Swedish-born film composer and Emmy-winning sound designer Claes Nystrom has worked on everything from Indiana Jones trailers to original scores for legends like Sydney Pollack and Douglas Trumbull. Based in the US, he also teaches graduate-level film scoring at Berklee. We caught up with Claes to talk about one of the most underrated hardware tools: the compressor, and why his Rhodes always runs through the Polyend Press.
Claes: I use a compressor to get the unruly dynamics of live recordings under control. It helps each instrument sit in the mix clearly and naturally, so everything can sound like itself.
To me, compression is supposed to be an unnoticeable improvement. Without good compression skills, it’s really hard, if not impossible, to mix music at a professional level today.
And when I record the Rhodes, I always use an analog compressor so I don’t have to “fix it” with a digital one later.
Digital compressors, especially in parallel mode, can introduce unwanted phasing. But through analog summing, the Polyend Press keeps the tone of my Rhodes fully intact while still taming the dynamics transparently.
Big, fat Rhodes tones are tricky. Even some of the best digital plugins struggle with the attack and can introduce artifacts. That’s why I reach for an analog compressor while tracking. The Press doesn’t color the sound or add problems. It just works.
It’s stereo! That alone is a game-changer for keyboardists. Most pedals are mono, and to get stereo compression, you’d need to buy two. And they still might not handle the tone of a Rhodes properly!
With the Press, I can dial in attack and release like I would on a professional rackmount unit. It’s compact, powerful, and actually designed with musicians like me in mind.
It means you don’t hear the compressor; you just hear the result. Compression should never get in the way. When it does, it’s a distraction. When it’s done right, it disappears.
The Press is one of the most transparent compressors I’ve used, right up there with some of the legacy rack units I’ve relied on in the past.
I’m finishing the last two tracks for a classical record, Rhodes and female choir, and mixing a new pop/rock EP with some of my favorite musicians. I’m also prepping for upcoming scoring work, writing a book on film sound, and building a new kind of studio desk for film composers. Always something going on!
Claes Nystrom is a Swedish-born composer, Emmy-winning sound designer, and educator. His work includes trailer music for Indiana Jones, Die Hard, Fantastic Four, and Angels and Demons. He teaches film composition at Berklee College of Music and continues to work across classical, cinematic, and pop music projects from his studio in the U.S.
