Jesus... I've watched and intensively listened literally dozens and dozens of tutorial videos on compression. And seriously: this is THE ONLY ONE which makes it not only completely understandable to me, but also illustrates perfectly how to dial in compressions and WHY to do it that way. Much appreciated! 🥰
This is the BEST video I've seen on YT about compression, and I’ve seen all kinds of videos from “PROs.” the fact that you used different plugins and hardware for the demonstration makes it even better! 🙌🏽 great job and well explained and easy to understand.
This Right here is it and I’ve taken notes cause I’m tired of running in circles, one minute I get it, the next minute it slips my brain. But this is well presented 😮💨🔥🔥
Thought this was gonna be clickbait. But this turned out to be thee BEST video on compression I’ve ever seen, especially with the attack and release knob explanation. Good stuff!
You really explained this perfectly. I think largely due to your attitude towards the whole thing. There is a saying that goes something like "A true master can explain something complicated in the most simple of ways" rings true for this video.
I just took notes from this video on a word document. I've recorded for decades. Lo-fi, no-fi, sounds pretty good but not great. I'm wanting to learn best practices now and this seven minute video really helped me understand compressors and my approach to them in a way dozens of other explanation videos could not. Thank you for the time you take to help your fellow music lovers learn what you know!
It is the best explaination for basic compression. Hands down. I'm gonna recommend this video to all the folks who are struggeling with this topic. Thanks alot!
Arguably the best short video on compression. Teaches you how to hear it in less than a minute. The only video I would recommend to anyone besides this one is Kush Audio YT channel on compression as it goes more in depth on texture. This video is awesome. Thank you.
I have to agree with most of the comments here. This is hands down an excellent comp video. The best learning vid I've seen so far on the "illusive" compressor!😂😂 Really really good. Should have been a teacher mate! ❤
I'll just say what everyone else is saying -- I LOVE when someone can tell me something I don't know in a way that distills things enough for me to feel like I know it a bit, because they themselves know it well enough to comfortably abstract and teach it. The feeling of being empowered by new knowledge is infections and you've given me that great feeling. Subscribed!
OK in one single comment you have just solved all of my sub compression issues... because I am now using a limiter instead of a compressor and it is so much better. So thanks, I appreciate it.
Exactly. A.R.R.T is a great way to hear what the sound of the compressor is. Find that I have to use way less compression to get the effect that i want.
What a fantastic video. I shared this with a budding sound engineer friend before I'd even finished watching. You're an intuitive and efficient communicator, and I'm stoked for the future of your channel!
0:30 Compression does not "make stuff less dynamic". A compressor *can* do that, with a fast Attack, but that's not really a description of a compressor. If I use a slow-ish Attack on a drum recording with a deep Threshold and/or Ratio, my transients will end up proportionately higher than other parts of the signal which were compressed, resulting in an increased dynamic range. 1:14 Attack is not really "reaction time", or "how quickly the compressor is going to respond." The Attack process happens instantly on a Threshold breach, and the time setting of the Attack is a demand for how long the compressor will take to perform ~2/3 of the total Gain Reduction. The trouble with the "reaction time" explanation is that it leaves people confused; they think the compressor is waiting [x] milliseconds to begin performing compression and then kicks in. This is particularly misleading if they are unsure how to listen to a compressor but they're heard about using calculators to determine ms by bpm - especially if they believe your next mistake too, and think that Attack and Release happen one after the other. 1:19 This is not how Release works; it is not "how quickly will the compressor return to normal after the sound has returned from crossing that line." The Threshold is not a two-way boundary. A standard compressor (i.e. downward compressor) only responds to upward breaches. When that upward breach happens, both the Attack process and the Release process begin instantly and simultaneously (which is why your Release setting should be decently longer than your Attack, in cases where a compressor allows A to be shorter than R). There is no sensor in a downward compressor circuit to detect a level falling beneath a certain mark. Similarly to Attack, the Release time setting is the amount of time after an upward breach for the compressor to restore ~2/3 of the GR. You can prove this yourself by setting up an example where the audio is constantly above the Threshold. If only Attack happened above the Threshold and Release only kicked in beneath the Threshold, moving the Attack/Release dials wouldn't do anything. However, as you change A and R, you'll clearly hear that the sound does change.
