The Compressor - A Video Manual

The Compressor is one of the most essential mixing tools for any Music Producer or Audio Engineer. In today's episode, Gregor teaches you everything you need to know about it.
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[@fuserproducer]

I would love to see a feature in Studio One that is similar to Pro Tools HD, allowing me to visually see the applied compression on mixing tracks as a compressed orange sub-signal indicator. This animated and moving peak line meter should also indicate the amount of compression applied in real time, providing valuable information (giving more clue)to engineers and producers. Additionally, it would be great to have the compressed signal displayed on the waveform in real time, with visible changes that can be toggled on or off to save CPU and RAM usage. Some modern plugins already offer this feature, and now it's time for Presonus to implement it.That should be a must!

[@deanromarine5001]

Finally!! Someone that expained compression properly and make it understandable! I love your videos!

[@presonus]

Thank you so much! -GBY

[@LiamDTurner]

I just recently switched to Studio One. The stock tools are fantastic. I mean the FAT CHANNEL 😎🤘😎

[@madmartian2564]

I've been mixing for years but videos like these really solidify my knowledge about mixing/mastering and sometimes they even learn me new things I haven't seen yet, thanks!!

[@MrDii35]

🤣🤣 There’s probably a couple of people who will say “Ahhh this is so much better already” 🤣🤣 That’s my favorite part in this video 😄😄 Compressors are really confusing…..😀 Thanks for this video… 🙏🏾🙏🏾

[@Frank-in-NY]

Hey Gregor...Appreciate your explanation of the Compressor. Excellent example with the drums. It's a good starting point for me. Good Job!

[@andrewlucius9794]

I have finally found the video that makes compression click for me. Wow. Thank you so much, Gregor! What a great video.

[@fuserproducer]

If you've never heard of "Into the Lair" with the multiple-Grammy-awarded Dave Pensado, now is the perfect time to check it out on Pensado's Place. He explains a lot about EQ, compression, and the entire world of signal processing in a very simple and visual way. So many viewers learn about Pro Tools, other brands, plugins, and even outboard gear, including their purpose and functionality, just from his tutorials. (BTW Studio One is essentially a newer, improved, more stable, and fully optimized better Pro Tools.)He is a funny genius who genuinely enjoys the art of sound engineering, especially when he has the opportunity to work with big artists.

[@andrewlucius9794]

@@fuserproducer I will look that up. Thank you so much!

[@fuserproducer]

@@andrewlucius9794 You're very welcome😉

[@pmomalley]

Wow! Great explanation. First time I’ve ever understood compression.

[@carmvecchio]

fabulous yet simple explanation of compression. The waveform comparison helps us visual learners. This explains why the drums on a recent mix of mine were so wonky (a Joe-ism lol). TH=20, Ratio=8:1, Attack=4ms, release=250ms. The recipe for disaster. The critiques from my VIP class were spot on, and YOU told me what I did wrong in < 300 seconds. Thanks Gregor.

[@presonus]

Your comment made my day. Thanks so much! -GBY

[@fluteskool8069]

Now its time for dolby atmos support .. looking forward for the update

[@klprecords2]

One of the most video i was Waiting

[@pasihaahkala5963]

Omg, thank you! This was great!

[@PaulSinnema]

Compressors were somewhat mysterious to me until I found this video. Makes so much sense now. Thanks Gregor.

[@presonus]

So glad to hear that! Thank you, Paul. -GBY

[@danielschauer6922]

Great job, Gregor! This is a great explanation that I'll be pointing folks to in the future rather than trying to explain these related topics myself.

[@Tech_Infantry]

Gregor... you are the man!! Big ups.

[@presonus]

Thank you so much! -GBY

[@spokansas]

Excellent! Really clear explanation.

[@presonus]

Thank you so much! -GBY

[@nedim_guitar]

I knew all this already, but this was still a very good explanation of what a compressor does (the ratio etc).

