Creating a Parallel Compression

Creating a Parallel Compression

A parallel compression is another useful technique that can enhance your mix.  It is also known as New York compression, because this technique was popular among the engineers from New York. 

A parallel compression can be used in many different sounds, but it is mostly used in the percussive aux tracks, such as drum sub-track.  The basic idea of this technique is to mix an unprocessed dry signal, or a lightly compressed signal with a heavy compressed signal.  The concept in this game is to reduce dynamic range by bringing up the soft sounds and adding details to it, rather than brining down the highest peak, which is the normal way we do to the dynamic processors such as compressor.

Once you have drums recorded in your DAW program, do a rough mix to it.  Try to get the balanced levels between each drum tracks.  When you have balanced levels between all the drum tracks, create two auxiliary tracks, and then name the each aux track as Drum Sub and P.C (parallel compression) Drum Sub. 

Send all the drum tracks to Drum Sub by setting the output of each drum tracks to the input of Drum Sub.  On the Drum Sub, you can lightly use compression on the insert if you feel like the recording has too much high peaks, but try to use the minimum.  

Then, you will send a copy of the Drum Sub to the P.C Drum Sub in unity gain by using the send parameter on its track.  Set the same bus on the send of the Drum Sub and the input of P.C Drum Sub.

Now, insert a compressor that you will like to use on the P.C Drum Sub.  We are going to process this compressor heavily to create vicious and nasty sounds.  First, set high ratio, commonly 8:1 or higher, then set a low threshold, which you can see more than -25db gain reduction.  The attack time should be fast, but for the release time, you will need to fairly adjust it by listening to fit the groove of music. 

If you mute the Drum Sub and only listen to the P.C Drum Sub, it will sound disgusting, because it is heavily compressed.  Leave the Drum Sub track at unity and set the P.C Drum Sub track to -∞, then slowly bring up the level of the P.C Drum Sub as you are listening.  This will be your wet and dry control for the parallel compression.  As you bring up the level of the parallel compressed track, you will notice more details in the quiet moments between each drum hits.