Pro Tools Tutorial: Playing With Compressors Part Two

Our guide to playing with compressors effectively continues…

7:  We’re going to use a combination of different compressors on the drums, starting with the classic Fairchild 670 across the main drum channel. We’re just using this to tickle the drums into shape, with almost no compression, but letting the 670 add some extra harmonic content of its own.

8:  On the drum room reverb channel we’re going to add another FET-style compressor – this time the older Rev A version of the 1176. A fast attack, fast release and high ratio will help to give this reverb an almost explosive feel.

9: The Hammond organ part is very relaxed and not hugely dynamic already. Don’t feel you have to add a compressor to everything. We’re happy leaving this one alone.

10: Finally we’re going to duplicate the drums track and run a parallel channel with another VCA compressor on it, this time the dbx 160, which has a very different sound to the SSL buss comp – in large part because of its soft-knee, and fixed fast attack.

11: We’ve set the dbx 160 to pound the parallel chain hard, with plenty of gain reduction and lots of make-up gain, to give a solid shape to the drums that we can blend in under the main drum track.

12: To finish this drum parallel we’ve added a couple of EQ filters before the dbx to remove the top and bottom of the drums before they hit the compressor.