Re: multiband compression - vst

[Chris Sewell <midifriedchicken@comcast.net>]

If it sounds good, do it. I use the Apple AU multiband quite a bit.  
It absolutely reins in wayward audio, which helps a great deal.  
Especially when live looping when you don't have the benefit of  
getting the perfect mix. We have enough to do.

On Jul 31, 2008, at 7:00 AM, rs@moinlabs.de wrote:

> "if used correctly as a dynamic eq, the benefits of using a  
> multiband comp are great, especially for electroacoustic, live  
> electronics etc music."
>
> Multiband compressors have the habit of affecting a signal in ways  
> that are very unnatural (meaning: do not have anything to do with  
> the way things sounds or how we hear them). In addition to non- 
> harmonic distortion present in every kind of dynamic processor,  
> multiband compression induces odd phase shifts which in turn  and  
> among other things affect localization in ways strongly dependant  
> on the listening environment (and for that reason a mastering  
> engineer's worst nightmare).
>
> There has been that tendency in contemporary amateur signal editing  
> to always use multiband compression, especially on the vulnerable  
> 2bus, in cases where the wanted effect could be much better  
> achieved by proper use of EQ and fullrange compression, both on the  
> 2bus and, more importantly, on individual tracks, without the  
> unwanted side effects and, what's more, a much more intuitive  
> relationship between device parameters and result.
>
> Yes, there are rare cases (mostly poor-quality two-track recordings  
> of electroacoustic live sources) where a multiband compressor can  
> help a lot, simply because its negative side effects are acceptable  
> compared to the result if you didn't use it. See it as the  
> chemotherapy of audio processing. Fortunately, these cases are rare.
>
> "also using a tube mastering eq helps alot too."
>
> Which kind of EQ, and which kind of converters before and after it  
> are you using?
>
>               Rainer
>