Upward compression

Upward compression turns the signal up when the signal is below the threshold. Upward compression with a range limit and downward compression with a range limit and makeup gain may often sound the same.¹

Upward compression is useful when the loudest part of the signal sounds good and the quieter parts just need to be brought up. By leaving the louder parts alone, it can still remain dynamic.² The sustain and decay swells in (a breathing sound) after the attack, instead of clamping down on the attack. It can also create a cool sense of movement.³

This can be useful for:

• Bringing out quieter moments and intimate details when Compressing vocals³
• Increasing sustain when Compressing snare² or Compressing bass³
• Bringing out the ambience of a recording³

With Nova GE, I can use upward compression on frequency regions that may be too quiet and dynamic. TB Compressor 4 also can be made to compress only certain regions. This can be useful on a drum room, leaving the cymbals untouched, or on a recording with a louder noise floor.¹