DIY Recording Guys · Vadim Kharaz and Benjamin Hull

65: Dynamics Pt 1: What are "Dynamics" and Why Do We Care?

April 19, 2021·44 min·3 clips

Vadim reveals that dynamics is just the difference between the loudest and quietest parts of an audio signal.

1. DIY Recording Guys, hosted by Vadim Karaz of Calm Frog Recording and Ben Hall of DreamLoud Studio, delivers a foundational first-principles episode on audio dynamics and dynamics processing. 2. Vadim and Ben are the two hosts; Vadim is the primary explainer in this episode, with Ben contributing analogies and confirming key points throughout. 3. The episode's core purpose is to give home recording engineers a durable conceptual framework for understanding dynamics processors before getting into specific settings or gear recommendations. 4. After an unrelated opening discussion about cryptocurrency and NFTs in the music industry, the hosts pivot to the main topic and frame it as 'Part 1 of a multi-part series' on dynamics. 5. Vadim frames the episode's approach using the YouTube-as-vending-machine analogy: 'top 10 best compression tricks' are junk food, and foundational knowledge is the nutritional meal that actually sustains producers. 6. Dynamics is defined simply as 'the difference between the loudest part of a signal and the quietest part of a signal,' whether measured in a waveform, a track, or across an entire mix. 7. Macro dynamics describes loudness differences between large sections — a quiet verse versus a loud chorus — visualised by zooming out to see the full waveform, analogous to Google Maps highway-level view. 8. Micro dynamics describes moment-to-moment differences within a section — how hard a single kick drum hit punches relative to the silence before and after it, analogous to Google Maps street view. 9. Mix engineer Andy Wallace, known for records by Rage Against the Machine and Sevendust (Home), is cited as an example of someone who mixes with pronounced micro dynamics — a quality the loudness war damaged by encouraging over-compression. 10. Ben explains macro dynamics from the listener's perspective: a wide macro dynamic range is fine at home on the couch, but becomes a problem when the listener is walking on a busy street or driving, forcing constant volume adjustments. 11. The hosts reduce dynamics control to two fundamental operations: increasing dynamic range (making loud louder or quiet quieter) and decreasing dynamic range (making loud quieter or quiet louder). 12. Four categories of dynamics processors are introduced: compressors, limiters, expanders, and noise gates — all of which are described as variants of automated fader control. 13. Vadim explains a compressor using a 'friendly robot with its hand on the fader' analogy: the robot watches the signal level, pulls the fader down when the signal crosses a threshold, and brings it back up, with the ratio setting determining how far it pulls down. 14. Limiting is defined as compression at a very high ratio, typically 10:1 or above, with brick-wall limiting described as an effectively infinite ratio that prevents any signal from exceeding the threshold level. 15. Vadim explicitly corrects the common oversimplification that compressors always decrease dynamic range: by acting on the quiet parts of a signal while leaving the loud peaks alone, a compressor can increase dynamic range. 16. Specific uses of compression include: controlling macro dynamics on vocals or acoustic guitar, adding punchiness to kick drums, increasing sustain on guitar notes, and adding harmonic colour or movement as side effects. 17. Side-chain compression is briefly mentioned as a technique where one element triggers compression on another, enabling rhythmic pumping effects common in EDM or more subtle movement in other genres. 18. The episode is conversational and relatively free of jargon, with Vadim and Ben frequently pausing to ask each other questions and acknowledge when they are simplifying complex topics for Part 2. 19. Producers and home recording engineers who have used compression without fully understanding it — or who want a conceptual model before diving into gear research — will find this episode directly useful. 20. Listeners already familiar with compression fundamentals, or those looking for specific settings and parameter guidance rather than first-principles theory, should skip to Part 2 of the series.

As heard by us

A practical, engineer-minded intro to how dynamics shape punch, impact, and listener attention in DIY recordings.

Vadim and Ben turn dynamics into something a home recordist can actually hear: the difference between volume changes that serve a performance and compression choices that can make impact feel oddly detached from loudness.

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Need a plain-English take on how dynamics make a mix feel alive?

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