If you have a shortage of compressors ther are a number of things to do. One way is to compress certain tracks as you are recording them, like vocals or bass guitar. As you mentioned you can bounce tracks, but that may not be necessary. If you insert your compression into a subgroup, and group all vocals to that group, or all guitars or whatever this may do the trick. The only think you will have to be aware of is what will trigger the compressor. If you have a smooth steady guitar lead, and an acoustic rhythm guitar with heavy attack, you're likely to hear the rhythm guitar trigger large amounts of gain reduction, and it will affect the lead guitar part.

I have never had to do it this way in the studio, but it has worked well for me live.

As for the computer issue, I don't profess to be an expert with the one eyed monsters, but I do know that certain programs make an effected copy of the original to make it easier on the cpu. You can do this too, but make sure you have it backed up, so if you need to go back, you can.

Dave,

> would like to compress many of them but only have a few compressors ... what about in the computer <

This is one huge advantage of recording in a computer. You buy one compressor - often part of a collection ofplug-ins- and you can use it on as many tracks as needed.

Plug-in compressors are not particularly CPU intensive, so you're not likely to have to save a compressed copy to a new track. In fact, this is yet another advantage of computers, because a modern computer can run all theplug-insyou need in real time. So you never have to commit to anything.

--Ethan

Thanks very much for the help.