Hello All ! :)
I am new to parallel compression and i am trying to use this method on my drums in Sonar X3, unfortunately i experience a quite ugly and disturbing " phase effect ". ( the Plugin delay compensation is ON in sonar )
 
I have the regular Kick, Snare, Toms, HitHat, Overheads and Room tracks.
Those tracks direct output to a bus labelled " Dry Bus " which goes to " Drums Master Bus ".
Then, on EACH drums tracks (Kick, Snare, Toms, HitHat, Overheads and Room tracks) I've put a send with " post " button OFF to a bus labelled " Wet Bus " (which goes to " Drums Master " Bus too).
 
Of course, the wet bus is heavily compressed using SSL Comp with fastest attack time, bass and treble boost.
 
I am then blending the Wet and Dry busses, unfortunately i am not able to get rid of the annoying "phase effect".
 
Am i doing something wrong ? Is there a more accurate way to do this in Sonar ?
 
Thanks in advance for your help.
Best regards.
J.

I've never had this problem and it is something I do quite a bit. One thing that I do differently is that I only have a "Drum Bus" that goes to the Master. The parallel bus outputs to the Drum bus and I blend it using the fader of the parallel compression bus. That way the drum sound doesn't change when I adjust the level of the Drum bus.
 
Having said all that, it really should not matter. Buses should not get out of sync like you are describing. I'd suggest trying a different compressor and if that doesn't work, take a hard look at your interface.
 
Regards,
Dan

I recall having this problem as well with CA-2A for parallel drum compression a while back. Another stereo bus adjacent to the drum bus, a send from drums bus to the bus with CA-2A. Outputs of both buses to another bus.
 
Don't remember, if it occurred with other comps, or if I even tried then. This was on one of this year's Splat updates. Might have to do with CA-2A...
 
   -Pete

It's not supposed to happen, but, well, as the t-shirt says "sh*t happens". Sometimes it's a plugin that is not correctly reporting its latency, so that SONAR is going on bad information to set its PDC. Often, that'll turn out to be an equalizer or filter. You say you have "bass and treble boost". Is that in the sidechain filter or the main signal path?

dcumpian
I've never had this problem and it is something I do quite a bit. One thing that I do differently is that I only have a "Drum Bus" that goes to the Master. The parallel bus outputs to the Drum bus and I blend it using the fader of the parallel compression bus. That way the drum sound doesn't change when I adjust the level of the Drum bus.
 
Having said all that, it really should not matter. Buses should not get out of sync like you are describing. I'd suggest trying a different compressor and if that doesn't work, take a hard look at your interface.
 
Regards,
Dan

 
Actualy I've put a send with " post " button OFF on each drums track so i can tune the volume of each track separately before processing the whole thing via the " Wet Drums Bus ". (For example the kick tends to get realy loud when heavily compressed)
Do you think it's a wrong method ?
Thanks for your anwer by the way. ;)
 

petemus
I recall having this problem as well with CA-2A for parallel drum compression a while back. Another stereo bus adjacent to the drum bus, a send from drums bus to the bus with CA-2A. Outputs of both buses to another bus.
 
Don't remember, if it occurred with other comps, or if I even tried then. This was on one of this year's Splat updates. Might have to do with CA-2A...
 
   -Pete

I'm using the " Waves SSL Comp Stereo " on the " Wet drums bus ". If i load another compressor like CLA76, Fabfilter Pro C2... Same problem !
 

bitflipper
It's not supposed to happen, but, well, as the t-shirt says "sh*t happens". Sometimes it's a plugin that is not correctly reporting its latency, so that SONAR is going on bad information to set its PDC. Often, that'll turn out to be an equalizer or filter. You say you have "bass and treble boost". Is that in the sidechain filter or the main signal path?

That's true ! :)
All effects are directily inserted on the " Wet drums bus ", no sidechain actualy.
I have inserted the following EFX in that exact order:
SSL Comp Stereo
PuigTecEQP1A
RBass Stereo
Fabfilter Pro L
 
Thanks for your help.

I used to do this a little different but once AUX tracks came out I do this almost exactly the same as this video:

 
You might be able to alleviate the phase sound on your parallel track by clicking the phase button.
But im not sure if that will work, it could be a slight latency what your hearing.

J-War
Actualy I've put a send with " post " button OFF on each drums track so i can tune the volume of each track separately before processing the whole thing via the " Wet Drums Bus ". (For example the kick tends to get realy loud when heavily compressed)
Do you think it's a wrong method ?

At the end of the day, if it sounds good, it isn't wrong. That answer used to frustrate me in the beginning, but it is very true.
 
Regards,
Dan
 

chuckebaby
I used to do this a little different but once AUX tracks came out I do this almost exactly the same as this video:

 
You might be able to alleviate the phase sound on your parallel track by clicking the phase button.
But im not sure if that will work, it could be a slight latency what your hearing.

Thanks for the hint but the phase button won't fix the problem !
About AUX TRACKS, correct me if i'm wrong but i don't find such things in Sonar X3 ? I think it might be a Sonar Platinum Feature if i'm not mistaken.
 

dcumpian
At the end of the day, if it sounds good, it isn't wrong. That answer used to frustrate me in the beginning, but it is very true.
 
Regards,
Dan

I understand Dan, thanks for the advice. ;)
 

your correct, no AUX in X3. Instead substitute for Buses
What are you using for a soundcard ? Is it possible that, in theory your using real-time samples/tracks to feed another bus.
If latency is poor, you will hear it.

I also experience issues with latency on parallel compression auxes when 2x oversampling is enabled. I emailed support about a month ago, but no reply so far. I get this now and then without 2x enabled also, but it usually goes away by stopping and starting playback again.