Nat 4Nat 5HigherAdvanced Higher
Compression
Compression reduces the dynamic range of a signal by controlling louder parts.
Level relevance: introduced at Nat 4; tagged for every later level where the same concept remains useful.
Explanation
Compression makes the difference between quieter and louder parts smaller. This can help a vocal sit more steadily in a mix, make drums feel punchier, or control peaks before clipping. Too much compression can make audio sound flat or lifeless, so it should be used with purpose. It is both a corrective and creative tool.
Topics
MixingDynamics processingProcessing
Curriculum statussupporting vocabulary
Review statusdraft