Get in the Mix: Using mix bus compression 2m 47s. Depending on the software, it’s also called the master bus or stereo bus. Remember when choosing an audio interface was confusing before you read this? There's not much more that can be said. So now you can apply your sub-mix compression while ignoring the kick altogether and bypass the pumping problems. Mix bus compression is the act of mixing through a compressor on the master output, although the term is commonly used today also to refer to sub-mixing sets of instruments on an auxiliary bus as well, such as drums. Our goal is to give you the base knowledge needed to begin mixing with a compressor on the master track. See our. So a great place to start is a with a low ratio and a medium attack and release. No matter how much you push it up, you can't seem to get any more volume and it starts to sound worse. The problem arises that the faders get wonky. One of them is stereo bus compression and auxiliary bus compression. We aren't looking to squash anything here, just glue it together. With today's modern plugins, neither style is at a disadvantage. What we mean by musical is how obvious the compression effect is to the listener. The mix bus will be receiving all of the tracks and so there's not going to be any regular dynamics from which you can set your release. Listen closely to all of the instruments in the mix and see how you're affecting each in the summed total. Typing and reading that was confusing, let alone finding yourself in the midst of mixing that way. Recording with compression: Why or why not? You don't want your release longer than when the next kick or big guitar strum comes through. Exercise files accompany the course and include special Get in the Mix session files. Take a listen to this mix before and after bus compression through a plug-in version of the famous SSL bus compressor. Maybe we want a really smooth, Pat Metheny style guitar sound, so we set a slower release. Each may offer access to various time-based controls as well, such as attack, release, and even the choice of setting the compression threshold and ratio. Brian Lee White is a producer and educator. If you have a good understanding of how a compressor works, go for it. When you're done you can re-dial in the make-up gain. You'll notice that you don't even need a side-chain detector (as mentioned below) because these beasts come with high-pass filter and mid-range detector options. The most popular mix bus is the basic main stereo mix bus (also called the "master bus"). It's easy to lose the musicality of the mix if you're not paying attention. This can be achieved with plugin compressors or outboard, hardware compressors. Another very common occasion where compression can't provide a complete solution to mix balance issues is when dealing with very critical tracks, such as (typically) lead vocals. MIX HACK: Signature Series plugins. Once you're out of the danger zone, your songs will benefit from a sense of coherence that will be directly attributed to the increased punch and glue coming out of your mix bus, all thanks to your carefully tweaked compressor settings. It boils down to preference and access to the best compressors for the job. Watch courses on your mobile device without an internet connection. But at the same time, we aren't talking about that level of compression, where you make adjustments after the mix is finalized. Download courses using your iOS or Android LinkedIn Learning app. This is why we say to compress very lightly on the stereo bus! Remember the two main purposes of compression: Most amateurs don't even realize the second purpose is an option. Most of us are familiar with this concept thanks to the advent of parametric equalization. Or maybe we're dealing with rap vocals and do want fast settings on both. It’s the channel that all of the audio from a session flows into. If you choose to use two dual-mono compressors, they must have a stereo link capability so that they both respond equally to peaks in either channel. Some compressors feature an auto-release that will attempt to determine just how long it should "hold on" to the compression before letting go and returning to full amplitude again. This will allow you to bypass the compressor so you can have an easy A/B comparison of the effect. In the right hands it can give your music the power it needs to thrive in this musically competitive world, and in the wrong, inexperienced hands it can destroy everything. In a nutshell, mix buss processing is the application of one or more signal-changing processes (such as compression or EQ) to the stereo buss or master fader. No Spam. Mix bus compression takes time to get accustomed to, but once you start nailing it, your listeners will notice. When used correctly, this mixing technique has the power to glue your mix together as one cohesive project. If you go this route, you can disconnect the stereo link for tracking mono instruments as well and make your budget stretch. Before we do anything we are slapping compression on the mix bus so that our audio is massaged by it from the get-go, so we can make the appropriate sonic choices initially instead of disrupting our careful balance later. *Price may change based on profile and billing country information entered during Sign In or Registration, This website uses cookies to improve service and provide tailored ads. The important aspect to reiterate is that we aren't printing the mix and then applying compression, which should be left to the mastering stage of the process. And finally they're hitting the stereo bus compressor. Applying it early on in the mixing stage and working into it can really help to pull your tracks together as they near completion. They set too high of a ratio and too low of a threshold. Even most of that is derived from the settings you choose. Make sure to think about your source material. Today our goal is to remove this shroud of mystery so all of us can enjoy the fruits of this advanced mixing technique. They stop doing what you expect them to do. If you attempt to bus compress with this running through it you're going to end up with a pumping sensation every time the kick fires off. In this first installment of the Foundations of Audio series, author Brian Lee White shows how to improve the sound of a mix with compressors, limiters, gates, de-essers, and other dynamic processors. To put it in simple terms, the mixing board takes all of the different instrument channels and combines them into a single pair of Left and Right channels. This Pro Mixing Trick Will Evolve Your Music, Fletcher Munson Curve: The Equal Loudness Contour of Human Hearing. You'll find it on every single mixing console (usually as the last channel on the right side). It's so easy to record studio quality vocals these days with the right mic... To gain consistency within the variances of amplitudes, To sculpt each musical event to your preferences. Trends come and go but the Distressor never falls out of favor. For instance, let's say you want to increase the volume of a synthesizer solo so you push that fader up, but your compressor is post fader and then you hit the mix bus as well. It's going to be extremely variable. The biggest issue people run into with mix bus compression is they go too hard. A: It’s not required, but using compression on the mix bus (when done correctly) can really help glue the mix together. Faster tempos will need a faster attack and release. What matters is your preference for transparency or coloration and how "musical" either option is. There are four main types of compressors, whether they're analog or digital: The difference between them comes from the circuitry applied to execute the gain reduction. Follow along and learn by watching, listening and practicing. I'm answering this question although most of us know the answer already: "There are no set-and-forget settings. Each song will demand a unique set of parameters applied.". So good news — if you’re struggling with compression it’s gonna click and you’ll just “get it.” Hopefully, this guide you are reading will help that happen. It should be said too, that if your intention is to ship the mixes off to a mastering engineer, you shouldn't be needing or using limiters. They usually turn the attack and release as fast as possible and crush everything. The whole idea behind this technique is that you are mixing through the compressor from the beginning of the mix process; you are carving your mix, dynamically speaking, through the compressor, and … Bus compressors are generally associated with the phrase "gluing the mix together" and the pedigree has a fairly interesting history, dating back to the first bus compressors installed in large analog consoles. With that being said, there are some features you will appreciate having that will make your life a lot easier and bypass the need for too much extra auxiliary bus compression. Learn more about, Acoustic Guitar EQ: Studio-Quality Tone With Minimal Effort, What is Sidechaining? Every song is unique and will require their own tweaks to these parameters. But with side-chain detection you can run a copy of the mix through an equalizer on a bus to EQ the low frequencies out or even a copy of the mix without the kick in it.