Can we talk about how I wasted 2 years editing audio wrong?

I used to compress the living daylights out of every track thinking that's how you get it to sound professional. Then last month a viewer named Dave from Texas messaged me saying my voice sounded flat and lifeless compared to other creators. I checked my old files and realized I was squashing all the natural dynamics out. Anyone else find out late they were doing a basic step completely backwards?

3 comments

3 Comments

avery_jackson6h ago

OH MAN that Texas viewer did you a HUGE favor. Here's the thing nobody talks about though - the WORST audio advice for beginners is to make everything "radio ready" with compression. What people don't get is that natural vocal dynamics are what make your voice sound HUMAN and engaging. I actually messed up the opposite way for years - I was so scared of compression that my mixes sounded all over the place. Now I only use like 2-3 dB of gain reduction max, barely tickling the needle, and my voice actually has that breathy intimate quality people seem to like. Dave from Texas deserves a medal honestly.

mark_carr74h ago

Hmm actually 2-3 is a lot if your gain staging is right. I barely hit 1.

ninaowens5h ago

Bit much for some basic podcasting advice, no?