Compression: Number of channels needed.

[Dan30]

I was curious how many channels you guys use when you're running sound for bands? I assume 3 for vocals (lead and backups), 1 for bass, 1 or 2 for guitar(s), at least 4 or 5 for drums?

so 10 or 11 channels? That's a lot of money for compressors. How many do you really need?

[Bill Fitzmaurice]

That's a lot of money for compressors.

Not with a digital board, where you get compression on every channel.
Strictly speaking you don't need one per channel, but if you have them set up as compressor plus downward expander that serves as an automatic attenuator when the mic's not in use you'll wonder how you ever got along without them. Before I went for a rack full of compressors, and the nightmare of wiring them up for every gig, I'd get a digital board.

[Dan30]

Awesome! Thanks for the tip, Bill. Those PreSonus StudioLives are looking pretty good. Getting one would cost me as much as two decent compressors alone which is pretty neat.

[Grant Bunter]

Having not gone digital (yet?) I only run compressors on vocals.
I might foresake one compressor channel on vocals for novice acts to run across master outs, in case a mike gets dropped etc.

I try to make sure that all instruments will be played as they will be for the gig when setting up.
So I ask questions at soundcheck like "is that your loudest song", "is that as hard as you hit your snare" blah blah blah.
And with acoustic drums in particular, the actual drummer needs to do the check on their kit. Not someone else.

I reckon that half decent bands will play with plenty of dynamics, and you don't necessarily want to squash everything with compressors.

Otherwise, I'm watching the meters...

[Bruce Weldy]

No way to predict just how many channels you need until you talk to the band. I run with a 16 channel Presonus 16.4.2 and have only needed more twice (I still have my old Yamaha board that I get extra inputs from).

I use a little compressor on bass and vocals mostly. Never on guitars - not opposed, just haven't needed to. My best tool on the drums is a gate. That's the only way to really tame boomy kicks and toms. Beats the heck out of trying to get everything taped up to get rid of it. If I had my choice of only one processor - I'd take the gate every time, because I really value a good drum sound.

One thing I do though, is route the drums to the mains AND a sub out. I compress the hell out of the sub out (8:1), then I use that sub fader for drum fills - just run it up, then back down when it's over. It really makes the drums pop.

[dswpro]

I use compressors a lot. Perhaps more than I should, but I find it helps me eek more volume before feedback in live settings where I barely have enough PA for the crowd that shows up. If you can only afford a few analog compressors I've had luck with running a single (stereo) compressor on a vocal sub-master and another on a drum sub-master.
My preference is digital with gates and compressors on all inputs.
I run vocals at 2:1 ratio, sometimes 1.7:1 with a 10-15 MS attack time.
If I have a lead singer I want on top of backup vocalists I will run the lead at 1.7:1 and the other vocals at 2:1 or 2.5:1
Kick/ snare and toms are typical a 2.5 or 3:1 ratio with attack times from 5-20 ms
( a snare hit is only about 25-30 MS long so longer attack times do nothing)
Hold and release times for Toms can make a big difference depending on how they ring, particularly on gates.
Bass guitar I run 4:1 to keep the low E string from overpowering everything and to give sustain.
The attack on the bass is critical depending on the style of play. For gentle plucking 10-15 MS attack is fine. for hard slapping I find myself under 7ms to keep peaks from blowing out the mix.
Guitars / keys / other instruments 2:1 - 3:1 depending on what needs more attention.
Thresholds are set according to the style of play and how much the band controls their own dynamics.
For bands that are really in tune with each others playing, Jazz / Funk or acoustic groups My thresholds are pretty high, meaning the channels don't go into compression much. For Rock, Pop, or hard hitting music where the musicians are blasting it out like there is a competition between them (often the younger players)
My thresholds are set to put channels into compression pretty quickly. In those situations I become the arbiter of who is on top of the mix and the compression keeps things under control, at the risk of the mix sounding like an FM radio broadcast.

[Dan30]

Thanks guys I appreciate the tips immensely.