Elektron Musical Instruments

> I have just started routing the kick on individual
> output, and 
> compressing everything else in the main outputs.
> Is this the right way?
Actually, it is the other way around. You want to
compress your bass drum first, and then bring
eveything toghether in the mix (since you cannot
compress stuff separately in the MD- at least not
internally-, you can compress everything together
towards the low end and then you can bring up that hh
and snare you're talking about wanting to be more
snappy with the EQ)
 
 I mean, setting release from 0
> to 70 changes almost 
> nothing, and then after 70 the kick suddenly changes
> and becomes tight, 
> loud and aggressive.
> Can someone explain me this behaviour of the
> compressor?

With short release times the compression just lets go 
sooner after the sound to be noticed (not unlike the
release in the reverv. The longer the time, the more
noticeable the effect after the sound). The
compression is right there, but the effect does not
carry to the empty spaces.
> 
> Is an external compressor (like joemeek ones) a good
> addiction?
There's a compressor called the "really nice
compressor" (I'm not kidding) that goes for a little
over a $100 and really does a job on percussion, you
might want to look it up. Of course, Joe Meek stuff is
outstanding. If you got crazy money those "finalizers"
by Focusrite/Eventide? are just sweet to bring your
whole mix together.
On a related note, I recently took my MD to a studio
to help a friend do some tracks. He's been a sound
engineer for years now and commented on how the MD's
compressor felt weird (not bad, just different). I've
also felt this sometimes, while trying to compress
minimal techno tracks and trying to achieve a sort of
warehouse feel. If this is what you're trying to
achieve yourself, then let also the reverv be big into
the mix (with a lot of low freq, and little hi freq.,
so that it gets "lost" after you compress it)
Hope this helps any
Sr Minimo
> 
> 


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