Compressor issue. Irregular response

As in the title, I’m having an issue with the native compressor in LE4

If I loop a single drum hit into it (with the master output and Voxengo Span both agreeing it is of consistent amplitude) the compressor behaves erratically. Say the hit is registering a peak of -3dB everywhere else. In the compressor with threshold set at say -4dB it will pick it up on some cycles and not others. It should obviously be picking up every hit the same.

I am wondering if this is related to what I previously thought was an issue with my drum machine. Namely that when I record it into cubase, hits with identical velocities get laid down with varying amplitude!


I am using a US-144 with the latest driver and have the latest fix for LE4 in place.

Any ideas? Is it a configuration thing? A bug? Or am I missing something simple?

Cheers

EDIT: should have said I get the same behaviour using my X-station as the soundcard with it’s driver and also the laptop’s native ASIO driver. Should also have mentioned this is happening as an insert and a send equally

The release time will have a bearing on it!

Try with a very short release.

Cheers for the input. This is with the release at it’s quickest. It’s just not registering input to it evenly as far as I can tell.

This is proving to be a bit of a pain. I’m not getting this irregular behaviour from imported VST compressors, just the Steinberg one. Annoyingly, I quite like using the Steinberg one! I wonder if it’s time to reinstall?

Things seemed tickety boo before I installed the latest fix (the one that robs Halion from you!). Could it be a windows 7 thing anyone? Is the last fix known to have any issues on 7?

dubmeup: I dought your problem is windows 7
IMO ----The multiband compressor works great
that is in Cubase 6—I to had problems with
Cubase Le4 compressors. :wink: Also the Limiter is good :wink:

Also have you tried http://www.youtube.com for
instructional videos about Cubase Le4 :question:
Always worked for me.

Jack :smiley: :smiley:

Cheers for the input.

I’m actually starting to think that this might be down to me flogging the heck out of the ASIO driver.

I’m starting to mix a track that has maxed out on the channels. 90% of those channels have a lot going on in them. EQ, automation, plug ins etc. Then most of them are running through sub groups into other groups. Each of those groups has got dynamics and stuff going on too! The driver has been complaining a bit so although I’d rather not bounce down as I prefer to mix with full control, it may be time to free up the driver and processor a bit…

Could this be barking up the right tree?

dubmeup: IMO – your topic sounds like it should be “HOW TO MAKE A MIX”

When I MIX, I’m still kinda OLD SCHOOL - 85 db monitor level
Moderate mix levels. A compressor ( Lately its steinbergs multiband compressor)
strapped across the master channel. Any level problems I then tweek when I master.
In Cubase 6 steinberg has given us some great “PRESETS” for Compressors & Limiters.
IMO - i’d be careful tracking to hot --------- and or using a compressor on everything all the time. :wink:

dubmeup—I RECORD with a Low Latency then switch to the highest Latency for mixdown.
plus I use FREEZE functions alot on midi VST tracks to help CPU out. :wink:

Use the SEARCH function above and youtube videos there great learning tools.

Hope this helps— maybe others have advice for ya :wink:

Jack :smiley: :smiley:

Hi again and thanks for the input.

Yes I am still learning the process :wink: I dont think its asking too much to max out the tracks in le4 though personally. What are we talking 30 tracks?

I do switch to the highest latency when mixing. The project wont sound at the lowest latency :wink:

I take it from your answer that you think that yes, this is a flogged driver issue? It’s just working too hard?

I dont think LE4 has freeze so you’d recommend I get bouncing tracks down then?

Part of my learning is getting to the point where you say, “yeah thats good, I wont fiddle any more”, I kind of like having the option to change anything in the mix as the process develops.


Alternatively to the maxed out driver idea, is this perhaps related to having several hungry plug ins with varying latencies? the delay compensation is on.

dubmeup: Well are we talking about a 64 bit or 32 bit OS :question:
Personally I think your Levels are probably to hot
While RECORDING. :wink: You know 48 or 88 sampling
rate and 24 or 32 bit, bit rate, should have more headroom
to work with then 44.1 – 16 bit when recording.

Jack :slight_smile: :slight_smile:

PS: DUB: Checkout these YOUTUBE videos on Cubase Le4
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=cubase+le+4+mixing&oq=cubase+le+4&aq=4&aqi=g10&aql=&gs_l=youtube.1.4.0l10.4416.4416.0.13925.1.1.0.0.0.0.65.65.1.1.0...0.0.d5xSt-4OfHQ

Hi Jack and thanks again. I’ve watched a lot of the le4 vids. Le4 isn’t massively different from earlier versions of cubase i’ve used succesfully but the vids were/are useful. The OS is running in 32 bit. The files themselves are fine. If anything I record rather shy. The gain stages are all balanced on the input chains from gear to mixer to Tascam to laptop. Everything tallies there. I’m recording at 24 bit@48. I have always found that a good enough compromise between quality and processor usage. The files are then all normalized to -1dB. I don’t use any compression in the input chain at all if I can help it. They go to the laptop as dynamic as they left the instrument. I then compress in the box.

The cubase compressor is the only VST i get this with as far as I can see. When I playback files into it, I get this random response to the input. As I said in the OP, even if it is the same single hit, looped.

I guess I should also mention that there are no VSTIs running. I am solely mixing audio.

As a slight bit of extra info, I’ve used the DPC latency checker on my system. There is an issue with the wi-fi that causes fairly regular latency spikes. When I’m doing music stuff though, the wifi is disabled. AV off, automatic updates etc all off. In that state, DPC reports a pretty steady and acceptable latency averaging about 120 µs.

Dub: Have you tried “TRASHING YOUR PREFERENCES” https://www.steinberg.net/en/support/knowledgebase_new/show_details/kb_show/removing-the-preferences-of-the-sequencer/kb_back/2025.html?tx_p77sbknowledgebase_pi1[keyword_search]=Preferences

IMO – this could solve your compressor problem (If it has a Bug) :wink:
Trashing the preferences has solved alot of ISSUES lately.

Dub: I learned of a “technique” From Youtube Videos and these forums
which is

  1. high lite your audio track and enlarge the track (I guess Drums in your case)
  2. locate your peaks
  3. grab the SPLIT tool from the tool bar above
  4. make a cut on both sides of a Peak
  5. Reduce the volume of that peak
  6. repeat this on all peaks in your track
    till there smoothed out.

Since the volumes will be reduced on those Peaks
it takes the strain off your Compressor when used. :wink:

I use the above techique alot with Bass and Vocals.
I believe it’s called MANUAL COMPRESSION :wink:

Jack :smiley: :smiley: :smiley:

Thanks again. Funnily enough I have been reading a bit about trashing the preferences on here this week. I’m inclined to agree with you that this may be something to try.

With regards to manual compression, yes, this is something I’m both aware of and regularly do. It’s something that I learnt to do back when I was using Cool Edit at the turn of the millennium. Nowadays I do it in Audacity and then send the files back to Cubase. I agree with you that although time consuming, it’s well worthwhile. Vocals is the main area that I use it in although not exclusively.

I’ll get back to you when I’ve tried the trashing. Thanks