The rule of thumb here is, less is more, compression can always be applied later on, but it cannot be reversed once it has been committed to a stereo mix.Mastering is an incredibly important step in the process of producing music, and one that cannot be skipped -at least not if you want to make music that sounds like it’s ready for primetime. Going from a verse to a chorus, or the start of a song opening with only the guitars playing before the rest of the music enters, all of these subtleties in volume change add to the overall impact the song makes on the listener. There is nothing wrong with over-compressing, but on occasions it is easy to over-compress each track, to the extent the overall mix has no dynamics left in the song, and we lose the impact that changes in volume can bring to the music. We can hear it on rhythm tracks when the audio levels are un-naturally pumping the beat (yes it can be used as a fantastic effect on dance music beats), or where the volume dynamics have been compressed into a very small range of low and high decibels.

Too much compression can be heard and identified by the way it affects the instrument or vocal.

Over-compressing can apply to separate recorded takes, individual tracks, grouped tracks, the overall stereo mix file, or in the most extreme of cases, over-compression at all of the above mentioned stages.

However, over-compressing can completely kill a great song. Applied carefully it can be used to great effect on individual tracks, and bring out the nuances of a vocal or live instrument that would otherwise have been lost. Compression is one of the most vital tools when recording and mixing songs.

Master your song