Compression

The subtle effects of the humble compressor are the most often overlooked on the rack. Karl Hodge charts the high and lows of the ‘automatic volume control’.

Compression is both the least glamorous and the most important effect on the rack. The part it plays is subtle and essential, bringing out lost nuances in lead lines, making vocals more intimate and adding vigour to rhythm tracks. Not bad for something that’s essentially an automatic volume control.

This feature first appeared in Music Tech Magazine issue 01
Filed under Ten Minute Masters

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