How to understand and use compression: In-depth tutorial

This video is taken directly from the Pro Production System. Learn more here: utm.guru/uetkh
☛ Grab your FREE mixing cheatsheet and get on my list for the best audio training on the web: www.mixcheatsheet.com
Compression is the most powerful and most misunderstood tool in the mix.
This video will help you understand compression and start to hear how it works.
What I cover:
☛ what is a compressor
☛ compressor controls: what they are + what they do (threshold, ratio, attack, release, gain/output)
☛ examples to show you how the play between the ratio, attack and release powerfully shapes a mix's sound + character

[@Eldurrino]

I have been taking mixing/mastering classes via SkillShare for the past 2-3 months, and nothing I have watched has been as clear or concise as your videos. Seriously, I cannot thank you enough for taking the time to explain specifics and backing those up with examples.

[@MaggaWavs]

Why would you pay for that when you have professional mixers giving lessons and tips here for free?

[@Ambolik]

4:20 Beware: Attack time is not a delay of reaction, it's the time it takes once the threshold is exceeded to plenty reduce the gain set by the ratio, so the statement "30ms attack = wait 30ms, then start turning down" is wrong, it's rather: "30ms attack = once the threshold is exceed, progressively turn down to fully reach after 30ms the maximum gain reduction related to the ratio setting". ;)

[@nfsak]

I think people should always use an ADSR envelope to show how this works, like the vital synth has this flowing animation on the ADSR and you can add attack and, "knee" making it sharp or more of a mountain slope, and that's kinda a visual representation of he fundamental enveloping of a compressor. The deal is the compressors has 2 less parameters it only an AR (Attack, Realese) instead of and attack, decay, sustain and release (ADSR).

[@RyanKelley]

Other Mix & Master KZbinrs: Well this is how you always have to do it or else everyone will hate your musicsand you will die... HCMS: This is what each of these controls do and how it changes your sound, figure out what you like and what fits your style. Thank you for such a refreshing and educational breakdown that isn't plagued with "rules", "musts", and "alwayss".

[@thespacealienssmogandgrog4283]

You're like the KZbin mixing community's best kept secret. That was a spectacularly clearheaded and concise explanation of compression. 👍👍👍👍👍

[@BillGraper]

Sometimes I wish someone would say the FULL meaning of the ratio. The way everyone describes it, it sounds like you have to be 4 Db over the threshold to get compression. The truth it it's all relative. With a 4:1 ratio, if you go over the threshold by 1 Db, it'll let .25 through. If you're over by 2 Db, it'll allow .5 through.

[@jonathangossett7]

half way through this video and I already understand what the hell I need to do with a compressor 1000% better than I did before hand. Absolutely subscribing

[@madmuso5]

Nice video. To set the attack time, especially on drums, i have a similar method that works everytime and is super easy. I will find a snare hit and set a really tight loop point so that its like the snare being played on all four downbeats at a decent pace. Crank the threshold/input, set high ratio and fast release. Now adjust the attack while the snare hit is being looped. The human ear is very good at detecting differences in sound so adjusting the attack time while the same snare hit is being played over and over with speed makes it much easier to find the sweet spot.

[@OGDarkestDave666]

outstanding tutorial ive been using compressors for years and never truly understood them like I do now thank you

[@elijaheze2698]

Mixing with understanding is all I ask for, and I can boldly say thank you! You are a great teacher with nothing to hide!

[@xziggyx1]

I don’t think I’ve ever had this explained to me like this. (Especially the attack) I’ve engineered my own and many others music for many years and have made quite decent songs. But this will probably throw me across that line. Thank you soooo much

[@hardcoremusicstudio]

☛ I made a Mixing Cheatsheet which gives you the go-to compression settings for each track in your mix. Grab the cheatsheet for free here: mixcheatsheet.com

[@OficialDanielSolares]

Hands down, this is the best compression crash course I ever watched. Thanks!

[@valerijgransen]

Hervorragendes Tutorial. Ich benutze Kompressoren seit Jahren und habe sie nie so wirklich verstanden wie jetzt. Vielen Dank

[@davejohnsonmusic]

Probably the best explained and demonstrated tutorial on compression that I've seen. Jordan is such a great teacher.

