost 11 don't work well if I have more plugins in project sometimes).
 
just an idea of fellow Caker, good luck

Interesting.
 
That's one of the things I love about this game. There's no "right" or "set" way to do things, it's all about your imagination and feeding off each others ideas.