Which Compressor Plugin Should I Choose for My Mix?

Learn the different types of compressors and when to use each one while mixing. In this Course, we'll level out which compressors are which: VCA, FET, Optical, Tube and digital compressors.

Apparently, increasing your "threshold" of compression knowledge, will get you faster to becoming the top-of-the-line producer in no time. That's a wisdom you need as a professional. 🔊

Because there are so many compressor types, it can be confusing to decide which one to choose for a given situation. I'm here to give you some clarity and talk about how they're typically used. 🎛

1. VCA Compressors These react to peaks that are above the user-set threshold. They're known for having fast response and are therefore a good choice on peaky, rhythmic or transient-heavy material.

Many VCA designs include precise control of a wide range of parameters including threshold, ratio, attack and release time, makeup gain and sometimes knee. This makes VCA compressors highly versatile.