Compression is another technique I use often. My approach to plugin choices prioritises creative flow over technical tinkering - I want tools that transform ideas into reality quickly, with minimal time spent tweaking settings, as that could disrupt my creative rhythm.
Like with my long list of EQ plugins, I have heaps of compressor plugins installed, but I usually only use two while mixing. One is my favourite vocal compressor, and the other is my all-rounder.
Two caveats here: I'm excluding the master bus from this discussion - I do use different compressors on my master bus - and I'm also putting multi-band compression and dynamic EQ aside for now. I'll talk about all of these in separate articles.
My Vocal Specialist: The UAD 1176AE
The first of my two workhorse compressors is the UAD 1176AE Limiting Amplifier (other 1176 options work well too; this is just the one I use). While it's commonly used for drums, bass, and other instruments, it’s my specialist vocal compressor.
The 1176's fast release characteristics give the voice an upfront sound that works particularly well with dense mixes, snapping quieter words into focus so they don't get lost in the noise. Paired with a slow attack setting (slow on an 1176 is still fast by compressor standards), just enough of each vocal transient gets through before compression kicks in. This means that when makeup gain is added, the first tiny bit of each consonant is boosted, helping words stand out more clearly. The combination of the 1176’s attack, release, and saturation characteristics means the compressor has a unique effect on vocals that can be hard to replicate with other plugins. I enjoy the effect it produces, so I keep going back!
My Swiss Army Knife: The Fabfilter Pro-C 2
For almost everything else needing compression (sometimes including vocals), I turn to a compressor that is designed to cover a wide range of compression styles: the Fabfilter Pro-C 2. Yes, Fabfilter again, just like my go-to EQ. Like most of their plugins, their compressor utilises screen space well and goes beyond the limitations of analogue gear, offering plenty of features but keeping advanced settings out of sight unless needed. This allows for quick results when you're in the flow, but also lets you explore more in-depth when required.
It's also a great choice for side-chain compression, for when you want to duck the signal to highlight another track. The lookahead and range features are particularly handy for this - functions that aren't available on all compressors.
The current version (Pro-C 2) was released in 2015, so it’s definitely stood the test of time for me. With FabFilter having recently updated their EQ to version 4, I wouldn’t be surprised if a new compressor comes out soon. My wishlist, which would really solidify this as the ultimate compressor plugin for me, would be:
- An even cleaner interface (matching their approach with other recent releases)
- Adding in some saturation styles, like they did with their Pro-Q 4
- Ultimate win: merging their multi-band compressor into the one plugin (but I'm probably dreamin’)
If it’s anything like their other recent releases, they'll nail it and it'll be an easy upgrade decision!
Intentionally Limiting My Options
You can probably see a theme here. As I mentioned in my previous article in this series, deliberately limiting my options let's me focus on the creative tasks by removing certain technical choices entirely. Sticking to one or two reliable tools you are completely familiar with can speed up your workflow. In my view, the fewer non-creative decisions that interfere with your process, the better.
There are plenty of good compressors out there, and I'm not claiming these are the best choices. I've simply found tools that work well for me, and now I focus on producing great work. I don't need a massive list of compressor options, and neither do you. So next time you see a new compressor plugin being advertised, unless it does something truly amazing that will noticeably improve what you can do, you don't need it. Put the money into something more worthy, like the longevity of your creative career.
💬 Have you ever intentionally limited your tool choices to improve your creative flow? What was the result?
