Easiest Way to Understand Compression

For decades, compression has been a hard to understand topic for beginner and even advanced music producers, but its idea is actually very simple. In this video I'm showing you a really simple approach to understanding the whole concept of compression. After watching it, the whole topic should be much clearer and if you practice using ways I show you on the video you should grasp the idea really quickly.
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[@LosantoBeats]

I feel like understanding how compression works is not that hard. Understanding when to use it and how it sounds, now thats the hard part.

[@nickepic1863]

You use it if you find yourself changing volume on a particular sound all the time when you monitor your mix. And if you feel that particular sound is not sitting good in a mix then you use it. 80% of the times you don't need compression, people overuse it too much.

[@whostroubled]

@@nickepic1863 good comment. can you elaborate on when it may be a good time to compress something ? Say maybe after you’ve added some processing . And now it’s raised the gain and the shit redlining. Would I compress then?

[@nickepic1863]

@@whostroubled It really depends, most probably using limiter is good enough. Maybe just a little compression with a limiter, it is really hard to answer in YT section. What if you want for that sound to be a phat? Or you want just to lift transients and not unnecessary mud? You can use different things to achieve particular sound, learning and experimenting on your own is thebest thing you can do. Don't be afraid of experimenting, in two days you will figure out everything on your own. And reverse engineering is amazing for learning how professionals do it. I do it all the time, I take section from a song and try to figure out how they done it, most of the times you don't need some crazy processing or whatever.

[@whostroubled]

@@nickepic1863 cheers g

[@just4dalaughters431]

Facts💯

[@rumblamusic]

So simply and clearly explained. This is what is missing in most tutorials

[@evildraven481]

Really?

[@Marcelo_DBZ_Music]

He doesn't ask me to subscribe in the first 5 seconds, so I'd call this a good tutorial

[@meepmeep3874]

Bot

[@LAxemann]

It's a nice video that will help a lot of people, but there is some wrong information in here that I feel should stand corrected even if this was meant to be simple/simplified. :) 1. No audio gets chopped off, everything above the threshold just becomes quieter/attenuated based on the settings 2. The ratio is SUPER important and should not be neglected. Super simplified, it just determines how hard/steep the compressor is attenuating once the threshold is exceeded. 3. The explanation of the knee is wrong. The "knee" really just dictates how quickly the compression starts to grip once the threshold is exceeded. A "soft" knee can be visualized as a smooth curve, while a "hard" knee is an aprupt change of angle. :)

[@DMurdock]

I think 1&2 are just oversimplifications in the video. He does say that setting the ratio to infinite will get you "what we're talking about", which is chopping off. In this case, he should have started with the ratio though, because starting with "chopped off" might give the wrong impression to someone who's only half paying attention. I think he should have used the word shrinking instead of chopping. That would have been a more accurate visualization.

[@HUSTLERSINC]

Yeah this is more correct

[@warrenburroughs3025]

I came here to make exactly the same reply. This is incredibly misleading. If you are a beginner looking for an explanation of compression look elsewhere. Audio being chopped off? That's clipping, and the fact that someone would even think of saying that is compression is not oversimplification it's just misinformation.

[@LAxemann]

@@DMurdock Even that would not technically be correct, as most compressors with an infinite ratio will in fact not limit as they lack a lookahead. Meaning An itsy bitsy will always pass through, which is enough to destroy whatever you're trying to achieve at times. As I said, I understand the video is meant to simplify, but there is a thin and delicate line between simplifying and giving wrong information and it's dangerous. If you take wrong information for granted, you might not learn as quick or efficient because you base new input on wrong assumptions. Simplified information allows you to build upon once more advanced information comes along. Wrong information has to be knocked out of your head first before advanced information can be processed.

[@ryo-kai8587]

Yeah, "chopping" is definitely the wrong imagery. Essentially compressors _dip the volume in real-time_ by reacting to whatever crosses the threshold. How many dB a sound is above the threshold (and the ratio) will affect how far it dips, while attack affects how quickly it dips, and release affects how quickly it fades back to full volume.

[@BodyOfPlayMusic]

Thanks for reminding us again at the end that if it sounds good it sound good. Because music can become endlessly stressing. Bless Oversampled!!

[@TimWrightDJ]

This is really what I took away from this video most. I've spent two decades looking up what settings to use on different instruments, and I've always struggled with compression, but I've just spent 5 minutes experimenting and probably got some of the best results I ever have.

[@MarkVank]

I've been a producer for almost 7 years and despite considering myself advanced and having a ton of streams, I've never used manual compressors due to not understanding the concept. Now I understand them and I'm sure my overall quality will improve because of that. This is the exact video I've been looking for for 7 years.

[@balls261]

How have you been producing for 7 years and never used a compressor.

