OK. A Compression tutorial after my intro about hip hop boomers...someone already figured it out. This will probably go to the members only section after about a week. Enjoy!
A compressor is like your mom....when you're in the car with her and your favorite song come on the radio. You want it loud but if it gets too loud, she reaches over and turns it down. Threshold is how much volume she can tolerate before she reaches over and turns it down. Ratio is how much she turns it down. Knee is how angry she is. Release is how quickly you can turn it back up before she slaps your hand.
One cool thing about compressors which rarely gets mentioned is their tonal shaping ability, that theyre able to act like a timed eq. The faster the attack the more shorter wavelengths it will attenuate, hence the sound will get darker. So not only dynamic control but if a drum attack is a different tonality to its tail for instance, we can affect that and darken its attack without affecting its tail. Also using compressor to de ess if all you have is a compressor and no de esser. Very versatile tool.
Another thing worth considering, is depending when the compressor was built and by whom, the attack can function differently. A lot of old compressors attack will start to compress right away (once signal passes the threshold) and the attack will be how long it takes to reach the full ratio of compression. But some of the newer compressor plugins instead don't start compressing until after the attack time. Quite weird how that came about but seems to be a thing. It likely adds to the confusion young guys have when trying to hear what compressors are doing to begin with.
The thing about Dilla was he was really musical, wrote basslines, chords, and then on top of that was really rhythmic. It’s kind of true that not many people before or after reached that level of versatility. I hear good beats in one or more areas, but rarely in all of them. I don’t think you become a boomer just because you don’t hear people surpassing him, it’s extremely hard.
this is pure gold!!!! to me a lot of the hiphop production youtubers are caught in the battle of digi vs analog or samplers vs daw workflow where as im trying to learn about mixing /mastering and how to improve sonics. you are my favorite production / hiphop channel no doubt
Great explanation. I often explain compression to students as if the sound was pushing up against a spring. Lowering the spring towards the sound is like the threshold, the stiffer or thicker the spring the higher the ratio. Attack and release times don't really apply in this metaphor, and make up gain is pretty easy to get across. BTW, I still have a pair of dbx 160 that I got at a yard sale 30 years ago. It's a very specific sound, but great in many applications. Analog Obsession does really good and free emulations of many of the classic designs including LA2A, 1176, 160, etc. I use them all the time and recommend them to young engineers. Also great to hear your thoughts about folks stuck in the past on their music. We're around the same age and I remember the older engineers and producers complaining on how this Hip Hop crap wasn't even music and where are the guitars and "real instruments", bla bla bla. It will never change. I for one am really inspired by a lot of new music coming out. Look at all the mind blowing stuff coming from various parts of Africa and Brazil.
I think that a lot of hip hop beat makers think of compression as some kind of secret voodoo (more that just a utilitarian production tool) and I suspect that's why it gets talked about so much. You hear a lot about compression being used to color the sound of the kick and snare to get huge, knocking drum sounds. There are a lot of stories and hearsay. For example, there's a video on TH-cam about Paul C pushing compressors super hard to elongate the tails on 808 kicks. Then you have the guys that say the compression is mostly from overdriving the inputs on samplers instead of using dedicated compressors. And then you get the guys talking about tape compression ("bounce it tape yo"). Or, you hear the stories about mythical analog mixing desks that provide a certain magic if warmed up for 8 hours and permeated with weed smoke. Ha. Still, I get the impression that most of the talk is from people who weren't necessarily in the game at that time. There's a real urban legend feel to it all and it's hard to tell what's myth and what's real. It would be interesting to hear you speak on whether "creative compression" was an actual topic of discussion with 90s hip hop or if all the compression talk is just people on the internet making stuff up. For example, were your average hip hop beat makers in the 80s and 90s THAT far down in the weeds (beyond slamming the sampler inputs and EQing up the bass)? Was compression even something that was on your average hip hop beat maker's radar in the 90s? Or was using compression in unique ways something the engineers were talking about (if it was talked about at all)?
Great videoa again Tony! Thanks, and what JamBurglar posted above sums up alot of "mysticism" of the 90´s gear and technique. What´s myth and what was really done and used.
Great discussion to be had on "what makes music good"? So who really knows good music?????? ahhhhhhh MUSCIANS! Looking for music on the internet has changed the optics, appearance, looks and feel of how music is made.
