Parallel compression is when you duplicate a track and you apply some form of compression to the duplicate and blend it back in with the dry. So I’m going to give you an example here. I have a snare drum.

[snare]

And I have duplicated that snare drum.

[snare, duplicate]

On a second track. Now I’m going to apply some compression, and this compression has a very slow attack, it has a very slow release, and a very low threshold, and the combination of that is going to exaggerate the punch of the snare.

Before…

[snare]

After.

[snare, after compression]

You hear that attack becomes very prominent, the sustain kind of disappears. Then what I’m going to do is I’m going to unmute the dry version, tuck this back down a little bit. Here’s before.

[snare, before parallel compression]

Here’s after.

[snare, after compression]

Alright, if you want to learn more, check out drumcompression.com. Until next time.