ACE Compressor - Release Speed

[sunrat]

This topic has baffled me from the start and I think it's because of terminology. When you say you want a release time control, that's what a standard release control does. But release speed is a confusing term for which I think you mean a Hold control which is a very rare beast indeed; apparently the Cubase stock compressor has one.
An excellent article and discussion at SoundOnSound:
https://www.soundonsound.com/sound-advic...e-controls
https://www.soundonsound.com/forum/viewt...16&t=55170

[arthie]

Now we are talking business, you just mean "hold" and thats the usual term, so just search for a compressor with hold function and you are good to go, there are plenty out there. Some are listed in that forum: https://www.gearslutz.com/board/so-much-...ction.html

[sunrat]

Now we are talking business, you just mean "hold" and thats the usual term, so just search for a compressor with hold function and you are good to go, there are plenty out there. Some are listed in that forum: https://www.gearslutz.com/board/so-much-...ction.html

The only one listed in that article that appears to have a dedicated hold control is the SKNote GTS39 - https://www.sknoteaudio.com/wp/index.php...ompressor/ , only $29.99
Some of the others are dead links and most of the rest are multi-dynamics plugins for which the Hold control might apply to the gate function. The BlueCat Dynamics looks good but I'm not sure how the Hold knob functions. Only $129 although there's a demo!   https://www.bluecataudio.com/Products/Product_Dynamics/

[Jostein]

Now we are talking business, you just mean "hold" and thats the usual term, so just search for a compressor with hold function and you are good to go, there are plenty out there. Some are listed in that forum: https://www.gearslutz.com/board/so-much-...ction.html

@Sunrat suggested the x-42 compressor, which has a "hold" parameter, but it does unfortunately not have a side-chain function so didn't test it, and it would probably not help me if it had. The hold parameter makes the compressor keeping the gain reduction longer before the release phase begins, which is not what I needed.

In the project I just finished, I used the ACE compressor for holding gongs back while hand drums were making noise, I needed to have the duration of the release phase shorter, not longer as the "Hold" function would have done. I do a second attempt to explain with a picture (this probably from the FabFilter ProC documentation, I found it on the 'Net). There you can clearly see what the duration of the release phase is, I needed that duration to be shorter.

EDIT: I added a second version of the picture with the wanted result. One can argue that I could adjust the release parameter of the ACE compressor to a shorter value, but that doesn't sound right in that project while the drums are holding the gongs back. I have of course tried other compressors as well, including the wonderful Presswork compressor from U-he but in this case, the ACE compressor did the best job.

[sunrat]

You want the release to be logarithmic rather than linear?

[Jostein]

You want the release to be logarithmic rather than linear?

The line is logarithmic on both pics, so no. The only difference between those two picks is that the right one has a shorter release phase -  I want to be able to set a shorter release phase. That is what I also showed up on page one in this thread. In how many times and ways can I possibly express this?  :-)  I'm running out of options but I'm still in a good mood and full of hope.

[PBuryk]

@Jostein -

So... If the "standard" description of a compressor's "release time" is - the amount of time (ie, delay) before normal signal level is restored,
what you are seeking is a way to determine "how long" it will take to actually fully un-compress the output signal,
as opposed to the standard implementation which is an immediate full restoration of signal once that delay has been met.
And, if so, you would also like to specify the curve type of that response, be it linear, audio, log, etc.
Correct?

Cheers!
Patrick

[Jostein]

@Jostein -

So... If the "standard" description of a compressor's "release time" is - the amount of time (ie, delay) before normal signal level is restored,
what you are seeking is a way to determine "how long" it will take to actually fully un-compress the output signal,
as opposed to the standard implementation which is an immediate full restoration of signal once that delay has been met.
And, if so, you would also like to specify the curve type of that response, be it linear, audio, log, etc.
Correct?

I will not specify the curve (even when it's one of the things that makes compressors differ from each other) and I will not go further into the discussion of what "release time" is because the term is used differently in so many places. I stick to the pictures, this thread is crazy enough as it is. If only a few people understand what I mean and I do not have the ability to express myself better, I just give it up - at least for the moment.

[sunrat]

"Release time" is usually defined as how long it takes to return to zero compression after the input signal drops below the set threshold. I can't imagine what other definition there could be.
Probably give up is a good idea; I still only have a vague concept of what you mean and I doubt any existing compressor does it. Best compromise is to do what you have done, try different compressors and use the one that sounds best.
Maybe you could write something in Pure Data or Csound.

[sunrat]

So... If the "standard" description of a compressor's "release time" is - the amount of time (ie, delay) before normal signal level is restored,
what you are seeking is a way to determine "how long" it will take to actually fully un-compress the output signal,
as opposed to the standard implementation which is an immediate full restoration of signal once that delay has been met.

That description is really confusing!