A Patreon option would be welcomed too, for those that aren't able (for whatever reason) to get a membership on TH-cam. Good take on the boomerism! it's all relative. I believe Dilla was quoted as saying he listened exclusively to classical in his later days. The highlight of the Beato video was his revelation -around 4 decades after the advent of Public Enemy, no less- that popular rap music uses 808 kicks a lot. I really want to hear a video surmising on the techniques used by producers like Alchemist, DJ Muggs and Conductor Williams on beats for rappers like Westside Gunn, Mach Hommy and Roc Marciano. there's something almost renaissance-like about the musicality of those tracks.
Great content!!! Do you think you could do a video on the role of a recording engineer. And the process of tracking beats from drum machines/samplers in the 90s. Thank you.
Before you leave earth a little coffee can’t hurt . 🙏🏿 My Question today on Zoomin’ with SKI was for you if you don’t mind TB. NYC … is it possible to mix a finished song (stereo) or even from stem separation given that it may have a few artifacts from the surgery, can it be molt resurrected into better stems to a bigger better sound?
much appreciated...sometimes the zoom is confusing, but still great. A finished track can be embellished with some tricks like mults or multiband eq/compression...or if you can really disect it you may be able to trigger kick and snare samples...complex.
@@TonyBlackNYC got you on double speed. lots of vids lined up to get through 😂 i slowed down though to hear the beat changes properly. 200 bpm was a bit too much haha
@@TheSonicAllyDouble speed will get you through the dialogue fast but won't give your brain time to properly digest the topic. No need to rush through everything, there is lots of content out there but is it all really that important/valuable? Remember those times before the constant Internet stream of content? We were not missing out on much because we were busy doing things irl.
after all this years i'm still not sure if i just prefer the results of using already good samples + volume automations instead of a compressor or if i'm just incapable of setting the compressor right and missing out big time ...i'm using compressors on vocals but barely on drums, bass or other samples
The most overexplained simple process in music production. Love when I see the MPC software pulled up on the desktop, hoping 3.0 will add some of the features it's lacking. ...Ah that was Beats
I have to say people will listen to whatever is catchy ..rock in the 50s 60s 70s was at it's catchiest lots of hooks.. I like in the 2000s rock bands just stopped writing hooks and it's gotten worse
Mr. Black, I’ve watched only a few of your videos and there is something about you that says work with me like no other on TH-cam has. I’m ready to record a couple of projects…will you work with me? I can come to Nyc. I am only six away from you!
I love Dilla and all...but it's a strange place to rant from, to be on one hand calling someone old and out of touch, while simultaneously clutching some old Slum Village demo tape as the height of all music. Also something tells me Dilla himself would not be still chasing that same old sound in 2024; he likely would've moved way beyond all that. Kind of reminds me of all those guys that downloaded bootleg copies of Fruity Loops, because "9th Wonder uses it"; meanwhile 9th probably hasn't touched anything FL-related since 2006. Gotta move on at some point
LOL, 9th wonder also used an MPC 2500 and even Maschine.....that doesn't wanna make me buy those.....Grimes caused Maschine in year 0 of the pandemic. Lionclad caused a 2500.
OK. A Compression tutorial after my intro about hip hop boomers...someone already figured it out. This will probably go to the members only section after about a week. Enjoy!
Thanks Tony 🔥👑
First 3 minutes in and his explanation of compression is already better than more than half of the compression videos on TH-cam.
A compressor is like your mom....when you're in the car with her and your favorite song come on the radio. You want it loud but if it gets too loud, she reaches over and turns it down. Threshold is how much volume she can tolerate before she reaches over and turns it down. Ratio is how much she turns it down. Knee is how angry she is. Release is how quickly you can turn it back up before she slaps your hand.
I had such a mam....but she turned it down to 0....guess she'd be a limiter.
unique analogy
@@artisans8521more kind of Mute-Mum
One cool thing about compressors which rarely gets mentioned is their tonal shaping ability, that theyre able to act like a timed eq.
The faster the attack the more shorter wavelengths it will attenuate, hence the sound will get darker. So not only dynamic control but if a drum attack is a different tonality to its tail for instance, we can affect that and darken its attack without affecting its tail. Also using compressor to de ess if all you have is a compressor and no de esser.
Very versatile tool.
Another thing worth considering, is depending when the compressor was built and by whom, the attack can function differently.
