#Noise gates and compressors pro

A transient is the first part of any musical sound, where the instrument is hit, bowed, blown into, plucked, etc., to get it to resonate and make sound. You can also use compressors to shape transients in sounds like drums.

With the threshold, ratio, and input level, we can determine the output level using the equation below. The green line shows a 3:1 ratio, where we have the line up and to the right of the 0 dB threshold -В for example, an input level of 6 dB yields an output level of only 2 dB -В the louder parts of the signal are now quieter. The blue line shows a 9:1 compression ratio, which is on the edge of the very aggressive level control known as limiting (for example, the purple line illustrates a 20:1 ratio). The yellow line shows a 2:1 ratio, so an input level of 9 dB above the threshold would only yield 4.5 dB of gain at the output. The orange line is a very gentle 1.5:1 ratio, where every 1.5 dB of input gain above the threshold results in only 1dB of gain at the output, so for example an input level of 9 dB above the threshold would yield an output level increase of 6 dB.

The colored lines represent various compression ratios. As you can see, the level in equals the level out. The red line shows the response for 1:1 ratio, meaning no compression. In this example, the grey line represents the threshold. Take a look at the compressor below, just one of six useful modules for channel processing and mixing found in Neutron Pro. The average compressor has six main parameters that are important to understand: threshold, ratio, knee, attack time, release time, and makeup gain.

#Noise gates and compressors pro

We actually wonвЂ™t dive too deep into parameters here, as weвЂ™ve actually already covered compressor parameters in our Pro Audio Essentials course, which you can find here. In compression, the dynamic range becomes narrower - the highest peaks and the quietest parts have fewer dB of level difference between them. ItвЂ™s our job to make that distortion feel transparent and to use our dynamics to create the best-sounding performance we can. The compressor typically achieves this by emphasizing certain harmonics based on how the compressor is hitting the incoming signal. Why use compression? One common reason is to attenuate loud transient peaks, such as a singer that suddenly belts out a high note in the middle of a gentle ballad, which could be jarring to the ear.Д¬ompression essentially causes distortion in a signal, in that it changes the original sound of the signal through its processing. LimitersВ | ExpandersВ | GatesДЄ compressor is used to reduce a soundвЂ™s dynamic range-that is, to make the louder and quieter parts of the performance closer to each other in level. And for even more essentials, check out this Producertech blog on getting started with compression.

Jump to a specific section, or keep reading about compressors below. This dynamic range is the main aspect of a sound that we will be affecting with these processors.ДЇor the most part, the names of these processors refer to what we are doing to the dynamics or dynamic range. The difference between the soundвЂ™s loudest and quietest moments in the track is called the dynamic range. Dynamics are a huge part of a soundвЂ™s identity, so having the ability to control dynamics is an invaluable tool for producers and mix engineers. Dynamics and dynamic rangeД«efore we discuss the dynamics processors themselves, itвЂ™s important to understand what weвЂ™re actually doing to the sound.Д®ach of these processors is able to affect the dynamics of a sound, changes in volume over the course of its lifespan. WeвЂ™ll discuss the mathematical processes behind these tools, how they affect the sound, and the best scenarios in which to use them. WeвЂ™ll cover the four main types of plug-ins used to control dynamics: limiters, compressors, expanders, and gates. In this article, weвЂ™ll demystify the compressor and other dynamics processors. вЂњI donвЂ™t really know what a compressor does, but I put it on everything because it just makes things sound better.вЂќ This is the mentality that a lot of early producers have, and thinking this way hinders their ability to make informed decisions when producing and mixing. I remember one of my friends talking about compressors when we first started getting into music production.