[@MarkVank]

@@balls261 I’ve used them, just not the ones you need to configure yourself. Take RVox for example

[@TheBroknPezDispenser]

@@balls261 Right?🙄

[@gravity00x]

The future is now old man. Compressors are becoming less and less popular to achieve volume change over time.@@balls261

[@TRVladdy]

calling cap. 7 years... and you can't even spot that there is a bunch of misinformation in the video. it's true that 7 years isn't even that long when it comes to music production, but in your case, I must wonder what you have been doing for 7 years to lack behind this much?

[@essisaysgoodnight]

This was honestly the most useful video on compression I’ve found, I have a better understanding of how to use it, thank you!

[@EIDimension]

Wow, music production and mixing is looking a lot less complicated the more videos I watch, and this one really simplified compression for me

[@darianburcea]

Straight to the point, 4 entire minutes of explaining what everything in a compressor does and how to use it properly for any kind of mix. You are a legend

[@duduodin7243]

Dude thank you. This was straight up the easiest to understand video explaining how compressors work. For a visual learner it was perfect. Being able to see those DB reduction automations that have the same effect on the sounds as the different compression settings made everything I know about compression fit together in my mind and make sense. Thanks, you keep me inspired.

[@jacksingh6763]

This is probably the most streamline compressor video I’ve seen yet. Excellent delivery!

[@huber-lofiandchillbeat]

Compressor are one of the first pure mixing effects people use, maybe with eq, and for me at the beginning it looks so complicated and I don't really know why to use them, but I still used them x) thanks to people like you it's clear now ^^

[@tanner.mackey.mp3]

Honestly, from what I've learned, you want to be really really careful putting compression on stuff during the mixing stage, because you can hammer all the subtlety and transients out of the music and make it very "brick walled" by the end product. It's best to use compression over the whole track during the mastering process to preserve dynamics and give the song a sense of cohesion

[@huber-lofiandchillbeat]

@@tanner.mackey.mp3 at the moment I only compress the guitar I record and sidechain bass with kick, and compression on master, so not too far of what you are saying I guess!

[@tanner.mackey.mp3]

@@huber-lofiandchillbeat good! Yeah that sounds like it'll be a nice clean mix :)

[@huber-lofiandchillbeat]

@@tanner.mackey.mp3 hopefully 🙏

[@Pbjtime]

This is really useful, I can't wait for more videos like this!

[@HalilHajjar]

Now I understand the basics of compression. This is very helpful, especially since I use a lot of hard hitting sounds in my productions.

[@utkarsh12]

so many uses of compression as well. Creative compression (OTT, sausage fattener) to get other worldy sounds. Mixing compression, to control the transients of a sound and reduce the dynamic range to get it to sit better in a mix. Bus compression to make a layer of synths sound uniform, or a bunch of drum samples sound like 1 drum kit. Sidechain compression to get a pumping sound, if you get really wild you can get an LFO type effect with this. Parallel compression where you really push the paratmeters of a compressor and squash the sound, but mix it in slighty with the orirgnal channel. Also transient shaping (DS-10) is a type of compression or an ADSR shaper to shape sounds

[@rollclubmusic]

Best explanation on compression ever.

[@mazobojo]

Very kind to put a simple explanation of an often confusing concept out to the public, I’m sure every beginning producer will be happy to find a resource like this.

[@thetimestampguy6111]

Compression is like one of the gem in the gunlet when u get it you feel like thanos😈💎

[@chrissaavedra9803]

Thank you for making something so easy to understand, especially since I've been trying to learn for such a long time

[@JalleMusic]

not a related question to the video but what skin do u use for your ableton? looks fancy

[@jamfellamusic]

There is a link of his Ableton Theme in 'About' section on channel

[@JalleMusic]

@@jamfellamusic thanx

[@carazy123_]

I think it’s sometimes more intuitive to use the other visualization for Ableton’s compressor that shows the gain line. The knee clearly becomes a rounded threshold, and the ratio and gain reduction are easy to understand.

[@sinistar3198]

Unironically the visual readout on Image Line's maximus explained everything to me. I had no idea what was going on until I could actually fuck with my own knee.

[@q2forever778]

dude you sound in this video is top notch , the gain level is perfect compared to many others

[@vulcanstarlight]

This is a tutorial I have been in dire need of for a while now! Thank you!

[@CrapZackGames]

I'm not a pro, but a good tip I heard once is to never adjust compression when soloing a track!

[@sneeznoodle]

Man, I know nothing about audio or music, but this channel really makes me want to learn.

[@ktakeshi17]

Thank you. I often find it hard to explain to others what compression does. Your video now makes it so easy. Thank you.

[@Oversampled]

Glad it helped :)

[@nopaprr]

compression seems like a subtle art

[@brownpunk1794]

It is!

[@theogdoctor_3892]

This is exactly what I needed. Great work!!