A lot of old compressors attack will start to compress right away (once signal passes the threshold) and the attack will be how long it takes to reach the full ratio of compression. But some of the newer compressor plugins instead don't start compressing until after the attack time. Quite weird how that came about but seems to be a thing. It likely adds to the confusion young guys have when trying to hear what compressors are doing to begin with.
The thing about Dilla was he was really musical, wrote basslines, chords, and then on top of that was really rhythmic. It’s kind of true that not many people before or after reached that level of versatility. I hear good beats in one or more areas, but rarely in all of them. I don’t think you become a boomer just because you don’t hear people surpassing him, it’s extremely hard.
this is pure gold!!!! to me a lot of the hiphop production youtubers are caught in the battle of digi vs analog or samplers vs daw workflow where as im trying to learn about mixing /mastering and how to improve sonics. you are my favorite production / hiphop channel no doubt
Best explanation I've seen for a topic where there is WAY too much goofy information on YT. Thank you.
Thanks!
much appreciated t
Great explanation. I often explain compression to students as if the sound was pushing up against a spring. Lowering the spring towards the sound is like the threshold, the stiffer or thicker the spring the higher the ratio. Attack and release times don't really apply in this metaphor, and make up gain is pretty easy to get across. BTW, I still have a pair of dbx 160 that I got at a yard sale 30 years ago. It's a very specific sound, but great in many applications. Analog Obsession does really good and free emulations of many of the classic designs including LA2A, 1176, 160, etc. I use them all the time and recommend them to young engineers.
Also great to hear your thoughts about folks stuck in the past on their music. We're around the same age and I remember the older engineers and producers complaining on how this Hip Hop crap wasn't even music and where are the guitars and "real instruments", bla bla bla. It will never change. I for one am really inspired by a lot of new music coming out. Look at all the mind blowing stuff coming from various parts of Africa and Brazil.
2mins in and that's the best summary of compression I've ever heard, and I've watched a million videos and been to SAE.
I love watching Tony explain in PT what he clearly learned in the real world. Keep it coming Tony. I’m hanging on the details of all your stories.
Nice breakdown of compression with little hands adjusting vol up & down. Now I will picture that's what's going on in my devices. 🤣
I think that a lot of hip hop beat makers think of compression as some kind of secret voodoo (more that just a utilitarian production tool) and I suspect that's why it gets talked about so much. You hear a lot about compression being used to color the sound of the kick and snare to get huge, knocking drum sounds. There are a lot of stories and hearsay.
For example, there's a video on TH-cam about Paul C pushing compressors super hard to elongate the tails on 808 kicks. Then you have the guys that say the compression is mostly from overdriving the inputs on samplers instead of using dedicated compressors. And then you get the guys talking about tape compression ("bounce it tape yo"). Or, you hear the stories about mythical analog mixing desks that provide a certain magic if warmed up for 8 hours and permeated with weed smoke. Ha. Still, I get the impression that most of the talk is from people who weren't necessarily in the game at that time. There's a real urban legend feel to it all and it's hard to tell what's myth and what's real.
It would be interesting to hear you speak on whether "creative compression" was an actual topic of discussion with 90s hip hop or if all the compression talk is just people on the internet making stuff up. For example, were your average hip hop beat makers in the 80s and 90s THAT far down in the weeds (beyond slamming the sampler inputs and EQing up the bass)? Was compression even something that was on your average hip hop beat maker's radar in the 90s? Or was using compression in unique ways something the engineers were talking about (if it was talked about at all)?
thanks, lots there...I'll try to get some of that in the next video or so
Great videoa again Tony! Thanks, and what JamBurglar posted above sums up alot of "mysticism" of the 90´s gear and technique. What´s myth and what was really done and used.
Best channel on TH-cam hands down
Important info here for producers.
Thanks Tony.
Thankyou, I was just learning about compression, and I have watched loads of YT videos, you explained it the most clearly.😀😀👌
I was in Ski's live this morning too so this is right on time. I appreciate your insight on the topic Tony!
Great discussion to be had on "what makes music good"?
So who really knows good music?????? ahhhhhhh MUSCIANS!
Looking for music on the internet has changed the optics, appearance, looks and feel of how music is made.
Thanks Tone / appreciate it!
I really appreciate you sharing this!
