1176 Applications, settings. What do you like?

Kick and Snare when tracking, after a 1073 pre (on both). Usually 4:1, attack and release set by ear but fast.

On anything in particular/ everything?

I admit I need to explore it a lot more.

Cheers,
Geoff

On vocals sorry. 

On bass really depends on the bass. But I like using the 1176 on bass for distortion. By changing the release time you can get a lot of different distortion colors from it. 

But I like the 1176 to wiggling a bit. Bury the opto or mu comp after it with 4-10db reduction. Pretty much perfect vocals. 

All buttons in can be fun for effects with parallel processing. 

Vocals: 4 or 8:1, fastest attack, fastest release, followed by a slower compressor like a LA2A or LA4A. The 1176 has a tendency to accentuate SSS sounds and add a bit of weird midrange if the attack is too slow while doing heavy compression. Usually doing around 6-10db of GR on peaks. I use the Rev A on vocals. It adds some noise but it also adds a neat sheen to the vocals when pushed that the later revs don't.

Snare: I changed out my attack pot to something very large like a 250K pot so I could get much slower attack which acts more like other compressors since the 1176 at it's slowest is still faster than most compressor's fastest attacks.. I hit the front end hard and it rounds the fast transient a little but creates a much larger one with the slow attack. Release is set so the needle on the VU returns to 0 by the time the next snare hit is about to strike. Usually peaking around 10-15 GR with 4:1. I use my Rev D on this.

Bass: 20:1, somewhere around fast to medium fast attack and medium fast release, burying the needle on the VU amounts of GR. Adds a grit and growl at this level of compression. Use the Rev G on this.

I like em on everything, basically. I only have 1 hardware unit (MC77), but I have the UAD too.

Vocals: track at 4:1, dr. pepper att/rel, very little GR. Mixing I like 12:1, 1:00-ish on the attack, between 3 and 5:00 release, or 4&8:1 pressed together. I also dig the 4&8:1 on the bass drum too. Saw Albini do it once in a video so I tried it. Sounds cool. Not a default though. Depends on what I'm working on.

Other stuff, I don't really have a default setting. Just roll with whatever sounds good in the moment.

15db of GR on a snare drum sounds insane to me. Once I get above 3-5 or so, it starts to sound like way too much. I usually default to the UAD blue stripe for snare.

For strummy stuff? Finger style? Both?

The first Steve Earle album after he came back sounds like 1176s on the acoustics compressing pretty hard to me, but I find the sound kind of hard and grating for lack of better terms. But I don’t know if it actually was 1176s. 

Cheers,
 Geoff 

Not sure which album but I believe Steve Earle wanted to title one of 'em "1176". I think there is a mixonline article talking about one of his albums where they used 1176s.

I like them on acoustic - for the right sound. I too only have a hardware MC77 that I use. I like the pop I can get for finger style acoustic on something like my J200. Mostly on acoustic I use it for a hair of edge removal and a dash of excitement, and a pinch of pixy dust high end I get. For the latter sound I don't hit it hard. During tracking 4:1 slow attack, fast release. GR until I notice the sound I'm after, then back off a bit. Typically GR is just dancing not hitting anything hard - likely 3dB occasionally. I don't use the 1176 by looking at the GR; I'll only look *after* I'm on the sound I want to sort of peek at what is going on.

I do find it to be a fun play box that is worth trying on anything. Banjo, Mandolin. I like to follow it with a tube opto if I want to round off the edges.

I usually use an 1176 before an opto or mu compressor for vocals. I use it to tame peaks mostly. 4:1, A 10 oclock, R fastest. I have it clamp down about 6dB on the loudest parts. For me, it really helps the second compressor not pump. I'm not a fan of pumping compressors on vocals, so this helps me.

Funny, But I don't use an 1176 on many instruments. Not sure why, but it's never given me the sound I want to hear. I tend to use VCA or Mu compression on instruments more.

I read an interview when Transcendental Blues was released and Steve Earle said they had like 16 1176's, basically one for every track. You can really hear them on some of the tunes. 

If you, like me, are picky about keeping the transients as crisp and clear as possible there is a fair precaution to take with 76's.

If the release is set at a very fast setting it is very common for the meter to not register / show that actual amount of gain reduction, if any. They are just that fast. I guess faster than the meter to read it. Especially if they are slightly hitting a fast transient like snare or acoustic.
I bet if some of you guys (after you have set up your levels) grab our release knob and turn it all the way back over to slowest release it will show you more gain reduction than you expect. I'm always surprised by this myself. It makes me go a lil more careful with 76's than I otherwise might.

I never set my attack fast. It just kills everything.. it's always at 10:00 if not at the slowest. I tell interns / assistants to set it to the working stiff setting: 7am to 5pm. Attack at 7am and Release at 5pm. haha.

Lots of different approaches. Cool!

Lots of stuff to try.

Cheers,
Geoff