How to use Fat Channel Compressor in Studio One

This blog is part 2 of 5 in how to use the Fat Channel in PreSonus Studio One. In this tutorial, we’ll cover how How to use Fat Channel Compressor in Studio One.

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Getting started with How to use Fat Channel Compressor in Studio One

On the modern days of audio mixing, the digital tools that engineers use in order to shape the recorded sound are called Plugins. Plugins can emulate the behavior of vintage analog pieces of gear, or simply act as clean/linear digital signal processors, performing tasks such as equalization, compression, limiting, expansion, gating, time-domain effects, etc. Studio One 4 comes with a variety of proprietary plugins that can help the user mix a music production completely “in-the-box”.

One of the most used processors that come with Studio One is the Fat Channel, which is a complete virtual version of the same channel strip found on all Studio Live III mixers from PreSonus. The Fat Channel comes with four different modules that can be turned ON or OFF independently. This tutorial explains how to use the second module that contains the compressor, and How to use Fat Channel Compressor in Studio One.

For the purpose of this tutorial, we will assume the user already has a Studio One song created and a Fat Channel plugin assigned to a track. The Fat Channel should be opened on the Compressor tab as:

 

 

It is easy to see from the previous picture, the Fat Channel plugin has several modules. For the case of this tutorial, we will be evaluating the Compressor module. This module presents the following parameters:

• Compressor ON/OFF Switch: The user can toggle the module ON or OFF when pressing this button.
• Compressor Mode: This dropdown list lets the user select between the Standard (digital compressor) mode, the Tube Mode (emulating a tube compressor) and the FET Mode (emulating a FET compressor).
• Threshold: This knob sets the level at which the compressor starts applying gain reduction.
• Ratio: This knob sets the slope of the compression behavior as a function of the output vs input level of the device.
• Key Filter: This knob sets the frequency at which the compressor reacts. When this knob is set all the way left, this function is turned off.
• Attack: This knob sets the time it takes for the compressor to start applying gain reduction.
• Release: This knob sets the time it takes for compressor to stop applying gain reduction after the signal has passed below the threshold.
• Gain: This knob sets the output gain of the compressor.
• Key Listen: When this button is ON, the Key Listen function is ON, so the user can listen to the signal being fed into the detector.
• Soft: This button turns ON or OFF the soft-knee compression mode.
• Auto: This button turns ON or OFF the automatic attack and release time functions.

 

For the purpose of this tutorial, we will use this module to compress around 6 dB. The module will be set as:

• Compressor ON/OFF Switch: ON.
• Compressor Mode: Standard
• Threshold: -22.40 dB.
• Ratio: 3.0:1.
• Key Filter: OFF.
• Attack: 4.44 ms.
• Release: 105 ms.
• Gain: 0 dB.
• Key Listen: OFF.
• Soft: OFF.
• Auto: OFF.

 

Apply the previous configuration, and the Fat Channel plugin should look like this:

At this point we have successfully explained How to use Fat Channel Compressor in Studio One.

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Additional reading for How to use Fat Channel Compressor in Studio One

 

To read part 1, using the HPF/Gate Module  in Studio One’s Fat Channel, click here.

To read part 3, using the Equalizer in Studio One’s Fat Channel,  click here.

To read part 4, using the Limiter in Studio One’s Fat Channel, click here.