how to use fruity multiband compressor

Fruity multiband compressors is a three band pass filter stereo compressor using of IRR or FIR filters to pass the incoming signal in to low, mid and high frequency out puts fruity multiband compressor used to give kicks "thumping" sound and fattening bass it can also make a mix sound more loud than it is. recommended.

using the fruity multiband compression

Fruity multiband compressor is is to be used in final master channel for individual instruments fruity compressor is recommended unless you what you are doing its basicly the mid, low and high frequency knobs you will need to understand the use and function of each knobs all the six have the same use in ever band pass so this simplifies the plugin  now lets talk about the use of this knobs

thres (threshold) - this knob is used to set the db mark of the sound for the compress to kick in for example if threshold is set at 0 db then the compressor will compress it back to 0 db. a range of 0.0 - 60.0 db can be used for this knob.

Ratio - controls the amount of compression applied over the incoming audio for a example a 4 : 1 ratio means when input increases in 4 db out put increases by 1 db if the ratio is 1:1 the is a free bypass if ratio is greater than 30:1 its a hard limiting limiting everything above 30 db to 1 db.

 

  

 the compression graph is best to visualizer the idea

knee - the knee values has the values soft and hard it determines fast the compressor acts once compression is in effect in a soft mode compression comes gradually while in a hard mode transition is quick and full compression has taken place depending on the music we are making we can use the knee option for pauses, buildups and so much.

attack - best range 0-400ms attack is a time which measures how long it would take to reach full compression once the threshold level has been exceeded fast attack means full compression will take place the moment the the threshold is exceeded and vice verse.

Release - is the opposite of the attack while attack represents the time to reach full compression after the threshold is surpassed release controls the time for the compression to halt best explained by this i leave the expermenting to you.

    

setting up a computer for music making

 

 

Thanks to technology now a simple personal computer can be classified as a musical instrument, this days computer sounds are used more than ever in the music industry artists like David guetta, afro jack, bobsinclair use computers to make their beats and melodies the simplicity making music on a computer makes it easier for getting started for any noobs who got latent passion and desire for music production.

Today’s music making software’s  are so versatile you carry out the main music making phases in your given music making software for this you only need a few gigs of ram and a working processor I mean any computer made in the past 5-6 years can work.

Making riffs or killer loops on a computer is so easy you can just make five seven or more beats and loops riffs a day I’m saying this from personal experience you can make more there is no limit to how many loops you can make a day.

The best thing about making music on a computer is there is the possibility that you can make the next hot melody just by tweaking some knobs keyboard playing skills are not necessarily required here there are different option for you to make melodies and riffs without external midi controller on the music making software such as the piano roll on fl studio.

DAWS (digital audio workplace)

 

The daws are the platform in which you can use for your music making scheme there are different type of software out there such as fl studio reson abele ton dub turbo and such I personally use fl studio so excuse me if I am biased to it it’s just because it’s my first and my last but I recommend doing a research before choosing your daw you should find the one that fits to your spirit. Dubturbo is the new daw on the block the latest music making software in the market it’s pretty much like fl studio.

Computers

I mean you can literly make you music on any computer that would allow you to play GTA but problems might arise as you go deep in the music making business as your skills advance your daw might require more cpu power ram and hard disk capabilities due to the amount and complexities of instruments you load on your daw so if you are serious about making music on a computer you should think about investing on some hardware gears. Check this post on how to establish a digital music production environment under thousand bucks.

Equipments needed for making music on a computer other than the computer itself includes

Studio monitors and studio grade headphones

The studio monitors designed for listening the smallest detail of inconsistency or any kind of undesired out puts from our work station the studio monitors are not like your ordinary hifi speakers These are speakers specifically desined for audio music production they do not enhance the base or any other frequencies they are like a clear mirrors showing you only whats there they important for tuning your track right. Studio headphones are also recommended, for tracking purposes.

Midi keyboard

Midi keyboard controllers can be used with the computers the are really not compulsory but could be usefull there are really nice and affordable midi keyboards out there.

Vst synthesizers and samples

Vst synthesizers are plug-ins for the music making software simply let’s say the software is a stage and the synthesizers are the instruments for  your one man band Usually samples are used for drums, percussions, effects and there are so many of them out there a pretty good sample could cost from 100 to 200 bucks there are also free quality samples for you to download and practice with. my favorite vst synthesizers include nexus vanguard sylenth I love sylenth very much because of its dynamic sounds best for making techno house electro house  genres.

Living off your beats

You can also make a living off the beats you make on your computer meaning you can sell them online there are a bunch of websites who would sell your beats on your behalf for a commission or you might think of creating your own online store selling beats on the internet is not that complicated just checkout this post on how to sell beats online. You can even promote yourself as an artist on sites such   soundcloude.com, soundclick.com you can sell your music on this sites for producers and artists too producers artists visit this sites in search of new sounds when your music making advance and start to feel confident in your skills you might want to affiliate with these sites.

