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Post by scumbum on Apr 24, 2017 17:43:32 GMT -6
What are some recordings I can listen to that have no compression on vocals ?
I've been trying to practice recording myself and getting a vocal take where I don't need compression . I just wonder if singing in this way you lose some emotion or the performance suffers in some way .
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Post by mrholmes on Apr 24, 2017 18:15:38 GMT -6
Perfect control over the voice, or ride the fader...  |
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Post by mjheck on Apr 24, 2017 19:16:40 GMT -6
Ethan Johns reportedly recorded Ryan Adams' Heartbreaker with no compression. I believe it - it sounds great - though the harmonica solos can be jarringly loud.
MJH
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Post by ChaseUTB on Apr 25, 2017 6:44:05 GMT -6
I did not know there was any 😀 Maybe perfect mic techniques would combat the need for compression? Idk interesting premise...
Fader riding is Compression in my opinion, to me it is just AGC ( gain compensation) or Leveling but still a form of restricting " gain/ volume range ".
I have plenty of dry vocals only because i didn't have the HW to comp on the way in.. however 99% of the time having some form of compression even if 3:1 soft knee can really help parts of those vocals sustain and become more audible/ present/ heard better than before..
Cool idea for a thread 😎
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Post by svart on Apr 25, 2017 9:11:48 GMT -6
Tape saturation, transformer saturation, etc, are all forms of compression that people have unknowingly used over the years besides the obvious intended compression.. It might be a futile effort.
Even when I want to use the least amount of compression on vocals, a trick I usually employ to get singers to perform more evenly is to compress the hell out of the feed back to their headphones, that way they're not chasing the level they hear.. Or do a couple "guide tracks" of vocals, then compress them heavily back to the headphones that way the singer harmonizes with them and stays more in tune and more even.
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Post by EmRR on Apr 25, 2017 9:24:15 GMT -6
It seems like 30% of the singers I encounter subconsciously react to compression threshold in their headphone feed by staying under that level. Maybe 20% are oblivious and sing harder, fighting the 'ceiling'.
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Post by Ward on Apr 25, 2017 14:12:25 GMT -6
No compression on vocals.
No salt on your chips (fries)
No gravy (or butter even) on your mashed potatoes
No mustard on your hot dog
No ketchup on your burger
No sex in your love life.
Sure, why not?
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Post by swurveman on Apr 25, 2017 14:55:00 GMT -6
What are some recordings I can listen to that have no compression on vocals ? I've been trying to practice recording myself and getting a vocal take where I don't need compression . I just wonder if singing in this way you lose some emotion or the performance suffers in some way . This sounds like it doesn't have a lot of compression on the vocal. And check out the snare sound. 3 mics on the entire kit. Can't imagine it would sound as good in this hypercompressed age. |
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Post by ChaseUTB on Apr 25, 2017 14:56:15 GMT -6
No compression on vocals. No salt on your chips (fries) No gravy (or butter even) on your mashed potatoes No mustard on your hot dog No ketchup on your burger No sex in your love life. Sure, why not? Aka life sucks 😂 |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2017 15:21:19 GMT -6
What are some recordings I can listen to that have no compression on vocals ? I've been trying to practice recording myself and getting a vocal take where I don't need compression . I just wonder if singing in this way you lose some emotion or the performance suffers in some way . This sounds like it doesn't have a lot of compression on the vocal. And check out the snare sound. 3 mics on the entire kit. Can't imagine it would sound as good in this hypercompressed age. Just great .... haven't listened to any Doors for ages. Dunno about compression - it certainly has "glue" provided by that beautiful bass. |
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Post by johneppstein on Apr 25, 2017 15:32:38 GMT -6
Frank Sinatra?
Barbra Streisand?
I remember reading a story about one of the classic female jazz singers - I forget who - having engineers fired for using compression on her vocal.
