Cory Miller

Optical compression is a natural next step after FET, because it shows the other side of the spectrum. If FET compressors are about speed, edge, and control, optical compressors are about smoothness, tone, and feel. They don’t react as quickly, and they don’t try to. Instead, they move in a way that tends to sound more forgiving and more “musical” right out of the gate. At a technical level, an optical compressor uses a light source and a light-dependent resistor to control gain...

FET compression is where things start to click for a lot of people, because it moves compression out of the purely “technical” category and into something you can actually hear  shaping a mix. Up to this point, compression might feel like a tool you use to fix problems—taming peaks, smoothing performances, controlling dynamics. A FET compressor shows you that it can also be a creative decision, one that directly affects tone, energy, and how forward something feels in a record. At its...

Compression is one of the most powerful tools in mixing—and also one of the most misunderstood. This is part 1 of a more extensive dive into compression and the various types and styles. This is more of a general overview of compression. Ask ten beginners what a compressor does and you’ll often hear something vague like “it makes things louder.” That’s not quite r ight. At its core, compression is automatic volume control . A compressor reduces the dynamic range of a signal, which...