Compression\mastering\premastering etc. - where to learn?

[Oleksa]

Hi everybody, you're a very nice little community here!

I've been tracking tunes for some 10 years already, just for fun and inspiration in life (and also for teaching). When I used IT2 or FT2 I never had any tiniest concern about the subj. But the chaotic monolith of Buzz has turned tables for me a couple years ago. With it grew necessity to learn the basics of the subj.

You know, it's so funny reading "i just add a mksidechain here to put this behind and this in front and a jupiter here for a low-end and blablaetc." Well, yeah, I keep thinkin to myself, I need that too, but HOW? I tried to fiddle with compressors a couple of times, but until I download the ready setup, nothing comes out of it.

Anyway, I'd like to be able to come to my friend, an IDM fan with high-end stereo and give him some of my tracks to LISTEN for a birthday, for godssakes! What do I put before drums? How do I actually PUT pads behind the rhythm? I almost got to understand what all the params in a compressor are, but what is the right tweak for each type of gens?

Can anyone kindly drop a hint\link or two? Be much appreciated.

[Alexander]

There is no general answer to your questions as in "do this and that do achive that and this". I do not want to discourage you, but there's always a multitude of possibilities...

You can check out the Buzz Wiki at http://buzzwiki.wipe-records.org/ and read some of the articles, especially the Glossary (and those that explain compression and equalizers). The whole section "General production techniques" also holds some valuable information. Most articles about the techy side of gear contain external links (to Harmony Central's "effects explained" section, for example) that contain more information.

There are some "all-in-wonder" machines (either native Buzz or VST) that are general processors to help with finalizing a song but I suggest you don't pick them before you understand the basics.

In the end, no explanation and workshop can replace the only thing that really helps in the long run - experience. And guess what, you have to make it yourself.

[I was in the same situation when I started using Buzz five years ago. My first tries at using equalizers and compression were ridiculous (I just have to load my first Buzz tracks to see that)]

[lykwydchykyn]

I tried working on mastering songs before, but found that I ended up less satisfied with the mastered versions than the raw ones. An engineer once told me that it's far better to try to make a mix that sounds great unmastered than try to master up a sub-par mix.
That's what I shoot for now, I figure if I ever need something to have that extra bit of oomph for an actual release I'll hire a pro mastering guy. But I've gotten to the point where my mixes sound good enough to me without mastering.

As for compressors and such, start simple. Buzz is a great tool for learning to use processing, because machine view is so awesomely intuitive and flexible. Get something like a basic compressor, like joachim's (or is it jeskola? I get their machines confused) and run a drum loop through it. Start playing with the sliders and make mental notes about how it sounds.

When you've got a handle on that, try making your own "multiband compressor" by routing that drum loop into 2 filters and each filter into it's own compressor. Just experiment, see what you can do to the sound.

Once you get an idea of what a basic compressor can do to a sound, it's pretty easy to build off that knowledge with more complex setups.
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[Hamst3r]

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[errorist]

i think compression is not a science, it's more like an art .
everyone uses them differently . which is good, so the spectrum of variety is wider .

using presets is a good starting point, but do never just select a preset and keep it that way . tweak it, adapt it, poison it with your touch . the results always depend on the actual input levels into the compressor and such .

buzz is TEH leet teacher for this purpose, since it's got various -different- compressors you can experiment with .

do as the liquid chicken described, load them, play them, tweak them . have in mind that most changes in a compressor might have only a sublte audible change in the sound, so either good monitors or good headphones are needed .

the examples were drums so far, but you can also try them on other instruments, like strings, or stab or hit sounds .

experiment a little, make some examples, show them and get commented . comments, as long as they are somehow constructive are a good way to learn, not just asking "how does it work?" .

show something, and then ask "is this about right?" .
with time and experience, you will be able to judge yourself if "it is right or not" .

yeah, said that, experience is the key to the art of compression, mixing and mastering .