Parallel Compression On The X32

User avatar
MJKlein
Site Admin
Posts: 1020
Joined: Wed Apr 14, 2021 12:08 pm
Location: Hukou, Taiwan
Contact:

Parallel Compression On The X32

Post by MJKlein »

Back in the old days, in an analog studio, upon hearing the term "parallel compression" an engineer would normally give you either a blank stare or a very pained expression on his/her face. In today's world, parallel compression is standard practice in a software DAW, and thankfully it's very easy to implement on the X32 too.

Why do it?
Parallel compression can really help vocals cut through the mix. Once you get used to using parallel compression on vocals, it may become a SOP for you too.

How to do it?
1. Enable the channel compressor on your vocal track. Set the compressor for a ridiculous amount of effect, like a 20:1 ratio and a very low threshold. You want to hear the compressor really dig into the audio.

2. Then go to the Mix setting and slowly turn it down from 100% (totally wet) to something around 60% to 40% depending upon your program material.

3. Adjust the attack, hold and release times to give you the cleanest and most transparent action. You should also verify the threshold level to be where you want it.

Since single-band compressors typically act upon the area of the spectrum with the most energy, and naturally the lower frequencies will be more affected (this property of limiters becomes very apparent when Mastering), what you will find is that when the dynamic of the vocal track becomes higher, the compressor will "thin out" the spectrum on the vocal and make it cut though the mix better. The result is not unlike a dynamic EQ in some respects. Using this technique, and one other that I will detail later on, will put your vocals right in the "pocket" in the mix, so they don't sound on top or underneath.
湖口鄉新竹縣台灣 Hukou Township, Hsinchu County, Taiwan
Behringer X32/Dante + Soundcraft Ghost + X32ReaperAutoMate
English/中文
This site is hosted at Dathorn: https://dathorn.com/index.php?r=489
https://www.youtube.com/@phoenixmediaforge
User avatar
DaveH
Posts: 44
Joined: Sun Oct 10, 2021 11:01 pm
Location: France

Re: Parallel Compression On The X32

Post by DaveH »

Hi @MJKlein ,
I'm trying your way of rendering // compr with a single X32 channel, because I'm not use to // comp, and I'd like to give it a try on voice and maybe sax.

You speak about the strong ratio (almost limiter), but what kind of gain reduction do you aim on the red scale ? -12dB ? more ?
Do you try to keep attacks on the compressed part of the signal ?
And I suppose that you also use the Gain to compensate the low signal, and to equilibrate wet and dry ?
For the moment, it gives me a sound that is quite low and lose harmonics.
Maybe am I doing something wrong ?

Originally I thought that // comp was using 2 comps : one hard as you describe to give some warmth, and one "normal" with some low cut to keep the high ends , and then mixing both signals.
Newbie in this vast X32 world. :geek:
User avatar
MJKlein
Site Admin
Posts: 1020
Joined: Wed Apr 14, 2021 12:08 pm
Location: Hukou, Taiwan
Contact:

Re: Parallel Compression On The X32

Post by MJKlein »

hi @DaveH. With parallel compression, you have to make it really drastic at first and then back it off until it fits in the mix.

Here's what I do:

I set the ratio high, and the threshold very low and really dig into the signal, way more than I ever would consider, normally. At that point I'm not changing the attack/release yet.

I change the Mix control to about 50% and observe the effect on the signal. When you add more of the dry signal the level starts to come back up, so I normally don't start working on the make-up gain until I get some dry signal back. You have to go between the Mix, Threshold and Gain controls to get the final gain where you need it, and also the effect you want when the vocals really get strong. There are no rules, so I might have the Mix at 30% on one song, and 70% on another song.

After that, I work with the attack/release and I set those depending upon how it sounds.

The point of this technique is to help the vocals cut through the mix. With that in mind, I arrange the settings so that when the song is softer, the effect on the vocal track is also softer. When the energy builds up the singer usually sings louder and that's when the parallel compression effect can be very useful. But, interestingly, parallel compression may not actually be all that good at taming the dynamics because it's not affecting the entire spectrum. So, most times I also add the Leisure compressor after the parallel compression. The Leisure adds some kind of warmth like the original and tames the dynamics after the parallel compression. You can also adjust some make up gain on the Leisure compressor.

