Compression on vocals

[Timmsie95]

So I'm syking myself up for recording an EP with my friend, and I'll be using an outboard compressor on the way in, for vocals. I've always just recorded dry, and then used plugins, but I've recently looked into feathering out a bit more, and i plan on lightly compressing it on the way in, and then barely touching it with a plugin compressor.
Since I've never used an outboard compressor, i have no idea where to start. Could someone possibly give me some guidelines on some settings?
Thanks  :rock-on:

 

[mayfly]

Depends on the compressor - they all behave differently.  As a rule of thumb I'd use a fast attack, slow-ish decay and a ratio of around 2:1.  That way you won't over-compress it and totally mess up that otherwise perfect take.  If it were something like an LA-2A you can get away with larger ratios, but that's a pretty special box.  I'd have the singer do the song and listen carefully for 'pumping' or other un-desierable stuff.

But back to plugins - plugin compressors are pretty damn good these days. You can experiment after the fact, automate parameters for different sections, and there is no risk of ending up with an over-compressed track.  Why no just stick with a plugin?  Unless you have a wildly out of control source that needs limiting, I really don't see why you'd want to compress up front.

 

[Timmsie95]

Okay thanks.

I'm just trying it from a new angle, i guess. And trying to keep the load off of the computer as much as possible. I'm trying more of a Mike Holmes approach, you know, "do it right the first time" kind of thing. Haha.

Plus i just got an ART Voice Channel for like $200, mint condition, so i figured I might as well try the compressor on it.

 

[swarfrat]

I understand the appeal, whether or not it bears out in practice I dunno. But I wanted some sort of safety net ahead of the ADC so I never clipped. I've been told just record in 24 bit. I dunno. I still think the MSB's are more significant than the LSB's.

 

[Timmsie95]

I don't even know if I'll end up recording the final tracks this way, just gonna play it by ear. I can send an unaffected signal through to the interface as well, so I can a/b it.

 

[Timmsie95]

I just realized that i can also try a re-amp style approach, so i can tweak the settings with a recorded track, and then record it with the settings perfect. Basically, plough the mic into the interface, and record a track, and then set the output to that track to an auxillary output on my interface, and run that output into the input of my ART Voice Channel, and the output of the Voice Channel into an unused input on the interface, and create a track with that as the input, hit play, and tweak until it's perfect, then record it over with the perfected settings.
Once i have the settings tweaked to my liking, I can skip the double recording process, and record straight through the Voice Channel, because the settings would be good.

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

Each vocalist has very unique macro-expressions, and those are what you either want to bring forward if they're good, but not over emphasize.
The settings advised so far are just baseline references.  Some knob tweeking wether minor or major will be in order.

 

[Timmsie95]

Yeah, i figured. It would be much easier if I had a vocal booth so i could hear only what i was monitoring.
Maybe that's the next diy project.

 

[AndyG]

Depends on the compressor - they all behave differently.  As a rule of thumb I'd use a fast attack, slow-ish decay and a ratio of around 2:1.  That way you won't over-compress it and totally mess up that otherwise perfect take.

I have to disagree.  For compressing during recording, I would go with a slow-ish attack and fast release, with a ratio of about 4:1.  If the compressor has gain reduction metering (most do), I'd set the threshold for not more than 3db of GR.

Mayfly is correct that every box will react differently.  My personal favorite compressor is the 1176, with the LA-2A being a very close second.  However, these are expensive boxes that you won't find in every studio.

There are also several preamp/compressor combos that will do a very nice job of recording vocals .... the old Focusrite Reds, Universal Audio 4-710d, API Lunchbox modules, etc.  Again, you won't find most of these in project studios, but they will all do a great job.

 

[AndyG]

I just realized that i can also try a re-amp style approach, so i can tweak the settings with a recorded track, and then record it with the settings perfect. Basically, plough the mic into the interface, and record a track, and then set the output to that track to an auxillary output on my interface, and run that output into the input of my ART Voice Channel, and the output of the Voice Channel into an unused input on the interface, and create a track with that as the input, hit play, and tweak until it's perfect, then record it over with the perfected settings.
Once i have the settings tweaked to my liking, I can skip the double recording process, and record straight through the Voice Channel, because the settings would be good.

Something to keep in mind is that compression is one of those effects where the "cumulative" effect of doing a little during several stages (recording, mixing, master bus, mastering) is greater than doing it all at once.  Re-recording a vocal track through a hardware or software compressor will pretty much give you the same effect as compressing a "live" signal, assuming that the signal was recorded properly in the first place.

I know it's cliché to say, but your ears will tell you what's right.

 

[Timmsie95]

Okay, thanks for all the info. I definitely have a lot of experimenting to do.