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The use of compressors in location sound


AnuarYahya

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My last job using a Nagra 4.2  I used a small 12 volt powered compressor

to get the best performance  out of analogue tape.

 

3:1 for the quiet bits and 5:1 for louder dialogue

 

The Canadian post house loved the results and had no idea of what I did.

 

Those day  mono track only- real mixing!

 

mike

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I've found that the peaks tend to tickle the limiters set at the default soft knee/16dBu if I try to keep the VU at 0dBu on my 633, it's been sounding good thus far and the sound still retains enough dynamics to be useful in post. I'm not entirely sure if it's best practice, but I've worked with a couple of established mixers that don't seem worry too much about hitting the limiters a little bit. Lately, I've mostly been doing stuff where an editor will do audio post as well, so I haven't really received feedback on my tracks, I've just played them back at home to see how I've managed. The things I've done have sounded good when they're ready and I've checked them out, but I don't know how much has been done to my tracks, if anything.

Now that I think about it, I guess I should give some of my recent tracks a spin to see how they handle in post...

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In a less common scenario I also use heavy compression on a return channel when I have to listen to a walkie.  That way the loud and quiet walkie folks never blow out my ears and I can always hear them at a low volume while listening to program.

I also use a decent amount of compression on a talkback mic when feeding earwigs.

Not all of our tools are used for the final tracks :)

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21 hours ago, Wandering Ear said:

In a less common scenario I also use heavy compression on a return channel when I have to listen to a walkie.  That way the loud and quiet walkie folks never blow out my ears and I can always hear them at a low volume while listening to program.

I also use a decent amount of compression on a talkback mic when feeding earwigs.

Not all of our tools are used for the final tracks :)

 

Lightbulbs going off in mixers' brains all over the planet. Of course!

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