Overheads and compression... whats your take?

slowcentury · Post by **slowcentury** » Fri Oct 28, 2011 7:11 pm

For the most part, I dont tend to compress my overheads. What about you folks?

Nick Franklin · Post by **Nick Franklin** » Fri Oct 28, 2011 11:46 pm

Gently with my 1178, attack at 12 o'clock, release as fast as it goes 4:1. Almost always.

stylus flanger · Post by **stylus flanger** » Sat Oct 29, 2011 1:50 am

on a single or tight stereo pair almost anything goes. on a spaced pair, yuk.

MoreSpaceEcho · Post by **MoreSpaceEcho** » Sat Oct 29, 2011 9:17 am

i like it sometimes.

emrr · Post by **emrr** » Sat Oct 29, 2011 9:21 am

I usually regret it. I am more happy leaving OH uncompressed, and compressing room mics instead, it least in my normal situation.

vvv · Post by **vvv** » Sat Oct 29, 2011 9:32 am

What emrr said, altho' I will "transparently" limit the OH's some.

E.Bennett · Post by **E.Bennett** » Sat Oct 29, 2011 10:03 am

if i'm not hitting tape, I like a low ratio, low threshold thing

kslight · Post by **kslight** » Sat Oct 29, 2011 10:22 am

Depends on the intended purpose of the overheads for the application? For example, if I close miked everything or if I'm counting on overheads for more than just cymbals, and if I have a room mic. I will usually limit a mono "close" room mic, put that low in the mix, and if I just want overheads for cymbals I probably won't compress them much if at all and roll off a lot of lows/mids except for extreme lows to trim fat. If I want the overheads for body more than for cymbal attack then I will compress a bit more, but even then I don't go nuts. If I just want cymbals then I will do a spaced pair with SDCs, but if I want body then I will do a spaced pair of LDCs. Then all my drum tracks hit a buss compressor to some extent.

mwerden · Post by **mwerden** » Sat Oct 29, 2011 6:39 pm

Depends on the drummer. A lot of times I end up taking 2-3 db off of the snare hits, but that doesn't really work if the drummer isn't hitting the snare very hard.

JohnDavisNYC · Post by **JohnDavisNYC** » Sun Oct 30, 2011 7:20 am

sometimes i do, sometimes i don't. i usually listen and then determine if it might sound better/more interesting with no/some/a shit ton of compression.

drummer/music/room dependent.

crazy talk, i know.

john

joelpatterson · Post by **joelpatterson** » Sun Oct 30, 2011 9:41 am

JohnDavisNYC wrote:...

crazy talk, i know.

john

That's not an answer... that's an ANTI-answer!

Ryan Silva · Post by **Ryan Silva** » Sun Oct 30, 2011 5:52 pm

I'm always searching for good cymbal swell on overheads, but inevitably there is a high-hat bashing away. It's hard to get the attack and release times right at higher ratios i've found. Slower tempo songs seem to be a little more forgiving if I trying a lot of compression on overheads.

Snarl 12/8 · Post by **Snarl 12/8** » Sun Oct 30, 2011 6:14 pm

I compress the OHs every time, but all I'm rockin' is 2 OH's (glyn johns, I think) kick and snare.

Brian · Post by **Brian** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 4:52 am

SOMEtimes, I will put up a 2500 and stick it through a dbx160x, both are modded to open up the bandwidth and drop the noise floor to give more room for compression, and then I slide the "more" fader till it sounds right, but he most important part is placement, overhead from behind the drummer's head and not in a booth.
I can fade it up very far, as loud as the close mics and it gets everything, no need for roll off usually. Adds some ambience, but, just enough (I think), litle meat to the snare and kick too.
I think it works out well.

I used that technique on this:
http://www.tunecore.com/music/bengoldstein

Take a listen, and You tell me how it worked.

JGriffin · Post by **JGriffin** » Mon Oct 31, 2011 1:18 pm

My rule of thumb is, if the drums are not pumping as much as the drums on "Go All The Way" by the Raspberries, then I am not doing it right.

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Overheads and compression... whats your take?

Overheads and compression... whats your take?

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