[@presonus]

Glad you enjoyed it! -GBY

[@JimmyWebley]

Thank you Gregor. 🙂👍

[@AndrewGrey22]

One of the most important mixing tools and I hear no difference using one. Ill watch this and see... I understand it but the difference seems more akin to do you like strawberry or butterscotch ice cream. Or do you prefer blue or yellow.

[@presonus]

Hopefully I was able to make you reconsider! :) -GBY

[@tonyrockstudio7334]

Great breakdown of the board and system! Trying to get the project / scene saving. It’s too bad they couldn’t get the DAW down to use it with ProTools. It always has connection issues. Some other groups I work with have PT and it would be nice to have the board work with it. But I have Studio 5 pro so it works great. Thanks for the review

[@sprootx4786]

Studio One is really a very cool DAW, but if they made Real Time visualization of the compression, it would be very cool! For example, in order not to load the project, we select a track, click on Edit, and when we turn the compression parameters, we see exactly what it does, if you implement it, it will be very useful for people who are just starting out or who do not have a prepared room! Thank you very much !;)

[@tumpperi3891]

I was hunting how to tame sub frequencies. The filter in the compressor seems to be quite useful for that.

[@presonus]

Hi, it sort of is - but for frequency specific compression, a Multiband Compressor would probably be a better choice. -GBY

[@tumpperi3891]

@@presonus Yep, experimenting with things it was probably least effective - Or I just suck. Multiband compressor or using splitter with limiter/compressor was quite effective also.

[@timothydillard4192]

Dude thank you so much for this!!

[@lordberly]

10:15 Metallica's Death Magnetic jokes are never too old

[@ourstudiosvizag7488]

jai ho Gregor. Thank You.

[@rickdeaguiar-musicreflecti7692]

Nicely done, Gregor :)

[@corrindion]

Great explanation! Thank you

[@SHVR_v]

Please pay your attention! We all really need a soft takeover! Please add this feature, it opens up a lot of possibilities!

[@jesusflores2121]

Nicely explained.

[@presonus]

Thank you very much! -GBY

[@terrytimberlake8926]

Hold up.. perfectly explained, thank you.. 💯💯👏👏👏👏👏👍👍👍👍

[@presonus]

Thanks so much! :) -GBY

[@bahgo]

Thanks!

[@gkn25]

Hello friend, how can I adjust the yellow indicator that goes up and down on the meter using 3rd party compressor plugins? Studio one appears in its own compressor, but not in ff pro c 2, for example. can you please help?

[@denislocs141]

Thanks and what is that on the table behind you 👊🏿

[@TheOutpostdaily]

This wood thing? I think is a Spring Reverb

[@denislocs141]

@@TheOutpostdaily that's a big spring verb

[@presonus]

Hi, that's the Microphonic Soundbox from LeafAudio. Lovely little percussion instrument. :) -GBY

[@codymyersofficial]

I love the one wild chin hair 😅

[@garyshepherd9226]

A good place to start is also the presets.

[@creatio1]

Hi Gregor! I was wondering how to make a macro to automatically move forward and back in History by a certain number of events on the list (more than one, bacuse that's Crtl+Z/Y doing). That would make comparing two sets of sounds /versions of processing so much easier. Now I do it manually with mouse but it's not very fast and comfortable. Thanks 😊

[@studioonetutorials]

Hi Bartosz. That's as easy as creating a macro and add "Undo" (Ctrl+Z) as many times as you need it. Then do a second macro that contains "Redo" (Ctrl+Y) the same number of times. If you create buttons for both macros on the toolbar, you can use them of course to run the macro but also to quickly edit the macro to adjust the number of Undo/Redo steps in the macro. I hope that helps. If you're new to macros in Studio One, you can learn everything about it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/f4azdamMmtGUfrs -LR

[@creatio1]

@@studioonetutorials Thank you! The simplest solutions tend to work the best :) I tried to build a macro with History command and State parameters, but did not find anything about what that State stands for and how to use it :) Thanks again!

[@studioonetutorials]

@@creatio1 You're welcome. Yes, I also explain the "State" argument in the video. "State" is usually 1 (true), 0 (false) or empty (toggle - depending on if it's currently visible or not). That's how most commands work that have a "State" argument. With the "History" command you only show (1) or hide (0) the History window.

