I use an Alan Smart comp when tracking, but I only set it to catch a few stray hits. When I set up a compressor I just mess around with it until it sits right in the mix.

Originally posted by Lord Alvin:
I use an Alan Smart comp when tracking, but I only set it to catch a few stray hits.

Do you use it (Alan Smart) again in the mix on the master inserts?

Predrag

The Alan Smart compressor has a very distinctive sound to it, so I don't always use it on the mix bus. I usually use it on a paralell drum bus to add some beef to the drum sounds. I have used the Alan Smart for mastering quite a bit and I like it there a lot.

I rarely, if ever, compress drums while tracking. In a mix situation, if the drummer was a bit more "all over the place" than I would have liked, I'll usually use a Purple MC-76 or a DBX-160-vu. For getting a kick consistent the 160-VU is my first choice. Best of luck.

Hi,

I had a mix for an Elektro/Punk/Metal thing going about two weeks ago. I just couldn't get the snare as smacky and cracky as I wanted it to be. In the end I patched in an RNC - fast attack, fast release. Holy shit, fucking awesome. The best snare I mixed to date.Usually I used the RNC for mild vocal compression, bass guitar and ambience mics - now I know I need two more of them. These little boxes are do REALLY live up the buzz and hype on the net!

Regards,

UTS

Usually a dbx 160VU or an Orban 414A. If I want the poppy "wet fish sound" I'll reach for the 160. When I want to tame the dynamics a little bit I'll use the 414A. Last week I tried the 1176 on snare and that sounded great at 4:1. The amount of compression I use and where the controls are set depends on the song, the player, the way the drum sounds and what I'd like to hear.

For yer deluxe sound a 3U VU meter Tube Tech (model??) is awsome...

I don't really track these days, but when I used to I rarely ever used a compressor on a snare when tracking. Mixing is a different story. My favorites would be a Neve 32264a(works %90 of the time), a Distressor(the other %10), and sometimes a DBX160X or for some tube coloration a Summit TLA100. Most of the time the Neve is just the ticket.

Lately I've been mostly compressing the drum sub and not doing much individual drum compression. The RNC and for lots of color a Joe Meek SC2.2 are my first choices.

My $.02

Hey Tony,
Do you find that "DARK" mode useful?

I don't compress when tracking but on the mix I like a 160/165A/160S on the original track,mult it to another channell , gate,compress/ELDistressor,eq,san's it,reamp,phase check, etc.,
Blend to taste.
Of course It depends on what's appropriate for the tune.

I did a Rockabilly session where I multed the snare track to a Fender Twin in a 4x4x8 tiled bathroom miced with an U87 back to a channel,eq'ed, compressed with a Valley People Dynamite,AKG BX-10ed, Dynamited again and gated.

Use your imagination and the tools at your disposal.

Originally posted by coldsnow:
Hey Tony,
Do you find that "DARK" mode useful?

Mine is an older model, before they added "DARK" mode. I do like the unit when it's matched with the right source.

Which sans amp model do you use

Like a lot of the other guys, I'll use a dbx. (160S or a 160SL) and try to avoid using durring tracking. I sometimes like to use my Manley mono vari-mu and sometimes I use it and a 160S or 160SL.

- Bruce -