27. Compression for Color, Tone, and Depth

07/16/20 • 24 min

Clean Cut Audio | The Science of Sound and the Art of Great Podcast Audio

Compression is a topic I've covered extensively (but also not nearly enough) on my YouTube channel. Even with all the hours of teaching I've done on the topic, I've barely touched on the other incredible effects and benefits of learning proper compression techniques. While a perfectly dialed in compressor will certainly help level out your dynamic range and save your listeners ears from being blown out by sudden changes in loudness, it will also impart a beautiful tone and character to your voice that can otherwise sound bland and lifeless. Not even mentioning the sonic characteristics of hardware and analog emulated plugins, compression can add warmth and body to your voice that is otherwise unattainable, leaving your listeners with a more pleasing and intimate experience. In this episode we go over the basics of compression, why it can add so much life to a podcast, and we listen to several examples of different intensities of compression to analyze the life it will give to a recording, and we'll learn to identify how much is too much. JOIN THE FUN ON PATREON! Links: 10% off all merch, all proceeds benefiting the humane society Basic YouTube Video on Compression Join the Clean Cut Audiophiles Discord Server! LA-2A Compressor Classic Optical Compressor CLA-2A Compressor My Signal Chain Hardware: Audio Interface: Apogee Ensemble Microphone: Shure SM7b Headphones: Audio-Technia ATH-M50x Earbuds: Klipsch R6i II Studio Monitors: Yamaha HS7 Mic Stand: Rode PS1A Boom Arm Software: IzoTope RX6 Mouth De-Click IzoTope RX6 Voice De-Noise FabFilter ProQ3 Waves Vocal Rider Waves CLA-2A Apogee Digital ModComp oeksound Soothe2 Waves LinMB Waves WLM Meter Waves Durrough Meter Waves Abbey Road Studio3 -Save 10% off the plugins above with this affiliate link from Waves!- *most of these links are affiliate links Midroll Song: Road Trip by Joakim Karud http://www.joakimkarud.com For more info, or to ask any questions, check out my website and reach out to [email protected]

Previous Episode

26. What My Dog Taught Me About Love, Audio, and Community

Death has a crazy way of putting a lot of things into perspective. With the recent passing on my dog and best friend Levi, I've been thinking a lot about what audio and podcasting REALLY means to me. It got me thinking of the Alexander Supertramp quote "Happiness is only real when shared". We as podcasters tend to hole ourselves in a spare bedroom, walk in closet, or any location that is completely separated from the sounds and sights of the rest of the world. It can get lonely, and that loneliness and isolation can really get in the way of progress. This week I'm revising the concept of community, this time VERY determined to provide a safe place for listeners of this podcast, viewers of my videos, and I to freely express ideas, theories, tips, and techniques that will not only result in a better sounding podcast, but a more fulfilling experience along the way. JOIN THE FUN ON PATREON! Links: 10% off all merch, all proceeds benefiting the humane society Previous Episode on Community Community Vlog on YouTube Levi the Pitbull Clean Cut Audio on Twitter My Signal Chain Hardware: Audio Interface: Apogee Ensemble Microphone: Shure SM7b Headphones: Audio-Technia ATH-M50x Earbuds: Klipsch R6i II Studio Monitors: Yamaha HS7 Mic Stand: Rode PS1A Boom Arm Software: IzoTope RX6 Mouth De-Click IzoTope RX6 Voice De-Noise FabFilter ProQ3 Waves Vocal Rider Waves CLA-2A oeksound Soothe2 Waves LinMB Waves WLM Meter Waves Durrough Meter Waves Abbey Road Studio3 -Save 10% off the plugins above with this affiliate link from Waves!- *most of these links are affiliate links Midroll Song: Road Trip by Joakim Karud Closing Song: Harmony by Joakim Karud http://www.joakimkarud.com For more info, or to ask any questions, check out my website and reach out to [email protected]

Next Episode

28. Explaining and Listening to the 4 Topologies of Compressors (VCA, FET, Opto, and Vari-Mu)

It's very important to know that every compressor is different and it will make your audio sound differently depending on how it processes the gain reduction. There is a time and place for every different style of compressor, and in this episode we listen to 4 different styles of compression at 3 different amounts of compression applied to my voice. JOIN THE FUN ON PATREON! Links: Join the Clean Cut Audiophiles Discord Server! Clean Cut Audio on YouTube UA Article on Compressor Topologies 4SoundEngineers Article of Compressor Topologies IzoTope's 4 Different Types of Compressors SoundBridge Article on Types of Compressors Compressors sampled in this episode: VCA: API 2500 Stereo Buss Compressor by Waves FET: CLA-76 Compressor by Waves Optical: CLA-2A Compressor by Waves Vari-Mu: u73b by Audified My Signal Chain Hardware: Audio Interface: Apogee Ensemble Microphone: Shure SM7b Headphones: Audio-Technia ATH-M50x Earbuds: Klipsch R6i II Studio Monitors: Yamaha HS7 Mic Stand: Rode PS1A Boom Arm Software: IzoTope RX6 Mouth De-Click IzoTope RX6 Voice De-Noise FabFilter ProQ3 Waves Vocal Rider Waves CLA-2A oeksound Soothe2 Waves LinMB Waves WLM Meter Waves Durrough Meter Waves Abbey Road Studio3 -Save 10% off the plugins above with this affiliate link from Waves!- *most of these links are affiliate links Midroll Song: Road Trip by Joakim Karud Closing Song: Something New by Joakim Karud http://www.joakimkarud.com For more info, or to ask any questions, check out my website and reach out to [email protected]