Drum compression

A lot of people talk about how important compression is for hiphop drums.
I think compression is important too. But I only use it for a purpose, not just to use it!
I use compression for squashing the attack of a drum hit, or some times to create an attack, or to color a sound, or to decrease the dynamic range of a track.

All of you people that have been talking about how crucial compression is for drums, can you please explain to me what you're accomplishing by compressing your drums?

Basicly to make them them sit better in the mix/track.But it is possible to over compress.And by that i mean using it too much.

Okay, but I meant more specifically...

For example:
Are you trying to get rid of the attack (peak) of the drum (i.e. setting a fast attack time)?
Or are you trying to create a new attack (peak) for the drum (i.e. setting a slower attack time)?

I'm pretty sure most people compress thier drums to add punch without decreasing headroom. You turn up the Kick too much and your mix is WAY hot, so instead you compres 'em to add punch without amplifying.

I use it for punch...but I have by no means mastered compression. I'd go as far as to say most of my beats sound better without it.

the wonderful world of compression

Yo Anders! I think this comes from the fact that most people don't know what compression actually does. They just hear that it "makes drums hit harder" so they buy it. It's no different that any other piece of gear if you really think about it. So many people buy the latest and greatest and to realise that they have no idea how to use it. Compressors are important, but only in the hands of those that know how to use em. I bought a behringer compressor and took it back the next day. I tried digital compressors and took them back also. Then the salesman at guitar center told me that I needed some $2000 avalon compressor! This all happened when I didn't understand what I was doing with them. Now that I sample my drums..sounds that are already compressed, engineered etc, I don't need a compressor, but if I did, it would be to chill out the attack so the sound would thump a little more... I still don't need to spend 2 grand just to do that.
Good question though.. I kinda get tired of hearing all the, " you need a compressor" answers from folks... as if I compressor is automatically goiing to make a 'blah' drum suddenly BOOM.

We have gotten used to the compressed sound today, you do not necessarily have to use compression at all, especially if you take steps to try and focus on why your using it in the first place and maybe compensate during the recording of the track.


I think it's more of just how music sounds today and how everybody is competing to have the loudest track.

I do use compressors but I understand how to use it and not abuse it, I still want people to hear my instruments natural characteristics.

if your feeling crafty, check this DIY SSL compressor out. www.gyraf.dk/gy_pd/ssl/ssl.htm i've recently built it and it sounds amazing. i've used a few of the consoles as well as the rackmount versions of the compressors and i must admit that they are the sh*t. it's not in a box yet cause that part is tricky but that pile of wires and chips is smoking.

i use them in both ways- i also like to sidechain and stuff- but generally i have my compressor comprssing a whole beat- for certain styles it works well to get that slammin' sound...but i go for that compressed sound with stuff popping and beathing all over the place...

for example- soem of my beats have a real loud kick which sound unbalanced if its any lower- but that starts to eat up headroom so i compress the whole thing (i use a fast rms/peak combo compressor) and sometimes take off upto 6-10db (depending on how it sounds) to get the beat sounding a bit more bal;anced and together-this setting uses a fast attack and timed release, ratio of about 4 and threshold to fit...

but if im doing a more electronic or funky sounding beat (ie house) ill use less compression but use the kick to pump the rest of the beat....

greg

if your feeling crafty, check this DIY SSL compressor out. www.gyraf.dk/gy_pd/ssl/ssl.htm i've recently built it and it sounds amazing. i've used a few of the consoles as well as the rackmount versions of the compressors and i must admit that they are the sh*t. it's not in a box yet cause that part is tricky but that pile of wires and chips is smoking.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

how much did it cost you for all the componenets- i remember looking a while ago and saw that the components came to $300+

greg

If you can actually hear your compressor you've gone to far unless you are using it as an effect. I'll use it to smooth out the dynamic range of a track but with sampled drums I hardly ever find it necessary. I would never track a live drummer without compression though. If your compressor has gates, try extreme settings on the toms to get that "Phil Collins" drum sound....

If your compressor has gates, try extreme settings on the toms to get that "Phil Collins" drum sound....
>>>>>>>.

the best things are often found by acciendt- a lot of the worst too!

greg

If your compressor has gates, try extreme settings on the toms to get that "Phil Collins" drum sound....
>>>>>>>.

the best things are often found by accident- a lot of the worst too!

greg

I think it's more of just how music sounds today and how everybody is competing to have the loudest track.

definitely true with contemporary hip hop. the music is so shallow - and i'm not talking about lyrics or melody. i'm talking about actual song dynamics. everything is surface, there is no subtlety.

don't be afraid to let some things sit so low in the mix they can barely be heard (consider panning this) while others are so loud they seem to drown out the former. this can create a textured song that compression will ruin.

"over"compression suits contemporary hip hop very well for radio and club stuff. it sounds great for what it does. but if you're going for intricacy, it's counterproductive.

use when necessary, avoid when not. but either way, KNOW HOW TO USE IT.

i wish they made a software compressor that actually let you see the results of what you were doing to the wav in realtime while listening to it. this would help me a lot.