Are you constantly purchasing drum apps or samples in the quest for the perfect sound? Before you spend more money, consider sharpening your mixing skills, especially in the realm of compression. By mastering compression techniques, you can unlock the full potential of your drum tracks and overall mixes, without breaking the bank.
In this post, I’ll introduce you to the five best free VST compressors that can take your mixes to the next level. Additionally, you'll find valuable mixing tips and links to YouTube videos that will help you get started with compression.
Drum Mixing Secret Weapon: Parallel Compression
Did you know know that parallel compression can significantly elevate your drum tracks? Alongside using separate tracks for each drum element (kick, snare, toms, etc.), parallel compression is one of the most effective techniques to enhance your drum sounds. Before diving into the free compressors, let's explore some essential compression tips to get you started.
3 Essential Tips for Compressing Drums
1. Use a suitably long attack time
Don't kill the transients! A good starting point is to set the attack time around 30 milliseconds (ms). This allows the initial punch of the drum hit to come through before the compression kicks in.
2. Opt for a Short Release Time
A quick release time helps the compressor recover quickly, maintaining the energy and rhythm of the drum track.
3. Find the "Sweet Spot" with the Threshold
The threshold setting determines when compression begins. Carefully listen and adjust to find that perfect balance where the compression enhances without overpowering. For more on this, check out the “Drum Compression Basics” video linked below.
The Five Best Free VST Compressors
Rough Rider 3 
Rough Rider 3 is renowned for its aggressive sound, making it an excellent choice for drums and other rhythmic elements. It’s a bit more "hands-on," with various knobs that allow you to dial in the precise sound you’re after. When starting out, experiment with the threshold, release, and attack times to understand how each parameter affects the compression.
TDR Kotelnikov 
A favorite among many, the TDR Kotelnikov is an extremely versatile compressor with advanced dynamics processing capabilities and a clean, transparent sound. Like Rough Rider, it offers individual controls for threshold, attack, and release, giving you detailed control over your compression.
Acustica Tan compressor
The Tan compressor is a classic analog VCA compressor that provides a wide range of sound-shaping options to meet your musical needs. It features controls for attack, release, threshold, ratio, gain, dry/wet, and more. The standout feature is the "Shmod" control, which allows you to easily shape the attack of any audio source.
DC1A by Klanghelm
Don’t be fooled by its simplicity. The DC1A compressor offers only an input and output knob, but its performance is anything but basic. It delivers from gentle, almost invisible leveling to heavy pumping with crunchy saturation, making it versatile enough for a variety of drum sounds.
ComBear Compressor
Specifically designed for parallel compression, ComBear is a powerful and dynamic plugin that brings incredible sound and feel to drums, synths, vocals, and more. The Compress knob allows you to increase the parallel compression from 0 to 100, giving you a simple yet effective way to control your mix.
Must-Watch Compression Videos
Learn the fundamentals of drum compression in this easy-to-follow guide.
Dive deeper into parallel compression and how it can transform your mixes.
Advanced Mixing - Parallel Processing
Discover the hidden power of parallel processing in this insightful video.
