Vocal Compression - How to Mix Live Vocals (feat. Jon Thurlow)

Stop chasing around vocals in your mix. Compress vocals the right way, and you'll sound like a pro.

In this vocal mixing tutorial, I'll show you how to compress live vocals, and show you with the real live vocals from Jon Thurlow's "Shout Your Name."

When you understand how to set a compressor for vocals, it makes mixing for worship so much easier. After all, the vocals are the most important part of the church service, because if no one can understand what's being said and sung, then it's a waste of time and breath. Learn how to compress vocals so that every phrase is heard loud and clear, and craft the tone of your vocals.

[AttawayAudio]

What part of this tutorial gave you an "AHA!" moment? Comment below to let me know!

[bogee]

hey!been a sound tech for over 30 years, this was most accurate and concise explanation of compression i have ever heard.

[newmeutube]

Thank you for sharing your knowledge James. Very professionally presented. I’m new to digital mixing world and you have made the transition from analog friendly. I was scared. You are a legend. Keep them tutorials coming. 👏👏👏

[brendon-paul]

With so much bad advice and lack of knowledge in youtube videos, THANKYOU for producing a video with good advice, deep understanding and clear delivery. As a profession engineer i thank you for putting youtube right. 👍

[mebaugh]

Very useful tips and coaching on compression! Love it! Thanks! As someone with experience of 30 years, but with no formal training, this filled in a gap.

[DaddyAddy]

This channel saves my life when it comes to sound engineering. Thank you so much!!!

[scottrobinson]

I've been doing sound for a long time... I did my first tour in 1989. Obviously that was the days of analog. It was around 2007/2008 when I began seeing digital consoles on a pretty consistent basis. It was around this tim that I accidentally discovered a compression technique I use all the time now.... While still acclimating to the digital world, I would often start adjusting things, without remembering to select the proper channel. One day, thinking I was adding compression on something else, I was actually adding it to an overhead channel. I soon realized my mistake, but also
realized it was doing something cool. I then applied compression to both overheads. The band I was mixing was a very dynamic rock band. The overhead compression kept the really intense peaks under control, and would bring them forward as the band settled into quiter sections of songs. I see a lot of guys use it now, but back in the analog days you typically didn't have enough compressors in your rack, to spare, for such things.

Something that used to be very popular, back in analog days, was sidechaining. I don't see too many engineers using it these days. I do things like sidechain a bass DI to the kick compressor...to bring out bass runs during busy bass and drum segments of songs. I'm surprised more guys don't use tricks like that, since its so easy to do on digital consoles. Sidechaining is cool because it assists in moving shared tonal things out of the way of each other...making room for more musical information to be heard.

[scottcampbell]

I took lots of notes. Seems like some very useful, practical advice. Gonna try it out at rehearsal this week.

[philippgrunert]

Your tutorials always nail it. Really among the very few channels on YouTube which teach stuff that actually is applicable

[myronblackmon]

attack times release time and tonal relationships, I"m learning a lot watching your videos....I've been "pushing faders" for a few years now and your videos are teaching me How to approach so many of the features on my X32 that I've not been able to use. thank you

[OrbisonTributeArtist]

What an incredible teacher you are...not to mention sound engineer. I am learning a great deal from you. Thanks!

[victorandrewlopez]

Attack and Release easily explained here. Plus I really enjoyed the song that was sung in this video.

Holy crap... It's almost 3am and I've watched like 20 videos of yours. Thank you for sharing your knowledge, Jon!

[michaelsteingard]

You're a really great teacher. Appreciate these videos!

[thetechq]

Nice summary. I suspect your choices are good for your context as many people listen to small speakers without much fidelity. In this environment, clarity is king. I listen to a lot of classical where the dynamic range can be much higher and the equipment is often higher end and can more properly produce a complex mix. Knowing your audience is important as it can result in better overall outcomes.

[riverdawg]

Nice tutorials...been hoodwinked into running board on a friend's band and this will help out tremendously. As one sound engineer told me if ya get the vocals down correctly 85% of the job is done, the rest is pretty easy as the instruments are gonna just do their thing without much noodling.

[smwdotcom]

Thanks again, everytime i watch your videos, I learn a lot to go~

[jacogreeff]

I found that sending compression to our wedge monitors works the best. Vocalist prefer to sing their hart out and have confidence that they won't over power the sound on stage.

[discokillers]

Very good instruction. Got straight to the point on the settings, then went into the description of each setting. Thank you! I bought a BBE MaxCom dual compressor and will follow your advice when it arrives.

[firebhaze]

The best tutorial and the first id comment on YouTube. Thank you for making this