On Mon, Sep 30, 2013 at 2:35 PM, Mario Mey <mariomey@gmail.com> wrote:
Now, I am checking volumes of my looper patch. I had to raise [*~ 4] the volume of the mic, to get a razonable volume, compared to a song file, for example. But, using this looper patch, I make beatbox. So, kicks and snares from my mouth get in the mic. And, using a visual array to test it, I realize that the kicks and snares are so much higher volume than the vocals.

The patch has FXs with feedbacks, so, they can make signal > 1. So, at the end of the patch, there's [expr tanh($v1)] to to avoid that...  tanh() is simpler than a a compressor, but it loose some sounds (I think). Or I should trust in tanh()?

Multiple choice:
1- Use tanh() in the input, after adc~ and before dac~.

This will cause distortion and change the shapes of your waveforms, and introduce extra harmonics.  It may be an interesting effect, but it will change the sound of your beatboxing.
 
2- Use a compressor patch in the input, after adc~ (and tanh() before dac~)

This would be the preferred method. 
 
3- Use a compressor at the end of the patch, before dac~

If you have multiple instruments or voices in the output, you'll be decreasing the volume globally and throwing off your mix.
 
4- Stay as it is now...

Also, I can't spend more CPU process...

Then, you haven't picked the right computer for your composition :)

Really, I don't think compression should be a cpu-expensive process.  Plus, you have only one mic, right?
 

What do you recommend me to use?

Thanks.