What is Compression?

Compression is an audio effect that helps control the volume levels in your music. Imagine you have a vocal track where some parts are really loud and others are too quiet. Compression works by making the loud parts quieter and the quiet parts louder, creating a more balanced and even sound. It does this by automatically reducing the volume of the loudest parts and boosting the softer parts, so everything sits nicely in the mix without sudden volume changes that can be jarring to listeners.

Using compression can make a huge difference in how professional your music sounds. It can add punch to your drums, make vocals more present and clear, and ensure that all the elements of your track blend well together. However, it’s important to use compression carefully. Over-compressing can squash the dynamics of your music, making it sound flat and lifeless. Finding the right balance is key to making your tracks sound polished and dynamic.

Push Patterns has this simple explainer video on what compression is.

Sidechain Compression#

Sidechain compression is a technique where the compressor is triggered by a different audio signal than the one it’s affecting. This is commonly used to create a “pumping” effect. For example, you might apply sidechain compression to a bass track and set the compressor to be triggered by the kick drum. Every time the kick drum hits, the compressor reduces the volume of the bass, creating a rhythmic ducking effect. This helps the kick drum stand out more in the mix and adds a dynamic, pulsing feel to the music.

EDMTips has a great video on sidechain compression.

Read more about how to sidechain by EDMTips.

Key Compressor Plugins#

I cover a range of compression plugins here.