Question regarding Threshold and Ratio on a Compressor
I'm currently studying compression and I have it down packed I think minus one issue.
I am able to get the same gain reduction on a signal no matter how high or low my ratio is. If i want a gain reduction of lets say 5dB, I can get that gain reduction from every ratio be it 2:1 or 8:1 just by adjusting the threshold to be higher or lower on the audio signal.
I'm sure you guys would say that what I am achieving by doing that is just affecting more or less of the signal. Granted.
I have a piano piece and the highest peak to the average volume of the piano is a 3db difference. I lower the threshold 3dB from the highest peaks so now my threshold line is just touching the average volume of the piano. I need a 3dB gain reduction but even with the compressor at a ratio of 100:1, it's not even giving me 2dB gain reduction.
What am I missing here?
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From what you describe, it sounds as if you're trying to use the compressor as a limiter. That is different than using it as a compressor. Compressing the signal does two things. It reduces the loudest parts of the signal and at the same time boosts the level of the quietest parts of the signal. What you hear, can sound as loud, maybe even louder than the original signal because the quieter parts have been boosted in level, and the music takes on a dense character. To use as a limiter, You'll need to set the threshold lower and adjust the compression ratio to achieve your objective. This tip may help you understand what is actually going on with the signal when it is being compressed and when it's being limited. If you can get your hands on an oscilloscope, play a musical track into your compressor and watch the output of your compressor on the scope, and listen to the effect it has on the music thru your monitors at the same time. Try several different settings on the compressor and watch and listen at the same time. I spent many hours doing just that in order to actually see and hear what I was doing with the compressor. The important thing to understand is the different effects a compressor can have on a signal and what those effects can sound like when you use them.
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