Serial compression reasoning and thought process

Mixing and Mastering
1

I am very familiar with compression and understand the controls. What I feel we didn’t have time to get into is actual, practical use of compression in the system. ( I really do understand that the sound we aim for is subjective, but the underlying train of though is what I’m attempting to grasp)

Id love to know your thought process is, concretely:

1.How do you first determine if you will use musical/technical or both compression types. What cues are you looking for in the source sound to decide? Do you always try musical first?

  1. Supposing you choose to use musical first:
    What musical compressor do you reach for first and based on what criteria? (OPTO, VCA, FET and their different qualities first and then what kind of color they may add to the source material?)

    1. What is the aim of that first compressor? (I know Danny says we will likely use more than one, but, should the aim be to get one to do as much as possible, and if we feel it is lacking, then add another?)
    2. How do you decide if you go for another musical or technical compressor?
    3. If musical. What do you base your compressor choice on?
    4. Do you always add technical compression? What purpose does it usually serve?

Thanks so much for you input. I really enjoy the course and feel the answers above will allow me to take giant steps in grasping Danny’s system.

2

I found this good read on the topic.
It covers the classic 1176 into LA2A for vocals (which dishearteningly is the only common procedure I am familiar with in the world of serial compression)

Furthermore, the video below is great at showing how much smoother serial compression can be. The examples at the end are clear as day!

I’m slowly finding answers via my monologue here still, I would to to hear some more examples from some of you guys who feel comfortable with serial compression!