CP1A

You may often hear about compression when it comes to music production. This process is used to reduce the dynamic range of an audio signal, which usually results in the amplification of softer sounds and the dampening of louder sounds. More often than not, compression is actually used to make music “louder” within a certain dynamic range limit. Using too much compression can also lead to clipping and distortion (which isn’t always a bad thing, depending on your production style).

Any digital audio workstation you choose to work with will probably come with tools that allow you to achieve basic dynamic range compression. However, many producers will choose to work with dedicated external plugins that are more capable and powerful. One such plugin is CP1A from Mellowmuse.

Designed with an analog-looking interface, CP1A offers you control of various parameters of the compression process, such as threshold, ratio, attack, and release. There are also separate wet and dry knobs that you can use to achieve parallel compression by mixing the compressed audio signal with the original. C1PA is a multistage feedforward type compressor and has the capability of minimizing distortion, even when you apply extreme compression. You can thus use it for a wide range of sounds and instruments and during various stages of the music production process.