Setting Suitable Compressor Envelope Times
The Attack and Release parameters shape the dynamic response of the Compressor. The
Attack parameter determines the time it takes after the signal exceeds the threshold level
before the Compressor starts reducing the signal.
Many sounds, including voices and musical instruments, rely on the initial attack phase
to define the core timbre and characteristic of the sound. When compressing these types
of sounds, you should set higher Attack values to ensure that the attack transients of the
source signal aren’t lost or altered.
When attempting to maximize the level of an overall mix, it is best to set the Attack
parameter to a lower value, because higher values often result in no, or minimal,
compression.
The Release parameter determines how quickly the signal is restored to its original level
after it falls below the threshold level. Set a higher Release value to smooth out dynamic
differences in the signal. Set lower Release values if you want to emphasize dynamic
differences.
Important:
The discussion above is highly reliant on not only the type of source material,
but also the compression ratio and threshold settings.