Hi All,
I’ve been using the built-in “VST Dynamics” as an insert effect on my vocal track.
I’m using the preset “Rock vocals” and I can’t get a healthy, consistent loudness from the plug in, despite the track sounding quite healthy when not compressed.
With this preset, in specific portions in the vocal track, the compressed vocal gets very weak or cuts off.
I tried to disable the limiter part of the plugin. I tried changing the compression rate from 8:1 to 3:1. I’ve played with the attack, hold and release controls.
Nothing works. I guess I simply don’t understand why this happends, and I thought I understand compression since years ago.
I thought maybe the gain is controlled by a specific frequency, so I tried changing from BP to HP or LP, but it only got much worse, so I returned to the BP setting.
I’ve got a second question: I sometimes compress the entire mixdown with 3:1 compression (in another software), but although sounding nice and punchy, it causes sustaining sounds like pads to have modulated loudness. Is there a way around this problem?
Thanks in advance and sorry if posting in the wrong forum 
Hi,
There is a Gate in the VST Dynamics plug-in, at the first position (if I’m right). Disable this Gate.
Thanks Martin,
I’ve established that with the gate and the limiter disabled, (so only the compressor section is active), the issue is still occuring.
I made some subjective observations, but could be that I’m totally wrong, so please don’t hesitate to correct me:
The graphic representation shows the compression curve.
If the curve does not reach the top-right corner of the graph, then the issue is most noticable.
It’s as if the loudest portions are getting silenced when they reach beyond the area marked by the curve.
Could it be that the compressor is designed to supress any audio which is louder than the compressed zone in this graph? (again, I’m probably using wrong terms, but at least I’m trying to describe what’s happening)
Thanks again,
mm
Hi,
There is a “knee point” - Threshold. If the signal is louder then the Threshold, the signal becomes compressed by the set compression Ratio. This is the principle of the compressor. So the signal is quieter at the end, in fact, and you have to increase the Volume afterwords. This is, why there is the Make-up parameter. What about your Make-up settings? Try to enable the Auto here.
The signal cannot be louder then 0dB. There is just a distortion after 0dB in the digital audio processing.
Limiter is just another one compressor with the pretty high Threshold (like -0.3dB or -1dB) and very strong Ratio (20:1 and more).