Solid Bus Comp – Using bus compressors to tidy up sounds

Author: sleepfreaks

Using bus compression on a variety of instruments

「Bus compression」is the technique of putting multiple tracks into 1,
and apply a compressor to that compiled track.

Each track will influence each other in the compressor.
Because of this, the sounds will have a sense of unity, and allow for the distinct bus compressed sound.

バスコンプ

We will use drums as an example to explain bus compression in this article.

Bus compression – Tutorial video




Solid Bus Comp – Basic parameters

 Solid Bus Comp

  • 1「Threshold」determines the point where compression is activated
  • 2「Makeup=Gain」makes up the volume lost when compressing
  • 3「Ratio」the fraction of the sound (i.e. 1/2, 1/4) past the Threshold gets through
  • 4「Attack」How long it takes for the compressor to kick in (after sounds pass the Threshold)
  • 5「Release」how long compression remains (after sound goes under the Threshold)
  • 6「Gain Reduction」See how much gain reduction is happening

We will use drums for this article, but it also works great on –

  • high number of chorus tracks
  • string tracks
  • brass tracks
  • bass/kick drum and bass

When you want to tidy up sounds in groups, try out this tool!