Parallel compression (inthebox) best methods?

cleantone · Post by **cleantone** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 1:32 pm

Okay. I assumed this would be easier than it turns out to be. I want to be able to take say a drumkit, route all channels to a 2 bus and have it play along side of the origional tracks. I can only get it to work in mono so far. I can't figure out why. In the past I had bounced the mix and realigned a two track to compress (or whatever) and bring that up a little with the origional tracks for the same effect. I now have a better processor and would like to do it on the fly to save time and give me options. This should be possible right?

Appalachian Boy · Post by **Appalachian Boy** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 3:09 pm

to send all the drums through a stereo track, use "sends".

Go to the mini-menu in the upper left corner of the mixer window and make sure "sends" are enabled.

then use one of the sends on each track and us a free group of busses 1&2, 3&4 etc. this must be two busses because its stereo.

Now make a new "Aux track" set the input to the pair of busses you used as a send on each of the drum tracks.

Now set the output to wherever you want it (hopefully so you can hear it too

)

now apply your compression in the insert slot of the "Aux track" and you can bring the volume of your compressed drum kit up or down with the fader.

Also be sure to read about "sends" in the manual, you can control pre/post effects and volume as well as other things and you should know how to do this.

Good luck
James

cleantone · Post by **cleantone** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 3:33 pm

Thanks. I do understand the way this works and how to use sends. I am only getting it to work in mono though. The sends will only show a mono bus to select. Of course I could use two sends but that would be way to much of a pain in the butt. I want it to do it in stereo for obvious reason. I need the imaging of the kit to be 100% the same in the parallel track. Anyone know why the send will only show me a mono bus?

philbrown · Post by **philbrown** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 4:16 pm

I'm not at my DP computer but I'm thinking to try Audio bundles and you can set whether the bus is stereo? maybe? sorry, in my system I set that and forget it, so don't visit the bundles window much...

HTH
Phil

zandurian · Post by **zandurian** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 5:02 pm

Yes, audio bundles should let you make a stereo send - but you'll still need to set pans to match on each track.

jrdmcdnld · Post by **jrdmcdnld** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 7:51 pm

I made a quick video of how I do parallel compression in DP.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid ... &plindex=1

enjoy!

zandurian · Post by **zandurian** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 11:12 pm

Of course - make 2 identical aux tracks and put the comp (or whatever) in one of them. Why didn't I think of that????

thereaktor · Post by **thereaktor** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 2:15 am

While this work when you have little drain on the cpu. It start to introduce phase problems the more you add tracks which make it really difficult to mix. The solution is to bounce each aux tracks, but this really is a pain when you need to change one thing and you have a lot going on.

jrdmcdnld · Post by **jrdmcdnld** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 4:38 am

I've used that method with large track counts and had no phase problems.

thereaktor · Post by **thereaktor** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 5:52 am

Strange, but I do ear a little of phasing on the video you posted or is it just me ?

giles117 · Post by **giles117** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 5:56 am

Processors add phase variances....

No matter how subtle.....

Thats not difficulty in mixing.. I call those phase variances color....

Just my opinion....

Dwetmaster · Post by **Dwetmaster** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 6:38 am

jrdmcdnld wrote:I've used that method with large track counts and had no phase problems.

I reroute everything using the Audio assignment. Much faster to assign several tracks...

cleantone · Post by **cleantone** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 10:53 am

I don't know. I just started a session and tried two stereo auxes from the same bus. I then tried one bus and 2 sends to a 2nd aux. Both of them have unwanted phase issues. I wish there was a buffer that worked in reverse for this. I suppose if you can handle the track count another way to make this happen without dedicating to a two track would be to copy all of the the drum (or whatever) tracks. That would be getting this session up around 40 and I don't know if that makes sense for me right now. I want a compressor with a ratio option. I can't afford any plus right now though.

beautypill · Post by **beautypill** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 3:11 pm

For parallel compression to work as elegantly as it does in the analog world, the plug-in delay compensation has to be rock-solid down to the sample level.

In my experience, this is one area where Digital Performer doesn't quite work. I am not a DP-basher --- on the contrary: I love the program with all my heart. But I think parallel compression gets a little bit funny in the phase department compared to the way it works when I do it on my console with analog gear.

My mixing studio is based around a Manley 16x2 and I use a bunch of outboard, such as distressor, Fearn VT7, Pendulum ES8, Dakings, etc.

I'm not anti-plug-in at all. I just bought a MacBook Pro with the idea of doing mobile "in the box" mixing with plugins only. So far, I have been let down by parallel compression in the DP environment. It always sounds a little "funny." Y'know?

This seems like the final frontier before "in the box" truly rivals analog mixing. I look forward to the day when this wall finally crumbles. Here's to the future.

- c

jrdmcdnld · Post by **jrdmcdnld** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 3:44 pm

Notice in the vid I put the same comp plugin on both auxes. If any phase was introduced by the aux track or plug, it would be the same on both aux tracks.

MOTUnation.com

Parallel compression (inthebox) best methods?

Parallel compression (inthebox) best methods?

to my ears: not quite there yet