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doug.knecht - Posted - 02/15/2011: 02:52:46
For the snaps and pops of a 5 string bluegrass banjo, less compression is definately desired. I use about 10ms of attack, 150 ms of release, and a 2:1 ratio. The threshold is set so that no more than 1dB of gain is reduced at any given time.
Banjo just doesn't need much compression. It's a very noticeable trouble issue when you get too much. One engineer told me, though, he wouldn't record a banjo without the compression I described above. He said to mimick Scruggs' pop and snap of the 40's-60's, it really helps to do it this way. Of course a good sounding banjo is important too!!
asmcsgac - Posted - 02/15/2011: 03:32:31
And someone who can play it.
Pepper Laing - Posted - 02/15/2011: 06:23:05
I`m gonna try that. I`m not sure I fully understand "the threshold is set sothat no more than 1db of gain is reduced at any given time." tho. Do you just set the threshold setting at the 1 db mark?
JoeDownes - Posted - 02/15/2011: 07:04:30
The gain reduction depends on your threshold and ratio settings relative to the level of your recording.
If your recording peaks at -4db and you set the compressor to kick in at -6db with a 2:1 ratio the -4db peak will be reduced by 1db.
The level is 2db above the threshold, the ratio is 2:1, hence the gain is reduced by 1db. Makes sense?
Edit: found some mistakes. I hope it makes sense now
Edited by - JoeDownes on 02/15/2011 07:10:34
Stuart Bowen - Posted - 02/15/2011: 08:19:21
I agree, the banjo needs very little compression. I normally don't use compression at all on the banjo during tracking or mixing, but the mix usually benefits from a bit of multi-band compression applied during mastering.
quote:
Originally posted by doug.knecht
For the snaps and pops of a 5 string bluegrass banjo, less compression is definately desired. I use about 10ms of attack, 150 ms of release, and a 2:1 ratio. The threshold is set so that no more than 1dB of gain is reduced at any given time.
Banjo just doesn't need much compression. It's a very noticeable trouble issue when you get too much. One engineer told me, though, he wouldn't record a banjo without the compression I described above. He said to mimick Scruggs' pop and snap of the 40's-60's, it really helps to do it this way. Of course a good sounding banjo is important too!!
ewlewl - Posted - 02/15/2011: 09:08:00
it all depends on how even a banjo player plays there is no set rules for how much compression to use anyone who tells you they use stock settings hasn't recorded in the real world .sometimes a small amount of limiting is all that is needed.... most banjo players new to recording try to play like they do live by playing softly when backing in a song . and punching fills sometimes this works sometimes it doesn't .a good even roll etc. behind a track with a little more digging in at fill and breaks to give a little more excitment is all thats needed.let the engineer do the level adjusting. i record a lot of great banjo players and rarely use any compression or limiting at all . when i do its for an effect not to make a banjo pop . the pop comes from the player . compression actually makes a banjo sound small...
'Jayden's Reel' 2 hrs
'1954 Gibson Style 250' 5 hrs
