WTF is Upward Compression (and why you NEED IT!)

You might have heard the term "upward compression" before, but what does it actually mean? And why is it so important when mixing music in your home studio?

Anytime we say the word "compression" we mean that the dynamic range of audio is being reduced either by turning down the loud parts or by increasing the quieter sounds.

Turning down the loud parts is called DOWNWARD compression. When we turn up the quietest parts without affecting the loud parts, that is called UPWARD compression.

The overall effect of compression is that the volume of the track is more consistent.

This is an essential tool for mixing music, as it helps to keep sounds from jumping out of a mix by controlling peaks - but each method has a UNIQUE sound.

If you're not sure how to use upward compression when mixing your music, don't worry. In this video, I'll walk you through everything you need to know.

UPDATE 11/11/22

This video will demonstrate what ONLY upward compression sounds like and two great tools you can use. My sincere apologies!

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⌚TIMESTAMPS⌚
00:00 - What is Upward Compression
00:38 - Download My Free Compression 101 eBook!
01:03 - What is Compression in Audio?
02:17 - Another Way to Do Compression
02:34 - Difference Between Downward and Upward Compression
03:50 - Demonstration of Upward and Downward Compression
05:41 - The Sound of Upward Compression
06:46 - When to Use Downwards and Upwards Compression
07:21 - Compression on Drums
08:15 - 3 Reasons Why I Use Upwards Compression
09:28 - Downside of Upwards Compression
09:50 - Multiband Upwards Compression
10:20 - Don't Forget Your FREE Gift!

[rome]

I highly suggest a trick I call "parallel upward midrange compression." You put an upward compressor on an aux. In front of it, you put a parametric EQ. I use the Fab Filter Pro Q3, but anything will work. Using this EQ, you bandpass everything but the midrange (usually from about 800hz to 8kHz). So now only the midrange on this aux is getting upwardly compressed. Then you send different elements of the mix to this aux. I find most instruments can benefit from having their midrange upwardly compressed. This has the effect of making the mix way more present and louder without adding much extra volume.

[DrawingBase]

Please add voice examples to see how a master uses this two types of compression. On the future

[vxd]

Great video! couple questions, why would you use upward compression on a track if your just gonna downward compress the master anyway? ALSO, have you ever used upward compression on a master? Is there any point to doing that?

[LittleFellaDynamics]

Hooray! A burning question has been answered >> I have never used upward compression and can definitley see the advantage of the use cases you mentioned >> perfect thank you and subscribed for sure 👌💯🎧🎶😎🌟

[piscesman]

I started using upward compression a while back and I found it very useful for bringing up the overall loudness of a track without messing up the transient information, particularly on bass and drums, also on aggressive vocals. I would describe it as adding presence. Whenever a track is kind of lost in the mix, I use it to bring it forward. Having said that, as you correctly state here, it may introduce noise. I've found a solution for that is to use it in parallel and mix it back in with the original uncompressed signal. Some compressors provide a balance function between dry and wet signal so you don't have to create a compression bus. This is extremely useful.

[mikeymoo]

Never heard of upwards compression before, but live the concept, and will try it out on everything to check out the results. Thank you!

[GooDProductions]

Ive only done this using Waves MV2, I use C1 for all my side-chained compression, never thought to use it for upwards compression, but now I will.

[edphonez]

even though i am not using this program.. what you showed help me understand the compression.. THANK YOU

[parristaylor]

Neat trick I learned somewhere is sticking an expander before the upward compression to squash noise before you bring up the desired part of the signal. Obv the settings need to be dialed to not simply reverse the effect of the expansion.

[Fretboard_Chaos_Productions]

Very well explained and presented - well done

[AlanSamuel]

superb video, with very clear explanations. The effect of upward compression raising the noise level was very obvious here . Great demonstration. Thank you so much.

[djbriantalbot]

This is excellent. Thank you for making this!

[DJURBANBG]

This was an excellent explanation ! Keep up the good work 💯

[tomlewis]

I did a completely empirical experiment. I recorded a single note (C2) on a MIDI Steinway at a velocity of 80 for a length of five seconds to a MIDI track. Then I played that back and printed it directly to an audio track. Then I added a 'downward' compressor with a ratio of 12 to 1, zero attack, a 2.5-second-long release, and printed the MIDI track again with otherwise identical settings on it, to another audio track, also with identical settings. The threshold was set to give exactly 10 dB of compression.

To make the peak levels identical, I normalized each of the audio recordings. Then I measured both of them at the two-second mark. On the recording with the compressor invoked, the level at that point was exactly 6 dB higher than on the recording without the compressor. So the change in the level of sustain was significant. Dramatically so when I listened back to them.

Then I repeated the process with 'upward' compression invoked, normalized that, and again, the level at the two-second mark was at the exact same level as the recording with 'downward' compression. Then I took those two audio recordings and subtracted one from the other.

The result was essentially a flat line, implying that those two waveforms are audibly identical. The only difference might be the amount of normalization applied.

So the conclusion that I draw here is that upward compression is actually identical to downward compression plus raising the makeup gain. Other than that, there is no physical difference between them as to the envelope of the sound, meaning there can be no audible difference.

"Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain!" It seems Toto has just pulled that curtain back.

It appears that what a compressor that claims to do upward compression is likely doing is using the identical algorithm for downward compression and then raising the makeup gain after the fact, or at the very least is using an algorithm with an identical effect. This experiment kind of proves that. The result is the functional equivalent of that.

If so, then the only actual difference between upward compression and downward compression is the arbitrary choice of terminology—what one decides to label it as. They actually do the very same thing to the envelope of a sound.

Imagining that they sound different is probably only due to the placebo effect. They are the same.


Am I wrong? I'm no more perfect than anyone else. Did I screw up my empirical experiment? Does it not hold water? If you think so, explain to me exactly why. And I do mean exactly. No BS fluff.

[gregfender]

Cool video! I’m definitely guilty of usually just using downward compression and turning the output up. I always forget that upward compression is a thing that exists.

[RealSiViX]

Wow, pro tip, thank you very much for this demonstration

[extroy]

Great Video! Gave me a reason to use it again with some focus

[MarcoTobaBass]

Upward compression works flawlessly on Slap Bass, for example. Usually, downward compression sucks up a lot of high end from the bass when catching and reducing the peaks from the slapped and plucked notes, and you always have to add some high frequencies to bring back some of that sparkle after compressing which can cause to be too bright and feel artificial, depending on the eq used. With upward compression is the complete opposite and the high end of the bass feels way more natural. Totally recommended!

[shipsthesizeofcastles]

This is new information too me dam I liked it a lot very much looking for this information I had no idea the C1 could do that iv had it forever lol

[EdwinDekker]

Toneboosters compressor 4 is great for this