Recording

There are very few records whose influence can be so strongly felt after 45 years as the Kinks You Really Got Me. At the controls was Shel Talmy, who tells us the story of a song that changed pop music.

Now that we have digital models and dynamic convolution technology, were spoilt for choice when it comes to classic compressor flavours. But whether hardware or software, which is right for which job?

It can be difficult reading about compression without hearing what it does. Here are a number of audio files to accompany this article, with a detailed explanation of what they demonstrate.

Getting precisely the results you want from compressors can often be the key to a tight, modern-sounding mix. We explain what the controls are designed to achieve and how they relate to what you hear.

Sponsored by breed-media.co.uk