- Are there hardware transient shapers?
- When would you use a Transient Shaper VS a Compressor?
- Is a Transient Shaper the same as a Compressor?
Dynamic control is an essential aspect of most well-balanced and sonically impactful audio mixes.
In the modern age, you will hear other engineers and producers toting the virtues they have obtained by employing gates, expanders, and limiters in their productions.
In the realm of dynamics, it is a well-known fact that the compressor is king.
However, it is becoming more commonplace to hear producers praising another form of dynamic control, the transient shaper or “transient designer.”
While the uses and differences between gates, expanders, and limiters seem to be relatively straightforward, it is apparent that there is some confusion as to where the transient shaper stands within the dynamic control family.
In this article, we will endeavor to illustrate the differences between these devices and how one would typically employ their use.
Transient Shaper vs Compressor: What’s The Difference?
One may ask themselves, what is the big deal relating to transient shapers? After all, any classic hardware compressor or software equivalent from the very famous LA2A through to the equally righteous 1176 can shape transients by adjusting their attack and release controls.
So where in this equation does a transient shaper sit, and what exactly is the difference between either processor?
On both hardware and software compressors, the base function is always determined by an apparent threshold. Compression will not occur until this threshold is set by the user to be below the level of the input signal.
Only at this point will the processor attenuate the incoming signal in the manner dictated by its attack, release, ratio, and threshold controls.
On the other hand, a transient shaper does not rely on a set threshold to engage and instead identifies changes in transient based on fast changes in amplitude.
This is different from how a compressor functions by depending on the detection of an absolute peak level before engaging.
What this means is that with a transient shaper, you can sculpt and shape both the quieter and louder transient peaks of an incoming audio signal without needing to over-compress the louder transients to do so.
Compressor: When To Use It
Let’s say you are engaged in a session featuring a drummer who is unintentionally wavering the dynamics of their snare hand while recording a rock band.
While these inconsistencies in performance are not huge, you may feel that they impact negatively on the energy of the track.
Employing a relatively fast compressor, such as the classic 1176 style mentioned above, can greatly benefit your production.
You can set the threshold on your processor to bring the highest peaks down to closer match the transient of the medium snare hits, making for a more consistent dynamic in the snare hits.
After doing this, raising the output gain on the compressor to compensate for the change in the level of the snare drum will bring it back into the mix, offering an appropriate fix to this problem.
Transient Shaper: When To Use It
In a parallel universe, you are now working a Jazz session.
The drummer featured in this quartet is deliberately playing the snare with a very large variety of dynamics.
You feel that some dynamic control is still required to get the snare to sit appropriately in the mix and are pondering the best means of going about this situation.
After pulling up your favorite compressor plug-in, you quickly realize that this isn’t working appropriately.
To get the compressor’s threshold set in a manner that interacts with the lowest peaks is mangling the louder hits on snare rolls.
However, raising the threshold so that the harder hits maintain the desired attack you seek means that the softer hits are not engaging any attenuation from the processor.
This is an ideal time to reach for a Transient Shaper, as adjusting the attack level will ensure that both the quiet and loud transients will be processed regardless of the peak level.
What Are My Options For Purchasing a Transient Designer?
It is a well-known fact that compressors have been available as both software and hardware units, with many fantastic offerings from companies such as Fab Filter, Universal Audio, Waves, and Warm Audio.
However, it is worth mentioning that there are very few hardware Transient Designers available on the market at this point in time.
Hardware units include the original SPL Transient Shaper.
Some other differ use hardware units have transient shapers built into them, such as Behringers 808 and 909 offerings.
Squashing It Down
In summary, both Compressors and Transient Designers can be used by any producer or recording engineer, and it makes sense to own both.
While the compressor is a timeless and invaluable tool that is not going anywhere any time in the future, there are certainly some instances in which the use of a transient shaper is the most efficient solution to a problem during the mixing or tracking of a project.