@@WillBorza Saying that gain recovery begins after the signal dips under the threshold is not simplifying it. That's flat-out wrong. It's legitimate to simplify something if it helps new learners to understand a complex problem, but you did the opposite of helping them to understand.
@@joechapman8208 Thanks for the warning. I almost fell into the trap haha. I am surprised by people who want to spread false information to gain followers and some money.
@@ma3boch I wouldn't go that far. He's just repeating what he's heard. I'm less impressed that he just tried to BS me by pretending that already knew and was just "trying to simplify" (there's no way anyone will 'simplify' via an incorrect explanation), but I don't think the video is motivated by dishonesty. He thought what he was saying was true.
@@joechapman8208 Thank you for the response, my brother. Frankly, I do not know him, and I also do not want to oppress anyone, whether he or anyone else, but things have become annoying, and lying and deceiving people has become a normal thing for the majority, and this is what bothered me. I also unsubscribed from the channel.
Very good intuitive description. It’s worth also understanding why it’s called “ratio”. My intuitive quick description of it is if you are at 5:1, 5dB difference in loudness gets squashed to 1dB difference in loudness. 10dB difference becomes 2dB. Ratio.
Just want to add that attack and release have nothing to do with a compressor’s reaction time to the loud signal. They just control the speed of the volume’s movement. Also a limiter is just a compressor with an infinite ratio. Meaning anything that goes over the threshold is turned down by the amount it jumped over.
Modern limiters in DSP are not compressors with infinite ratios. This hasn't been true since at least the L1. They are more like soft and hard clippers with envelope contouring. There's probably some plugins out there that still work within that paradigm, but most modern limiters like Pro-L2, Ozone Limiter, Limitless are all kind of fancy/sophisticated clippers that can smoothly or abruptly transition between eating peaks, and riding gain like an AGC
Standing ovation! Best compression video I have ever seen. You have the gift of being able to make complicated ideas simple to understand. It is often very difficult to make something easy (and very easy to make something difficult), so thank you for your hard work! My only complaint is that I needed this video about 20 years ago. Superb.
nice video man. I know how compressors work and I've worked with them for a long time, but I always like to hear other people's approach. Your explanation and general approach of the matter is really nice and easy to follow, and very well presented. Clear examples, and these 5 steps are a useful and practical approach I think
I feel exactly like everyone else here ... Finally! I've always understand Compression in.theory, but never been able to translate that to my own compression efforts. The SSL theory is pure genius and makes total sense, they're preset values for a reason!! Well done and thank you ❤
No matter what, I never tire of watching videos about the ARRT of compression because constant reminders are helpful. I have a natural tendency to stop going through this perfectly sensible sequence and just "dialing it in" without spending the 20 or 30s it would take to do this properly. So, thanks for the reminder and I may well re-watch this video every few months. And 2/3 for tools. Pro C2 is my workhorse compressor, Unisum is my mastering compressor and .... well I've never got on with Ozone. But apparently 2 out of 3 ain't bad ;)
@@WillBorza Ah, didn't realise that, heard good things about Ozone 11, especially the maximiser. But I'm well served for mastering tools, even if I'm still trying to get to grips with some of them (I'm looking at you Unisum!).