[@heyiplaybassguitar]

Great video! Thanks for the breakdown of all of the functions and different types. Really like the approach of cranking the amount of gain reduction and moving the attack time around... you really get a sense of how the attack time influences the transient... and also the character of the compressor as well! Quality content as always.

[@nbctheoffice]

This was so incredibly informative. Thank you. It looks like I’m strapping in for the rest of your content!

[@leonardogarcia6447]

I've never commented on any youtube video IN MY LIFE!!! But I honestly have to thank you for such a valuable piece of info as if someone gave you the directions in a maze!

[@Exchange0516]

The best explanation about this topic so far. At least for me and I've watched many vids. Nice job.

[@eweeparker]

Stellar video! I've learned so much from you so far. Thanks as always.

[@dani.papaya]

Thank you for this relaxed description, very understandable and aplicable

[@Annunaki_0517]

Best explanation of how to think about and adjust attack and release time I’ve heard.

[@aevanelstprojects8926]

! Great teaching! Thank you very much for your clear examples....

[@jimshomestudio4669]

Video is loaded with info. Starts good and gets awesome. 👍 [rewind:replay]

[@scott7521]

Thank you for what you do. You're a good teacher

[@BillGraper]

I remember the first time I used a compressor on a vocal. There was one line where a couple words were noticeably quieter. I was so used to hearing it like that, and I got used to it. I put a compressor on the track & gave it a 4:1 ratio. When I was done for the day, I closed the project. I didn't work on it again for about 5 days. The whole time, I still had the quiet words in my mind, as if it was still like that. I got a huge surprise when I opened the project & listened. I was still expecting the quieter words, but what I heard was a more uniform vocal. I was thinking "Wow, it actually sounds great!" I opened the FX chain & saw the compressor. I completely forgot I had that on there, so it took me by surprise when I heard it. That was when I knew about the power of a compressor.

[@eichlers__]

incredible, this is the best explanation ive ever heard. THANK U!!!!

[@mmandirodriguez]

what an incredible content with an immense ease of teaching... congratulations... I'm starting to produce electronic music your video added a huge opening in my way of understanding this subject... If possible, keep releasing content of this genre, because its shape of teaching is quite enlightening. As a suggestion, which books, videos and methods do you recommend so that we can seek knowledge for musical and technical self-development? Thanks...waiting for more content...

[@bryanangcos5991]

I watch your videos and it amazes me ty so much. ❤

[@eduvfxmedia]

This was extremely helpful, thank you.

[@RealUKBlackMetal]

Perfect video, so clearly explained, thank you!

[@improvewitherror]

Great video, very well explained.

[@waliddeui6725]

the best channel ever

[@TI_Ted]

brilliant. so much better than the read out the manual approach

[@djw457]

What a great overview, sometimes with all the tech talk and jargon, it's easy to forget what compression is actually doing and why we use it. This helped me clarify my thinking.

[@blkbird]

I think ‘why we use it’ is the absolute most important aspect of compression. Once you understand its elements, the natural question is: what does their interaction do to our perception of sound? That is probably where the true mastery of compression lies.

[@piotrkanarek]

Phenomenal tutorial. Thank you!

[@genedaniels2962]

I really needed this video. I've pretty much dropped all my mix/prod video subs and sticking to HCMS channel and one other engineer that uses my same setup UA/Apollo/SSL + Luna. Think I may just have to pull the trigger and start the PPS training program.

[@mickeymiguel2726]

Thank you for the brilliant tip of the pro vocal

[@AlexeySolovievMusic]

Super amazing and super useful video!

[@bossistheboss6996]

Great explanations 👌🏻 Thanks

[@DrProgNerd]

Great tutorial. Thank you.

[@austinskaleckimusic]

Great tutorial!

[@timcwalker]

Great video. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.

[@Pax30001]

Thank you for sharing!

[@flapjackmack8778]

where has this video been all my life? 😭

[@Lukewarmrats]

Fantastic video!

[@mikedamisch]

YES!! Exactly the video I need.

[@kylerferrill8252]

I listened to a Jack Joseph Puig interview where he talked about being able to move a musician’s performance in front or behind the behind the beat by altering the attack times. It sounded like it was his go-to technique before editing with protools became standard.

