Lab lessons Dynamic processing

eight lessons, one family

Dynamic processing

The processors that control level: what each one does, taken apart one control at a time, with the sound playing as you go. I name every control as the A-level Music Technology papers name it, and every lesson ends with the settings in Live.

Start with the compressor

How each lesson runs

  1. WatchI take it apart, one control at a time, and ask what you think before I show you.
  2. TryYou finish a setting I have started, by moving the controls and listening.
  3. MakeYou copy a sound by ear, starting from a blank device.
  4. DescribeYou describe a clip in the words the listening paper asks for.
  5. ExplainYou say it or draw it, as a written answer asks.

Every lesson climbs these rungs, but each has its own shape. They work on the whiteboard with the class, or on your own screen with headphones.

The lessons, in order

  1. The Compressor in Live

    A compressor turns down what goes over its threshold, by its ratio. I take it apart on the input and output graph; then you level a vocal, keep a drum's punch and copy three sounds by ear, a limiter last.

    • Threshold
    • Ratio
    • Knee
    • Gain reduction
    • Attack
    • Release

    15 steps
    Watch 9 Try 2 Make 3 Explain 1

    Open the lesson 1, The Compressor in Live

  2. The Noise Gate

    A gate lets through what is loud and turns down what is quiet. On a vocal recorded in a room, with hiss, hum and a knock between the phrases; then you gate the vocal, a kick drum and whole words.

    • Threshold
    • Range
    • Attack
    • Hold
    • Release

    14 steps
    Watch 8 Try 2 Make 3 Explain 1

    Open the lesson 2, The Noise Gate

  3. Sidechain: the Kick Ducks the Bass

    The kick and the bass fight at the bottom. With a sidechain, the compressor on the bass listens to the kick, so each kick turns the bass down and comes through. Then the club pump and the swell, by ear.

    • Sidechain
    • Threshold
    • Ratio
    • Attack
    • Release

    14 steps
    Watch 7 Try 2 Make 3 Describe 1 Explain 1

    Open the lesson 3, Sidechain

  4. The Keyed Gate

    A gate usually listens to its own track. Keyed, it listens to another one, so the kick and snare open it. A rhythm of your own first, then the gated reverb of 1980s drums.

    • Key
    • Threshold
    • Release
    • Gated reverb

    13 steps
    Watch 6 Try 2 Make 3 Describe 1 Explain 1

    Open the lesson 4, The Keyed Gate

  5. The De-esser

    When an 's' makes the top of a voice loud, a de-esser turns the voice down for that moment and leaves the sung notes alone. You hear what it listens to, then tame the esses without a lisp.

    • Frequency
    • Listen
    • Threshold
    • Ratio
    • Attack
    • Release

    12 steps
    Watch 6 Try 2 Make 2 Describe 1 Explain 1

    Open the lesson 5, The De-esser

  6. Parallel Compression

    A copy of the drums, squashed hard and mixed in under the untouched drums, lifts the quiet parts, the ghost notes, while the hits keep their punch. On a return track first, then with one Dry/Wet knob.

    • Return track
    • The blend
    • Dry/Wet

    12 steps
    Watch 6 Try 2 Make 2 Describe 1 Explain 1

    Open the lesson 6, Parallel Compression

  7. The Dynamics Family

    Gate, expander, compressor and limiter as four shapes of the same line on one graph, heard on one song: which side of the threshold each one works on, and which way.

    • Gate
    • Expander
    • Compressor
    • Limiter

    11 steps
    Watch 6 Try 2 Make 2 Explain 1

    Open the lesson 7, The Dynamics Family

  8. Which Tool?

    Eighteen problems, heard or in words, all mixed up. I show how I choose, by asking when the problem is there; then you pick what fixes each one, and hear it fixed. Where the paper credits a second answer, you hear why the first is better.

    • Noise gate
    • Compressor
    • EQ
    • De-esser
    • Sidechain
    • Fix it at the recording

    22 steps
    Watch 2 Round 1 10 Round 2 10

    Open the lesson 8, Which Tool?