Thanks for a straight-to-the-point explanation without adding those utterly funnyless memes that no one on earth laughs or is entertained by in between every sentence. Great job
I rarely subscribe to anyone and you earned my respect and trust with your videos. Video is straight forward, knowledgeable, easy to understand and no waste of time. You earned +1 sub😊
You've got another sub! Love the technique of increasing the ratio to hear the full affect! I did this, then slightly adjusted my attack, although surprisingly it was already not too far off, so has given me confidence my ears are working correctly! I've also now started using the auto release function rather than adjust my own release, you're right! The auto release does the business! Now I trust it. Made my moves and dropped the ratio, now my mix is sounding top notch, with no more muddy pumping low end. Thank you. 🤟🏻
Jesus... I've watched and intensively listened literally dozens and dozens of tutorial videos on compression. And seriously: this is THE ONLY ONE which makes it not only completely understandable to me, but also illustrates perfectly how to dial in compressions and WHY to do it that way.
Much appreciated! 🥰
Thank you so much for watching. I'm so glad it helped!
Me tooo, I was just about to type this 😭
Bro this is genius, I'va always had issues with setting my attack and realease times @@WillBorza
not only did this legend explain compression so beautifully he did it in 7 minutes! I wish my receding hairline made me that smart
This is the BEST video I've seen on YT about compression, and I’ve seen all kinds of videos from “PROs.” the fact that you used different plugins and hardware for the demonstration makes it even better! 🙌🏽 great job and well explained and easy to understand.
Wow, thank you so much!
Agreed
I agree, it's exactly how I think about compression as well and it's definitely the easiest way to explain it.
Facts. This is what im linking people to who ask about compression. I could try to explain it better in 7 min, and I'd fail lol. Will is rad
Ditto. Great channel, amigo. (You just need to upload more content!:)
This Right here is it and I’ve taken notes cause I’m tired of running in circles, one minute I get it, the next minute it slips my brain. But this is well presented 😮💨🔥🔥
the droning synth sound behind ... genius! Best lesson yet, you've done in 7min what countless hrs from 'pros' have not come close to teaching.
Thank you so much for watching! Glad you enjoyed!
Finally found a channel where although I'm at an advanced level, I can still learn. Finally.
Thanks for watching!
This is the best explanation I’ve seen on compression on UA-cam today. Wonderful
Wow, thanks!
Today? How many videos about compression have you watched today?
Lmfao
What about yesterday?
Ever feel like you need to decompress from watching about compression? 🙋
This is the best way i've ever seen someone explain an audio tool. Big thank you from the bottom of my heart.
Thank you so much! More to come!
Thought this was gonna be clickbait. But this turned out to be thee BEST video on compression I’ve ever seen, especially with the attack and release knob explanation. Good stuff!
You are the man !!!!! I have awarded you the BEST understanding compression video on the entire internet !!!!!! 🏆
thanks!
This is by far the best explanation Ive ever heard when it comes to compression.
Oh man!! This helps even more😮🔥🔥👌🏾
Nicely done
Thank you! Cheers!
You really explained this perfectly. I think largely due to your attitude towards the whole thing. There is a saying that goes something like "A true master can explain something complicated in the most simple of ways" rings true for this video.
That was really nice. Thanks for helping to explain it in EASY terms.
Glad it was helpful!
This is THE BEST explanation of compression I’ve ever heard on UA-cam. 🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉🎉
Yay! Thank you!
You cracked the code for teaching compression! What a marvelous video!🎉
From one receding hairline to another, thank you for this amazing video. I’m brand new to recording/mixing and this is very helpful.
Happy you found it helpful!
Great video
Thank you so much!
Dude. As much as I understand compressors, your structured 5 steps is PURE GOLD ❤️🙌. Best explaination I've ever seen / heard. Cheers Bro.
Great to hear!
Best compression tutorial I've watched. Thx
I just took notes from this video on a word document. I've recorded for decades. Lo-fi, no-fi, sounds pretty good but not great. I'm wanting to learn best practices now and this seven minute video really helped me understand compressors and my approach to them in a way dozens of other explanation videos could not. Thank you for the time you take to help your fellow music lovers learn what you know!
this was incredible
Very nice to hear the difference in different release times
Thank you so much for watching! Have a great show tomorrow!
This was well done my friend. Learned something so your intent was achieved.
