Acoustic guitar and vocal mix....to compress or not?

[Fingers mcginty]

Hi Folks, I'm just recording my vocals and acoustic guitar recorded individually. My voice sounds fine compressed but the acoustic sounds lifeless when it is compressed. Is compression always needed on acoustic guitar or could I leave it out completely on the acoustic? Just a little EQ ?

[ramses]

Do what sounds good to you. That's the only way to do it. If you don't feel the compression on the guitar, just leave it off. There are no quick and fast rules in mixing, despite what some people try to tell you. Trust your ears.

[martifingers]

+1. And if you needed even more professional endorsement of this see Adam Neely's answer here at 11.25.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vDoPRaND_3k

[Reno.thestraws]

s compression always needed on acoustic guitar or could I leave it out completely on the acoustic?

There's no rule. Do what the sound need

And, there are tons of compression type/style/treaking that can sounds either obvious or transparent

I always start with a vca or fet style comp with fast attack/fast release with low ratio (2-4 :1) and 3-4db of reduction on acoustic guitar, just to control the peaks

Sometimes, it's enough, sometimes, not . It depends on the context

[Coachz]

compression is for kids

https://youtu.be/3FHRPzHvChU?t=957

[DVDdoug]

When you play and sing live there is no compression.


I like to start with the idealistic (usually unrealistic) philosophy that a good recording doesn't need any effects or processing...


However, virtually all commercial recordings are compressed and acoustic guitar & vocal are "quiet" to begin with so without compression your recording won't be as "loud" as commercially-produced music.


That's probably OK. If you don't need the "loudness" and you don't want the "sound of compression", you don't have to use it...


A professional mixing/mastering engineer has more skill & experience. They know which compressor/limiter to use and what settings to use, so they can usually get more compression/loudness with less "damage" than us amateurs.

[karbomusic]

Originally Posted by Fingers mcginty

but the acoustic sounds lifeless when it is compressed.

Then the guitar is overcompressed. I can "compress" an acoustic guitar and receive benefit and you'd never know or think it was compressed. I say it that way because we tend to lump things into broad buckets. Just shaving 1dB that kicks in every so often for example, is technically compressed. I almost always put a limiter on my mixes, and it might be limiting .5 dB 30 times in the song and that's it, it's limited but outside the definition most people consider when they say "I never put a limiter on my mix" - see where I'm going with this? Theres a chance there are places/instances where the compressor should kick in but 'always compressing' is NOT the only way to think about compression IMHO.

That said, AC guitar like anything is a case-by-case, need-by-need basis. If one is strumming fairly evenly with a consistent touch as an example, there isn't anything to compress. You used your ears to decide what you did compression wise, it didn't sound good, follow that instinct.

[serr]

Originally Posted by Fingers mcginty

Hi Folks, I'm just recording my vocals and acoustic guitar recorded individually. My voice sounds fine compressed but the acoustic sounds lifeless when it is compressed. Is compression always needed on acoustic guitar or could I leave it out completely on the acoustic? Just a little EQ ?

There are two things that might lead you to compressing something.
Either you're hitting overs with peaks when you have the "meat" of the signal turned up where you want to hear it. Or perhaps you want to hear an artifact of compression in the form of that pumped up 'rock n roll' kind of sound. The fat and pumping/breathing kind of sound you get from slamming a compressor which has become a thing.

If you aren't after either of those...
Then why did you insert a compressor? ... would be my question.

If you have a sound you like with natural dynamics and you aren't lighting up red lights with overs, then I'd suggest compression is not what you were after.

Maybe it's a little complicated...
Do you have a good sound with your (presumably) better studio monitors but something sounds to thin or far away when listening in the car? But then trying to compress it just steps on it and does more harm than good?

If so, maybe try parallel compression. Make a parallel track and slam it to taste. Blend the compressed with the raw. You should be able to preserve the pristine dynamics and sparkle while getting a boost in the "meat" of the sound so it sounds proper on smaller or compromised systems like a car stereo.

[Fingers mcginty]

OK here is my recording without any compression on the individual acoustic tracks.
I quite like the way it turned out but alas I havene't much of a clue when it comes to mixing and levels. Please critique

https://soundcloud.com/tommyhayes/ba...wn-the-hatches

[karbomusic]

As far as compression etc. I don't really hear anything wrong.

[grinder]

I tried compression and used the wrong vst's before I found the right ones.
I have settled into using manual volume automation and those few compressors who let the magic through more than others. As others say you have to try out those VST's to get the sound/effect you want.

Grinder

[martifingers]

Firstly your recording sounded fine to me with a rather "live" feel to it if that makes sense. For comparison I listened to Jansch's "Strolling down the Highway" that was recorded very simply. Not exactly the same sound and I have no idea if compressors were involved in the original recording (probably not?) or later.
In any event the spirit of the music was clear and the recording felt right for that. (Interesting guitar by the way, only played one briefly myself but this was a good choice for this piece I think.)
Finally this may be of interest. Especially in the light of "Compression is for kids" argument!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfHA4OPfoi8

[Timothy Lawler]

Originally Posted by Fingers mcginty

OK here is my recording without any compression on the individual acoustic tracks.

Well done. The guitar sounds natural and expressive. IME, on acoustic guitar compression tends to diminish those qualities. Kudos for re-doing it this way.

I quite like the way it turned out but alas I havene't much of a clue when it comes to mixing and levels. Please critique

https://soundcloud.com/tommyhayes/ba...wn-the-hatches

A good listen. The balance between guitar and voice sounds fine to me.