Compression - How Do I Make Like A Radio Station?

[mikeebb]

I have some music that has a wide dynamic range - 30+ db. I want to put it on a CD (or maybe even a cassette tape - it doesn't skip over bumps and around curves like a CD sometimes does) for use in the car. It needs to be compressed, obviously. I've tried several of the compression presets and none will quite do the job - Elevator Music with a bit of gain and a bit lower threshold comes close. But what I'm really after, I think, is something like a classical music radio station would use - bring up low levels to at least -20 but keep the peaks from clipping, softly (not a hard clip or a hard limit), and without pumping. Using the limiter also comes close, but it's not subtle on hard drum shots. Any other ideas? What kind of settings would a classical or jazz radio station use?

BTW, I think that car stereos, especially since most now have DSPs in them, should have adjustable compressors much like they can adjust volume for car speed. That way you can record one set of CDs or whatever, and play them everywhere.

[Craig Maier]

I use two things (effects) cascaded together in the multifilter. I place the Punch and Crunch multiband dynamics processer first in line, set it for compression mode with a ratio of around 10. Next in the lineup, I put the dynamics processor thereafter. I set it for normal compression (no checkboxes) and set the compression for around 5. Then, I set the threshold, attack and release times for the most pleasing effect. Let me know if that works for you.

Craig

[Craig Maier]

Hi Again,

I was just experimenting with the above compression scheme - - - I note that ratio's of 10 are pretty extreme, but some radio stations probably use that deal of compression or more. Tune to taste.

Craig

[Craig Maier]

Hi Mike,

Send me a short snippet of the audio you want compressed. I will create a multifilter preset that I think does the job and get that back to you. My email is dctools@aol.com.

Craig

[mikeebb]

Thanks. Sorry for the delay in responding - a bunch of things dumped on my calendar. I'll try the multifilter arrangement. Had a feeling that might be needed, since I'm looking at a combination of compression and limiting, but wasn't sure what specific tools to use.

The music is the Air Force Band's "Duke Ellington: The Symphonic Portrait" at http://www.usafband.af.mil/recording...icportrait.asp. For my taste, it needed a touch of reverb - kind of dry recording - and I punched up the highs a tad (but not a lot - trying to pop out the light percussion without overdoing the brass). Now to get it into a car-usable version.

BTW, the total length of a CD of this is about 72 minutes. I have to use Windows Media Player to burn it. DC8.5 refuses to - says the playlist is too long, and if I try anyway it makes a coaster.

[Craig Maier]

Ok - reiterating my offer - after you get the reverb and top end correct, you can send me a snippet and I will make a multifilter preset that I think does the job that you want. Again, I am at dctools@aol.com. I can then simply post the preset on the preset sharing area of this forum for you to download.

Craig

ps - as an aside, I believe that 72 minutes is the limit setting we have on the CD burner since that is the limit of capability of many CD players. More than that, the last track (outermost edge of the spiral) skips on some players. I guess we could increase that value in the program, but for some folks, it will cause more trouble than it is worth. Once, we (Diamond Cut Productions, Inc) made a commercial CD master and ran a large run thereof (think it was 74 minutes in length). We ultimately had to re-run that because of the number of complaints that the last track "skipped" on their machines, yet it did not skip on our machine(s). That was an expensive lesson to learn.

[Marc Hildebrant]

With regard to CD length, DC8.15 will give you warning about CD length over 72 minutes, but will allow you to make it.

I tried on around 80 minutes once...didn't work.

Marc

[Craig Maier]

Hi Marc,

I am not certain about the limit programmed into the burner. But, I know there is one and it is shy of what some players can deal with. Maybe it is 72:30 - - - will have to look at the code to find out. Or, maybe it is in the helpfile. Will look there first.

Craig

[Craig Maier]

Hi Again,

I do not see the CD burner limit documented in the user manual or helpfile. Will have to look at the code to see what it is. Also, I wonder if we should change it? Not sure.

Craig

[Craig Maier]

Hi Mike,

I took a shot at compressing your file "radio station style". I used two effects in a multifilter (Punch and Crunch and the Dynamics Processor). I saved the preset on my hard drive. I sent to you the result of that compression via email. Let me know what you think and/or which way to move things. Ultimately, I can post the preset on the preset sharing section of this forum.

Craig

[Craig Maier]

Mike,

As an aside, that is a very nice recording. Good job.

Craig

[Craig Maier]

Hi Mike,

From what you stated in your email, - - - it looks like the multifilter preset worked well based on the .mp3 that I sent to you. I will post the preset in the next day or so on the presets sharing section of this forum.

Craig

[Craig Maier]

Hi Mike,

I just uploaded the "Classical Music Compressor" preset that I used on your music. You can find it on the Diamond Cut Users Forum under the preset sharing section. It is to be used in the Multifilter. It is here:

http://www.diamondcut.com/vforum/sho...7034#post27034

Craig

keywords: orchestra compression, orchestral compression, radio station compression, music compression, dynamic compression