Recording Classical Music

CHAPTER 8 Control of Dynamic Range

Compressors

First invented for use in “live” radio broadcasts as a way of preventing the level of an announcer’s voice from suddenly overloading the signal chain, compressors automate the process of controlling gain at moments when spikes would be impossible for audio engineers to predict and attenuate quickly enough. In the field of music production, recordists have also chosen to restrict the dynamic range of signals, particularly in pop/rock, where uniform levels have become the norm, and in classical genres, even though engineers prefer to retain the full dynamic range of the performances they capture, the control of dynamics has its usefulness in editing, mixing, and delivery, especially during the preparation ...