Compressor pedal... do I need one?

[Streetsleeper]

Hi there,

I should probably know the answer to this as I've been playing long enough... but for whatever reason I've never really played around with compression pedals.

I'm told they can make a big difference to a signal chain.

Currently my chain is...

Guitar - Petersen strobostomp tuner - Satriani Wah - Blackstar HT dual distortion - Vox delay - boss tremolo - Amp.

What practical use would the compressor be? I know that they don't affect the sound drastically but would it even the tone out or improve it? Generally I use a fairly distorted tone which is quite compressed anyway isn't it?

My second question is if it's worth getting a compressor, what ones should I be looking at? I guess they'd go before the distortion pedal in the signal chain.

Cheers!

Jonny

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Compressor pedal... do I need one?

If you have to ask, you don't need one.

 

[Tor]

Re: Compressor pedal... do I need one?

I got one when I played funk, and it was just wonderful. I played years before I finally got one, and when I got one, I asked myself why I hadn't bought it earlier.. Inevitably, there will be some chords that jump out when playing a lot of 16 notes, so it was a great tool to tame these quirks. Now I use it in pop/rock settings, where I use it to smoothing out the guitar a little bit in the band mix - raising the low volume stuff and vice versa.

If you already have a pretty distorted sound, I probably wouldn't bother with it. There's other things you could rather look at.

I had a Dynacomp and a Barber Tone Press before I got my Wampler Ego comp, great little thing. Seems to slightly enhance some qualities of the guitar sound as well...


PS: where's your avatar from? Some mountain top in Africa?

 

[Streetsleeper]

Re: Compressor pedal... do I need one?

Well yeah I've survived so far without one so it's clearly not essential, I was just curious. I borrowed a year or so ago one which was nice to use with really clean stuff. I'll borrow one again I think before buying.

That mountain top is the highest peak in Africa, Kilimanjaro in Tanzania, was very cold up there!

 

[Tor]

Re: Compressor pedal... do I need one?

Yeah, for clean stuff it can be very handy. Definitely try some more to find out if you really need it.

Cool! I was there in the beginning of January, still cold up there. But they have changed the sign to some cheap mass produced crappy sign.

 

[Streetsleeper]

Re: Compressor pedal... do I need one?

I climbed the mountain in October so I still managed to get my photo with the cool looking sign. The new green one looks rubbish!

I went up via the Rongai route....

 

[Tor]

Re: Compressor pedal... do I need one?

Yeah, we were pretty bummed out by that!

Hah, same here. Went down again via the Marangu route though. Since it is on the southern side, we got some massive rain fall in the rain forest. Just nuts! Kinda curious how Machame or Lemosho are, but that doesn't matter now.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Compressor pedal... do I need one?

If you have to ask, you don't need one.

I'd say this is the best answer you'll get...

Compressors in general are good tools to have for those situations when you need them but not everybody needs them!

 

[Aceman]

Re: Compressor pedal... do I need one?

You absolutely need one. And the only one that will do is the most expensive boo-teek one available. Your tone sucks without it, and no other compressor is worth owning.

There are four problems/situations i can think of that a compressor is great for. You got any problems?

 

[briggleman]

Re: Compressor pedal... do I need one?

IF YOU HAVE TO ASK...... THEN YES, YOU NEED ONE..... THEN AFTER YOU GET IT AND FIND OUT YOU DON'T...... SELL IT TO ME.....

I think I need one!

 

[Streetsleeper]

Re: Compressor pedal... do I need one?

Hi there,

I'm not really experiencing any particular problems with my setup, but saying that I'm not totally happy with the sound otherwise I wouldn't be considering adding to it. The distortion can sound a little mushy at times and the tone seems to change when it runs through the pedal when it's on low gain.

My practice amp is an Epiphone Valve Junior which I know isn't the best but it's more practical to use on a day to day basis than my Marshall stack!

....briggleman, how do you know you think you might need one?

 

[Aceman]

Re: Compressor pedal... do I need one?

Hi there,

I'm not really experiencing any particular problems with my setup, but saying that I'm not totally happy with the sound otherwise I wouldn't be considering adding to it. The distortion can sound a little mushy at times and the tone seems to change when it runs through the pedal when it's on low gain.

My practice amp is an Epiphone Valve Junior which I know isn't the best but it's more practical to use on a day to day basis than my Marshall stack!

....briggleman, how do you know you think you might need one?

The Valve Junior is cool little amp. And nothing you said sounds like a comp is the solution.

