Everything is fair game in my world. I love compression as a shaping tool.Christian LeBlanc wrote:Before we start talking about noise floors and creative uses of, and differences between, compression/limiting/gating, how about we start with common uses of compression? What instruments typically get more compression, and which get less? And for what reasons?
Vocals... Yes.
Bass Gtr Direct... Probably.
Other Direct instruments like Acou Gtrs, Violins... Probably.
Drums... Sometimes.
Really though, instead of looking at a list of who uses what, I'd rather explain an understanding of why. When mixing, you are trying to blend these different sources. Just like EQ, compression is a tool that helps take sounds, and shape them into something that blends the way you want it. I'll use an extreme example of a rock track with heavy distorted elec. gtrs. The guitars themselves will not be very dynamic, so you will tend to need to limit other sources to have them balance with these other already compressed sounds. Not only level wise, but tone wise you will find things will work better in this case.
That bass analogy doesn't work for me. It's strictly a case by case thing. "Lead Guitar" is not something that stands out for me as an example of what to compress.Christian LeBlanc wrote:My understanding is that bass guitar, especially when locked in with the rhythm, will get more than most instruments.
Lead guitar may get a touch,
Compressing a vocal for me is all about creating a tone first, and getting it to sit in with the instruments second. People think it's just about getting every word up over the guitars, but it's not. If I gave you a track to mix with a great vocal and nothing else, might you compress it?Christian LeBlanc wrote:...while compression will vary from singer to singer, and from piece to piece. If one singer's volume levels are unintentionally all over the place, then a compressor is the best solution (other than, you know, vocal training and practice), right?
I guess you're meaning live on this one. Choice of microphone is a huge thing, as you've already figured out. There are times where I will have some substantial amount of gain reduction going on in a vocal mic live without being anywhere near "feedback" during the quiet parts. That being said, sometimes it is a balancing act. I have had lead vocal mics at the threshold of feedback in the FOH mix many times. That's when having the proper gear, and experience is what will get you where you need to be.Christian LeBlanc wrote:What about singers who appear to sing at almost a whisper, yet manage to get amplified quite loudly without horrible feedback from their microphones? What's going on "behind the scenes" to keep the noise floor at bay? Or is there something else at play? (as an example, I'm thinking of Julie Doiron, but anyone with 'quiet' vocals will do)
EDIT: I've spent years using a cheap microphone, and I completely forgot about the properties a good microphone can have: one that's balanced, designed to only pick up the singer, etc. So, it's probably safe to ignore this part of the question ;)
By "noise floor", I'm not exactly sure what you mean. It wouldn't be electrical related noise in a live setting with a proper setup, but stage volume is especially bad when dealing with quiet vocals. A quiet female vocalist 4' in front of a drum kit is a nightmare sometimes.
Sometimes this sound thing is actually work.