compression squashing my sound

[goochio]

I am a producer of 20 years .. all electronic ... never tried to record guitars or voices etc . I am now trying to record a 12 string acoustic through a behringer c1 and 6 string electric...both into into a scarlett. all is fine initally ... but the more parts i add the more the mix gets totally squashed to the point when i add the drums .....bits disappear altogether..
My usual method for compression (little and often , i know) is to load a recommended preset (from the dynamics folder) and tweak the eq on the compressor a bit.
I do this for each instrument... same for the master ... i try to use 'gentle' as much as i can.
This is a massive subject I know ....but I reckon I'm fundamentally wrong about this ... is there tuts on this ...? what skill am i missing ? ... don't say 20 years of sound engineering
windows 10
reason 6.5.3
scarlett4
Guild 12
Squier thinline.

[Billy+]

[Loque]

Sounds like you have a compressor and limiter enabled right from the start. Don't do this. Leave headroom for everything. Carve out frequencies you don't need. Use compressors and limiters on tracks/busses when needed. Do the final compression when you have finished mixing.

[PhillipOrdonez]

I would like to hear it.

What genre is it supposed to be?

When you don't know what you're doing, it is best to not even use a compressor. You add one to every channel, you say? Why? I say: don't add a compressor everywhere unless there is a reason for it.

Echoing Loque, do not start with dynamic treatment in the 2bus unless you know what you're doing. Cause you don't.