Featherlight


This is where a good quality hardware channel strip is worth it's weight in gold.

Bristol_Jonesey


Good points.

Unless you have the budget, software will outperform hardware at most price points, certainly at the lower end of the scale

Using a less than stellar comp on the way in will only compromise the recording.

Just make sure you record @ 24 bit and adjust the gain on your interface so that the peaks are anywhere between -18dB & -9dB and you''ll be good to go.

Absolutely agree with both of you!

Thanks to all of you. All good suggestions...i love that forum...

Do you guys use compressor when tracking vocal?

Yes

If so, does the compressor that comes with Sonar Producer does the job?

No

Do you use the same compressor for vocal when mixing?

Sometimes

Any tips for how to adjust the compressor when tracking/mixing?

If this is hardware...Generally, just knocking off transient peaks is the goal. This unless you want the "sound" of the compressor as part of the final result in which you go for heavier compression. A compressor can be a highly varied sound crafting tool when used in this way. You can try to time attack and release to the BPM of the music or some other instrument in the track. Lots of experimenting with the sound is required when learning this. I suggest you track a vocal without compression, and then run that back through a hardware compressor and experiment to capture the range of what the compressor can do. Also note, different compressors will sound entirely different so learning one won't necessarily provide global knowledge about all compressors. They are like crayons; you have to do a lot of scribbling to understand the color and characteristics of each one so you can apply them later.
 
Another approach generally with more expensive compressors is to "not compress" and just pass the sound through the circuit of the unit and you can get some very useful tonality. I use an LA2A this way all the time. The transformers and tubes add a quality to the sound that is very transparent but rich sounding.
 
The point is, there can be a lot of reasons to use a compressor while tracking and it helps to understand the way that gets you the results you are looking for.

i'm tracking a metal type of singer (Lamb of god,Trivium etc...)

I would use an 1176 or on the cheap a DBX160X for that type of sound if hardware.
 
If software then automate the vocal track to really even out the volume, then run that into an 1176 emulation with heavy compression. Another approach would be 2-3 1176s in a row taking 3db gain reduction on each one. Possibly adding tube emulation or tape emulation on the vocal group bus. You have to work a little harder in software but you can build it. Another approach is to parallel compress the vocal and mix more of the compressed signal than the primary signal. Lot's of ways to approach this in software.

Hardware, I have several laying around. Dbx, Alesis, Behringer, but the one that stays in line is on old 1174. I don't use it to crush the input with. It is set very low on the input. I just want to keep any overloads from coming thru. I do a lot of remote recording so I have a rack of comps just to keep any thing from getting into the red. You also need to be aware that -12 on your meter in Sonar equals 0 on an analog board. That means, of course, that if you are recording over -12 you are already risking distortion in your board. Thus, you have plenty of headroom as was said before. You may not need compression at all. The comp is just being safe before sorry so to speak.

The best compressor is a singer who has good mic technique - backs off when screaming, gets close on the intimate parts, etc.

Then you don't need a compressor going in, and can get consistent levels that work well with compression during mixdown. The PC2A is a great vocal compressor for mixing.

I set up a compressor for tracking so that the singer can sing in to it expressively and drive the compressor just they way they want to achieve their sound.

The good singers use great mic technique and many enjoy singing into a compressor as well... it adds an extra dimension to the mic technique that allows for enhanced self expression.





It's pretty obvious; P's and S's don't sound any better going through a compressor.... well, at least not to me.





No one should need a compressor going in... but it is a fantastic luxury to enjoy and make good use of.


best regards,
mike

Craig,

I definitely hear ya and couldn't agree more but in the world of metal, Ive found the words "mic technique" and "screaming"  rarely accompany each other lol!!!

In all seriousness, I have had the occasion to work with some truly talented vocalist in the metal genera and that is a blessing for sure as far as tracking. When they do use mic technique, every part of the vocal chain benefits from it.

...BTW, love the Harmony Central community and the resource it is..

Anderton


The best compressor is a singer who has good mic technique - backs off when screaming, gets close on the intimate parts, etc.

Then you don't need a compressor going in, and can get consistent levels that work well with compression during mixdown. The PC2A is a great vocal compressor for mixing.

I definitely agree with this comment. 


I read through a few of the comments above where people are relying on hardware to do their work for them. While that is ok.... I wonder if it's the best way.


In my rig, I have a Saffire interface by Focusrite. It has a built in FX DSP in it's control panel. I did set it up to run a very light compression on all the incoming signals..... guitar and mic. Nothing over the top. I have to pay attention to the mic technique I use or it can easily clip on the peaks.  As a result, I have learned better mic techniques and every now and them I have to redo a part that "gets away from me".  I do not often have outside singers in my humble studio but when I do I have learned to pay attention to the waves and instruct the singers on mic technique and punch in when they clip. 


As a result of this I get extremely consistent vocal takes which require very little compression to make them fit and set right in the mixes. 


I do not rely on the hardware and the software alone.... it is a combination, relying mostly on good recording techniques up front. 

I know that Craig is "right" but...
Compress on the way in.
Save your nickels and dimes (as in STAY AWAY FROM THE SOFTWARE FORUM) and invest in ONE good channel strip.
I have an LA610 (vocals) and a 6176 (guitars).
I know there are exceptions but everything you've ever heard was compressed going in...

Tom

LA610

So i plug the the mic in the LA610, the LA610 in the soundcard ( in my case Presonus audiobux usb). How much the soundcard has an impact on the sound? I suppose as good as a channel strip is, in the end the soundcard must have an' impact?