I've got a drum bus set-up using the Pro Channel for parallel compression and just happened to have a left over Sonitus compressor on that same bus so the Pro Channel Comp is compressing the Sonitus Compressor. Using the wet/dry feature of the Pro Channel gives a really nice flavor to the Sonitus compressor.

It might be more of an effect but it's pretty cool and allows 2 compressors on one bus easily.

Anyone else try this?

Thanks for the tio...When I get This fixed:

http://forum.cakewalk.com/tm.aspx?m=2177706

I will try it.

It's an often used technique, actually.
 
Many engineers have 'ganged' compressors for various reasons and effects.

Even if you're not going for the parallel compression technique, sometimes serially ganging compressors actually can do a better job of managing peaks AND RMS when they are set to process minimally rather than drastically.

It's like moving air slowly rather than causing an explosion, so to speak.   If you only want to bring up the lower amplitudes without overly affecting the peaks, this is one way to go about it.

So yeah, it's a viable and often used approach.

And btw, you can have as many compressors as you want on a bus or track.

Thanks Billy - helpful as always.

What I thought was really cool was you can adjust the one compressor via the bus fader and adjust the ProChannel compressor via the Wet/Dry knob.

A famous pair of compressors is the 1176 followed by an LA2A for a vocal. I once put 20 compressors on a track each 1db more than the next and I can report, that not only was it a waste of time, it sounded very bad as well.

Middleman


A famous pair of compressors is the 1176 followed by an LA2A for a vocal. I once put 20 compressors on a track each 1db more than the next and I can report, that not only was it a waste of time, it sounded very bad as well.

Hahaha  but the fact is one CAN use a ganged compression approach that does yield good results.  It's not that unusual; but like anything else, it can be done poorly when, well, done poorly ;)
 
 
We both know many Mastering Engineers do, in fact, use both serial and parallel compression and achieve excellent results (generally).
 
 

Not sure if I am in the right place but I understand compression for looking at the waves and making them more balance but from a ear listening standpoint what exactly should I be listen for?  I have played with compression and played with different settings but a bit confused on the overall goal of what a properly compressed let's say kick drum should sound like?