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Old 10-10-2019, 03:28 PM   #96
ChristopherT
Human being with feelings
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: South
Posts: 587
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I don't use compression much after mixing well over 500 albums.
I almost always use it on bass, and a little on lead vocal, sometimes snare/kick/toms/OH's / drum room mics.
But the whole thing about compression to me is all about the sound the compressor imparts - never about squashing it: its EASY to squash something.

Dynamics are king - and in my experience, it is about deciding what is dynamic, and what is not.
So it is this combo that is a secret of mixing - knowing what to not compress, and what to leave dynamic. Also, to understand what to leave for the mastering compression. (without using mix bus compression)

As far as Thriller, the use of mic pre's, tape, many transformers on the recording chain, and the mix console, mixed back to tape again - all soaking up transients - so there is some compression happening - coupled with the best players in the world who hardly ever need compressing, as their performances and playing is compressed via amazing playing techniques.

The better the player - the less need for compression to solve dynamic issues.

I do know Quincy liked to compress guitars with a certain Urei comp on Thriller - because of the sound that particular compressor imparts.

But in the real world, I get many albums where the playing dynamics are all over the place - as in they are not seasoned pro players. So I need a compressor to help solve the unevenness.

I have lots of hardware comps to use, but I also do really like MJUC compressor in the AGC mode with HQ, and use in places it on every mix. (voc + bass)
(never more than 2:1 ratio).

Going back to Thriller, I read an interview with QJ decades ago, and he was talking about the vocal on thriller, and how he double tracked the lead vocal spread over 4 tape machines - so around 90 double tracked vocals.
He stated that MJ was the only singer he had ever worked with who could keep doubling the vocal with perfection every time.

I would also imagine that there would be very little compression on MJ's voice as he was so in control.
So in context, of course QJ hardly uses any compression - its all done in the performance by the best players in the world

I view compression as an FX - an EQing device, a way to dirty things up, a way to change how the transients interplay between instruments.

Compression is also a tool that can make flat performances sound extremely dynamic, make things leap out of a mix - WITHOUT squashing the performance.

A great sculpting tool when viewed through the right lens.
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