Understanding compression
Updated: Dec 30, 2024
The Idea behind Compressors
Before starting, you need to understand that everything that happens inside a computer is essentially numbers, though these processes are masked by what we call functions or tools.
The main idea that people have overlooked since computers were first sold is that a computer is essentially a system of mathematical equations designed to solve certain problems.
The first piece of information you have at hand will determine which program to choose. When you open a program, what you're essentially saying is, "Hey computer, I have this problem to solve." What follows depends on the nature of the problem—whether it's related to images, sound, text, etc, etc. In other words, every program is a specific mathematical equation tailored to your problem, and inside it, we have functions, which we sometimes call plugins.
Understanding this concept makes it easier to explain the role of a compressor. As mentioned earlier, plugins are functions that solve smaller, specific problems within a larger equation to make it more accurate. Like any mathematical function, each one has a set of variables that are necessary to answer in order to solve your problem.
Once this is clear, we can move on to describe the real problem. Sound is a wave, and waves have their own behavior, which in mathematics is classified as either linear or nonlinear waves.
Linear wave
Looking at this image above we say that a wave is a linear wave when it has the same amplitude and wavelength during the time it was reproduced.
Nonlinear wave
A wave is nonlinear wave when it doesn’t have the same amplitude and wavelength during the time it’s reproduced
When we are working in a composition song, we know that is more possible we find a lot of nonlinear waves, but even when we have a linear wave sometimes, we want to bring some kind harmonics or even gain more sound body, in this moment we have a lot of function (Plugins) that we can use and one of them is compression.
In practice
As all math function, the compressor got five question to work on your wave shape and they are:
1. What is the reduction you want me to do (threshold);
2. How you want to me to do it brutally or softening (Ratio)
3. Do you me make it fast or slowly when something go above the reduction (attack)
4. After it how much time I need to take to out (Release)
5. Do you want me out so fast after release (sustain)
In practice is literally a conversation between you and the compressor function. It is like:
You: Hey compressor I have these waves here and I want it with a more similar linear behavior.
Compressor: Great. I have and wave pass through my body but what do you want?
You: I want you controlling the shape of this wave using this line (Threshold) as parameter to reduce all other waves from this sound that go above this line.
Compressor: Great I understand, but how do you want me to do it?
You: Punch it (Ratio).
Compressor: How fast do you want me do it (Attack)?
You: Slowly.
Compressor: After I punch it slowly how much time do you want me take to out of (Release)?
You: Fast.
Compressor: After I punch it slowly and stop compressing it fast, do you want me out fast or slowly (Sustain)?
You: fast, please.
Recommendation
The secret is understanding that each sound has its own threshold, ratio, attack, and release settings. However, all these variables depend on the genre and your focus when using a compressor.
To summarize, you need to understand that when multiple instruments are playing together, the attack should take more time because the goal is to preserve the transients. If it's for mastering, it's important to follow the standard parameters for the threshold, which vary by genre. This information can easily be found on the internet.
Here I have a little video which I got more detail about it showing the compressor in action.
If you like the information here and want to save it for read it in other time you need you can get it on the end of this page in PDF.
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