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I need the knowledge! please!

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RemyRAD Sun, 12/18/2011 - 15:08

Not sure why you should be locked out of that? So, you want to know what parallel compression is all about? Parallel compression can actually have numerous different applications in that respect. Some types of parallel compression are broadband say, on a vocal on a separate track. It can be broadband parallel compression of your stereo mix. It can be spectrally utilized in mastering. And here is how the basic premise goes:

Let's say, you have recorded a vocal in your multitrack production. During your mix, you realize the vocal will need some compression. Particularly because it doesn't sound right without it. So you compress the vocal. But then, while you have tamed the dynamic structure, it lacks a certain kind of reality. No amount of peak vs. RMS sensing nor attack/release time twiddling provides you with that special vocal sound you have in mind. No problem. What you do then is get your compression/limiting as close to the way you want the vocal to sound. Print that to another track that way. You'll then take that track and mix it with the original vocal track in parallel with it in Mono, together. You balance to taste and voilà! That's basic parallel dynamics processing. And it does take up an extra track and/or input to accomplish that. Thankfully, with digital ITB, you could comp that, then, to a single track if necessary or a stem or seed that you don't need. Acapulco Gold is bad ass processing.

Conversely, the same can be done with your stereo mix. Some folks really don't need expert Mastering when you are working without a budget. But just taking your stereo mix and passing it through a " Mastering plug-in " ain't Mastering anything but amateur hour. I know they are marketed as Mastering tools but a lot of that is marketing hype. You still have to know how to utilize all of your tools not just that one. So you can still utilize that mastering plug-in on your stereo mix. You record that " Master mix " to a pair of tracks. You create a new project and import that into your multitrack timeline (this is the ITB explanation not the analog one which is similar). You then import your original non-mastered stereo mix into another pair of tracks into your timeline. You balance the two of them together to taste. You'll find your mix will now spring to life so much better. That's because you'll also have more of the natural dynamic structure in parallel with the circumcised dynamics of the mastered version. Touches up in equalization on either pair of tracks can also add an additional element of excitement utilizing this parallel technique.

Parallel processing by a Mastering Engineer frequently involves similar techniques to the above mentioned explanations but go beyond that in a more spectral oriented manner. With specialized analog & Digital hybridization. This has been discussed by some of our esteemed Mastering Engineers here on the forum. I'm not one of them.

Although it might be interesting to note that some actual hardware devices & plug-ins allow for the mixing between the processed dynamics with the unprocessed input source. But not all allow for that nor can it be sometimes as successful as actually chaining the process together as described above. Especially since one cannot usually independently equalize the two sources from one another which can be hugely helpful in the final product.

I'm always happy to repeat myself.

Did I tell you I was always happy to repeat myself? I'm a human sampler and not a Whitman's.
Mx. Remy Ann David