Compressor Limiters and Noise Gates – A Basic Overview
What is a Compressor? Dynamic range is the difference between the loudest level and the softest level. A compressor can reduce the dynamic range by making louder levels softer, and softer levels louder.
What is a Limiter? Basically, a Limiter is a type of compressor used mainly to ensure that levels remain at a constant level. Example: If you adjust a Limiter to a specific “higher-level” setting – then no matter how much the input level varies – the output will not go above the adjusted level setting. A Limiter can also be adjusted to a specific “lower-level” setting and the output will not go below the adjusted level setting. A Limiter adds specific limits on the dynamic range of signals.
Additional study and hands-on training with Sound Processors will be very beneficial to a sound engineer, audio technician, or musician’s development!
The knobs/controls and functions of sound processors are pretty much the same with Analog and Digital. Once you learn on an Analog processor, it will be easy to “translate” to a Digital processor. The big difference is that you will turn the knobs using a “mouse,” not by “hand.”
This is a “Digital” Compressor / Limiter used in the Apple DAW “Logic Pro”
What is a Noise Gate?
Noise Gates are used to control unwanted noise in your sound system. After a Threshold point is set, and signal drops below this point – the Noise Gate prevents signals from reaching the output by reducing the gain to below zero. A properly adjusted Noise Gate can tighten up and add “punch” to percussion sounds. Adding a Compressor / Limiter and a Noise Gate to drum recordings is a common practice in the studio.
This is a screenshot example of a Noise Gate used in the Apple DAW “Logic Pro”
