Mercenary Audio - Should you use compression on final mixdown?

(a question from Harmony Central User Forums...)

This is a really open ended question... you use compression for a couple of reasons. The first being to decrease the dynamic range of a sound making the level more consistent throughout the performance... the second being to play with the envelop of the sound so it will stand out more, or sustain longer, in general to change the character of the tone so the sound will work and play with the other sounds better.

As for 2 buss compression... over the years it's main use has become nearly for the sole purpose of making your final balance "louder" [less dynamic range]. The origination of this was because many radio station compressors [limiters] were set up very poorly and the thought process was that the more compression we did as engineers, the less chance our stuff would be mutilated by some incompetent broadcast engineers [there are other reasons, like how records were cut when vinyl was the only delivery method etc... but for the sake of argument, let's go with the broadcast thing].

Where this leaves us is with a bunch of tools that can be used for creative purposes [on individual instruments within the context of a mix] as well as helping to "cement" a balance for final presentation. How you use these tools, how you choose them, how you apply them, if you choose to not apply them is part of what defines your sound and style as an engineer.

For instance, I almost never compress drums unless I have a drummer that gets "happy" on like the first kick hit going into a new section of a song... at that point I'll put a brick wall limiter on the kick so no kick hit is louder than any other kick hit... for instance, I'll more often use compression on a bass than an equalizer to either bring out the front end of the note the bass player was trying to play, or suck out the sustain of a note the incompetent asshole half choked... or both.

As for mix compression... I look at it several ways. For more "pop" oriented stuff [I'm not talking 'Britney', I'm talking stuff aimed at a 'radio' market], I'll try to pick the buss compressor that best compliments the song and then usually start to "mix into" it [set it up like 1/3rd of the way through the mix as I've gotten the foundation of the song to work well within the context of the mix].

The reason I will "mix into" the buss compression is because as you add buss compression it will change balances and in many cases textures of the song. The reason I wait to strap it on the buss until I have the foundation of the song together is because that way I'm less susceptible to chasing my tail around trying to figure out if the compressor that requires adjustment is the individual compressor or the buss compressor as it relates to the overall vibe of the presentation.

Obviously, this is an exceptionally abbreviated version of a much longer discussion... the point being that there really are no rules and it will all depend on your level of experience with the tools, your interpretation of the song, and very much on your sense of aesthetic.

Every engineer has their own sound and style... it's usually why one will be chosen over another to work on a project. Develop your own sound and style over time by learning how the tools work with your sense of aesthetic and your question will be answered.

Peace.

- Fletcher

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