Thank you so much for watching! Glad it was helpful :)
Wow thanks, amazing way of exploring by understanding❤
Glad you liked it!
Excellent tutorial. Great work Will.
Super interesting and great presentation
Whatttttttttt, I've been producing for more than 10 years and this is the best educational content available on internet !
Thank you so much for watching!
This is the best video about compression I've ever watched. I've struggled for years because I couldn't hear compression. THANKS A TON!
Glad it helped!
This genius gentleman also has The Secret to Perfect Teaching. I have never seen a better tutorial on UA-cam on ANY subject matter. Thank you SIR!!
Awesome! Thank you for this one.
Glad you liked it!
Hands down best video on compression
Thank you so much!
a decade of trying to grasp compression and this is the best explanation I've ever heard!! love it dude keep it up
Awesome, thank you!
It is the best explaination for basic compression. Hands down. I'm gonna recommend this video to all the folks who are struggeling with this topic. Thanks alot!
Thank you so much!
@@WillBorza Nononono.. Thank YOU!
Arguably the best short video on compression. Teaches you how to hear it in less than a minute. The only video I would recommend to anyone besides this one is Kush Audio YT channel on compression as it goes more in depth on texture. This video is awesome. Thank you.
Echoing others' comments about this being the best explanation of compression I've come across. Subscribed.
Thanks for watching!!!
I figured out the same approach with “SSL RULE”. I’m glad I’m not the only one.
Bro, this is brilliant. Thank you 🙏🏾
Thanks for watching!
I have to agree with most of the comments here. This is hands down an excellent comp video. The best learning vid I've seen so far on the "illusive" compressor!😂😂
Really really good. Should have been a teacher mate! ❤
I'll just say what everyone else is saying -- I LOVE when someone can tell me something I don't know in a way that distills things enough for me to feel like I know it a bit, because they themselves know it well enough to comfortably abstract and teach it. The feeling of being empowered by new knowledge is infections and you've given me that great feeling. Subscribed!
Thank you so much!
Well done I would say, this is one of the best explanations about compression on UA-cam... Thank you
Thank you so much for watching!
The best video on compression ever!
Wonderful presentation.
Loved your video.
Thank you
Many many thanks
Love your channel so much
Very good Video Thanks
Great video! Explained it better than I could with great examples!
Glad you enjoyed it!
this is such a clear explanation. soooo good.
ive been producing for 6 years and have never comprehended compression more than after watching this video. good shit dude
Leveling up!
OK in one single comment you have just solved all of my sub compression issues... because I am now using a limiter instead of a compressor and it is so much better. So thanks, I appreciate it.
Ive watched probably 100s of compression videos... this is the best!
Thank you so much!
Exactly. A.R.R.T is a great way to hear what the sound of the compressor is. Find that I have to use way less compression to get the effect that i want.
Your teaching skills are AWSM
Hand's down most comprehensive and easy compression advice for beginners. Well done! Gonna recommend this
Thank you so much!
Best Video Ever 👏🏾👏🏾❤️
Thank you so much!
What a fantastic video. I shared this with a budding sound engineer friend before I'd even finished watching. You're an intuitive and efficient communicator, and I'm stoked for the future of your channel!
Thank you! I really appreciate the share :)
0:30 Compression does not "make stuff less dynamic". A compressor *can* do that, with a fast Attack, but that's not really a description of a compressor. If I use a slow-ish Attack on a drum recording with a deep Threshold and/or Ratio, my transients will end up proportionately higher than other parts of the signal which were compressed, resulting in an increased dynamic range.
1:14 Attack is not really "reaction time", or "how quickly the compressor is going to respond." The Attack process happens instantly on a Threshold breach, and the time setting of the Attack is a demand for how long the compressor will take to perform ~2/3 of the total Gain Reduction. The trouble with the "reaction time" explanation is that it leaves people confused; they think the compressor is waiting [x] milliseconds to begin performing compression and then kicks in. This is particularly misleading if they are unsure how to listen to a compressor but they're heard about using calculators to determine ms by bpm - especially if they believe your next mistake too, and think that Attack and Release happen one after the other.