Audio compression & limiting

Every sound is born out of silence, dies back in silence and during its life span surrounded

silence,                

  Silence enables sounds to be It’s an intrinsic but unmanifested part of every sound.

                                                       Eckhart tolle

Audio Compression

It  is a Form of automated Gain control that reduces dynamic range of sounds. Audio Compression is one of the most important music production techniques used by many producers and sound engineers around the world for the purpose of enhancing modern music. Compression and limiting gives drum kicks the thump makes bass fat it creates space for the target sound to be.

Compression can be used to elevate quite zones by maintain of the louder parts usually at 0-db or at certain threshold so they won’t clip and cause distortions that would shade on the quite parts or increasing the gain of a sound when it falls bellow certain threshold.

Compression reduces the dynamic range of sound whether we are boosting or limiting the incoming signal this is because the natural range of sounds will be manipulated so it won’t fall between a certain point or rise above a certain point so the dynamic range of sounds has become static range of sounds. 

Software vs. analog compressors

It best to use both analog and software compressors together for maximum results software (plug-in) compressors are usually good for boosting frequency while analogs are best for successfully killing a signal if you are serious about music production you must consider buying analog compressors it makes you more professional in the field and it’s also one of the iconic tools in a recording studio.

 

Types of compressions

 

Limiting

Limiting is a form of heavy compression applied over compression ratios greater than 10:1 it is used to enhance the track without causing any distortion the purpose of limiting is to set the output level to maximum usually to 0db to avoid clipping in the final mix .limiting is similar to audio compression except that in order for the limiter to work the signal has to reach the predetermined peak so when it reaches the predetermined peak it will fall back to the desired level usually 0db.

 Side chaining

Side chaining is a form of compression mostly used to mix the bass with kick to give it the natural sense (bouncing) of mixing between the percussion and the bass that’s when the percussion reaches its peak the bass or the lead linked to the kick would fall to a certain level to create the blending of the instruments with rhythm.

Parallel NY compression

Parallel compression is a mixing of unprocessed raw signal with its copy of highly compressed form this is done to increase the average volume of the quite parts without totally changing the whole dynamic range of the original sound.its best used on percussion instruments This can be done with allowing the unprocessed signal on one free channel plus allowing the over compressed signal on another channel.

Serial compression

Serial compression is a type of compression in which compressors are arranged in a signal chain while one compresses a specific band spectrum the other stabilizes the dynamic range of the sounds this helps to modify the sound in a more radical way than the parallel compression.

Multiband compression

Multiband compression is when a signal in divided in to different band passes such as low, mid, high frequencies in turn these frequency spectrum can be worked on individually we can select and silent a troubling frequency and vice-verse multiband compression is best carried out on the master channel for mastering purposes only if not could generate complexion when you try to make changes later.

also read about  using fruity multiband compressor for better final mix quality  

 

 

 

Noise gating

Noise gating is a muting of a signal when it fall under a certain threshold its used to prevent a low-level humming or hissing sound in the final record you can also divide the sounds In to their respective band spectrum and gate the band pass who’s causing the problem.

Ducking

 

Ducking is a the lowering of a signal in the presence of another the same rule as the side chain compression is applied here ducking is used in voice over tasks when recording when the accapella kicks in the back ground instruments fall down to a certain level leaving enough head room for the accapella or when a dj on the radio announces something the sound he was playing would fall back to a certain point such this effect is called ducking. 

De-essing

 

It’s used to limit high frequencies of those of vocals by recording artists from exceeding a certain limit to prevent (sibilance)

Types of hardware compressors

• Tube compressors: these are earliest types of compressors and they have slow attack and release response times.
• Optical compressors: uses element that radiates light which initiates the optical cell to attenuate the amplitude of the output signal. It also uses tubes for gain maximization.
• Field effect transistor (FET compressors): would recreate the tube effect with transistor circuits. They are known to be fast and reliable.
• Voltage controlled amplifier (VCA compressor): uses solid state integrated circuit system its more advanced in technology than the others it’s pretty much similar to digital compressors it’s just its hardware equipment. 

Compressor knobs and their functions

• Threshold knob: is the level of gain where the compression starts to have an effect let’s say if the threshold set to 2 db then when the input signal exceeds 2 db compression s starts to take place it’s also Should be adjusted according to the incoming input level and type of audio component.
• Ratio knob: ratio represents the amount of gain reduction carried out once the threshold limit has been reached if set out compression ratio to 4:1 the input signal increases by 4 db the output signal increases by 1 db, 1:1 is called a unit gain since there is no compression and heavy compression greater than or equal to 20:1 is known as limiting.
• Knee knob: it’s the knob where we manage the effect of the compression ratio since knee governs how the signal transforms from uncompressed state to fully compressed state soft knee allows for a smooth transition while hard knee causes rapid transformation.
• Attack time: controls the time required to reach full compression once the threshold has been reached.
• Release time: controls the time required to halt compression once the signal has gone below the threshold level.

these are the most important parameters in audio compression