OT Compressor

Lazos · 2014-02-15T13:40:21.000Z

Hey Everyone,

I’d love to get some suggestions on useable settings for the OT’s compressor. I’m aware of how a compressor works, but I’m not able to get much difference in sound other than cranking the gain. I’d prefer to be able to work on just the OT, but right now I’m certainly missing working with Pro-C in Live!

fachperson · 2014-02-15T16:07:06.000Z

hmm… probably depends on what kind of sound you route through…

If you have a pad and you fiddle around with the comp attack, then that won’t do much. But on drums, the comp should be audible in any case.
For a test, lower the treshold to close to 0 and crank up the ratio. If you don’t hear anything then, the problem is not the comp.

I use the comp on the master track to tighten the mix, albeit only at a comp-dry mix ratio of roughly 60-40

sicijk · 2014-02-15T16:18:00.000Z

Also i suggest you to start with a well known sound. I would use a long decay synth-kick (if you have MD go with TRX-B2 and a 4 on the floor pattern) and these settings:

• full WET;
• Threshold …depends on the level of the fed signal (it comes later);
• Ratio: go quite high;
• Gain something like 25 (beware here because you are almost/already on digital internal saturation with this added gain, so level-balance the fed signal in order to observe clear amplification of the sound with no distortion);
• lower the Threshold and listen to attenuation;
• then go with ATT and REL to listen to amplitude-envelope modification (here all depends on the type of fed signal, so first listen well to your source then decide by instinct and needings)

sicijk · 2014-02-15T16:20:00.000Z

""fachperson"":

I use the comp on the master track to tighten the mix, albeit only at a comp-dry mix ratio of roughly 60-40

Indeed, this setting let you achieve a nice sort-of parallel compression, so you can go higher with Gain - then decide on the Dry/Wet balance

Lazos · 2014-02-15T17:06:52.000Z

Thanks for the suggestions: I’m working on fattening a tuned kick sample and tried the “lower the threshold/crank the ratio” test and am tuning to taste. Also, sicijk, I’ll try your test settings as well. These are great starting points. I’m thinking the OT’s compressor will actually be helpful in tuning my ear to compression rather than relying on a complex visual representation.

J_C_Selector · 2014-02-15T22:15:11.000Z

On a recent post someone gave a great little tutorial on how to set up a compressor but I cant find it (search was no help).
Anyone remember seeing this please.
Compression is something that I have never mastered at all

orangehexagon · 2014-02-17T16:32:52.000Z

Allerian gives a heplful insight into his comp usage in this thread.

http://www.elektronauts.com/t/ot-compressor/730/3947

rhizome · 2014-02-17T17:26:56.000Z

it is kind of an odd comp. mostly useful to me when working with samples/sources that have disparate dynamic. at times I have trouble dialing in some typical comp effects tho. feels like there should be “fast” and “slow” modes, or maybe different curve shapes. something to give finer control when you get down to low values.

poorrichardmarx · 2014-02-17T20:09:42.000Z

I use the compressor all the time, but it doesn’t really work like a typical compressor - or at least a hardware comp which is what I’m used to. It does a pretty good job of tightening up the sound, but I mostly just use it as an effect when I want something to really hit. I’ve found the Attack and Release settings to be a little suspect sometimes (especially at how easily they make my particular samples distort), but I typically leave them closer to 127 than 0.

Just to clarify (I think they go up to 127, right?):

Attack 0 = Fast
Attack 127 = Slow
Release 0 = Slow
Release 127 = Fast

Are these correct? There’s no mention of this in the manual, just through using the comp, it seems this is how they function.

sicijk · 2014-02-17T22:54:15.000Z

""poorrichardmarx"":

Just to clarify (I think they go up to 127, right?):

Attack 0 = Fast
Attack 127 = Slow
Release 0 = Slow
Release 127 = Fast

Are these correct? There’s no mention of this in the manual, just through using the comp, it seems this is how they function.

It’s right.
P.S.
please guys, can you try to listen to also a compression happening with NO compressor in the Fx, but just with, say, a pad and a really loud 4-4 kick?
I was on headphones - i’ll try with speakers later…anyway: if it’s that the case , it’s like having a VCA on the Main out (maybe on the Cue too?) [–something like the beautiful A4–]
Investigations needed (intent: 2 compressors at the price of 1=)

P.P.S.

in that other thread there is another important suggestion i forgot to mention: if you’re gonna use the Comp on the Master track increase till quite fair amount the RMS in the FX setup page. It works better on multiple sources fed at once.

Also the Dry/Wet knob gives a lot of flexibility!! instant parallel compression