MainStage Mondays: How To Use Compressors

This week’s quick MainStage tutorial is about compressors. Compressors are plugins that manipulate the dynamics of the sound source, creating everything from a “squeezed” punchy sound to subtle level control. MainStage just updated their main compressor plugin, and I’m a big fan. Here’s how to use it: 

1. Open MainStage. Select a template.

2. Click on the first channel strip in your patch, then select Dynamics>Compressor>stereo. 

Here’s what the plugin looks like: 

Here’s what the bottom parameters do:

Input Gain: This controls how loud your original sound comes into the compressor.

Threshold: This controls where the compressor starts to “compress” the sound.

Ratio: This controls how drastically you compress the signal. 

Make Up: This boosts or reduces the level of the signal coming out of the compressor. 

Auto Gain: This allows the plugin to automatically adjust the volume of the compressor so it stays at the right level.

Knee: This controls the shape of your sound. 

Attack: This controls how fast your compressor starts compressing.

Release:  This controls how long it takes for your compressor to stop compressing.

The side parameters on the plugin control a limiter (more on that later) Here’s what the side parameters do:

Threshold:  Same as above. 

Distortion: This controls how much distortion (if any) is introduced into the signal when you limit it. 

Mix: This controls how much of the original sound you let through. 

Output Gain:  This controls how loud your sound comes out of the compressor.

(Note: MainStage offers seven different compressor models to choose from, but all of the models use essential the same features.)