[PD] tanh() or a compressor?

[Charles Z Henry]

On Mon, Sep 30, 2013 at 2:35 PM, Mario Mey <mariomey at gmail.com> wrote:

> Now, I am checking volumes of my looper patch. I had to raise [*~ 4] the
> volume of the mic, to get a razonable volume, compared to a song file, for
> example. But, using this looper patch, I make beatbox. So, kicks and snares
> from my mouth get in the mic. And, using a visual array to test it, I
> realize that the kicks and snares are so much higher volume than the vocals.
>
> The patch has FXs with feedbacks, so, they can make signal > 1. So, at the
> end of the patch, there's [expr tanh($v1)] to to avoid that...  tanh() is
> simpler than a a compressor, but it loose some sounds (I think). Or I
> should trust in tanh()?
>
> Multiple choice:
> 1- Use tanh() in the input, after adc~ and before dac~.
>

This will cause distortion and change the shapes of your waveforms, and
introduce extra harmonics.  It may be an interesting effect, but it will
change the sound of your beatboxing.


> 2- Use a compressor patch in the input, after adc~ (and tanh() before dac~)
>

This would be the preferred method.


> 3- Use a compressor at the end of the patch, before dac~
>

If you have multiple instruments or voices in the output, you'll be
decreasing the volume globally and throwing off your mix.


> 4- Stay as it is now...
>
> Also, I can't spend more CPU process...
>

Then, you haven't picked the right computer for your composition :)

Really, I don't think compression should be a cpu-expensive process.  Plus,
you have only one mic, right?


>
> What do you recommend me to use?
>
> Thanks.
>
>
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