Octatrack Compressor - Dialing it in . .

[apmbpm]

Hi,
I’ve been reading the following posts on Subsekt which talk about mixing into the compressor . . . http://www.subsekt.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=8418&hilit=Compression&sid=307044a305a4c38cd3ea7feef86be02f

It’s a great collection of posts and really helpful to me as I’m not particularly good with compression.

I’m trying to dial in the compressor to the drum buss on my Octatrack using the method from the Subsekt forum but I’m confused by the release on the Octatrack Compressor.

Is 0 on the release short or long release?

Thanks for any pointers.

Adam

[sezare56]

Short (answer).

[apmbpm]

Cheers

[sezare56]

Attack = time before compression, after the signal is above threshold.
Release = time before stopping compression, after the signal is below threshold.

[apmbpm]

Cheers Sezare.
Trying to improve my compressing skills. That’s today’s target.

[sezare56]

There is no ideal settings, it’s by ear and to taste.

Tips for taming drums using OT only?

Maybe I don’t use the Ot compressor academically, but usually I do this : Mix = Max Rat = Max (limiter setting) Gain = 12 Decrease THReShold till the sound become lower. Decrease Rat, adjust Gain, Thrs, Mix, by ear. With ATtacK, the compressor is engaged faster or slower, with RELease, it is released faster or slower. I usually leave default values. Page 2 RMS setting set to max seems maid for an audio mix, min for an individual audio track. Manual RMS adjusts the way the compressor…

Glue Compressor settings for Octatrack

quick note to mention i found some very nice “mix combining” ability of the Octatrack’s compressor, for an individual track - where entire instrumentation audio loop (drums, bass, synths) … alternatively to apply to the Master Mix Effect on Track 8 if that option is being used. Att: 24 Rel: 86 Thrs: 50 Ratio: 45 Gain: 8 Mix: 112 works a treat! makes everything sound tighter, funkier and more pro. I have the Master Volume set to an extra 29 of Gain, not sure if that is helping or effect…

[konfront]

Speaking to what sezare said, there really isn’t a template to fit any material. Compression for groove enhancement is a hard thing to describe but you’ll know when it’s there when you hear it. Sometimes radical compression works, sometimes subtler treatment does the job. Of all the things I love about the OTs compressor it’s the rotary knobs tondiso I’m your settings. Because they’re just knobs and not the usual parameters most comps have, I’m forced to listen when it’s good. Regular compressors usually denote Attack and Release with milliseconds, Threshold in dB, ratio in, er ratios and sometimes this can (I speak for myself) lead using numbers to create a formula which is a form of not listening which (opinion alert!) is always a bad thing.

I prefer to be the blind man sculpting something nice by feel than the chef with a set recipe.

Just my .02 cents

Peace and Patience!

[apmbpm]

Love that response.

Cheers.

[sezare56]

You know what?
I can’t make my 2 compressors work and I need them now.

[konfront]

Dude, get a blind fold and work like an artist!

Make sure all important orifices are covered/protected.

[defenestration]

I find the OT compressor to be pretty heavy-handed and lacking in the ability to be transparent, which is quite excellent for parallel compression purposes. Some aggressive settings and a mix value somewhere from 10-40% wet always gives me excellent results for adding body and thickness. It has an absurd amount of makeup gain available as well, a little dab will do ya

[sezare56]

important orifices

It was an orifice problem indeed. I found a solution with a screw, but I may receive it in my ass one day!

[konfront]

Boom. Boom. And Boom.

[konfront]

This is true. It’s a bit of a drunk at a kid’s party but I find that if you use a neighbor track and apply te of them but lwith less individual gain reduction it becomes a bit more musical.

Aside from disengaged metronome to the master pickup machine, another kind of compressor is at the top of my wishlist for an update. I’m not asking for Presswerke but just another flavor from the one we have now(which I love too)

[Open_Mike]

Anyone use OT’s compressor for guitars?
Looking for ballpark starting points suited specifically for guitar.
Somehow I’ve dodged learning proper compressor settings and realize I would really like one on my OT guitar fx chain to even out the volume between chords and notes…

[sezare56]

Yep.
For guitar I usually increase ATK.

Tips for taming drums using OT only?

Maybe I don’t use the Ot compressor academically, but usually I do this : Mix = Max Rat = Max (setting used for limiter) Decrease THReShold till the sound become lower. Decrease Rat, adjust Gain, Thrs, Mix, by ear. With ATacK, the compressor is engaged faster or slower, with RELease, it is released faster or slower. I usually leave default values. For more drastic fx, lower threshold, increase attack, decrease release. Page 2 RMS setting set to max seems maid for an audio mix, min for an …

[Earlsfield78]

Old thread but worth saying a few words. The article you found is from the mastering engineer talking about tube compressor. Octactrack compressor is one - off compressor, meaning, it can act like compressor or a limiter, but it cannot cover the entire palette off different compressors (tube, VCA, opto, FAT).
Also settings are extremely granular, so you have to listen what you are doing. However, all parameters act like VCA compressor. Attack - do not dial it to zero, it will slap your transients. Release of 0 is short and you dont want short release on your master or bus track. However this is all arbitrary since there is no right or wrong way to use the compressor. But do not try to replicate what you read to the T since Klagenheim compressor mentioned there works differently than OT (and AR, when we are there) compressors.