does anyone else dislike compressors?

[rumblebox]

i've tried them a bunch of times and never liked them. i prefer natural.

[Hellion]

Re: does anyone else dislike compressors?

They're an integral part of my overall sound, first link in the signal chain, actually.

[crusty philtrum]

Re: does anyone else dislike compressors?

I remember back in the 70s when the first ones became available for guitar in a pedal format. From the advertising I couldn't fully understand what they were supposed to do. Then someone i respected explained their function to me, and I remember replying "What's the good of that ? Why would anybody want to do that ?"

Now I can hear their effect, and as much as they might suit some applications, I've never found a use for them. In fact I would consider them to be a hindrance for my purposes.

[rumblebox]

Re: does anyone else dislike compressors?

i like to be able to pick softly for soft tones then hit the strings hard for spanky tones. it just seems like they dont let me do that.

[Gearjoneser]

Re: does anyone else dislike compressors?

I don't care for them. They level out the dynamic range that I love too much. I'm all about touch sensitivity, and they squash that while imparting their own sound.

I guess if I only played funk or reggae they would be more useful to me, but I want to hear the amp react to the strings normally.

[Boogie Bill]

Re: does anyone else dislike compressors?

I use one, but unless I'm going for a special effect, I set it until I can hear it pump--and then I back it down until I can't hear it pump. It's not overtly audible, but it is there.

I think they work better for certain kinds of music; and they often seem to make rhythm guitar parts more "professional".

Bill

[crguti]

Re: does anyone else dislike compressors?

I consider that compressors are a very useful tool. I have 2 compressors in my pedalboard (actually a rack drawer) with different settings each one. The Diamond Compressor CPR-1 is set for a soft compression and because of its low ratio is barely audible but it gives me a great sound kinda as an enhancer type of pedal. The T-Rex CompNova is set with more compression and fast attack, used mainly for my funky wah sounds.
I could live without compression but they make me sound better when I use them.

[Agileguy_101]

Re: does anyone else dislike compressors?

I really like what it can do for your clean tones.

That said, use caution, as overuse of the compressor is never good.

[lareplus]

Re: does anyone else dislike compressors?

not me. . .i like compressors like i like women. i don't like all women, but there's some that really turn me on. same with compressors. .

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: does anyone else dislike compressors?

Compressors in general suck but when used as an effect they can make or break a sound...

They are for sure the effect I use the least and I think that's best...

[FuseG4]

Re: does anyone else dislike compressors?

yup. Sometimes I like a somewhat country-ish clean or light dirt. I used to have a dynacomp and that did the trick. I like it with the middle position on a les paul or a tele.

I sold the dynacomp because that's all I ever used it for. Maybe someday I'll get another one for the heck of it.

[Inkstained]

Re: does anyone else dislike compressors?

Confession: I have never understood why anyone would want to quash or destroy dynamics. You want your music to be less dynamic? Really?

The lust for sustain, I get, however.

[Tor]

Re: does anyone else dislike compressors?

They work nicely for some genres. I have only been playing funky stuff, P&W and pop/rock music, and a comp is a pretty handy tool here. For someone who plays rock&roll, or blues music (especially that!), or jazz, or whatever, it might not be all that. Horses for courses.

I waited for too long before I got a comp.

[Petrovsk Mizinski]

Re: does anyone else dislike compressors?

Confession: I have never understood why anyone would want to quash or destroy dynamics. You want your music to be less dynamic? Really?

The lust for sustain, I get, however.

I have no idea how one comes to the conclusion that compressing the signal of an instrument inherently makes music less dynamic.
Heavy compression is something that's been used for decades in music, most likely on many records that people consider 'dynamic'

As for guitar suits some styles of playing, other types not so much.
That has no bearing on the overall dynamics of music

[TheLivingDead]

Re: does anyone else dislike compressors?

I use em for some cleans and that's it.