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Post by jampa on Apr 25, 2017 16:25:27 GMT -6
I'll hazard that the world's best selling album didn't use compression on the vocals
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Post by jazznoise on Apr 25, 2017 16:44:10 GMT -6
Some opera, classical music or world music recordings would have no dynamic range compression applied.
Interest caveat - close mic'ing deliberately exaggerates dynamic range. Classical music uses more distant mic'ing approach for voice, less compression. The relationship is obvious. If you want to eat the mic, you're going to have more dynamic range than you would if the room reflections were evening out some of the sustain of the notes. If you want to use less compression, put the mic further back. Don't tell me your room sounds bad, sing somewhere that sounds nice. It's just dragging you and a mic somewhere.
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Post by m03 on Apr 25, 2017 17:13:40 GMT -6
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Post by jampa on Apr 25, 2017 17:33:48 GMT -6
I always thought Bruce was against compression... perhaps it's for mixing?
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Post by Martin John Butler on Apr 25, 2017 17:43:00 GMT -6
I believe Sinatra and Nat King Cole insisted Bill Putnam be at their sessions with his compressors, and they sounded about as good as it ever sounded. Still, I'm kind of in the less is more for vocals camp.
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Post by guitfiddler on Apr 25, 2017 19:19:10 GMT -6
No compression on vocals. No salt on your chips (fries) No gravy (or butter even) on your mashed potatoes No mustard on your hot dog No ketchup on your burger No sex in your love life. Sure, why not? NO POP OR SUGAR!!! |
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ericn
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Balance Engineer
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Post by ericn on Apr 25, 2017 19:30:52 GMT -6
Okay , the concept of no dynamics on vocals is almost no existent when you consider mixing, anything on the buss or during mastering is going to effect the vocal! It's more a question of when was the compression applied!
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Post by Martin John Butler on Apr 25, 2017 20:20:18 GMT -6
Good thinking eric.
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Post by johneppstein on Apr 25, 2017 20:27:31 GMT -6
Okay , the concept of no dynamics on vocals is almost no existent when you consider mixing, anything on the buss or during mastering is going to effect the vocal! It's more a question of when was the compression applied! And what else was compressed at the same time (i.e. through the same device, on a (maybe sub)mix.) |
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ericn
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Balance Engineer
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Post by ericn on Apr 25, 2017 20:45:22 GMT -6
Okay , the concept of no dynamics on vocals is almost no existent when you consider mixing, anything on the buss or during mastering is going to effect the vocal! It's more a question of when was the compression applied! And what else was compressed at the same time (i.e. through the same device, on a (maybe sub)mix.) Very true! |
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Post by illacov on Apr 25, 2017 21:25:33 GMT -6
I'll gladly trade dynamic range for musical THD any day of the week. Vox with no compression or THD tend to sound "loose." Even fader riding an uncompressed vocal from tape thru an analog console to analog tape slave track is a form of compression.
Thanks
-L.
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ericn
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Balance Engineer
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Post by ericn on Apr 25, 2017 21:57:39 GMT -6
I'll gladly trade dynamic range for musical THD any day of the week. Vox with no compression or THD tend to sound "loose." Even fader riding an uncompressed vocal from tape thru an analog console to analog tape slave track is a form of compression. Thanks -L. Let's not forget the compression that had to be applied when cutting vinyl. |
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Post by donr on Apr 25, 2017 22:55:28 GMT -6
This sounds like it doesn't have a lot of compression on the vocal. And check out the snare sound. 3 mics on the entire kit. Can't imagine it would sound as good in this hypercompressed age. Just great .... haven't listened to any Doors for ages. Dunno about compression - it certainly has "glue" provided by that beautiful bass. Been listening to this cut a lot lately. Sounds great. You can't hear the kick drum at all, but the bass drives the song, and the top of the kit sounds sweet and classic Densmore groove. When LA Woman came out, I'd thought the Doors had shot their wad, and I was floored by how good the record was. |
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Post by scumbum on Apr 26, 2017 9:01:48 GMT -6
I'd have to look around but I think he just ran the vocal through it for the sound but didn't compress it . |
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