Mission 23 · World 4

Compressor

Tame dynamics. Add punch.

Tame loud peaks. Bring up quiet bits. Glue everything together.

+80 XP🏅 Dyna Master

// WHAT IT DOES

A Compressor turns down loud sounds when they cross a threshold, by a ratio you set.

Threshold = 'when'. Ratio = 'by how much'. Attack = 'how fast it grabs'. Release = 'how fast it lets go'. Makeup = 'add gain back to match original level'.

Think of it like → An automatic volume knob with reflexes. Loud bit comes → knob turns down. Quiet bit → knob lets go.

▸ WHY YOU CARE

• Vocals stay even all the way through.
• Drums hit harder when compressed and made up.

// SEE & HEAR IT

BPM100

SOURCE

OUTPUT

COMPRESSOR

▸ HOVER A KNOB

Pick a knob to see what it does

Each control has a one-line explanation here. Twist it to hear the change.

THRESHOLD

-20 dB

RATIO

4 :1

ATTACK

0.01 s

RELEASE

0.25 s

KNEE

6 dB

MAKEUP

1.40 x

PRESETS — TAP TO HEAR

OUTPUT SPECTRUM

WHAT CHANGED

▸ Defaults — toggle A/B or load a preset to hear the device.

WHAT TO LISTEN FOR

▸ Toggle A/B — compressed should feel more even, not just louder.
▸ Crank the threshold down, listen for breathing/pumping artefacts.
▸ Slow the attack to ~30 ms on drums to let transients punch through.

HOW TO USE

Press PLAY → tap a PRESET → toggle A/B to compare dry vs processed. Twist knobs to hear how each parameter changes the sound.

OPEN FULL COMPRESSOR LAB →

▸ HOW IT WORKS

Detector reads input → compares to threshold → calculates gain reduction (ratio) → smooths via attack/release → applied via VCA → makeup → output.

▸ Signal flow — watch the dot

▸ SIGNAL FLOW

Glowing dot = your signal travelling through Live.

▸ LISTEN FOR

• Gain Reduction meter swings on loud peaks.
• Pumping = release too slow.

▸ WALKTHROUGH (3 steps)

1. DO: Drop Compressor on a vocal. Threshold so GR meter shows 3–6 dB on peaks.
▸ LISTEN: Loudest words pulled down.
2. DO: Set Attack 30 ms, Release 100 ms.
▸ LISTEN: Transients still poke through, body controlled.
3. DO: Add 4 dB Makeup.
▸ LISTEN: Vocal sits steady, louder, present.

▸ COMMON MISTAKES

✗ Threshold too low + ratio too high = squashed lifeless.
✗ Forgetting makeup — sounds quieter, not louder.

// QUIZ (QUICK)

Question 1 / 30 correct

Slower attack lets through more…

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