Glossary: Compressor | Sweetwater.com

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Compressor: A compressor is a device that reduces the dynamic range of an audio signal. First a threshold is established. When the audio signal is louder than this threshold, its gain is reduced. The amount of gain reduction applied depends on the compression ratio setting. For example, with a 2:1 ratio, for every 2 decibels the input signal increases, the output is allowed to increase only 1 decibel. A variety of other parameters in the compressor will also affect its performance processing specific signals; attack time, release time and others are very important.
There are a variety of uses and applications for compressors, the most obvious one being to control the dynamic range of a live performance so that it will fit into the fairly narrow dynamic range of recorders, etc. Other applications include making a signal's average level higher, increasing the apparent sustain on a guitar, evening out a vocal or bass guitar performance, fattening up sounds, and on and on. The list of possibilities is extensive!

C-weighting	Cabinet	Cabinet Grand
Cache RAM	Cadence (or Close)	Cadillac Tailpiece
California Rebel	Camber	Canned Music (Slang)
Canon	Cans	Cantilever
Cantus Firmus	Capacitance	Capacitor
Capo	Capstan	Capsule
Capture	CardBus	Cardioid
Carillon	Carrier	Cart Machine
Cartridge	Carved-top Guitar	Case Candy
Cassette Tape	Cat's Eye	Cat 5
Cat 6	Cathode	Cathode Biased
CBR	CBS Era	CCIR
CCIR 468-weighting	CCIR ARM-weighting	CC Number
CD+G	CD-ROM	CD-RW
CD24	CDDA	CD Extra
CDR	CD Text	Cedar
Celesta	Cent	Center Frequency
Center block	Center Tap	Centronics
Centronics 50	Challenge/Response	Chambered Body
Chamberlin	Chamfer	Channel Separation
Channel Status Bit	Channel Strip	Channel Voice Messages
Chart	Chase	Chatoyancy
Checking	Chipset	Chitarra Batente
Choke	Chooser	Chops
Chord	Chordophone	Chorus
Chroma	Chroma Keying	Chromatic (Chromatic Scale)
Chromatic Tailpiece	CIRC	Circle of Fifths
Circuit Breaker	Circumaural	CISC
CITES	CITES	Cittern
Clamping Voltage	Class-D Amplifier	Class A
Class AB	Class B	Class H
Classic	Claves	Clavinet
Clavioline	Claw	Claw/Drum Claw
Clear Coat	Clearwood	Clef
Click and Hold	Click Track	Client Ref
Clipboard	Clipping	Clock
Close-miking	Closed-back Cabinet	Closed Ear
Cluster	CLV	CMOS
Common Mode Rejection	CMRR	CMYK
CNC	Coaxial Cable	Cochlea
Cocobolo	Coda	Code
CODEC	Coercivity	COI KB 2200
Coil	Coil Tap	Coincident
Coloration	Comb Filter	Combination/Combi
Combo Amp	Combo Organ	Comb String Converter
Commission	Common Time	Comp/Comping
Compact Disc	Compact Flash	Companding
Compass	Compensation (guitar)	Compilation Score
Compile	Component Video	COM Port
Composite Track	Composite Video	Compound Interval
Compound Meter	Compound Radius	Compression
Compression (data)	Compression Driver	Compressor
Concertina	Concert Pitch	Condenser Microphone
Conductor	Cone	Cone Cry
Confidence Monitoring	Conform	Conga
Consecutive interval	Console	Consonance
Con Sordino	Constant Directivity	Constant Q
Contact Mic	Contact Pressure (Headphones)	Continue
Continuity	Continuo	Continuous Controller
Contour Amount	Control Panel	Control Room
Control Surface	Control Voltage	Conversion Latency
Convolution	Cool	Copy
Copyleft	Copy Protection	Copyright
Coral Sitar	CoreAudio	CoreMIDI
Corrupt/Corruption	COSM	Coulomb
Counter	Counterpoint	Count off (Count in)
Coupling	CPU	CPUCycle
Crash	CRC	Crescendo
Crest Factor	Critical Band	Critical Distance
Cross-Modulation	Crossfade	Crossover
Crossover Cable	Crossover Distortion	Cross Platform
Cross Stick	Cross Stick Crosstalk	Cross Switch
Crosstalk	Crotchet	Crown
CRT	CRV	CS-80
Csound	CS Update	Cue
Cue List (Cue Sheet)	Current	Current Limiting
Cursor	Cut	Cut-Only Equalizer
Cutaway	Cutoff Frequency	Cycle

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