The function of attack,release and threshold in a compressor

Question

I would like to know how threshold,attack and release act in a compressor.Any information regarding this would be well appreciated.Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

Briefly, threshold is the level at which the compressor is triggered, attack is how quickly the compressor reacts to the trigger, and release is how long the compressor stays activated before returning to the normal level. Essentially you set the threshold to the sound level that you want to start to compress, then adjust the attack and release to shape the sound the way you want. Between these three settings alone sounds can be shaped in incredible ways.