[@onetwo234]

THIS THE FIRST TIME I UNDERSTOOD COMPRESSION BEST VISUAL THANK YOU

[@juschu85]

If you want to understand better what the knee parameter does, switch to the curve view in Ableton's compressor and just play with the knee parameter. As long as you understand how to read that curve with knee at 0, it will be pretty self-explanatory. It basically makes the threshold soft and when the signal gets louder, the compression slowly fades in instead of suddenly starting when the signal hits the threshold. And with "slowly" I'm not referring to the reaction speed of the compressor with a single impulse (that's where you use the attack parameter), but rather multiple impulses where the next one always is slightly louder than the previous one

[@jaredjanzen6481]

This video is perfection. You get right to the point, its presented nicely, and I actually feel like the information given will be retained. Thank you so much for this video.

[@DJMoneybeats]

I still don’t understand. Maybe my wife is right. I might be stupid

[@coiaasaleatroias2845]

Deep

[@steliokontos2673]

That makes 2 of us 😢

[@rodolforincon8431]

Why didnt i find this a couple months ago…beautiful

[@BlaszkaRAP]

Nicely easly explained 😊 just one thing - compressor is not chopping of the peaks it's just squashing them. Clipper can chop

[@Juliano_DJOL]

Wow I really wish I wld have seen this 15 years ago when I got started. I've seen and heard alot of people explain compression but this may have been the best.

[@FedericoAmbrosi]

'If It sounds good sounds good' ! Man you legend!! thanks for the video

[@patrickrowe6745]

Exactly what I am looking for

[@hey_maurice]

Ugh. LOVING these fundamental tutorials. Great job again, dude!

[@saucynes1817]

best tutorial I’ve watched about compression

[@MattFlanc]

Very well explained

[@pindebraende]

It might be hard to get the auditory examples because, i think, youtube adds compression on every video ti smooth out levels 😅 even worse if you're watching on a TV. Anyway, appreciate the video! Helped me understand some details of how my compression plugin works 😊

[@GRVWY]

This title is 👌🏻

[@danpettimusic]

Thank you. Always appreciate your insight. Yes more of this!

[@FunkyJay]

I understood this stuff already but having a more visual breakdown really tied it all together in my brain! 👍

[@lh2227]

Thank you so much Oversampled!!

[@MeowingtonsPhDJ]

Oh, this corrected my misunderstanding of the knee feature! But the explanations were very thoughtful, concise and clear! I really wish this video existed earlier!

[@PCuser0137]

came here for sound file compression. Took me longer than I'd like to admit. Still intersting, nice video👍

[@UrbanLikwid]

Here is an easy way to explain it from the 90's true story perspective... My friends used to rap on the same track (4 rappers), to keep their rap verses smooth from their levels jumping all over the place on the record their engineer goes hey you guys need a "compressor". They put a compressor on the channel and wow-la everything is level and not spiking vocal levels spiking all over the place. Words of the wisdom, don't put a compressor on a channel just cause you think it may sound right or you "think" you have to. You have to know/how to use one properly if you want your mix proper.

[@Quenaelin]

Excellent educational video. I already knew the theory since I started making music with Buzz tracker and used compressors starting in 1999 and with that tracker you can see results in oscillator output view in real time. I hate extensive use of compression in todays modern music production it is killing dynamics in music, for example plectra sounds can be high lighted to front and vocals are too much back that you can't hear any lyrics, also autotune is killing music, because it kills detune in vocals which gives personality and character to voice. Give real music a change and don't destroy it with all this available technology, you have to understand what you are doing.

[@negvey]

best fkin explanation my gawd, took 10 years to find it lol

[@_nimrod92]

Clear and straight to the point

[@5stringsire]

I’m so glad I saw this

[@wearecircusent]

“If it sounds good, it sounds good and thats it!” Please explain this to the label that tried to grill me on not being a mastering engineer on top of being a self taught producer! Like dude..I’m the creative, I make a song that sounds good. Its not my dream to also be on the technical side of getting it “commercially ready”. Thats the job of you or a studio engineer🙄😤

[@tmoblak]

very clever way to explain compression with volume automation! that photo in 3:59 my my day tho.

[@ILLICITNOISE]

I love you and the content

[@TH-ul1kf]

You made it so simple! Thanks!

[@qbanking]

Great visual explanation, thanks and great job 😊

[@theunconciousmind7314]

Does the compressor touch the transient below the attack? Im kind of confused with this?

[@theunconciousmind7314]

I mean i know it doesn't take it for the signal input but i was wondering if its also been affected

[@Narokx]

Why couldn't you have made this 5 years ago? Why did I have to suffer through so many bad tutorials? jokes aside, this video really a must watch for beginners

[@jaidCodes]

I clicked on it, because I thought this would be about lossy encoding like MP3 or AAC. Watched it anyways, because it was still interesting.