[@kellysiba8027]

Thank you mate I love this💯

[@ksmooth7667]

I watched this and for the first time actaully understood everything compression does, u make it so clear also maybe I'm a bit more focused then before 😅

[@thegroove2000]

Well explained.

[@maxwitriol]

Great video. Although I've had compression explained to me and half understood it, this is definitely the best and most lucid presentation I've encountered. I look forward to re-watching it and trying stuff out, now that I now what I should be expecting. Quick question: if you find out the settings of the various vintage compressors you mentioned at the end, would it be enough to dial them in on a standard eg Logic compressor plug-in? Or is there more to it than that?

[@jackstargazer5976]

Thanks man!!

[@misselaineeos]

I never "got" ratio until now. Thanks.

[@jamieremus277]

Thank you! 🙂

[@SuperLevelone]

Super clear

[@CMCazhar]

This is sooooo helpful..... Thanks bro 🤘🤘🤘🤘

[@rjcbh23]

excellent

[@SandalwoodBros]

Low-key sick drum track choice... Bonham's Fool in the Rain groove

[@labatika]

thank you

[@TWSBofficial]

this is gold

[@rolandnelsonofficial]

Clear and well explained. Appreciate the effort...

[@em8969]

Thanks buddy

[@GLENNKEARNEY1]

love it

[@theAxehound]

Best one yet!! I'm actually mastering a HC/YouthCrew/PMA type Oi Punk EP, so def digging this page! I bought a Carvin CG200 Opti for the job and it has 8 freakin knobs. Anybody ever used one of these, or know anything about it? I spent 3-4 hours with it last night and honestly came away more confused (if that's even possible)! I'm about to spend another 3-4 hours with it tonight and would love any advice, settings, or just a base starting point to knock down some peaks. The 8 knobs are; 1: Threshold 2: Ratio 3: Attack 4: Release 5: Output Gain --Gate-- (can be turned off) 6: Threshold 7: Ratio 8: Release The comp's Attack and Release are on an odd scale. The Attack is "4" at 7 o'clock, 40 at 12 o'clock and 400 at 5 o'clock. The Release is 10 at 7 o'clock, 1000 at 12 o'clock and 2000 at 5 o'clock. I assume those are milliseconds, but its such an odd jump, I guess its multiplying times 10 as you turn it clockwise(?) Anyway, thanks for the video and any advice, settings, or just a base starting point to knock down some peaks would be greatly appreciated! Thanks

[@yudhaarau]

Nice , new sub

[@irpacynot]

Really good video. Are you using compression during the recording process for each track, or after?

[@akeyzstudio6620]

hello do you have complete tutorials especially your drum mixes are so so great i can only dream to mix like you

[@krispysox]

It has taken me years to get my head around compression. Even now, I have to be stoned to understand it. Without that spliff, it turns back into wizardry.

[@EdwinDekker71]

In most compressors the attack and release times are not times in literal millisecs, they are simply time constants in the algorhythm it uses. Edit: the ratio is often related to the knee, especially in the 76

[@michailluuko3909]

Lets make it clear. Attack is the constant time given to imaginable volume fader to move down all the way to the point defined by ratio. So the kick in of a compressor happens the moment after detecting signal exceeding the threshold but not after some time later. Isn't attack time confused here?

[@NaturalMysticism]

Good shit.

[@mariovaliquette5310]

Thx 😋

[@joelarmendariz8876]

nice

[@rlibby404]

So, your tutorial is great, I'm just wondering if you have anything "pro" level about compressors you feel good talking about. How about some unique examples with lessons you learned that you hadn't learned until you did that thing? Link if you got one please.

[@peterorany]

Greay thabks

[@tylerbuckner3750]

I’m experimenting with drum triggers and MIDI drum samples at the moment. Wondering how compressors work with such isolated drums and their velocity differences.

[@fantomie7569]

Great video Jordan! Where Can I get the full course?

[@hardcoremusicstudio]

hardcoremusicstudio.com/pps/

[@chrissekely]

The built-in compressors I use on the Behringer Wing have attack, *hold*, and release. What does the hold do? How is it different from release? How would I use it to benefit my mix the best?