This technique is also highly recommended for drum busses. There are some YouTube videos out there that may help (although some of them are over-explained).
湖口鄉新竹縣台灣 Hukou Township, Hsinchu County, Taiwan
Behringer X32/Dante + Soundcraft Ghost + X32ReaperAutoMate
English/中文
This site is hosted at Dathorn: https://dathorn.com/index.php?r=489
https://www.youtube.com/@phoenixmediaforge
User avatar
DaveH
Posts: 44
Joined: Sun Oct 10, 2021 11:01 pm
Location: France

Re: Parallel Compression On The X32

Post by DaveH »

Thanks @MJKlein , I will try this. I must train my ears, because all these effects are subtle, and it's not always easy to understand what parameter affects the sound at the end.
And yes, I notice that this // comp really affects the spectrum, because I cannot keep the EQ as they were set on the classical 100% mixed compressor. I have at least to reduce the lows with a low shelf.
Good idea to put a final comp at the end. I like the Leisure one too. Not a lot of settings, but efficient on vocals and sax.
But with this digital table, it's so easy to have 2 channels with the same input and naviguate A/B between them to compare a classical comp setting with a //comp setting.
I have a lot of fun with this tool ! :-D
Newbie in this vast X32 world. :geek:
User avatar
MJKlein
Site Admin
Posts: 1020
Joined: Wed Apr 14, 2021 12:08 pm
Location: Hukou, Taiwan
Contact:

Re: Parallel Compression On The X32

Post by MJKlein »

DaveH wrote: Thu Oct 14, 2021 7:48 am But with this digital table, it's so easy to have 2 channels with the same input and naviguate A/B between them to compare a classical comp setting with a //comp setting.
Sure, you can do that too. I normally don't have the channels available for that. Plus the Mix control is very convenient.
湖口鄉新竹縣台灣 Hukou Township, Hsinchu County, Taiwan
Behringer X32/Dante + Soundcraft Ghost + X32ReaperAutoMate
English/中文
This site is hosted at Dathorn: https://dathorn.com/index.php?r=489
https://www.youtube.com/@phoenixmediaforge
User avatar
DaveH
Posts: 44
Joined: Sun Oct 10, 2021 11:01 pm
Location: France

Re: Parallel Compression On The X32

Post by DaveH »

MJKlein wrote: Thu Oct 14, 2021 12:36 pm Sure, you can do that too. I normally don't have the channels available for that. Plus the Mix control is very convenient.
Still in the learning phase, so I make a lot of backups and start on blank new scenes to make some testings.

What do you call Mix Control ? Am I missing something else ? :o
Newbie in this vast X32 world. :geek:
User avatar
MJKlein
Site Admin
Posts: 1020
Joined: Wed Apr 14, 2021 12:08 pm
Location: Hukou, Taiwan
Contact:

Re: Parallel Compression On The X32

Post by MJKlein »

DaveH wrote: Thu Oct 14, 2021 12:47 pm
MJKlein wrote: Thu Oct 14, 2021 12:36 pm Sure, you can do that too. I normally don't have the channels available for that. Plus the Mix control is very convenient.
Still in the learning phase, so I make a lot of backups and start on blank new scenes to make some testings.

What do you call Mix Control ? Am I missing something else ? :o
Second page of the compressor setup.
湖口鄉新竹縣台灣 Hukou Township, Hsinchu County, Taiwan
Behringer X32/Dante + Soundcraft Ghost + X32ReaperAutoMate
English/中文
This site is hosted at Dathorn: https://dathorn.com/index.php?r=489
https://www.youtube.com/@phoenixmediaforge
User avatar
DaveH
Posts: 44
Joined: Sun Oct 10, 2021 11:01 pm
Location: France

Re: Parallel Compression On The X32

Post by DaveH »

Oh yes, the dry/wet mix. I thought you were speaking about something else.
Newbie in this vast X32 world. :geek:
User avatar
MJKlein
Site Admin
Posts: 1020
Joined: Wed Apr 14, 2021 12:08 pm
Location: Hukou, Taiwan
Contact:

Re: Parallel Compression On The X32

Post by MJKlein »

DaveH wrote: Fri Oct 15, 2021 6:07 am Oh yes, the dry/wet mix. I thought you were speaking about something else.
That's what makes it so easy to do parallel compression with a single channel.
湖口鄉新竹縣台灣 Hukou Township, Hsinchu County, Taiwan
Behringer X32/Dante + Soundcraft Ghost + X32ReaperAutoMate
English/中文
This site is hosted at Dathorn: https://dathorn.com/index.php?r=489
https://www.youtube.com/@phoenixmediaforge
CraigG
Posts: 42
Joined: Wed Dec 08, 2021 1:10 pm

Re: Parallel Compression On The X32

Post by CraigG »

I was playing with this and it does indeed make the vocals sound better but one thing struck me.

When you dial down the mix control, the red bar indicates less compression is taking place when you are actually still applying a lot of compression but allowing untreated signal through.

Is that a bug?
Post Reply

Return to “Tips and Techniques”