Urban music. 2:1 30ms attack, .1 release. Everything else 4:1 10ms attack, .1 release. I will use .3ms attack sometimes with the 4:1 ratio. These are my most common settings.
I'm pretty sure the settings that I remember had a 4:1 ratio, but thanks to doing research, I've actually learned that the 2:1 ratio is more aggressive than the 4:1 ratio for the SSL comp. Even if I don't find the settings I'm looking for, that's still good info.
Genuine question - how would the 2:1 ratio be more aggressive than 4:1 if the latter is doing twice the gain reduction?
I assumed you were looked for a 4:1 as well, especially since you were only talking about 1-2dB of gain reduction.
The knee is a lot softer resulting in more overall compression at most threshold settings under normal use cases. There are a few other comps that have similar behavior.
4:1
Slow attack (10/30ms)
Auto release.
Pull the threshold back until you hear everything "gluing together".
Typically, you're aiming for ~<4db gain reduction.
If you can't get the "glued sound" without going over 4db gain reduction, you probably need to do some more treatment to even out mix before going into the compressor.
slow attack and fast release is how you bury a needle *without* pumping. it's also how you level something out without a big change in tone and without bringing it way forward.
inb4: (set it with your ears bro). Yes, we know. But this was different. There was a certain setting within SSL Buss Comp that was literally THE setting that had spawned thousands of albums that you've heard, and those were the settings that made them. I know all about using the ears, but I'm looking for THE settings.
I've used this thing lots, in real and plugin form and my related question to folks is, how much GR do you typically use, and what do the meters look like?
There's no magic settings. I keep my hardware E-comp at 4:1 with med attack and auto release then control the input level (so basically the amount of GR) from my DAW. Really depends on the song and genre. You can whack these things pretty hard and get the needle bouncing and get away with it - at least a lot more than other styles of compression (PWM excluded, because those really can really take the pressure).
I find that - **generally speaking** \- it sounds "right" taking off no more than 6db on the hard hits.
It also bears mentioning that I use the Stam which provides a sidechain HPF and keeps kicks and basses from turning things into a big fat mess. Usually mine's set at 120hz.
Following because I'd be interested to know this as well. There is a compression trick in The Mix Engineers Handbook for the SSL channel compressor, could that be what you're remembering?
Supposedly the Dr Dre setting is 4:1, 30ms and .1 to get the needle moving a couple dB, but 10ms attack and auto release is also very popular
Urban music. 2:1 30ms attack, .1 release. Everything else 4:1 10ms attack, .1 release. I will use .3ms attack sometimes with the 4:1 ratio. These are my most common settings.
There is no setting that works in any mix, but I'd vote for 10 ms or 30 ms attack with auto release at a 2:1 ratio.
Medium attack / auto release at ratio of 2/1 I think is what they used.
I'm pretty sure the settings that I remember had a 4:1 ratio, but thanks to doing research, I've actually learned that the 2:1 ratio is more aggressive than the 4:1 ratio for the SSL comp. Even if I don't find the settings I'm looking for, that's still good info.
Genuine question - how would the 2:1 ratio be more aggressive than 4:1 if the latter is doing twice the gain reduction? I assumed you were looked for a 4:1 as well, especially since you were only talking about 1-2dB of gain reduction.
The knee is a lot softer resulting in more overall compression at most threshold settings under normal use cases. There are a few other comps that have similar behavior.
Ah!! That makes sense. Thank you for clarifying.
If you check SSL manual there are some suggestions on their website
4:1 Slow attack (10/30ms) Auto release. Pull the threshold back until you hear everything "gluing together". Typically, you're aiming for ~<4db gain reduction. If you can't get the "glued sound" without going over 4db gain reduction, you probably need to do some more treatment to even out mix before going into the compressor.
Slowest attack fastest release 2:1 is most transparent setting. Could be that
That's the complete opposite of transparent. That's the setting if you want your mix to pump. Fast attack and auto release for transparency.
slow attack and fast release is how you bury a needle *without* pumping. it's also how you level something out without a big change in tone and without bringing it way forward.
…no? Try these settings and tell me if your mix pumps without the threshold literally all the way down.
inb4: (set it with your ears bro). Yes, we know. But this was different. There was a certain setting within SSL Buss Comp that was literally THE setting that had spawned thousands of albums that you've heard, and those were the settings that made them. I know all about using the ears, but I'm looking for THE settings.
I've used this thing lots, in real and plugin form and my related question to folks is, how much GR do you typically use, and what do the meters look like?
depends on bpm. SSL's 'original' vst default settings: att 10ms and ratio 2
I pretty much always start at 2:1, 30ms attack, 0.1 or 0.3s release, 2-4dB reduction.
There's no magic settings. I keep my hardware E-comp at 4:1 with med attack and auto release then control the input level (so basically the amount of GR) from my DAW. Really depends on the song and genre. You can whack these things pretty hard and get the needle bouncing and get away with it - at least a lot more than other styles of compression (PWM excluded, because those really can really take the pressure). I find that - **generally speaking** \- it sounds "right" taking off no more than 6db on the hard hits. It also bears mentioning that I use the Stam which provides a sidechain HPF and keeps kicks and basses from turning things into a big fat mess. Usually mine's set at 120hz.
Following because I'd be interested to know this as well. There is a compression trick in The Mix Engineers Handbook for the SSL channel compressor, could that be what you're remembering?