[@realguitarstuff]

Great video! Just one question or a thing I missed on the release: The release starts to get applied once the signal leaves threshold, correct?

[@alexeysmirnovguitar]

That's right. The release time determines how long it takes a compressor to relax completely. Attack is the time to apply maximum gain reduction from the moment the signal goes over the threshold. The determination of the attack time in the video is not correct. Compression kicks in immediately depending on the threshold, compressor does not wait!

[@realguitarstuff]

@@alexeysmirnovguitar thanks a lot!

[@kevinmalisek9353]

@@alexeysmirnovguitar While I agree with what you are saying about the attack time, I need to correct you as well. This depends on the actual compressor. Yes, most compressors work as you described. The attack time is the time it takes the compressor to reach the maximum gain reduction. What Jordan said in the vid, however, is also true for certain compressors, though I can't think of any example off the bat. These compressors work like Jordan said, they start applying reduction AFTER the attack time period. There are SIGNIFICANTLY fewer of such compressors on the market today though so the whole misconception thingy is understandable.

[@alexeysmirnovguitar]

@@kevinmalisek9353 I'll be glad to know some actual devices/plugins that perform the way you describe!

[@krazy2094]

Any thoughts on a Urei 1178, just picked one up

[@KadokiPo]

How to compress signal with big dynamic range?

[@anwarshadaab]

I wanna ask how good Auto release works? I am just a beginner so just asking the experts

[@user-ul9oc1lj9x]

1st thank you. always.....

[@Lennie_peled]

I hate to be this guy but your attack definition is wrong. It's not "how quickly the compressor will start reacting" it really is just how long it will take the compressor to fully reduce the gain. The compressor itself will immediately start to kick in when the gain has passed the threshold. Attack is just slowing gradually the rate of gain reduction! For example: the compressor will fully reduce the gain by the time 30ms have passed.

[@tidusandjecht10]

Very interesting, never realized this.

[@Xyu_TeBe_B_PoT_CyKa_CoCoK_228]

Hove comp fast metal kick ??

[@danmagee5]

So what I've been reading online is you don't want to use compression on everything. It would be cool to have a video on when to use compression and when not to. If compression is used on every track then the overall result might be a bit muddy.

[@hardcoremusicstudio]

don't live in the land of "if" or "shouldn't." Try stuff, and if it sounds good, keep it! Idea noted though :). There's some form of compression on probably 95% of the tracks in my mixes though... but different ones serve different purposes

[@danmagee5]

@@hardcoremusicstudio cool man thanks

[@danmagee5]

Just a quick note about using one's ears. When I first started recording and mixing I always read about people saying 'use your ears'. But the thing is when you're first starting out you don't know what to listen for, you don't have 'trained ears'. So I agree with using your ears but I would change it to using your 'trained ears'.

[@whome806]

We need a video of the raw and boring part of the tracking process, dialing in guitar tones, bass tones, picking drums that match the song, vocal takes, then into the mixing process where we could see how much compression and eq might be used and the order you like to mix this would give us a better picture of everything all the boring stuff like setting reverbs and delays are super important to get the full picture

[@hardcoremusicstudio]

Yup, that's all in my full program.

[@whome806]

@@hardcoremusicstudio okay, I greatly appreciate the information you give out its helped me alot with my producing and I'll definitley scoop the program when it's out!

[@Mikeluvdrums]

Gonna run down stairs now and experiment with the information you just dispensed .. thanks

[@JLXXPS]

how to know what my audio signal is hitting?

[@brapperdan]

The thing I don’t get is with a slow attack Time the compressor is letting the transient through why does the transient sound amplified and more powerful. If nothing is being done to the transient why does it sound so much stronger. Trick of the mind? Or is it just because of the make up gain?

[@metallicafan3124]

Trick of the mind. The slow attack means the sustain is being turned down, so by comparison the transient sounds louder. Then you turn everything up with the makeup gain to get the volume to match before and after.

[@brapperdan]

@@metallicafan3124 ok thanks man

[@realguitarstuff]

With EQ you have a similar thing: if you want more bass you can either add more lows or just reduce the heights instead. With compressors if you want more transient you just reduce the volume of what comes after transient instead of making the transient louder.

