Compression Cheat Sheet

Interactive guide to understanding and applying compression in your mixes. Adjust the controls below to see how different settings affect the compression curve.

Threshold: -20 dB

Ratio: 4:1

Gain Reduction

0 dB

Common Compression Presets

Vocal Compression

Ratio: 2:1 to 4:1

Threshold: -15dB to -5dB

Attack: 5-30ms

Release: 40-200ms

Knee: Soft (6-9dB)

Gain Reduction: 3-8dB

Drum Bus

Ratio: 4:1 to 6:1

Attack: 10-30ms

Release: 100-300ms

Gain Reduction: 2-6dB