Audio Foundations: Compression and Dynamic Processing

Course details

In this first installment of the Foundations of Audio series, author Brian Lee White shows how to improve the sound of a mix with compressors, limiters, gates, de-essers, and other dynamic processors. The course explains the fundamentals of sound waves, and amplitude, explores common compressor controls, and shows how to eliminate unwanted noise using gates and expanders. The course also demonstrates best practices in compression and limiting in a variety of audio applications and covers sculpting the attack and decay of individual notes with transient shapers and applying frequency specific dynamics control with multiband compressors. Exercise files accompany the course and include special Get in the Mix session files.

Learning objectives
Measuring amplitude
Understanding dynamic range
Introducing compressors
Utilizing compression ratios
Applying attack and release
Evening out a vocal performance with compression
Adding punch and sustain to drums
Using compression presets intelligently
How to record with compression
Solving common mix problems with limiters
De-essing a vocal track
Using gates and expanders
Controlling frequency content with multiband compressors
Using sidechains creatively
Keying gates and compressors
Fixing overcompressed tracks
Using mixbus compression
Working with parallel compression
Compression and limiting best practices

Concepts

0. Introduction

01 - Welcome
02 - What you should know before watching this course
03 - Using the exercise files
04 - Using the Get in the Mix Pro Tools and Logic Pro session files

1. Audio Dynamics

05 - What is amplitude
06 - Measuring amplitude
07 - What is dynamic range
08 - What are dynamics processors
09 - Hardware and software dynamics processors

2. Compressors

10 - Introducing compressors
11 - Understanding threshold
12 - Utilizing compression ratios
13 - Understanding makeup gain and gain reduction
14 - Understanding attack and release
15 - Applying attack and release
16 - Demystifying compression controls - soft knee vs. hard knee
17 - Get in the Mix - Using compression to even out a vocal performance
18 - Get in the Mix - Using compression to add punch and sustain to drums
19 - Intelligently using compression presets
20 - Recording with compression - Why or why not
21 - Recording with compression - How to do it

3. Limiters

22 - Introducing limiters
23 - Types of limiters
24 - Get in the Mix - Maximizing mix loudness with brickwall limiters
25 - Solving common mix problems with limiters
26 - Using layered dynamics processing

4. Special Dynamics Processors

27 - Understanding and using de-essers
28 - Get in the Mix - De-essing a vocal track
29 - Understanding and using gates
30 - Understanding and using expanders
31 - Get in the Mix - Gating a drum track
32 - Understanding and using multi-band compressors limiters
33 - Controlling frequency content with multi-band compressors
34 - Understanding and using transient shapers

5. Advanced Topics

35 - Effectively using side-chain inputs
36 - Using side chains creatively
37 - Keying gates and compressors (and or ducking)
38 - Managing gain staging and headroom and fixing over-compressed tracks
39 - Compression first or EQ first
40 - Understanding mix bus compression
41 - Get in the Mix - Using mix bus compression
42 - Get in the Mix - Working with parallel compression
43 - Working with modeled vintage compressor limiter plug-ins
44 - Building healthy compression limiting habits

Conclusion

45 - Goodbye

An Interview with the Author

46 - A session with Brian Lee White