Compressor, flanger, limiter. . , ?

[solspirit]

What order?

 

[NegativeEase]

I like Compressor first, I like Flangers in the trashcan or may used as a doorbell on the wall, and a true limiter in FX loop.

 

[devastone]

Contrary to NE's distaste for flangers, take King Edward's advice and put it in front of the amp, probably after the compressor.

 

[NegativeEase]

Contrary to NE's distaste for flangers, take King Edward's advice and put it in front of the amp, probably after the compressor.

Flanger jokes, I got em....

 

[beaubrummels]

When it comes to compressors and limiters, I would only use them if I know I have a problem that each one solves, which is rare. If I'm playing clean and my guitar is too snappy and poppy, then in front of the amp might solve that. If I'm playing a Fender and alternately a Gibson through the same amp, a touch of compression with make up gain might balance them (though a boost on the Fender might be a better solution.) A leveler might solve it also, but you could lose some of the natural attack of the guitar. If I'm switching from clean to distorted and back and I can't seem to get levels to match up right, a small amount of leveling in the loop might help.

But really the only way I've used compression in recent years is after an amp simulation to make it feel more like a real tube amp. I keep it set so the compression only kicks in when the amp simulation begins to distort, I'll use typically a 4:1 or 2:1 ratio depending on how spiky the simulation is, work the make up gain so it keeps the overall signal at unity, then releases the compression as it falls back into clean territory.

For the flanger, it depends on what kind of an effect you want out of it. If you want it to be subtle and hear more of the guitar and amp, put it before the amp. If you want the flanging to be severe and heavy, put it in the effects loop.

 

[LLL]

A limiter is essentially a "brick-wall" compressor.

 

[Bogner]

A limiter is essentially a "brick-wall" compressor.

We don't need no education...

 

[Blille]

I use a compressor at the beginning of the chain and another at the end, after amp and time effects. I would put the limiter at the end.

The flanger I would definitely not throw to the trash NE, how dare you! Put it on eBay and buy a phaser with the money.

 

[NegativeEase]

The flanger I would definitely not throw to the trash NE, how dare you! Put it on eBay and buy a phaser with the money.

This is wise financial and GAS strategy, if you can live with the guilt of perpetuating Flangers in the world.

 

[dystrust]

I use a compressor at the beginning of the chain and another at the end, after amp and time effects. I would put the limiter at the end.

I'm surprised you put the compressor after your time effects; if I wanted one post-gain, I'd put it immediately before (but after everything else) so it didn't mess up reverb / delay decay. The compressor in my rig is in the very first pedal loop so I can fake that 80s compressed DI sound.

 

[NegativeEase]

I'm surprised you put the compressor after your time effects; if I wanted one post-gain, I'd put it immediately before (but after everything else) so it didn't mess up reverb / delay decay. The compressor in my rig is in the very first pedal loop so I can fake that 80s compressed DI sound.

My guess for this is I think a compressor used after time based effects is likely to be used more as as limiter or for subtle soft knee rounding and not as a sustain device, heavy smoothing, or for the tonal effect

 

[Mincer]

I would think a compressor after the delay would mess up the volume of the echoes.

 

[Blille]

I'm surprised you put the compressor after your time effects; if I wanted one post-gain, I'd put it immediately before (but after everything else) so it didn't mess up reverb / delay decay. The compressor in my rig is in the very first pedal loop so I can fake that 80s compressed DI sound.

My guess for this is I think a compressor used after time based effects is likely to be used more as as limiter or for subtle soft knee rounding and not as a sustain device, heavy smoothing, or for the tonal effect

That’s correct. I used to carry around a half rack dbx unit but now I use the MXR Studio Comp with a mild setting.

I do have a traditional Ross with 50% mix at the beginning.

 

[solspirit]

This is wise financial and GAS strategy, if you can live with the guilt of perpetuating Flangers in the world.

I can use a phaser as well, which is nore preferable to me anyway. But it would stilll be in the same place on the signal chain wouldn't it be?

I guess what Im really asking is where to put the compressor and the limiter. My insticts tell me compressor first and limiter last.

 

[Mincer]

I can use a phaser as well, which is nore preferable to me anyway. But it would stilll be in the same place on the signal chain wouldn't it be?

I guess what Im really asking is where to put the compressor and the limiter. My insticts tell me compressor first and limiter last.

That's what I would do. I'd put the phaser right after the compressor.

 

[NegativeEase]

I can use a phaser as well, which is nore preferable to me anyway. But it would stilll be in the same place on the signal chain wouldn't it be?

I guess what Im really asking is where to put the compressor and the limiter. My insticts tell me compressor first and limiter last.

I'd look at it like this personally:

• If you are using the compressor to get that punchy sound, create sustain or smooth your erratic playing and make your effects and pre amp better positioned to handle your playing -put it first

• If you are using the compressor to clean up your playing and/or maybe add some compressor punchy feel to your tone and get a a little studio finalized track feel put it first in FX loop

• If you are using the Compresssor/Limiter as a limiter just to knock off the transients and clean up the performance in a finalized studio feel put at the end of the FX loop.

 

[LLL]

What order?

If you read some advice prior to this thread, it seems pedal order doesn't matter, just do whatever.

So, what I'd do is take the pedals I wanted to use... in my hands... and toss them behind my back.

The order in which the pedals wind up lying on the floor is the order you should use.

:13:

 

[LLL]

I'd look at it like this personally:

• If you are using the compressor to get that punchy sound, create sustain or smooth your erratic playing and make your effects and pre amp better positioned to handle your playing -put it first

• If you are using the compressor to clean up your playing and/or maybe add some compressor punchy feel to your tone and get a a little studio finalized track feel put it first in FX loop

• If you are using the Compresssor/Limiter as a limiter just to knock off the transients and clean up the performance in a finalized studio feel put at the end of the FX loop.

I'd put the limiter first because it like, limits things and stuff. Don't want things getting out of hand and all crazy-like.

:13:

 

[NegativeEase]

I'd put the limiter first because it like, limits things and stuff. Don't want things getting out of hand and all crazy-like.

:13:

Yeah, thats what I meant by taming erratic playing in the first bullet

 

[solspirit]

I'd look at it like this personally:

• If you are using the compressor to get that punchy sound, create sustain or smooth your erratic playing and make your effects and pre amp better positioned to handle your playing -put it first

• If you are using the compressor to clean up your playing and/or maybe add some compressor punchy feel to your tone and get a a little studio finalized track feel put it first in FX loop

• If you are using the Compresssor/Limiter as a limiter just to knock off the transients and clean up the performance in a finalized studio feel put at the end of the FX loop.

Yep