Audio Compression Techniques and Tips
What you'll learn
- Understand what audio compressors do.
- Improve the punch and volume of vocals, guitar, drums, bass and other recordings.
- Apply common compression techniques to any kind of audio material.
- Adjust and tweak audio compressors to taste.
- Have a better understanding of when to compress in the mix, for live or studio applications.
Requirements
- Any hardware or software (plugin) audio compressor to practice.
- A Digital Audio Workstation (DAW): Pro Tools, Logic, Live, Cubase, StudioOne, etc.
- Preferably some background in music production or digital audio.
Description
Learn to use audio compressors in a complete, effective and clear way! Audio compressors are one of the most important tools for the producer, engineer or modern musician. Unfortunately, compressors are not too obvious to understand and its function is somewhat mysterious for many people. Even some professionals don't know how to use them in the right way!
Compressors and limiters can improve the sound of a production by giving more "punch" or impact to the sound. It's one of those little tools that can make a song sound like a polished professional production or, when misused, like an amateur work.
With this course, you can master the principles of audio compression and have total confidence when using compressors! You will learn:
What an audio signal is and how it behaves
What the decibels (dB) are
What does dynamic range mean and how to manipulate it
How to use each knob in a compressor
Ratio, gain reduction, attack, release, knee, etc.
Serial and parallel compression
How all this can improve the audio quality of vocals, guitars, drums and more!
A complete approach to audio compressors!
There are many tutorials out there, but they don't offer you a complete and well-structured learning path like this course. You could spend hours looking for tips and answers on the web and end up with more questions or doubts. With this course, you can get the knowledge you need to finally understand audio compressors in a practical way.
Learn quickly, effectively and on a step-by-step process. You can study a couple of lessons in 15 minutes a day!
Course Overview
First, you will learn the basics to understand audio signals. With listening examples and images you will see the importance of compressors in sound production or mixing. Then you will learn how compressors work from the inside, that is, you'll know the internal "blocks" that every compressor has, and how these sections are related to the knobs and buttons (in other words, what are those knobs for!).
Then you will see the techniques in action, learning how a compressor is manipulated and, most important, how it helps you to control and improve your sound!
You will learn techniques for:
Vocals
Guitars
Drums
Bass
Piano
The side-chain technique
Hardware insert connections
Master bus compression
With this knowledge, you will be able to apply compression to any kind of instrument with any kind of compressor! These techniques and principles work for studio work and in live sound situations. Professional productions use compressors a lot, now it's your time!
Take the freedom to shape your own sound. Do not rely on plugin presets, take control yourself!
Who should take this course?
The course is great for musicians, producers, DJ's, sound technicians and engineers of all levels, from beginners with little experience to professionals looking to get some new ideas. These techniques can be applied to any musical genre (pop, rock, EDM, hip-hop, etc.) and work with both analog and digital compressors.
You only need a hardware compressor or DAW (Pro Tools, Logic, Reason, Cubase, Garageband, etc.) to start learning by doing.
You will be guided by a certified audio instructor, with more than 18 years of teaching experience at all levels, from seminars to college-level classes and a top instructor on Udemy, so academic quality is guaranteed. Join a community of more than 13,000 students worldwide and learn more about audio!
*A Spanish version of this course is also available.
Who this course is for:
- Musicians looking to improve their sound (bass, guitar, drums, vocals, etc.).
- Music bands that want to produce their own recordings.
- Music producers and DJ´s.
- Audio technicians who want to learn tips and understand concepts.
- Audio enthusiasts.
Instructor
Marco Galvan has been active in the music and audio business for more than 18 years. He holds a B.Eng with a major in Acoustics from the National Polytechnic Institute. He is a professional musician, arranger and composer with studies at Berklee College of Music and he holds Certificates in Music Theory and Keyboard Performance from the ABRSM and Trinity College London. In the audio field, he studied at Alchemea College in London and holds several certifications like: Pro Tools User, Meyer Sound System Design, Nexo and DiGiCo operator among others.
Currently, he works as a Dolby Atmos Mixing and Mastering engineer and as an Associate Professor at Anahuac University, with more than 18 years of teaching experience. Many of his former students currently work for companies like: Sony Music Entertainment (Grammy Award winner), Televisa, TV Azteca, OCESA, Meyer Sound; and for international Latin artists like Emmanuel, Carlos Vives and Alexander Acha, performing in world-class events like Festival Viña del Mar.
The recommended order to take his courses from zero is:
- Audio Engineering fundamentals
- Acoustics for the Home Studio
- Audacity for beginners
- Applied Modern Harmony
- Introduction to DAWs using Reaper
- Audio Equalization techniques
- Audio Compression techniques
- Audio Effects and Processors
- Basic principles of Music Mixing
- Audio Mastering
Marco Galván ha estado activo en la industria de la música y el audio por más de 18 años. Tiene el grado de Ingeniero con especialidad en Acústica por el Instituto Politécnico Nacional. Es músico, arreglista y compositor profesional con estudios en Berklee College of Music y cuenta con certificados en Teoría Musical y Teclados por la ABRSM y el Trinity College London. En el terreno del audio cursó estudios en el Alchemea College de Londres y tiene diversas certificaciones como: Operador Pro Tools, Diseño de Sistemas Meyer Sound, Operador Nexo y DiGiCo entre otras.
Actualmente labora como ingeniero de mezcla y masterización Dolby Atmos, y como profesor asociado en la Universidad Anáhuac, con más de 18 años de experiencia docente. Muchos de sus antiguos estudiantes trabajan para compañías como Sony Music (ganador de premio Grammy), Televisa, TV Azteca, OCESA, Meyer Sound; y para artistas internacionales como Emmanuel, Carlos Vives y Alexnder Acha, actuando en eventos de clase mundial como el Festival Viña del Mar.
El orden recomendado para tomar sus cursos desde cero es:
- Fundamentos de ingeniería en audio
- Introducción al uso de DAW's con Reaper
- Home Studio para principiantes
- Acústica para Home Studios
- Armonía y teoría musical aplicada
- Introducción a la improvisación musical
- Uso de consolas mezcladoras
- Uso de consolas digitales de audio
- Técnicas de ecualización
- Técnicas de compresión
- Efectos y procesadores de audio
- Beat making en Pro Tools
- Fundamentos de Pro Tools
- Producción Musical en Logic Pro
- Principios de la mezcla musical
- Masterización de audio