#31
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Derek Coombs Youtube -> Website -> Music -> Tabs Guitars by Mark Blanchard, Albert&Mueller, Paul Woolson, Collings, Composite Acoustics, and Derek Coombs "Reality is that which when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away." Woods hands pick by eye and ear
Made to one with pride and love To be that we hold so dear A voice from heavens above |
#32
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The key point is makeup gain since thats just another gain stage. You don't have to add more gain just because you reduce peak volume. There are too many situations where using automatic gain reduction only to make everything louder defeats the purpose of automatic gain reduction in the first place.
As for expanders. Well, I use Sonnox Dynamics and the expander in that works like a gate but with variable ratio. Maybe I've been wrong this whole time... |
#33
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The mechanism (usually a small amplifier) that is controlled by the release parameter of a compressor(although it surely can be pre-determined/pre-set by some manufactures) is an amplifier that's job is to ramp up a signal that's been knocked back. If the signal has been knocked back substantially and the release control is set to a very fast "rise" you're gonna notice (the key word being notice) the noise floor appearing to rise. It is true in MOST cases the signal that is being boosted by the op-amp usually can't rise above the pre-set threshold level before the comp slaps it back down. Engineers and sound guys have labeled the artifacts of these see-saw events as "pumping and breathing" and they can absolutely make a noisy track appear to be noisier. It's the LAST device I'd consider for controlling and runaway/high noise floor problems. All of the above not withstanding the issues that have come up concerning make-up gain. That'll fall under the heading of Mr. Obvious. Then on to address acoustic guitars and compression. It is my experience that players who would benefit most from a compressor, that is to say a guitar player that has never worked on his right hand attack and plays with little consistency and massively varied peaks and valleys, theoretically stands to gain the most by compressors. As the sole job of the comp is to mitigate those differences. That said when a guitarist dynamics are off by those kind of margins it's simply impossible for the compressor to coral those peaks without producing some very ugly sonic artifacts. The reality there is even a very light (2:1) compressor with a high threshold and slow release a) won't fix the track and b) leaves some noticeable junk in it's wake. Which is why I scratch my head when guys and gals use compression without having a clue as to what it does. The really trained and talented studio guitarist usually provide a silky consistent track and while adding compression can help from a tonal perspective it's of little use in an attempt to create even dynamics as the dynamics are already....even. YMMV |
#34
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A silky consistent track may be what a studio guitarist is called upon to deliver in certain situations (you can be there but we really don't want to know your name) . Other times his role may be to be more percussive and dynamic.
The solo guitarist, more likely the OP situation, may appropriately play fairly dynamically flat for such music styles as new age or Celtic like music or may play over a wide dynamic range with sudden volume changes in such styles as blues, flamenco or tap style playing. In the latter case it is not a good use of compression to try and reign that in as it is part of the intent, life and impact of the music. Unfortunately however in many listening situations such as when driving in your car the ambient noise of the environment can make listening to music with a large dynamic range difficult. An end use compression knob would be nice in such situations (little chancethat will ever happen though).
__________________
Derek Coombs Youtube -> Website -> Music -> Tabs Guitars by Mark Blanchard, Albert&Mueller, Paul Woolson, Collings, Composite Acoustics, and Derek Coombs "Reality is that which when you stop believing in it, doesn't go away." Woods hands pick by eye and ear
Made to one with pride and love To be that we hold so dear A voice from heavens above |