Unorthodox ways to hook up a compressor

[Ikevis]

We only have one good compressor in my setup. Is there any way to hook up more than two channels of audio to it? right now we just use inserts like everyone else, but is there any way to use an aux send or busses or something to maybe get more channels out of it? I guess it doesnt really make sense because we would be mixing the audio before compressor, or mixing wet and dry signals, but has anyone done this? Tell me if you havent too. I just wanted to know if we can save some money. We often have 10 vocal mics, and if we can just use one compressor for that it might be worth it.

[DaveySimps]

You could route all of the mics to two separate sub groups and insert the compressor on them. Say one group for males, one for females, or one for leads, one for chorus; that sort of thing. Anything beyond that, and I really think you are doing yourself a disservice. Not every channel needs compression. If you have that many issues with dynamics, you really should work with the musicians / musical director on better mic placement, mic technique, and things like that.

~Dave

[museav]

I agree with Dave, when you start putting compressors on groups of inputs you start to run the risk of any single input affecting all of them.

[Ikevis]

Thats basically all i needed to hear. We didn't get a compressor until last year, so even two channels with it is better than the past. I dont mind just switching the inserts into a different channel either every time someone new comes on. I might just do that, but i'll test out some subgroup stuff. we might not have enough subgroups for that though.
Thanks!

[Dionysus]

In my opinion you most likely are best off to just insert the compressor onto the two channels that need it most, and leave it there. This is of course depending on circumstance. I find it best not to have one signal go loud and thus cause all signals with it to become compressed. But it really does depend.

Not everything needs compression anyways, if you just need it on this and that, then use it there. If you really do need it on more channels then go ahead and pop the comp on sub-groups.
I know a few people who have comps on a couple subs, and then punch the channels that need them as needed.
This way you can still be compressing one channel at a time with the comp's two channels.

[Ikevis]

Yea. I will just use it on two channels for now, and if I ever need more, compressors aren't that expensive proportionally. Thanks for your help guys!

[rwhealey]

I usually insert the compressor on a subgroup, because that way I don't need to split it (don't want to compress the monitor send). I usually just send one channel to the group.

However, that was on a VCA board, so I had lots of subgroups sitting around doing nothing.

[TimmyP1955]

Most of the replies you've received are valid. It's whatever works. Just listen and see what's most in need of dynamic curtailment.

If no one in particular sticks out, compress the bus (or buses).

If one person sticks out, compress that person and the bus.

If two people stick out, compress those persons, either individually, or - if they seem to go hot together or they never sing together - on a bus, with everyone else on another bus.

On a recent musical dromedy, we had 19 people on wireless. I had 8 comps, so I comped the buss and the 7 most important characters.

[jkowtko]

Yes, whatever works --

In my example, Smokey Joe's Cafe had eight vocalists, and we had only two channels of compression at the time. So we switched the inserts between individual input channels from song to song ... other than the hassle of switching the inserts, it worked fine and the show sounded good.