![]() ![]() What happens? There’s an initial, short impact, followed by the goop spreading itself across the window. ![]() I also happen to think the term is very descriptive: imagine you’ve got a handful of goop, and you throw it at a window. Just kidding - you’re not going to find “splat” in any music dictionaries just yet. For the uninitiated, “splat” is a highly technical term that refers to a particular application of compression in the context of mixing drums. One of my absolute favorite uses for parallel compression is on a “drum splat” buss. Ok, with that out of the way, let’s get compressing! 1. As always, the solution is to have a clear vision of why you’re using parallel compression, and to believe your ears when they tell you if it’s working or not. That said, it’s still possible to overdo it with parallel compression - especially if attack and release times aren’t set properly, or the compressor in question is just not a good choice for the given application. And overall, that assumption is true more often than not. The conventional wisdom around parallel compression is that you can get away with way more gain reduction than you would if you were compressing not in parallel. ![]() The vast majority of my parallel compression use comes via turning down the mix knob on compressors used as inserts. What that means in practical terms is that you can effectively have parallel compression without going through the steps of duplicating the source track. Though the feature is missing on most vintage hardware compressors, both plugin and outboard compressors often come with the option to blend wet and dry signal. I tend to use aux tracks for parallel compression only when I want to combine a few tracks there (like close mics in a drum kit, for instance), though there’s no real reason you couldn’t use this approach when compressing a single track in parallel. That isn’t inherently a good or bad thing, but it means that this approach may suit some purposes better than others. This means that the parallel track will also be getting whatever processing you’re doing to the dry source track(s). This option works similarly to the last, except that instead of duplicating an audio track, you create an aux and then route the dry signal there as a send. Duplicate the track in question and compress the duplicate to your heart’s content, then mix to taste. This option may be simplest if you’re using parallel compression on a single track (rather than a group). Though I’m referring here to parallel compression as a singular concept, really there are a few common ways of achieving the same sort of end result: Duplicate the Track When done right, it can be a true have-your-cake-and-eat-it-too studio technique. The dry track remains the foundation of the sound, while the compressed track is blended in to taste. Rather than accepting the compromise inherent in heavily compressing a track, you can split that signal down two paths - one remains dry, the other gets compressed. The idea is simple: compression, especially heavy compression, can sound great even as it creates problems in a mix. In general terms, parallel compression involves blending dry and compressed versions of the same source material. Below are a list of some time-tested and personal favorite uses for this essential technique.īut before we dive into those, it’s probably worth asking: What is Parallel Compression? Parallel compression has become an indispensable tool in the modern producer’s arsenal - from beefing up drums to sneakily adding silky presence to a vocal.
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