Original Message 1/3                 Date: 09-Mar-05  @  11:22 AM   -   Behringer_MDX1400 AUTOCOM PRO      [Link: Behringer - MDX1400 AUTOCOM PRO]

steveokane

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Please help. I am a singer/songwriter, and am about to home record a c.d. I am technically illiterate. I have an AKG c3000 mic, phantom powered by a Behringer Euro rack mx620 A. This goes into a Behringer Autocom pro MDX 1400 compressor....which I don't understand! My guitaring is gentle picking, my vocal clear, warm, intimate. Thats it!(all very simple/no drums,mega bass etc) Please please advise compresssor settings??
Free c.d when finished to the helper!!  )
regards, Steve O'Kane

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Message 2/3                 Date: 09-Mar-05  @  09:52 PM   -   RE: Behringer_MDX1400 AUTOCOM PRO

k

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well sadly i'm of the opinion with all the headroom available now with digital that i dont use any compression on record, only on mix. For one thing very gentle compression doesnt do a whole lot and if it's used more strongly to even out bad dynamic technique, one is susceprible to more pops/plosives and sibilance.

something with a fast attack, 1/2 sec release, 2:1 ratio - then try tweaking the Ratio up a tad and making the release a tad faster perhaps - some where around there, but gently does it... btw, if you increase the attack time this add's more punch to the initial attack of the vocal phrase, which may or may not be desirable.

but seriously, try it without compression too and then try adding some on mix using a s/w comp'

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Message 3/3                 Date: 14-Mar-05  @  03:32 PM     Edit: 14-Mar-05  |  03:36 PM   -   RE: Behringer_MDX1400 AUTOCOM PRO

psylichon

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agreed on the no compression thing. If you reeeeeeally like the sound of an analog compressor (i.e. it sounds better than any of your software compressors... and there are very few of those that come to mind), then I would say track with it. But if you're compressing on the way in to "use more bits" then you're completely wasting your time with a 24-bit system. You'll get all the resolution you need to capture the dynamic range of your analog front end, even without a compressor, and even if your peaks only hit -20!

In fact, your analog front end is, no offense, not of the highest quality. I would back off my preamp gain and not use the compressor, record quieter signals and boost them with software trims and compression, and I bet your sound will improve tenfold by doing that alone. Besides, plugins love headroom.

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