[@creatio1]

@@studioonetutorials Very good video 👍 BTW - the only thing I lack in S1 workflow-like is the ability to temporarily save at least 2 settings/setups for each plugin that you can compare A/B, just like in Waves plugins, for instance. There is a Compare button, I know, but it's very limited due to its reliance on saving the whole project. Do you have any idea if Presonus is going to add such a feature?

[@studioonetutorials]

@@creatio1 I cannot say anything about future developments but I agree. This would definitely be helpful.

[@Janomix]

Excellent and clear explanation, Gregor! Thank you! PS. What microphone are you use in these videos? Sounds so clear and clean despite the distance over the desk and you. Thanks!

[@presonus]

Thank you, Jano! The consistency over distance is actually thanks to the compressor in my microphone processing chain. :) So this is definitely the tutorial to watch if you want a similar sound! The microphone itself is a PreSonus PX-1, amazing value for the price. Check it out: www.presonus.com/en-US/misc/more/microphones/2777300106.html -GBY

[@Janomix]

@@presonus Thanks again, Gregor! Glad to learn with you!

[@Lunolux]

i miss click on this video, but dont regret it, thx, great explaination

[@presonus]

Hahaha! Glad you misclicked. Thank you, Luno! :) -GBY

[@lukaszbudzinski]

5:57 😄

[@TheReagorBrothers]

So do I compress the entire kit or each drum Separately?

[@presonus]

You can do either or both - it's your choice! If you feel that the whole Drum kit needs to be glued together a bit, so that the individual sounds appear more consistent as "one kit", then compressing the entire kit is the way to go. If you'd like to tighten the dynamics and punch of just a few elements, then go for separate compression. If you'd like to achieve both, do both! :) Hope this helps. -GBY

[@TheReagorBrothers]

@@presonus thanks for the reply, your videos have been a tremendous help!

[@marcotrosi]

I know that the attack time starts counting when the threshold level is surpassed. But when does the release time start counting? there are theoretically multiple possibilities. 1. both attack and release time start counting when the threshold level is surpassed attack |-----| release |-------------| 2. release time starts counting when the attack time has elapsed and the compressor starts working |----||-------------| 3. release time starts counting when the signal goes back below threshold |----||------------| Does anybody know?

[@alexchad98]

Wow

[@nandofarfan8849]

Please add the option to create midi, to be able to work with general midi, this is necessary for those of us who work creating sequences for pianos and the pianos can detect the sounds that we assign, it is the only thing that studio one needs, I am forced to work on cakewalk to be able to do that work and I really don't like it, please I ask you to add this function.

[@djcata7474]

No option to auto color, to randomise track colors, no zoom on mixer tracks...

[@actionjackson7809]

who will help me to mix my music ?

[@alexeysmirnovguitar]

Mistake!! Sorry, but the attack DOESN'T WORK as Gregor explained! The compresor does not wait for the attack time to pass when the signal is above the threshold! Gain reduction starts to apply immediately, the attack time only determines HOW FAST it will grow. The release works the opposite way. When the signal drops below the threshold, the gain reduction start to go away immediately, the process goes faster or slower dependiing on the set release time. So the attack/release time really determine THE SPEED, not the time interval to wait. That's the correct interpretation

[@michaelstuben8748]

TV COMMERCIALS ! 😡 We all hate them. - you watch a great movie, with your desired and set loudness and then the ads kick in and blows your ears off! And Yes :- they are allowed to do so in Germany. It has something to do with ( I think): "ads can be as loud as the loudest sound that occurs in the movie" If there ever will come a TV with an inbuild adjustable compressor I would buy it. Sry for offtopic.

[@presonus]

Hi Michael, I feel your pain - I actually have my TV audio output connected to a StudioLive Mixer, exactly for this purpose - to have a Compressor stage built in. If there isn't a standard, we have to create it in our own home! 😂 -GBY