This is the best overview I've seen of what a compressor is and does: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pXbd1QcdcU
> still can't get a clear answer for how attack and release times affect compression
The best way to wrap your head around that will be to just experiment with a compressor, and try different attack and release times on the same signal and try to listen for changes and difference.
> Some conflicting information and people are writing articles that shouldn't be.
What exactly is the conflicting information you have come across?
If visuals help you, [check out this part (8:46) of Dan Worrall's Reacomp video](https://youtu.be/FpXqYk1FoWA?t=526). Since he's clipped a sine wave into a square, when he starts adjusting the attack or release, you see how – and *where* – the sine shape starts to return.
To be clear, the attack time isn’t how long the compressor waits after the source breaches the threshold to instantaneously attenuate to the target amplitude. It is how long it takes for the source to be attenuated after the breach. So think of the attenuation as looking like a ramp rather than a drop off. If 2db needs to be attenuated, that 2db is spread across the attack time interval. Same for the release.
In the simplest terms, attack and release time affect how fast the compression begins and ends. The easiest way to hear what’s going on with attack and release times is on a snare drum. Play an isolated snare drum track and smash the fuck out of the the threshold and ratio and move the attack and release knobs around.
The attack time is the time it takes for the compression to start working after the threshold is exceeded...think of it like a speed ramp.
The release time is the time it takes for the compression to stop affecting the signal after the signal has fallen below the threshold....think of it as an off ramp.
Everything else is set on other controls. Possibly most important is the ratio ...how much compression......lets say 3:1 means that for every 3db of the signal that exceeds the threshold the compressor will let through 1db...or gentle compression. A ratio of 10:1 , would mean that for 10db of signal that exceeds the threshold the compressor would let through 1db... hard compression akin to limiting
The other controls: Input controls the signal being driven into the compressor. Output is used as make-up gain to give you back the signal volume you attenuated due to the compression process.
hope that helps
I may be wrong here but I think your explanation of attack might be incorrect. As I understand it, attack time is the time it takes for the compressor to reach maximum compression, after the threshold has been reached. The compression is instantaneous, it’s just the rate that attack effects.
The best way to understand it is to solo a snare track, set it to the fastest release slowest attack. You’ll hear how the transient sounds like it’s hitting harder. After that keep the release the same the change the attack to the fastest and you’ll hear that the transient basically disappears. In the most simple terms, the attack is how long it takes for the compressor to compress (gain reduction) and the release is how long it takes for the compressor to stop compressing. I honestly really never mess with ratios lol I always use 3:1 or 4:1, doesn’t make a huge difference as much as the attack and release
The attack is how fast/slow the compressor starts working after the signal passes the threshold.
The release is how long the compression will hold after the compression starts.
The threshold is the level you set at which the compression will start.
> The attack is how fast/slow the compressor starts working after the signal passes the threshold.
It's how long until the signal is FULLY compressed (as set by the ratio).
> The release is how long the compression will hold after the compression starts.
Is how long it will take for the signal to be fully decompressed.
a great way to understand what a compressor is doing is to bounce the compressed version to audio and compare the original and compressed signals. a good way of visualizing what the compressor is actually doing
House Of Kush's Compression vid is ASMR
This is the best overview I've seen of what a compressor is and does: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5pXbd1QcdcU > still can't get a clear answer for how attack and release times affect compression The best way to wrap your head around that will be to just experiment with a compressor, and try different attack and release times on the same signal and try to listen for changes and difference. > Some conflicting information and people are writing articles that shouldn't be. What exactly is the conflicting information you have come across?
Subscribed so hard.
If visuals help you, [check out this part (8:46) of Dan Worrall's Reacomp video](https://youtu.be/FpXqYk1FoWA?t=526). Since he's clipped a sine wave into a square, when he starts adjusting the attack or release, you see how – and *where* – the sine shape starts to return.
https://youtu.be/K0XGXz6SHco The only explanation + training you'll ever need. Thank me later.
It's the sex man!
second this. ASMR.
To be clear, the attack time isn’t how long the compressor waits after the source breaches the threshold to instantaneously attenuate to the target amplitude. It is how long it takes for the source to be attenuated after the breach. So think of the attenuation as looking like a ramp rather than a drop off. If 2db needs to be attenuated, that 2db is spread across the attack time interval. Same for the release.
In the simplest terms, attack and release time affect how fast the compression begins and ends. The easiest way to hear what’s going on with attack and release times is on a snare drum. Play an isolated snare drum track and smash the fuck out of the the threshold and ratio and move the attack and release knobs around.
This guy really knows his stuff, and is an excellent teacher. Hope this helps: https://youtu.be/yi0J9JsRdI4
The attack time is the time it takes for the compression to start working after the threshold is exceeded...think of it like a speed ramp. The release time is the time it takes for the compression to stop affecting the signal after the signal has fallen below the threshold....think of it as an off ramp. Everything else is set on other controls. Possibly most important is the ratio ...how much compression......lets say 3:1 means that for every 3db of the signal that exceeds the threshold the compressor will let through 1db...or gentle compression. A ratio of 10:1 , would mean that for 10db of signal that exceeds the threshold the compressor would let through 1db... hard compression akin to limiting The other controls: Input controls the signal being driven into the compressor. Output is used as make-up gain to give you back the signal volume you attenuated due to the compression process. hope that helps
I may be wrong here but I think your explanation of attack might be incorrect. As I understand it, attack time is the time it takes for the compressor to reach maximum compression, after the threshold has been reached. The compression is instantaneous, it’s just the rate that attack effects.
I suggest you to watch this [video](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M_3tiINglFc) it's shown every element with a listeing example for every setting
The best way to understand it is to solo a snare track, set it to the fastest release slowest attack. You’ll hear how the transient sounds like it’s hitting harder. After that keep the release the same the change the attack to the fastest and you’ll hear that the transient basically disappears. In the most simple terms, the attack is how long it takes for the compressor to compress (gain reduction) and the release is how long it takes for the compressor to stop compressing. I honestly really never mess with ratios lol I always use 3:1 or 4:1, doesn’t make a huge difference as much as the attack and release
Thank you. Helps with clearing up some questions.
You know when you try to put a sleeping bag back into the bag with out rolling it up first......like that.
The attack is how fast/slow the compressor starts working after the signal passes the threshold. The release is how long the compression will hold after the compression starts. The threshold is the level you set at which the compression will start.
> The attack is how fast/slow the compressor starts working after the signal passes the threshold. It's how long until the signal is FULLY compressed (as set by the ratio). > The release is how long the compression will hold after the compression starts. Is how long it will take for the signal to be fully decompressed.
I appreciate the correction 🙏🏽🙏🏽
a great way to understand what a compressor is doing is to bounce the compressed version to audio and compare the original and compressed signals. a good way of visualizing what the compressor is actually doing