A compressor is a compressor is a compressor right?

Wrong.

There are multiple types of compressor types that all sound different. Sometimes, you might not even realize the amount of different sounds you can squeeze out of your compressor.

If we just talk about the software side, excluding any outboard compressors you might have, then the typical DAW compressor has a few different settings that you should experiment with. 

I’m not talking about all those buttons we talked about in the last email. 

I’m talking about the compressor models.

Depending on the style of music and instrument you’re running through the compressor, these styles will change the way the compressor works on your audio, so it’s worth it to experiment a bit until you find what the style you like the most.

Let’s talk about some of the most common ones:

• FET – Any plug-in that emulates a FET(Field Effect Transistor) is emulating an 1176. The 1176 is perhaps the most famous FET compressor. People like to use them to get punchy drums.
   
• Opto – The LA2A is an optical compressor. It works a little slower and doesn’t react as quickly to your audio. It works well for parallel compression if you don't want an aggressive attack/release.
   
• VCA – Fast and transparent. The VCA model doesn’t color the sound as much as the other models, so they’re ideal when you want your compression to go unnoticed.

Some compressor plug-ins have more types, but these three are the most common.

Compressors tend to build upon these models. There are different emulations, but these are the most common and popular out there. They have a particular sound or character that’s different from generic, stock models.

So it’s no surprise that an LA2A sounds different than an 1176 in your mix. Their “circuitry” is completely different. 

That’s why many all-in-one compressors have a “type” button that allows you to change the character of the compressor.

With certain compressor plug-ins, you can switch between a few different emulations. Whether it’s the standard Logic Platinum model or their FET, VCA or Opto emulations, all of them give various results and color the sounds differently.

In Logic, for instance, they are all based on famous models, like the 1176(FET) or LA2A(Opto) and although they might not sound exactly like their more expensive counterparts they do behave similarly.

So when your favorite producer says that he always likes to put his drums through a 1176, you can easily get close to that same sound.

Try to see if bussing your drums through a compressor set to a FET setting will produce something similar to what you hear in your head.

These models are designed differently, and they all have a different sound. Don’t just stick to the generic type your DAW defaults to. Use those different models to get a diverse sound in your mixes.

Slapping the same model across the board might work if you just want generic, clean and transparent compression. 

But it’s uninteresting and boring. 

Try out these different models next time to create more interesting sounds with your compressor plug-ins.

And if you need in-depth help on how to transform a rough recording into a finished mix, check out Mix Finisher Formula right here.