Reference Guide

1051
Audio effects
Included plug-ins
FX Compressor/Gate
Figure 197. FX Compressor/Gate
A compressor takes the loudest parts of an input signal and reduces their volume. There are a
variety of reasons why you might want to use a compressor:
• Compressors enable you to increase the overall signal level of a mix, without causing the
distortion that would result from exceeding the maximum allowable peak level. Increasing the
average signal level makes a recording sound louder, with an apparent increase in “punch.”
• If you plan to reproduce your audio using a medium with limited dynamic range, such as magnetic
tape, the increase in the average signal level that you achieve with a compressor helps prevent
important audio material from being lost in the background noise.
• Compression can even out unwanted volume changes to achieve a smoother and fuller sound.
For example, if a vocalist moves closer in and further away from a microphone while making a
recording, the recorded volume levels may be uneven. A compressor can smooth out theses
variations.
• During mixdown, you can use a compressor to adjust the dynamic range of individual tracks. This
is one way to balance the tracks, and can even reduce the need to use a lot of equalization.
• Compressors can be used to increase an instrument’s sustain, by using a release time longer
than the instruments decay.
• With extreme compressor settings, you can produce new interesting sounds from familiar sounds.
For more information, see the FX Compressor/Gate online Help.