[@canadiansoul9401]

Thanks for the video hello from Brazil.

[@badaegis]

The knee thing was super useful; thanks!

[@George-p9George___02]

Optimistically facing the challenge of fund loss and the pursuit of recovery.

[@maverickREAL]

I was gonna comment "actually I understand this less now hurrhurrhurr" for the meme but this actually makes a lot of sense

[@norfsyq9660]

This is actually a very good explanation

[@Zenvo-uu9tm]

You actually gave a real life mixing scenario on how the knee could, for exp, affect a drum bus compression. While your example was great, But the explanation could be somehow misleading to some, as the knee if increased starts a gradual compression even before signal exceeding threshold, in your example, the hi hat happened to be close enough to the threshold you set, for it to trigger the compresser since the knee was increased. Bottom line, if hi hat was a bit lower in gain, no significant trigger to compressor would have happened, unless of course you lowered threshold more. Thanks for video

[@TraxtasyMedia]

more of these videos please

[@BeholdSevenWoes]

Thank you!

[@twiddle10000]

Lol I thought this would be about file compression where file sizes are made smaller, but this is interesting too.

[@musicbykronix]

So easy and clean explaination

[@H3LLRAZ0R98]

My only thing is...pancz is a clipper, which, from my understanding, is different from a compressor. I'm not by any means a pro at understanding compression but I feel this needs to be pointed out. I have struggled with trying to fully understand compression. Feel free to correct me.

[@Rickholly74]

A compressor is not a limiter and does not chop off the audio, it just reduces the louder peaks.

[@iwasplayingsomegames2287]

ROFL misread the title as "compassion!" Was really interested to find out how to understand compassion XD

[@A.RAWSHAN]

If i set Slow attack on kick since the transient is allowed, there will be no compression at all. Is this right or wrong!

[@forsale313]

Thank you for the ez explanation. Bottom line....If it sounds good it is good!

[@davidbenmarti]

The robotic oversampled doesnt say hell yeah

[@Zeniadix714]

Abletons compressor and Pancs for when I get back

[@tylowe78]

A lot of times when people post videos regarding effects. When they turn the effects on and off majority of the time I don't hear any difference when they turn an effect on or off.

[@hinkeltwister7311]

Had that as well in this vid, anyways, you could improve your skill to hear these kinds of sounds with training, at least that's what I've seen. And ofcourse upgrading your audio setup might be good

[@tylowe78]

@@hinkeltwister7311 ok. Thanx

[@Juliano_DJOL]

A good way to see the knee is on the logic platinum compressor, it's pretty much an attack for how fast the compression starts.

[@baryaish]

Great and Easy Explanation! ❤❤❤

[@BustardMustard]

this made me as an FL user consider switching to ableton haha great video :)

[@extendeadclips8210]

Thank you bro

[@memeswillneverdie]

I mean it doesn't really just "chop off" the loud parts, it makes the quite parts louder and the louder parts quieter thus flattening the dynamic range of the signal.

[@MastrKillz]

Doing the lords work

[@em8969]

Thankyou!!

[@Martin-vj7zx]

Ok so if i turn down the threshhold, it gets compressed, but how much? Should i only compress the transients or all the signal? What does ratio mean? I dont undersrand that.

[@Oversampled]

With an infinite ratio the sound will get cut out at the threshold line. Compress to the point where it sounds good, not too dynamic, spiky and not too squashed. Ratio determines how much there will be compression per certain threshold levels, it's some crazy math

[@Modrunnermusic]

I honestly couldnt tell the difference when it was on or off in your demonstration.

[@JacobGagoOfficial]

Nice work I would say cut off the transients instead reduce. Limiters however are cutting off.

[@Markko1986]

Excellent 👌🏽👌🏽

[@sweeslymaak7826]

Thanks for that last tip. Music is just about sounds hahaha Great explanation tho 👍

[@brownboy0004]

Thank you for the video

[@leandrofigueira4015]

Also make sure to turn off auto makeup, otherwise you’ll never understand compression! Great vid man!

[@LonelyStarOfficial]

Pls is there a way for Studio one to resample

[@schautamatic]

I’m still confused, but less so now. I guess that’s the effect compression has. 😄

[@joacoprudente1593]

thank you doctor

[@OBoneKanOB]

Great video. I couldn't catch some ends of sentences. Your voice trails off in volume. Might wanna run your vocals through a compressor? Normalize I think it's called. Good job, Bro.

[@MusicWorkflowAcademy]

Cool video!

[@tenzindhondupofficial]

Amazing video

[@syrupwhnotvyrogssecondacco4338]

this one was helpful!

[@vishal8348]

Make more tutorials like this like parallel compression

[@firvlays]

Great vid. How do u make curvy automations? I use Ableton 11 and their are straight red lines