In all seriousness, different pickup, and better pedal. But not a compressor.

 

[briggleman]

Re: Compressor pedal... do I need one?

Hi there,

I'm not really experiencing any particular problems with my setup, but saying that I'm not totally happy with the sound otherwise I wouldn't be considering adding to it. The distortion can sound a little mushy at times and the tone seems to change when it runs through the pedal when it's on low gain.

My practice amp is an Epiphone Valve Junior which I know isn't the best but it's more practical to use on a day to day basis than my Marshall stack!

....briggleman, how do you know you think you might need one?

Okay, I will get serious. I use my compressor before the amp, on all the time to help balance out the rhythm chords vs. the single note lines. You want a somewhat fast, but not too fast compressor. If it's too fast the attack of the notes will sound weird. It helps the leads cut through and helps somewhat with sustain. I have used the SD Double Back, the Pigtronix Philosopher's Tone, and surprisingly for me, the one I like best is an old Line 6 Constrictor Pedal from the Tonecore series.

Check out this youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hMSCKz4GRZY

 

[crguti]

Re: Compressor pedal... do I need one?

use any recording software and record yourself playing the guitar, then apply a compressor plugin to your recording. Do you like the results? there you go.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Compressor pedal... do I need one?

oh yeah - forgot (duh!) Compressor for effect! Get your cluck and pluck on!!!! (see Police in the 80's, among others...)

 

[Markk]

Re: Compressor pedal... do I need one?

I really love my compressor (CMATMODS deluxe one). Helps out on certain riffs/songs and even when in distortion mode. Set it right and your notes can sing.

Of course, like with every effect, over do it and it'll sound like poo.

 

[the guy who invented fire]

Re: Compressor pedal... do I need one?

Hi there,

I'm not really experiencing any particular problems with my setup, but saying that I'm not totally happy with the sound otherwise I wouldn't be considering adding to it. The distortion can sound a little mushy at times and the tone seems to change when it runs through the pedal when it's on low gain.

My practice amp is an Epiphone Valve Junior which I know isn't the best but it's more practical to use on a day to day basis than my Marshall stack!

....briggleman, how do you know you think you might need one?

A compressor (or any pedal for that matter) is not a "fix" for tone you dislike or are unhappy with.

 

[briggleman]

Re: Compressor pedal... do I need one?

A compressor (or any pedal for that matter) is not a "fix" for tone you dislike or are unhappy with.

I guess I know what you are trying to say...... but in this case...????? I am lost, what are you trying to say? Tone is in the fingers.... yea, yea, yea, whatever, heard all that, been there,...... lets help him buy a compressor!!!!!!!!!!!! a modulation pedal, a really good distortion pedal..... I guarantee, everyone of those will change his tone!!!

Geese, sometimes, you are so damn cerebral on this stuff! Other times you offer genuine insight.... and then there are the statements like above. I don't know what to say.

Is that speaker half full?:scratchch

 

[AlexR]

Re: Compressor pedal... do I need one?

If you have to ask....you'll never know.

Funky Mother f ckers will not be told to go

Thats the reason to use a compressor.

 

[ratherdashing]

Re: Compressor pedal... do I need one?

I guess I know what you are trying to say...... but in this case...????? I am lost, what are you trying to say? Tone is in the fingers.... yea, yea, yea, whatever, heard all that, been there,...... lets help him buy a compressor!!!!!!!!!!!! a modulation pedal, a really good distortion pedal..... I guarantee, everyone of those will change his tone!!!

Geese, sometimes, you are so damn cerebral on this stuff! Other times you offer genuine insight.... and then there are the statements like above. I don't know what to say.

Is that speaker half full?:scratchch

What he means is that a compressor is more of a tool than a tone shaper/changer. If a compressor changes your tone, it's actually a pretty crappy compressor.

Compressors change dynamics, not tone. They soften the attack of loud transients (i.e. pick attack), and increase the level of fading notes. Basically, they level off your playing and make it sound more consistent.

Every compressor has a threshold, which is either pre-set (in cheap, simple pedals) or controllable (in studio compressors or high end pedals). When the input signal exceeds that threshold, compression is applied and the output level is reduced. Attack sets how quickly the compression is applied, and Release specifies how long the level is maintained after the input goes back under the threshold.

The end result is a signal that has less dynamic variance. You can use a compressor to smooth off sharp pick attack, increase sustain, completely squash all dynamics, or some combination of those.

You cannot, however, change your tone with a compressor.