Compression is Control, Not Correction.
†
EQ sculpts the bone. But compression handles the blood. Your voice rises and falls—shifts like a storm. Compression keeps it intentional.
This is not about volume.
It’s about consistency, closeness, and force.
Why Compression Matters
Without compression:
Loud moments spike
Soft phrases disappear
Breath, emotion, and whispers get lost
With gentle (!!) compression, your voice becomes centered. It pulls the listener in. Even the silence sounds deliberate.
Ashmore Ritual Compression Settings (Audacity)
Audacity includes a basic but effective compressor. Here’s how to find it—and use it for ritual voice:
1. Record your voice (one clean, consistent take)
2. Select the track
3. Go to: Effect → Compressor
Use these baseline settings:
Threshold: -18 dB
Noise Floor: -40 dB
Ratio: 4:1
Attack Time: 1.00 sec
Release Time: 10.00 sec
Make-up Gain: YES
Compress Based on Peaks: NO
What These Mean (Ashmore edition):
Threshold = the level where compression begins (quiet = gentle)
Ratio = how much loud parts are reined in (4:1 is balanced)
Attack = how soon it clamps down (1 sec = let breath through)
Release = how long it waits before letting go (10 sec = natural taper)
Make-up Gain = raises quiet parts after compression
Peaks = ignore them (we care about body, not bursts)
The Ritual Flow
1. Record raw
2. Apply EQ (cut mud, shape tone)
3. Compress next
4. A/B: listen before and after
5. Normalize (optional): `Effect → Normalize → to -1.0 dB`
This ensures you're not louder, but present. Every word felt.
Optional: Gentle Limiter
After compression, you can run:
`Effect → Limiter → Soft Limit (-1.0 dB)`
It ensures no final spikes remain—use sparingly.
Reminder: Compression is Ritual
Don’t crush the voice.
Feel the voice.
Use compression like thread through skin—slow, precise, necessary.
When done right, the audio is no longer important.
It's your voice.
†
Thank you for these posts.