Thanks to SoS for the latest article on parallel compression. While I've been doing this for a while now, I really feel I understand it after reading the article. I've always thought of it as bringing up the low level stuff while keeping the top end unchanged.

But my question is, is it possible for someone to create a plugin that just lets you draw the gain curve you want (dB in vs dB out), and then applies that gain to your signal?

Why use 5-7 compressors when you can get the same thing out of one plugin? I understand for hardware compressors that you can't get the same thing, but for software plugins, can't we just draw the curve we want and let the plugin apply the gain? Can someone make that for us please?

thats an awesome idea!!
i use parallel compression/ny compression to fatten drums (obv) and i reckon if there was a plugin that could make a better chain than i can in my mixer id be super keen.
im not as technical as you lot are, i learned via youtube tutorials which is mostly visual based cues and amateur instruction, but imho im actually surprised no ones thought of this/i havent thought of it myself!

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www.soundcloud.com/skerrick

just did a bit of a google search and theres a plugin called "Softube FET compressor" which seems to run sounds through some sort of parallel processing type FX chain..
havent had much of a chance to explore it further cos im at work but i think this might be what youre looking for..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDMBdR1OW38

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www.soundcloud.com/skerrick

Quote DC-Choppah:

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But my question is, is it possible for someone to create a plugin that just lets you draw the gain curve you want (dB in vs dB out), and then applies that gain to your signal?

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I think the Melda stuff might allow you to work like that, from memory.

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Mixing Secrets for the Small Studio
A complete mixing method based around the techniques of the world's most famous producers.

ahh whoops, must have overlooked that hah

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www.soundcloud.com/skerrick

Waves' H compressor is a parallel compressor. It uses the standard controls though.

Quote Mike Senior:

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Quote DC-Choppah:

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But my question is, is it possible for someone to create a plugin that just lets you draw the gain curve you want (dB in vs dB out), and then applies that gain to your signal?

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I think the Melda stuff might allow you to work like that, from memory.

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I downloaded the Mcompressor from Melda. But it looks like it has the same set of normal controls. I just grabbed the free version though. It does draw a graph of the compression, but you can't make it look like the swoopy curves from the article with 5 parallel compressors to boost up the low level stuff.

Maybe I need to fork over the $27 US for the full version?

Quote DC-Choppah:

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I downloaded the Mcompressor from Melda. But it looks like it has the same set of normal controls. I just grabbed the free version though. It does draw a graph of the compression, but you can't make it look like the swoopy curves from the article with 5 parallel compressors to boost up the low level stuff.

Maybe I need to fork over the $27 US for the full version?

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It's MDynamics you need. That gives you a freely editable transfer function. It's $180 on its own, but if you've got the cash, then I'd suggest getting the MMixingBundle, as it's only another $20 and includes a bunch of other stuff including various multi-band things and a dynamic EQ.

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Mixing Secrets for the Small Studio
A complete mixing method based around the techniques of the world's most famous producers.

Going off at a tangent here but still relevant: I would suggest a good look at Cytomic's Glue compressor as that has a nifty little mix function which throw the comp into parallel mode but handles any clipping quite well.

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Samplecraze
Stretch That Note

Quote DC-Choppah:

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But my question is, is it possible for someone to create a plugin that just lets you draw the gain curve you want (dB in vs dB out), and then applies that gain to your signal?

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That's exactly how the dynamics processing in Adobe Audition (and Cool Edit before that) has always worked. While it is often tedious to set up for normal compression, sometimes it is exactly what is needed and I wish this was available more widely.

James.

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JRP Music - Audio Mastering and Restoration.
http://www.jrpmusic.net

Quote Mike Senior:

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It's MDynamics you need. That gives you a freely editable transfer function. It's $180 on its own, but if you've got the cash, then I'd suggest getting the MMixingBundle, as it's only another $20 and includes a bunch of other stuff including various multi-band things and a dynamic EQ.

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Thanks Mike