When to use compression or gating or both?

[Volor Profile]

hi,I've looked up some info on compression and gating:

(I)

Compression: "A compressor is an automatic volume control. Loud sounds over a certain threshold are reduced in level; quiet sounds are not reduced. In this way it reduces the dynamic range(dynamic range is the difference between the quietest and loudest volume of an instrument) of an audio signal. A compressor reduces the gain (level) of an audio signal if its amplitude exceeds a threshold. The amount of gain reduction is determined by a ratio
This may be done for aesthetic reasons, to deal with technical limitations of audio equipment, or to improve audibility of audio in noisy environments."

(wikipedia:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audio_level_compression)

Gating:"A Noise Gate is an electronic device or software logic that is used to control the volume of an audio signal."(idem to 1st sentence compression)
"a noise gate allows a signal to pass through only when it is above a set threshold: the gate is open. If the signal falls below the threshold no signal is allowed to pass: the gate is closed. A noise gate is used when the level of the 'signal' is above the level of the 'noise'. The threshold is set above the level of the 'noise' and so when there is no 'signal' the gate is closed. A noise gate does not remove noise from the signal. When the gate is open both the signal and the noise will pass through."

(wikipedia:http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Noise_gate)

One of the best production tutorials ive ever seen on youtube(about gating),video by bytesmasher(you rule+1st few secs s rlly funny):
http://nl.youtube.com/watch?v=1uS5_K0jwho

(II)

So,a compressor is NOT the opposite of a noise gate cause a compressor merely reduces the sounds over a given treshold while a noise gate completely stops a signal from passing the gate when it isnt louder or as loud as a given treshold.(??)

(III)

Some quotes about compression and gating:
-"Gate breakbeats,use gates to make them more punchy."
(quote by bytesmasher)
-"I often spout off about how gates kick ass, and how compression tends to just muddy up mixes more than everything"(hmm,I think he means this mainly aplies to mixes in general and especially mixes wich hold breakbeats wich are already compressed(so they would end up overcompressed))
(quote by bytesmasher)
-"general production good practices - 'cleaning' the break up, applying compression and EQing.
This is standard stuff when producing most forms of music"
(quote by weyheyhey!!)

(IV)

Conlusion:So compression lets a clean break(=without any effects) sound more organic,warm.
and gating lets a clean break sound more punchy,agressive.

Usingtoo much compression (on an already compressed break)makes a break sound muddy.
Using too much gate makes a break sound too chopped.

(V) => questions

(1.) Is this correct?
(2.a) When is(or even better,plainly"is") a compressor used in combination with a gate?
, (2.b)wich effects does it create and (2.c)is it best to compress 1st then gate or the opposite?

V

[avisupchurch Profile]

Now that you understand the difference between the two things.... just use your intuition of when to use one thing or the other....

The only thing I use compression on is percussion hits, and as I said in another thread, I do this before I put them in my sequence. To me, compression is a lot like an amplitude envelope-- by changing the settings on your compression device/plug-in, you get different attack/decay characterists than on your original sample. Raising or lowering the threshold.... is going to determine how much softer than the attack the rest of your sample is. This, along with your attack time setting on the compressor is going to determine how "hard" of an attack your hit gets.

A lot of times I hear people use the terms compressor and limiter interchangably... but to me those are very different things. With a limiter you are bringing the amplitude of your whole sample to the same level. This is something that can definitely muddy up your mixes if used too much. A limiter is something I usually only use on my final mix, during the "mastering" process, and occasionally I might use it witn isolated samples.

As for gating..... I don't use level-modulated gates, I just trim off the end of the sample, going only by taste. So it's more of a rhythm thing. Don't overthink these effects in terms of their "musical function" because the same effect will give you different results depending on the sample you put them through, especially in a subjective sense. It seems a bit dangerous to try to generalize with how those things are going to make your samples sound in the context of your music. Just become familiar with what you can do with each effect, and then use them intuitively.... experiment!

[avisupchurch Profile]

(2.a) When is(or even better,plainly"is") a compressor used in combination with a gate?

(2.c)is it best to compress 1st then gate or the opposite?

V

Are you talking about making/treating a break? Or sequencing your track?

Because for me, some of this stuff is inapplicable, since my breaks (and other drum samples, for that matter) are pre-compressed.... the gating occurs during the composition process, as I'm sequencing it. Don't take my advice too seriously, though, since I'm still a bit of a beginner myself.

[Volor Profile]

Don't overthink these effects in terms of their "musical function" because the same effect will give you different results depending on the sample you put them through, especially in a subjective sense. It seems a bit dangerous to try to generalize with how those things are going to make your samples sound in the context of your music. Just become familiar with what you can do with each effect, and then use them intuitively.... experiment!

You are completely right,but still,one needs to have at least a clue of what you are working with,cause with some effects,its nearly impossible to determine what is going on exactly with the sound sample without understanding the machinery that creates the effect.

Are you talking about making/treating a break? Or sequencing your track?

mainly about breaks yes.

A lot of times I hear people use the terms compressor and limiter interchangably... but to me those are very different things. With a limiter you are bringing the amplitude of your whole sample to the same level. This is something that can definitely muddy up your mixes if used too much. A limiter is something I usually only use on my final mix, during the "mastering" process, and occasionally I might use it witn isolated samples.

I thougt a compressor also brought the amplitude to the treshold level(the frequencies above it),I don't understand the diffrence you are trying to point out.

Don't take my advice too seriously, though, since I'm still a bit of a beginner myself.

compared to who lol?: )
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[vlasshole Profile]

compression mostly

[miskibaul Profile]

A lot of times I hear people use the terms compressor and limiter interchangably... but to me those are very different things. With a limiter you are bringing the amplitude of your whole sample to the same level. This is something that can definitely muddy up your mixes if used too much. A limiter is something I usually only use on my final mix, during the "mastering" process, and occasionally I might use it witn isolated samples.

I thougt a compressor also brought the amplitude to the treshold level(the frequencies above it),I don't understand the diffrence you are trying to point out.

limiting/limiters are compressors.

when you look at the different parameters you can adjust on a compressor you will see a ratio knob. limiters are compressors with the ratio all the way up to 100:1 or all the way clockwise.

using a ratio of 3:1 - 10:1 or something like that, is more of the effect avisupchurch was referring too.

...i think

[miskibaul Profile]

compression = dynamic volume control

gating = duration of the sample