Some audio material tends to be very dynamic, meaning there is a large gap between the quiet parts and the loud parts of the sound. Compression reduces this, making it more even over time.īut why would you want to do something like that? Why Should I Use Compression? The dynamic range is simply the difference between the quiet and loud parts of a sound. This reduces what is known as the dynamic range of a sound. How? It reacts to the incoming audio and turns it down when it gets too loud, and turns back up when it’s quiet again. While it can contribute, many producers overlook many other factors involved with mixing and production as a whole, like:Ĭompression is just volume changing over time, really fast. Unfortunately, compression often ends up becoming praised as the holy grail of a fat, full and loud mix.
It’s a tool that can be used well, or poorly. In fact, it’s an important tool that I would place in the top 4 most crucial for mixing: Compression as a Toolįirst of all, it’s important to understand that like any audio effect, compression is simply a tool.
Otherwise, you’ll make the same mistake I did: endlessly tweaking a compressor, hoping it would fix my crappy songs.
Before we dive into the complexities and technicalities of how a compressor works, it’s important that you understand it from an overall perspective.