1:19 This is not how Release works; it is not "how quickly will the compressor return to normal after the sound has returned from crossing that line." The Threshold is not a two-way boundary. A standard compressor (i.e. downward compressor) only responds to upward breaches. When that upward breach happens, both the Attack process and the Release process begin instantly and simultaneously (which is why your Release setting should be decently longer than your Attack, in cases where a compressor allows A to be shorter than R). There is no sensor in a downward compressor circuit to detect a level falling beneath a certain mark. Similarly to Attack, the Release time setting is the amount of time after an upward breach for the compressor to restore ~2/3 of the GR.
You can prove this yourself by setting up an example where the audio is constantly above the Threshold. If only Attack happened above the Threshold and Release only kicked in beneath the Threshold, moving the Attack/Release dials wouldn't do anything. However, as you change A and R, you'll clearly hear that the sound does change.
This is all accurate but wouldn’t fit into a simplified 60 second overview.
@@WillBorza Saying that gain recovery begins after the signal dips under the threshold is not simplifying it. That's flat-out wrong. It's legitimate to simplify something if it helps new learners to understand a complex problem, but you did the opposite of helping them to understand.
@@joechapman8208 Thanks for the warning. I almost fell into the trap haha. I am surprised by people who want to spread false information to gain followers and some money.
@@ma3boch I wouldn't go that far. He's just repeating what he's heard. I'm less impressed that he just tried to BS me by pretending that already knew and was just "trying to simplify" (there's no way anyone will 'simplify' via an incorrect explanation), but I don't think the video is motivated by dishonesty. He thought what he was saying was true.
@@joechapman8208 Thank you for the response, my brother. Frankly, I do not know him, and I also do not want to oppress anyone, whether he or anyone else, but things have become annoying, and lying and deceiving people has become a normal thing for the majority, and this is what bothered me. I also unsubscribed from the channel.
great video. just subscribed
Very good intuitive description. It’s worth also understanding why it’s called “ratio”. My intuitive quick description of it is if you are at 5:1, 5dB difference in loudness gets squashed to 1dB difference in loudness. 10dB difference becomes 2dB. Ratio.
yeah that's basically it. 4:1 means 4db above the threshold become 1db above the threshold
This video should get an Oscar. Really nice job of clearly explaining and visualizing your concepts!
Great video. One of the best I’ve watched on compression
Thank you so much!
Would LOVE to see more videos from you if you can. Favorite plugins, analog gear reviews, Studio tour, etc!
More to come!
Thanks for the easy understanding!
Best compression video I have seen thxx👍🏾
Thank you so much!
Thank you , i think vyou are only one in the entire universe that explained properly the correlation between treshold and ratio!
Daym this is a dope video, really appreciate the clear explanation 👊🏾🙌🏾
Thank you!
One of the best music production videos I've ever had the pleasure of watching. And all done in just 7 mins. Thank you
Glad you enjoyed it!
Wow love this. Best video so far on compression
Thank you!
Just want to add that attack and release have nothing to do with a compressor’s reaction time to the loud signal. They just control the speed of the volume’s movement.
Also a limiter is just a compressor with an infinite ratio. Meaning anything that goes over the threshold is turned down by the amount it jumped over.
That’s a good way to think of it!
Modern limiters in DSP are not compressors with infinite ratios. This hasn't been true since at least the L1. They are more like soft and hard clippers with envelope contouring. There's probably some plugins out there that still work within that paradigm, but most modern limiters like Pro-L2, Ozone Limiter, Limitless are all kind of fancy/sophisticated clippers that can smoothly or abruptly transition between eating peaks, and riding gain like an AGC
The best explanation of compression out there!!
Thanks dude!
You’re an excellent teacher. I’m an experienced engineer but I couldn’t explain this as efficiently and effectively as you did. 👌
Thanks so much!
