I believe you can also set the reverb to pre rather than post on the Dist page, no?
Itās not about separate outs, itās about which part of the Rytmās signal triggers the Rytmās compressor:
OFF - all of it
LPF - only lows
HPF - only highs
HIT - transients
You see?
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Thanks @teomi for these explanations.
I have two questions following on what you wrote:
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Iāve often read one should start jamming with a compressor on the master since the very beginning of the composition process. The reason is so that the final treatment doesnāt destroy the initial groove. Does this hold or is it better to master-compress once the track is done and the final dynamics are there?
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Am I then right to conclude I should have different compressor settings on each of my Rytmās banks? So in a live for example, my compressor settings will change progressively as I switch between banks (or kits to be more precise).
Here is my opinion which may be sound purist:
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I never use a Compressor as part of my default compositional process. Unless Iām going for a specific sound that requires using a Compressor as an effect, I never stick a Compressor on the master by default.
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Yes, ideally you will match the setting of your compressor based on the sound you are producing. You cannot assume that a compressor will sound good across different program materials just because itās there. Of course gentler settings can translate across a more diverse program material but I find that everything needs to be refined one way or another.
Remember a compressor is not a Limiter - using a Limiter you may find that it can be used as a utility to avoid peaks, for instance.
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Just thought about that ācomp settings explode upon muting kickā prob. I suggest that you use a perf macro for muting the kick instead (vol to as much minus that you can), while simultaneously lovering the comp level to compensate. Hmm you could do this with a scene too I imagine?
btw, thanks for the āplock and slideā tips KOTARE! Will experiment with this later on, should be good 
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I have a simple trick for Enhancing Transcients : I put ratio max, pull threshold max downā¦ then you find the attack value who let the transcients pass ā¦ (but on the transcients no full sound) then you come back to more natural value on the treshold and ratio. Simple and effective isnāt it ?
- Taming Transients: Fast Attack + Fast Release + High Threshold
- Enhancing Transients: Medium attack + Synchronized release + High threshold
- Transparent Dynamic Range Reduction: Low threshold + Low Ratio
- Lengthening Sustain: Conventional Upwards Compression
- Upwards Compression: Downwards Compression + Gain
I also use Parallel compression : itās a very agressive compression and thatās, is mixed (with Dry/Wet knob) to the natural signal so you find you balance and get something punchy but just whatās needed ā¦ to your taste.
If you want something RAW, you should avoid compression in anyway. And use more tape saturation (& Distortion) and transcient shaper + EQing instead and sound-design in the context of the track AND not isolated sound focus design
ā¦
@void
Jean Claude Vandamme : No need for a flash when youāre a photographer and take a white rabit who already have the red eyesā¦
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I totally see what a compressor does to a single track, and even what each parameter does (or I think I do).
What is hard for me is to picture what it does to several tracks at the same time.
One can use filters so that compression is triggered e.g. only on bass but otherwise I still donāt have a clear view what one would use the compressor on the whole signal forā¦
I still have to re-read this thread in its entirety, I have to confess 
See I thought I understood but now youāre making me doubt againā¦ 
If only we had thought-compressors!
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BTW the most interesting lesson I learned when trying to understand what the compressor does was realizing I was always every volume to the MAX most of the time.
Err, Iām still a guitarist, at timesā¦
So first trying to keep some headroom revealed to be very useful.
And also trying to lower all the sounds but the one I wanted louder was a better way to do than going to eleven.
And also looking for the biggest evil bass/kick ever wasnāt going to make the better mix.
In fact, I realized that every time I had been playing in a band as a guitarist someone told me I was too loudā¦ Which I was totally disagreeing at that timeā¦
Anyway, before knowing the principles of compression, I found it was mandatory to know a little bit more on setting the right levels for each track. Which is called āmixingā, I think 
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Ha, when I used to play rock Iād have my guitar so cranked it was probably as loud as the rest of the band together! The sound guy would basically just cut me out of the PA and not tell me, the amp was loud enough. Somehow if I turned down it never felt quite right to me. It wasnāt for some years I looked back and thought shit, I was probably way to loudā¦ I think itās some kind of disorder electric guitar players come down with!
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You have to play as a bassist in a band to really figure it out.
Got a spinal tap guitarist in my band, onceā¦ Turning his back to the band, facing is human size Marshall amp, totally forgetting mere concepts such as rhythmā¦ Drummer trying to catch up with him, volume and rhythmā¦
Awful experience. Worst part of it realizing how many time I had been in such position 
(Not as bad, but stillā¦)
I think itās called narcissism 
Think itās sold with the guitar
Thats a whole lotta make-up gain, my tracks always seem to start distorting around 15- 20. Maybe iāve got that guitarist disease too 
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yeah, but heās parallelling here with the mix set at about halfway like that. Interesting to me is the limiting ratio coupled with LPF on the sidechain, have to try this in order to hear how it sounds.
Iāve got my sidechain filter permanently wired to the HPF position, as you know, theoretically that eases down the comp when program material is bass heavy (which in my case, is always).
Iām almost always using parallel settings too, makes for a great dynamic range and thick sound!
Reminds me of myself a few yrs agoā¦ check online for how a compressor actually works. Itās pretty basic, but really an art form to get it sounding great. Side chaining is awesome but sometimes ppl ruin the track when there is too much pumping (lowering threshold and increasing output). parallel compression rocks too but not as relevant on our Elektronās unless you are using a DAW or dedicated HWā¦
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Hi all,
Iām just getting started with ācompressionā on the AR and need advice - the more specific, the better.
So fire away: what are your settings like?
Cheers!
I mix the tracks ācoldā and hit that makeup gain.
Threshold: usually between 80 and 100, Attack: 3 or 10 usually, Release: A1 if itās a āleveledā compression, quick fast release to stomp, Ratio: usually 1:2 or 4, Sidechain: almost always HPF, Mix: between 50 and 70, Makeup gain: 15-25, Vol: 85-100
FWIW I have no idea what Iām doing.
When it seems Iāve got my levels, I turn Compressor Mix to 100 and twiddle knobs until it sounds good, then back off the Mix and tweak accordingly. Those are my numbers I often come up with.
Donāt forget the Distortion page. I find that really helps makes things crispy and clean. I hit it before I go to the compressor.
Againā¦no idea what Iām doing.
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compression settings are always input level dependent (applies to all compressor / dynamic processors). so how you balance the levels of each drum sound in the kit will have an impact on how the compressor works. therefore, sharing settings is futile unless youāre working off the same soundsā¦ which is extremely unlikely if youāve tweaked the kit settings.
best advice is to read up on how compressor works, then spend some time experimenting with settings to see cause and effect. Iād also learn to āgain matchā compression in beginning so you learn to hear what compression actually does to sound. as with most things, thereās rules on how to do things and once you grasp these it becomes clear how / when to break them.
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