What I want to take a look at now is multiband compression.

We’re still working with a drum track, and the process begins the same way it often does: going to the inserts, navigating to dynamics, and scrolling down to the multiband compressor. Not all software platforms come with a multiband compressor pre-installed, but there are some really good third-party plugins available that offer the same functionality.

In this case, the multiband compressor is already inserted and active.

At its core, a multiband compressor does something very specific and very powerful:

It filters the input signal into separate frequency bands and compresses each band independently.

This is what sets it apart from standard, full-band compression.

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How a Multiband Compressor Works

When you look at a multiband compressor interface, the first thing you’ll notice is that the incoming signal is split into multiple frequency ranges, also called bands.

In this setup, there are four distinct bands:

• Band one
• Band two
• Band three
• Band four

Each band represents a specific portion of the frequency spectrum, and each one can be processed separately.

The Frequency Bands Explained

Let’s break down what each band is handling:

• Band 1 (Low End)
  Covers roughly 20 Hz up to around 150 Hz, depending on where the crossover frequency is set.
• Band 2 (Low Mids)
  Often sits around 150 Hz up to 500 Hz or higher, depending on your crossover placement.
• Band 3 (High Mids)
  Typically spans from around 500 Hz up to 5 kHz.
• Band 4 (High Treble)
  Covers the upper range, from roughly 5 kHz up to 15 kHz or even 20 kHz.

These crossover points are not fixed.

Every multiband compressor I’ve seen so far allows you to change these crossover frequencies.

This means you can tailor the frequency ranges exactly to the material you’re working with.

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One Signal, Four Separate Processing Zones

Once the signal is split, what you effectively have is four portions of the same input signal, each containing a different frequency range:

• The very low end
• The low mids
• The high mids
• The very high treble content

Each band has its own compressor, and the interface usually makes this clear by using matching colors for both the frequency band and its corresponding compressor controls.

So instead of one compressor reacting to the entire signal, you now have:

• Four compressors
• Four thresholds
• Four ratios
• Four independent dynamic responses

This is where multiband compression becomes a real flexible tool.

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Independent Compression Per Frequency Range

Because each band has its own compressor, you can apply completely different compression settings to each part of the frequency spectrum.

For example:

• Heavy compression on the low end
• Light or no compression on the midrange
• Targeted compression on the high frequencies

You’re no longer forced to compress everything equally.

Compressing Only the Low End

One practical approach is to leave most of the signal untouched.

You could:

1. Set all band ratios to 1:1, meaning no compression
2. Focus only on the low-frequency band
3. Lower the threshold on that band
4. Increase the ratio

Now, only the low end is being compressed.

We’re just compressing the lower end, while the rest of the signal remains untouched.

This is extremely useful on drums, where the kick and low-end energy can be inconsistent or overpowering.

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Handling Harsh High Frequencies

The same principle applies to the opposite end of the spectrum.

If you’re dealing with really sharp cymbals or aggressive high-frequency transients, you have options:

• You could use EQ
• Or, you could use multiband compression

By targeting only the highest frequency band, you can:

• Lower the threshold
• Apply compression only when those peaks occur
• Reduce harshness without dulling the entire signal

This means the compression reacts only when needed, and only in that specific frequency region.

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Why Multiband Compression Is So Powerful

Multiband compression allows you to:

• Shape dynamics without overdoing compression
• Control problem areas without affecting the full mix
• Apply surgical dynamic processing instead of broad adjustments

Instead of flattening the entire signal, you’re controlling specific problem zones.

It’s a really helpful tool for shaping sounds and giving them a nice compression sound without overdoing the overall frequency spectrum.

This makes it especially effective on:

• Drum buses
• Vocals
• Full mixes
• Any material where certain frequency ranges behave differently than others

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Compression Without Over-Compression

Traditional compression affects everything at once. If the low end triggers gain reduction, the highs get pulled down with it.

Multiband compression avoids that problem by allowing:

• Independent control
• Frequency-specific thresholds
• Selective dynamic shaping

The result is a more controlled, transparent, and intentional compression sound.

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What Comes Next in the Series

So far, the focus has been on compression and its variations.

Multiband compression builds on those fundamentals by adding frequency awareness to dynamic control.

Next up, the focus shifts away from compression and into a different type of dynamics processing:

• Gates
• Expanders

That’s where the discussion continues next.