Standing ovation! Best compression video I have ever seen. You have the gift of being able to make complicated ideas simple to understand. It is often very difficult to make something easy (and very easy to make something difficult), so thank you for your hard work! My only complaint is that I needed this video about 20 years ago. Superb.
Glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for watching!
Gracias, saludos!
Great video thank you!
nice video man. I know how compressors work and I've worked with them for a long time, but I always like to hear other people's approach. Your explanation and general approach of the matter is really nice and easy to follow, and very well presented. Clear examples, and these 5 steps are a useful and practical approach I think
probably the best compression video i have seen period.
Thank you so much!
bruh this is such a game changer, tysm
You're very welcome!
One word: Excellent.
quite literally the most concise and entertaining, while informative video on compression I've ever come across the internet.
Thank you so much! :)
@@WillBorza you're welcome man. Do you have any videos like this on eq? Subbed btw, great stuff!
I’ll make one soon 😊
Awesome!@@WillBorza
I feel exactly like everyone else here ... Finally! I've always understand Compression in.theory, but never been able to translate that to my own compression efforts. The SSL theory is pure genius and makes total sense, they're preset values for a reason!! Well done and thank you ❤
Thanks for watching! Glad it helped!
This is the best YT vid I’ve seen on compression- wish I found this right when I was starting!
Glad you liked it!
nicely explained. Great video, thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it!
No matter what, I never tire of watching videos about the ARRT of compression because constant reminders are helpful. I have a natural tendency to stop going through this perfectly sensible sequence and just "dialing it in" without spending the 20 or 30s it would take to do this properly. So, thanks for the reminder and I may well re-watch this video every few months.
And 2/3 for tools. Pro C2 is my workhorse compressor, Unisum is my mastering compressor and .... well I've never got on with Ozone. But apparently 2 out of 3 ain't bad ;)
Thank you so much for watching! Ozone 11 is quite a bit better than its predecessors. But I’m a bit biased in saying that because I helped design it.
@@WillBorza Ah, didn't realise that, heard good things about Ozone 11, especially the maximiser. But I'm well served for mastering tools, even if I'm still trying to get to grips with some of them (I'm looking at you Unisum!).
THIS IS LITERALLY GOLD
Thank you so much!
@@WillBorza can you also get into dynamic eq or something like soothe 2 for vocals
Very helpful video and right to the point!
Glad it was helpful!
Your video is the best. Thank you.
Wow, thank you so much!
Excellent Video. Clear and concise. Thank you!
Bro, you made the best video on compression ever!
This video is great. Please make more videos in this style 😊
Best tutorial on compression!! and such a down to earth and likeable guy! subscribed!
Thank you so much!
Best compression explanation ever.
Thank you!
Wow. Fantastic explanation/ demonstration and tutorial all in 1!
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks for a straight-to-the-point explanation without adding those utterly funnyless memes that no one on earth laughs or is entertained by in between every sentence.
Great job
Haha! Thanks!
Wow, this helped me a lot. Finally I get how compression works ❤
I rarely subscribe to anyone and you earned my respect and trust with your videos. Video is straight forward, knowledgeable, easy to understand and no waste of time. You earned +1 sub😊
Great video . Thanks.
Glad you liked it!
Superb !
You've got another sub! Love the technique of increasing the ratio to hear the full affect! I did this, then slightly adjusted my attack, although surprisingly it was already not too far off, so has given me confidence my ears are working correctly! I've also now started using the auto release function rather than adjust my own release, you're right! The auto release does the business! Now I trust it. Made my moves and dropped the ratio, now my mix is sounding top notch, with no more muddy pumping low end. Thank you. 🤟🏻
Great video. It really makes things nice and clear.
Glad it was helpful!
The final part about the SSL Theory is what made this video stand out for me.. Never thought about it! Thanks
thanks!
Setting Release time to "close" just before the next beat is the simplest and clearest tip yet. Thanks a Bunch! It was a great presentation.
Glad it helped!