The function of a compressor is to reduce the dynamic range of a signal. So basically think of it as an automated volume control that turns up the volume when needed and down when it's too loud.

So apply a compressor to your vocals and the end result is your voice beautifully balanced and easy to hear over the music even when your singing softly, and just as easy on the ears when your belting out the big notes.

The compressor also helps make different recording takes blend together, although it's important you still remember your distance from the mic at all times and never move away. Let the compressor do the work, you should never move away from the mic when singing louder notes.

Much of everything I just said above can also apply to your keyboard playing. If you ever look at the waveform shapes of a track on a CD you would see that the entire track is compressed to hell.

That's how everything gets balanced and the CD's can sound so much louder than your own recordings on CD.

Anyway... all that can be done on the R16

Regards
James

[This message has been edited by Irishacts (edited 12-01-2009).]