Editing Dynamic range compression (section)

=== Other uses ===
[[Noise reduction system]]s use a compressor to reduce the dynamic range of a signal for transmission or recording, expanding it afterward, a process called [[companding]]. This reduces the effects of a channel or recording medium with limited dynamic range.

[[Instrument amplifier]]s often include compression circuitry to prevent sudden high-wattage peaks that could damage the speakers. [[Electric bass]] players often use compression effects, either [[effects unit]]s available in pedal, [[rackmount]] units, or built-in devices in bass amps, to even out the sound levels of their [[bassline]]s.

[[Gain pumping]], where a regular amplitude peak (such as a kick drum) causes the rest of the mix to change in volume due to the compressor, is generally avoided in music production. However, many [[Electronic dance music|dance]] and hip-hop musicians purposefully use this phenomenon, causing the mix to alter in volume rhythmically in time with the beat.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.thewhippinpost.co.uk/mixing-music/compression-audio-mixing.htm |title=Compression in Audio Music Mixing |website=The Whippinpost |access-date=2013-12-07}}</ref>

[[Hearing aid]]s use a compressor to bring the audio volume into the listener's hearing range. To help the patient perceive the direction sound comes from, some hearing aids use [[binaural recording|binaural]] compression.<ref>{{Cite book |title=The textbook of hearing aid amplification |last=Sandlin |first=Robert E. |date=2000 |publisher=Singular Thomson Learning |isbn=1565939972 |edition=2nd |location=San Diego, California |oclc=42475568}}</ref>

Compressors are also used for [[hearing protection]] in some electronic active hearing protection [[earmuffs]] and [[earplugs]], to let sounds at ordinary volumes be heard normally while attenuating louder sounds, possibly also amplifying softer sounds. This allows, for example, shooters wearing hearing protection at a shooting range to converse normally, while sharply attenuating the much louder sounds of the gunshots,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.pewpewtactical.com/best-shooting-ear-protection/ |title=10 Best Shooting Ear Protection |date=27 May 2020 |quote=They are comfy for hours with their gel caps, have easily accessible button controls, great sound cutoff and compression, and allow for earplugs if the decent 22db NRR doesn’t cut it. |access-date=2021-05-25}}</ref> and similarly for musicians to hear quiet music but be protected from loud noises such as drums or cymbal crashes.{{citation needed|date=December 2013}}

In applications of machine learning where an algorithm is training on audio samples, dynamic range compression is a way to augment samples for a larger data set.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Salamon |first1=Justin |last2=Bello |first2=Juan Pablo |date=March 2017 |title=Deep Convolutional Neural Networks and Data Augmentation for Environmental Sound Classification |journal=IEEE Signal Processing Letters |volume=24 |issue=3 |pages=279–283 |arxiv=1608.04363 |doi=10.1109/LSP.2017.2657381 |bibcode=2017ISPL...24..279S |s2cid=3537408 |issn=1070-9908 }}</ref>