[@denniskielton2447]

This is kinda exactly how compressors work in general. That’s how compressing things and smooshing it somehow makes it sound more punchy and explosive. It cuts down certain things to make other things that are normally too quiet, stand out louder. In this case it’s more punchy BECAUSE it’s being let through and not compressed. The rest of the sound is compressed and limited so the transient sounds louder or technically everything does until the compression kicks in. You just tune the attack time to hit right after the transient, which varies for different instruments. If you wanted you could also make it let through more than the transient or less, but it probably wouldn’t sound that great lol. But that’s why you’d change attack time, different types of transients. But it kinda is a trick, you make certain things quieter to make the things you want appear louder, the controls help you tune it per situation

[@wayne-lj4in]

Hate to be a naysayer, but the definition of attack time as a ‘wait or delay function before attenuation begins is incorrect. Rather it is a rate -think dBs per time of the attenuation to advance upon crossing the threshold. Otherwise- A very nice video. Thank you!

[@mixphantom0101]

"Compressor kicks in based on ratio and attack time" is only true for soft knee compression - and even then the "soft knee" will start compression before reaching the set threshold level. Your fundamental explanation of "attack time" is incorrect too... the threshold is a switch - if signal exceeds the threshold it triggers the attack instantly. The "attack time" is the speed at which the signal is reduced. The amount of reduction is determined by the ratio. When the signal drops below the threshold the "switch" triggers the release... the release time is the speed at which the compressor recovers to nominal (uncompressed) level.

[@RonnieVaiArovo]

3:35 8dB turned down by 6 dB resulting in passing 2dB, not 1 right Jordan?

[@theopinson3851]

Compression and filters.

[@alexeysmirnovguitar]

Man, your explanation of attack is not correct! Compression kicks in as soon as the signal goes over the threshold. The attack time determines how fast the gain reduction will grow. Same thing with the release, but vise versa: as soon as the signal goes below the threshold, the reduction start to die away, the process goes according to the set release value. Otherwise the video is Great!

[@suniso370]

This is true, I paused the video to look for this comment. If anyone is downvoting or having doubts, the behaviour Jordan explained is called "hold" in compressors. Let me try to illustrate: If you have attack set to 1ms and hold to 40ms, what will happen is that the transient of a snare will come through unaffected and after 40ms abrupt compression will occur (say you draw automation points where volume change happens sharply). If you have attack set to 40 ms and hold set to 0, the snare transient will gradually go from 0dB reduction to -8dB reduction, or however much you've set (like using a physical fader for writing volume automation). Now how linear these changes are and how our ears like or dislike this during both attack and release phases is a rabbit hole of geeking over compressor topologies. And yes, this video is among the best ones that are really helpful in understanding compression, and I have learned a lot from Jordan in the last two years.

[@alexeysmirnovguitar]

@@suniso370 in Behringer digital mixing consoles "hold" is the stage before the release, time for the compressor to hold maximum applied gain reduction. I don't know any plugin to act the way you describe... Maybe you tell me one...

[@suniso370]

@@alexeysmirnovguitar You are absolutely right, I rushed to write that first comment, I was thinking about “lookahead” in FabFilter compressor, and this one goes only up to 20ms. Maybe the DMG Compassion has a longer one, I’m not sure. Thanks for pointing it out, I need to edit my comment.

[@alexeysmirnovguitar]

@@suniso370 Lookahead action is also different from your description... Take a look kzbin.info/www/bejne/aWPWeoqifL6Uj6c

[@suniso370]

@@alexeysmirnovguitar You are right again, I totally reversed that and damn, I knew what lookahead does, but I guess today is just not my day. My initial point was that attack time on a compressor does not delay when the compression starts, but how fast it reaches maximum gain reduction, and I was kind of trying to describe with words what could easily be drawn with a couple of lines.

[@idsou]

Sorry but you are wrong about the attack. Attack om 30ms means it takes 30ms until the sound is fully compressed. It will start instantly, its not a delay.

[@gungadin164]

Soooo what the heck is a KNEE

[@HARDLOOK]

So that's what was ruining my mixes.