A Patreon option would be welcomed too, for those that aren't able (for whatever reason) to get a membership on TH-cam. Good take on the boomerism! it's all relative. I believe Dilla was quoted as saying he listened exclusively to classical in his later days. The highlight of the Beato video was his revelation -around 4 decades after the advent of Public Enemy, no less- that popular rap music uses 808 kicks a lot. I really want to hear a video surmising on the techniques used by producers like Alchemist, DJ Muggs and Conductor Williams on beats for rappers like Westside Gunn, Mach Hommy and Roc Marciano. there's something almost renaissance-like about the musicality of those tracks.
Compression confessions is kind of an amazing podcast name or series just sayin!
maybe!
good hip hop channel thanks tony
Great content!!! Do you think you could do a video on the role of a recording engineer. And the process of tracking beats from drum machines/samplers in the 90s. Thank you.
SALUTE! THANK YOU!
Good stuff thank you
They are still making Dilla & DJ Premier beats & Songs… They just only play it on Sayalite radio. Not mainstream!
Before you leave earth a little coffee can’t hurt . 🙏🏿
My Question today on Zoomin’ with SKI was for you if you don’t mind TB. NYC
… is it possible to mix a finished song (stereo) or even from stem separation given that it may have a few artifacts from the surgery, can it be molt resurrected into better stems to a bigger better sound?
much appreciated...sometimes the zoom is confusing, but still great. A finished track can be embellished with some tricks like mults or multiband eq/compression...or if you can really disect it you may be able to trigger kick and snare samples...complex.
lol you been watchin weaver beats again ? 😂 thanks for the tips !
that was damn fast.
@@TonyBlackNYC got you on double speed. lots of vids lined up to get through 😂 i slowed down though to hear the beat changes properly. 200 bpm was a bit too much haha
@@TheSonicAllyDouble speed will get you through the dialogue fast but won't give your brain time to properly digest the topic.
No need to rush through everything, there is lots of content out there but is it all really that important/valuable? Remember those times before the constant Internet stream of content? We were not missing out on much because we were busy doing things irl.
Tony, opinion on tempo syncing the compressor release?
not really something I go to often
1:55 "and then on the release TIP" Yea u really cut from that cloth OG I aint heard that slang for MINUTE!
on the late night tip lookin ahhhh LOL
nice catch
Tony should you not add compression where you have all the drums on one track?
no rules...why not?
@@TonyBlackNYC got it! 👍🏽
after all this years i'm still not sure if i just prefer the results of using already good samples + volume automations instead of a compressor or if i'm just incapable of setting the compressor right and missing out big time ...i'm using compressors on vocals but barely on drums, bass or other samples
Limters for volume control, compressors for tonal and groove control. Try with this in mind and it might help
How hard should I be hitting tape plugins? Studer or the Amex ?
there's no rules...season to taste
Leveling dynamics on melodic sample chops...compress, clip, limit or none of the above?
sometimes...
Big gain hunting 🤘
trademark pending
The most overexplained simple process in music production. Love when I see the MPC software pulled up on the desktop, hoping 3.0 will add some of the features it's lacking.
...Ah that was Beats
Tony, how many people will get the reference to "Confessions of a Mad Housewife?" We Boomers are getting OLD.
I couldn't remember where I stole it from
I have to say people will listen to whatever is catchy ..rock in the 50s 60s 70s was at it's catchiest lots of hooks.. I like in the 2000s rock bands just stopped writing hooks and it's gotten worse
Mr. Black, I’ve watched only a few of your videos and there is something about you that says work with me like no other on TH-cam has. I’m ready to record a couple of projects…will you work with me? I can come to Nyc. I am only six away from you!
6 away?
Everybody's biter
I love Dilla and all...but it's a strange place to rant from, to be on one hand calling someone old and out of touch, while simultaneously clutching some old Slum Village demo tape as the height of all music. Also something tells me Dilla himself would not be still chasing that same old sound in 2024; he likely would've moved way beyond all that. Kind of reminds me of all those guys that downloaded bootleg copies of Fruity Loops, because "9th Wonder uses it"; meanwhile 9th probably hasn't touched anything FL-related since 2006. Gotta move on at some point
LOL, 9th wonder also used an MPC 2500 and even Maschine.....that doesn't wanna make me buy those.....Grimes caused Maschine in year 0 of the pandemic. Lionclad caused a 2500.