core concepts what it does • how to choose settings fast ▾

what it’s doing

• enhance the transient (more punch) or clamp the hit and lift the tail for size & glue.
• use with intent—too much will flatten feel and destroy dynamics.

controls (fast & intuitive)

• threshold: how loud before it squeezes.
• ratio: how hard it squeezes once over threshold (4:1 = firm, 10+:1 = limiting).
• attack: how fast it starts—slower = more punch; faster = smoother, less transient.
• release: how fast it lets go—set it so the meter breathes with the music.

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CORE: transient vs sustain. threshold = when; ratio = how hard; attack = punch vs smooth; release = breathe with the song.

drums big & punchy without losing body ▾

kick

• ratio 4:1
• attack fast ≈ 5–10ms
• release fast / medium
• threshold ~3 dB GR

snare top

• ratio 4:1
• attack fast ≈ 5–10ms
• release fast / medium
• threshold ~5–7 dB GR

snare bottom

• ratio 10:1
• attack super fast (~0ms) to kill transient
• release slow (lift sustain)
• threshold ~10–20 dB GR

toms

• ratio 4:1
• attack fast ≈ 5–10ms
• release slow (more sustain)
• threshold ~3–5 dB GR

oh / cymbals

• ratio 2:1
• attack medium
• release medium
• threshold ~1–2 dB GR (watch snare hits)

drum buss

• ratio 4:1 • attack 10–20ms • release 20–40ms
• threshold ~3 dB on snare hits
• bonus HPF sidechain ≈150Hz so the lows stay huge

parallel (shells only)

• ratio 20:1 • attack 0–10ms • release 10–30ms
• threshold ~10–20 dB GR then blend under main kit

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DRUMS: Kick 4:1, atk 5–10ms, rel fast/med, thr ~3dB Snare Top 4:1, atk 5–10ms, rel fast/med, thr ~5–7dB Snare Bottom 10:1, atk ~0ms, rel slow, thr ~10–20dB Toms 4:1, atk 5–10ms, rel slow, thr ~3–5dB OH 2:1, atk med, rel med, thr ~1–2dB Drum Buss 4:1, atk 10–20ms, rel 20–40ms, thr ~3dB (snare); HPF SC ~150Hz Parallel (shells) 20:1, atk 0–10ms, rel 10–30ms, thr ~10–20dB

bass even weight without killing the lows ▾

• ratio 3:1
• attack slow ≈ 60ms (let the note speak)
• release medium ≈ 60ms
• threshold up to ~3 dB GR

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BASS: 3:1, atk ~60ms, rel ~60ms, thr up to ~3dB GR

acoustic guitar control the poke, keep the body ▾

• ratio 3:1
• attack fast ≈ 5ms
• release slower ≈ 60ms
• threshold ~8–12 dB GR (keeps it tame)

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ACOUSTIC: 3:1, atk ~5ms, rel ~60ms, thr ~8–12dB GR

electric guitars already compressed—just glue the image ▾

• ratio 4:1
• attack faster 5–10ms
• release slower ≈ 60ms
• threshold ~3 dB GR at peak (fully wet/overdriven)

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ELECTRICS: 4:1, atk 5–10ms, rel ~60ms, thr ~3dB GR at peaks

pianos source matters—shape the aggression ▾

• ratio 4:1
• attack 0–10ms (0ms for honky players; ~10ms for modern touch)
• release medium ≈ 30ms
• threshold ~3–5 dB GR

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PIANOS: 4:1, atk 0–10ms, rel ~30ms, thr ~3–5dB GR

synths keep it even, let the top live ▾

• ratio 2:1
• attack fast ≈ 10ms
• release slow ≈ 60ms
• threshold ~3–5 dB GR

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SYNTHS: 2:1, atk ~10ms, rel ~60ms, thr ~3–5dB GR

band buss glue the instruments; snare should drive gain reduction ▾

• ratio 4:1
• attack super fast ≈ 0.3ms
• release super fast ≈ 0.1ms
• threshold ~3 dB GR on snare hits
• hpf sidechain ≈ 150Hz (leave the lows)
• if the snare isn’t triggering, it isn’t loud enough—turn it up.

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BAND BUSS: 4:1, atk ~0.3ms, rel ~0.1ms, thr ~3dB on snare; HPF SC ~150Hz; let snare drive it.

vocals do more than you think—fast & slow stages ▾

one-comp console (pick a vibe)

• fast — 4:1 • attack 0–10ms • release 5–20ms • threshold ~7–15 dB GR
• slow — 3:1 • attack ≈ 60ms • release ≈ 60ms • threshold ~3–7 dB GR

stacked (best case)

• run both (fast + slow) in series—order is preference; try both.
• goal: modern, steady, up-front vocal that sits without chasing faders.

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VOCALS: Fast 4:1, atk 0–10ms, rel 5–20ms, thr ~7–15dB Slow 3:1, atk ~60ms, rel ~60ms, thr ~3–7dB Stack both if you can; order = taste.