#15
The mix bus provides the final stage to tweak your mix and this month we look at how to compress it
Mixing is typically a spiral process where we gradually make smaller and smaller adjustments as we return to different aspects of the track. Processing the mix bus can play an important role in this and help achieve a finished mix that’s ready for mastering.
That said, opinions differ considerably about how much a mix should rely on overall mix bus processing, and specifically within this processing chain, whether a mix bus compressor is a good idea at all.
What’s clear is that poorly executed mix bus compression can both ruin your mix and massively compromise the mastering stage. These considerations can easily make us shy away from mix bus compression. However, properly executed mix bus compression can really help bring your mix components together, providing the mix ‘glue’ that makes everything sound cohesive and finished.
In this tutorial we’re going to focus on the best way to achieve this, looking at not only what we can expect from our mix bus compression, but also a couple of different approaches and also the type of compressor we’re using. By the end of the tutorial you should be more confident in your ability to select the right compressor, adjust the settings and add mix bus compression that will benefit your mix.
Right, let’s get to it.
> Step by step
1 To get started, ideally you need a mix bus or mastering style compressor and in the Pro Tip we discuss this in more depth. This may seem like an unnecessary expense, and over time you may learn to coax the behaviour you want from a wider selection of compressors. Nevertheless, a tailored design is simply easier to use.
2 Mix bus or mastering compressors usually include a smaller array of options with the right kind of attack and release profiles, ratios, knee shape and metering. This not only helps with settings but also encourages us to spend more time focusing on setting the threshold and listening to what the compressor is actually doing.
3 These tailored processors can also include other very helpful features, such as stepped controls, good left/right stereo linking, wet/dry mix or even mid/side processing. One of the most handy features you’ll find – and it’s included on our SSL-style VCA processor here – is a sidechain high-pass filter.
4 A couple of other considerations. It’s important to manage levels entering your mix bus and the simplest way to do thi
