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parallel compression

Description
One technique is to insert the compressor in a parallel signal path. This is known as parallel compression, a form of upward compression that facilitates dynamic control without significant audible side effects, if the ratio is relatively low and the compressor's sound is relatively neutral. On the other hand, a high compression ratio with significant audible artifacts can be chosen in one of the two parallel signal paths—this is used by some concert mixers and recording engineers as an artistic effect called New York compression or Motown compression. Combining a linear signal with a compressor and then reducing the output gain of the compression chain results in low-level detail enhancement without any peak reduction (since the compressor significantly adds to the combined gain at low levels only). This is often beneficial when compressing transient content, since it maintains high-level dynamic liveliness, despite reducing the overall dynamic range.

Serial vs. Parallel Compression

Profile picture for user ThirdBird
Submitted by ThirdBird on

Disclaimer: I am fully aware of how broad the scope of this question is, and how each specific track calls for individual techniques.



That being said, can we discuss when you would want to use serial compression vs parallel compression?



Certain instruments?

Certain styles of music?

Analog vs digital compressors?

FX Before or After Parallel Compression

Profile picture for user mrfye17
Submitted by mrfye17 on

Hi Peeps,



I have a question and not sure what the approach of the pro-mixers are.



If I have a track (any type - lets say Kick as an example) which I process with Eq, Gate, Basic Compression etc on the inserts. and I also send this to a Parallel Compression Aux track and now want to add FX (Reverb etc.)



Parallel Compression Explained

Donny Thompson
Samplitude
Submitted by DonnyThompson on

Sean sent me a PM and asked me if I might take shot at explaining Parallel Compression ( from here on out, we'll refer to this as PC, and not as a refernce to my esteemed colleague PC/ Marco. ;) ). Sean thought that perhaps those who are newer - or more novice mixers - might benefit from an explanation.