Fostex 3070 - Page 13

5. APPLICATION NOTES
(1) Attack and Release
The attack is the speed with which the gain reduction cir¬
cuitry comes into action.
The Release is the time it takes the noise reduction circui¬
try to return to its nominal setting after the signal returns to
below threshold.
The setting of these controls will likely have a more audi¬
ble and pronounced effect over the processed signal than, for
example, the compressor ratio control settings. The interactive
use of attack and release times is immediately apparent, so you
will know instantly whether you have the effect you want.
(2) Automatic Blend
A common technique for bringing a vocal into an instrumental
mix is to fade the mix slightly as the vocal is brought up. Usual¬
ly a manual practice is required, and sometimes many re-takes are
necessary to get it right. Try the 3070 this way: set the level
of the music mix just below the threshold level of the 3070; now
if the vocal comes in 5 or lOdB hotter, the compressor will re¬
duce the gain of the vocal while automatically reducing the level
of the music mix.
(3) Acoustic Piano
Sometimes it’s hard enough getting the right acoustic piano
sound from your mics, only to find the dynamics lost in the mix.
With the 3070 you can accentuate the attack for an effective
"punchy" sound, and any natural "room" sound that lingers after
a note stops ringing can be emphasized by the release control
setting to amplify the decay. (This is the principle behind
guitar sustain.)
(4) Low Frequency Definition
By nature, of course, low frequencies lack definition. But
a judicious use of the 3070 can go a long way in separating the
kick drum from the bass guitar, for example, during the mix. By
using different compression ratios and/or different attack/re-