Question on compressor and gate on LS9

[helper1112]

Hi all,

I have some questions as I am trying to learn the compressor and gate settings and what they are used for. As you have guessed I am not a sound guy, but doing the sound for my church and really enjoying it but I know it can sound a lot better. I would really like to get the ups and downs out of the singers and pastors mics from what I read I would need to use the compressor for that but not sure what each setting does. Can someone send me some examples on what they use for what type of sound and instruments as we will need that as well.

Also, what is the purpose of the gate and how would that be used? Final question, I am wondering when it is better to use type I or type II for the equalizer as the manual makes the II sound like a better option.

Thanks for you time, this newbie really appreciates it..

[daver2]

The gate: This device basically cuts off any sound from (say) a microphone if it is below a settable threshold. Think of it as a gate across a field. If the gate is closed - the sheep can't get from the field (the microphone) to the road (the mixer). If the gate is open - the sheep spill out onto the road. You would generally apply a gate to a signal so if the musician stops playing (or the vocalist stops) singing - then the audio from the microphone is killed. You would also use this feature if you had two (or more) instruments playing close together where the microphone for one instrument would pick up the sound from the other instruments if the instrument it was supposed to be detecting stops playing. You could set the gate level to cut out when the instrument stops playing - although this should be the last resort (try and arrange the musicians so this doesn't happen first). The remaining controls affect how quick the gate action takes place - and how quick it comes off. Get these settings wrong and your preacher will sound like they have a faulty microphone that keeps cutting out!

I can't tell the difference between a Type I and a Type II EQ using my ears so I will pass on this question... I think the difference is to do with the digital filter characteristics so if you don't understand the math - and you can't hear it - why bother?

The compressor: Use this to try and 'temper' the dynamic range of an instrument or voice. Use sparingly - too much and you will ruin the sound. I am still learning myself about how to get the most out of the compressor so I will let you know what I find out in a later post.

I will have a look at some of my effects settings at the weekend for you.

The best way I find to learn about the effects processors is to record some instruments/vocals using the "direct out" feed from the input strip during a Sunday service and then play them back from the recorder into an input strip in my own time and have a play with the EQ and effects to see what happens. Not very scientific - but I find I learn a lot this way because I get to hear what each control actually does.

From the threads you are posting - for a newbie you are certainly asking all of the right questions! Keep trying to climb the learning curve and you will find the rewards will come.

Dave

[helper1112]

Thank you Dave for the compliment and the information. It is a big help. I was looking at the presets they have for the compressor to get an idea of the levels to use, is there anywhere that explains the different settings for the compressor and gate?

Thanks again for the information...

[waynehoskins]

The old dbx 903 (comp) and 904 (gate) manuals had pretty good explanations of what things did. There aren't as many adjustments on these old analog beasts, but they have the fundamentals.

The BSS DPR-502 (gate) and DPR-402 (comp) have more things to adjust, so give their manuals a read too.

DBX 904 Manual
DBX 903 Manual

BSS DPR-502 Manual
BSS DPR-402 Manual

[daver2]

There is an excellent online tutorial at:

http://www.doctorproaudio.com/doctor/temas/dynamics-processors-noisegates_en.shtml

Also checkout the following website for EQ charts:

http://www.independentrecording.net/...in_display.htm

Dave

[helper1112]

Thank you all for the information. That really helps to explain most of it. I am wondering as I noticed the ls9 has a gain on their compressor, when would that be used, I thought I read it increases the quiet parts so it raises them up for a more uniform sound or would I use something else for that on the ls9? As our preacher goes up and down in volume and I would love to keep him closer to level.

Thanks again...

[daver2]

You may be confusing companders (a compressor / expander combination) which will do exactly what you say with the "out gain" control which can be used to compensate for the level change caused by the compressor (see Question on compressor and gate on LS9 about halfway down where it talks about "output gain").

Dave

[waynehoskins]

A compressor reduces volume by some ratio when the input signal is above a certain threshold. Depending on where this threshold is, where on the curve you're working, you may want to add make-up gain to bring the level back up to unity.

For example, you might set a comp with a crazy-low threshold and a limiting ratio on a playback that has too much dynamic range that you want to even out. By doing this, you've reduced the dynamic range by shaving off the very tall peaks, but your level is now much lower, perhaps -20 in an extreme case. To bring it back up to unity, you'd add perhaps 20 dB of makeup gain. Now instead of being average -30 with peaks of 0, and then -20 average before the comp's makeup gain, it's average 0. Again, that's an extreme case.

[daver2]

I don't know what happened to my link in my last post?

It should have been http://www.doctorproaudio.com/doctor...ssors_en.shtml

See about halfway down where it talks about "output gain".

Dave