Compressor placement?

[KRKBAB]

I 'd like some suggestions about where to place my compressor (and maybe my overdrive) in my pedal chain, but-
here's the rub:

a)- I have all 4 pedals on all the time on a minimal "set and forget" setting
b)- I use my compressor more as a limiter than as a compressor/sustainer

Here are my pedals AND the order they're currently in:

1)- compressor- Diamond Compressor (optical compressor)
2)- chorus- MXR Analog Chorus
3)- anaolg Delay- VFE Blueprint
4)- overdrive- Voodoo Lab "Sparkle Drive" or Visual Sound "Open Road"

Diamond suggests that their compressor be placed at the end of the chain- (the opposite as the norm) for certain applications.

I like the overdrive pedal at the end of the chain for some reason, but I'm not sure why I like it there!

 

[Aceman]

Re: Compressor placement?

I would go:

Compressor
Overdrive
Chorus
Delay

However, if limitting is really what you want to do...

OD
Chorus
Delay
Comp

Might not be unreasonable. As always in these situations, do whatever sounds best to YOU. Only way to do that is experiment. I can flip flop on the delay/chorus positions too.

 

[hermetico]

Re: Compressor placement?

Usually, I would go also as Aceman stated:

Compressor
Overdrive
Chorus
Delay

But, if you are really using that compressor as a Limiter, Limiter goes late but, I will not compromisse Delay (and not sure to compromisse chorus, as well), instead so, I would go:

OD
Chorus
Comp
Delay

Bad news for you, there is no "short path". Try one by one and choose the arrangement that works better for you.
Not so many pedals to check.
I am loading 14 pedals and, I did it!.

 

[eviltobz]

Re: Compressor placement?

i'd think that the overdrive is the one that the compressor will interact with the most. compress then drive will smooth over some of the peak signal you send to the overdrive, giving you a more consistent tone despite the dynamics of how you play - this could be good to help make tricky lead passages sound neater for example. Drive then compress means that your playing dynamics and tactical use of the volume knob will vary the amount of grrr you get from the drive pedal, and the compressor will then just bring the different levels more into line so the tone can vary whilst the volume stays more consistent.

 

[rumblebox]

Re: Compressor placement?

I 'd like some suggestions about where to place my compressor

nowhere..... but that's just me.

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: Compressor placement?

I am wondering why you need to use ANY limiting in the signal path into a digital modelling amplifier? Just set the input gain level correctly.

I would run the modulation and delay effects in the amplifier's send/return loop.

The overdrive needs to be between the guitar and amplifier. I see no reason for the compressor other than for deliberate over-compression à la Andy Summers.