The Sound Kitchen - Dynamics

Use compression and gating

What you'll learn

Understand dynamic control

Use compression artistically and cognitively

Manipulate and clean up audio signals using gating

Improve and polish your mixes dramatically

Requirements

A computer (or a device capable of running a DAW) and a pair of headphones / speakers.

Description

Ever listen to a great album and wonder how they managed to get that vocal, or snare or guitar to sound so spectacular? In your face yet not too loud? Just right!Discover the beauty of dynamic control. For more than thirty years Tim Alicino has been making music using this audio-processing skills. Learn the why and how of compression and gating with hands-on DAW exercises (download available) with real audio tracks.Be empowered with tools to accurately and creatively use dynamic control in your mixes.We will cover:- Why we need dynamics- The 4 movements of dynamic control- 6 compressor settings: Threshold, Ratio, Gain, Attack, Release and Knee- The dynamic envelop- The hidden messages of gain reduction- 7 gating settings: Threshold, Gain reduction, Trigger, Attack, Hold, Release, Hysteresis  The course is just over 90 minutes long divided into easy-to-follow lectures.  Tim uses many real-world examples and adds many crucial tips. Hands-on exercises are provided for you not only to hear but to be involved in the process so that you will learn to use dynamics, not just know about dynamics.The lessons are presented with a multi-track session available in the resources. If you are not well-versed in the use of a DAW, Tim has made it easy for you to be up and running in no time.

Overview

Section 1: Introduction

Lecture 1 Introduction

Lecture 2 Getting going in Reaper

Section 2: Understanding dynamics

Lecture 3 Two sets of 4

Lecture 4 Nice to meet you: getting acquainted with the compressor

Section 3: Compression

Lecture 5 Threshold, ratio and gain reduction

Lecture 6 Gain reduction notes

Lecture 7 Dynamic envelope

Lecture 8 Attack and release

Lecture 9 Using the compressor

Lecture 10 The Limiter

Section 4: Gating

Lecture 11 What is gating

Lecture 12 The trigger

Lecture 13 Using the gate

Section 5: All together now!

Lecture 14 Mixing only using dynamics

Lecture 15 It is not how you make it loud!

Section 6: Conclusion

Lecture 16 Well done

This course is for musicians, sound engineers at a beginner/intermediate level