Do you use a Compressor in your rig?
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jon the art guy
Nerdy Nerd
Re: Do you use a Compressor in your rig?
Among my massive to-build schematic list is a 4 knob compressor. I love the squish, and I really REALLY love the ability to dial that bloom back.
Among my massive to-build schematic list is a 4 knob compressor. I love the squish, and I really REALLY love the ability to dial that bloom back.
thespricket
New member
Re: Do you use a Compressor in your rig?
It totally depends on your style. I play funky, fusion, rock, country, jammy stuff so it's pretty perfect for that. Trey Anastasio use one on basically all the time, say what you will about Phish, but that dude's got great tone.
It just tightens up the sound and adds sustain, which makes it very easy to use very little distortion for playing leads. Also, as previously mentioned, it helps playing live in a larger band because it sets you back in the mix a bit. Obviously that's not something all guitar style are suited for.
I've gotten into the habit of using it all the time. I use it right up front before my fuzz and two drives. I really like what it does to my fuzz face, just brings the mids out makes it more present. Sometimes I turn it off when using a heavier crunch.
I'm using a Malekko comp, which is awesome because it's small, sounds greats, and doesn't boost a ton of noise,
Guitar->pedals->amp
It totally depends on your style. I play funky, fusion, rock, country, jammy stuff so it's pretty perfect for that. Trey Anastasio use one on basically all the time, say what you will about Phish, but that dude's got great tone.
It just tightens up the sound and adds sustain, which makes it very easy to use very little distortion for playing leads. Also, as previously mentioned, it helps playing live in a larger band because it sets you back in the mix a bit. Obviously that's not something all guitar style are suited for.
I've gotten into the habit of using it all the time. I use it right up front before my fuzz and two drives. I really like what it does to my fuzz face, just brings the mids out makes it more present. Sometimes I turn it off when using a heavier crunch.
I'm using a Malekko comp, which is awesome because it's small, sounds greats, and doesn't boost a ton of noise,
Guitar->pedals->amp
Ascension
Well-known member
Re: Do you use a Compressor in your rig?
I often ran a compressor back in my late 80's- 90's hair band days with high gain for solos and infinite sustain with out adding more crunch.
I preferred the regular garden variety Boss or a half rack Rockman unit back then.
Here is a clip from my old band live from 1993. I'm playing through a Marshall JCM 900 Dual Reverb and using my 1990 Carvin DC 200 with the old Rockman Sustainor unit here.
http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=5539540
Now days I run a Boss CS-3 with the Monty Allums Opto mod or a prototype for a boutique unit called a Cold Compress (from Eden Analog a local buddy of mine) for my cleans and infinite sustain with crunch.
I often ran a compressor back in my late 80's- 90's hair band days with high gain for solos and infinite sustain with out adding more crunch.
I preferred the regular garden variety Boss or a half rack Rockman unit back then.
Here is a clip from my old band live from 1993. I'm playing through a Marshall JCM 900 Dual Reverb and using my 1990 Carvin DC 200 with the old Rockman Sustainor unit here.
http://soundclick.com/share.cfm?id=5539540
Now days I run a Boss CS-3 with the Monty Allums Opto mod or a prototype for a boutique unit called a Cold Compress (from Eden Analog a local buddy of mine) for my cleans and infinite sustain with crunch.
crusty philtrum
Vintageologist
Re: Do you use a Compressor in your rig?
They suck the danger out, so of course I don't use one.
They suck the danger out, so of course I don't use one.
crusty philtrum
Vintageologist
Re: Do you use a Compressor in your rig?
They come in all sizes, although they all stink ...of fish (or phish, if you must spell like you text).
Big ones can eat you, and some are so small they can swim into the hole in your willie. You can stalk them and try to catch them, but it's best to realise they can, and will, stalk you too, and then eat you (which is why these events are never reported ... ya can't report having been eaten by a fish when you've been eaten by a fish).
If you must deal with fish, it's best to get them in dead form from a fish killer. They will still smell but the danger aspect will have been removed (although some fish can still kill you after they're dead).
Society generally turns it's back on fish ... none have ever been issued a driver's license, elected to government or been able to procure a steady day job. This may explain the attitude of some fish towards humans.
I hope this helps.
They come in all sizes, although they all stink ...of fish (or phish, if you must spell like you text).
Big ones can eat you, and some are so small they can swim into the hole in your willie. You can stalk them and try to catch them, but it's best to realise they can, and will, stalk you too, and then eat you (which is why these events are never reported ... ya can't report having been eaten by a fish when you've been eaten by a fish).
If you must deal with fish, it's best to get them in dead form from a fish killer. They will still smell but the danger aspect will have been removed (although some fish can still kill you after they're dead).
Society generally turns it's back on fish ... none have ever been issued a driver's license, elected to government or been able to procure a steady day job. This may explain the attitude of some fish towards humans.
I hope this helps.
AudioWonderland
New member
Re: Do you use a Compressor in your rig?
Lets be clear. A pickup cannot be "compressed". A pickup can however hit the input of a tube amp hard enough to get some tube compression. "High gain" is created in amps by pushing the tubes so hard they can't get louder they just distort. If you exceed that threshold far enough it doesn't matter how hard or soft you pick. You will get dirtier or cleaner but volume will change little. Thats how/why you just don't need a compressor when playing high gain amps. There just are not any dynamics left to control
Lets be clear. A pickup cannot be "compressed". A pickup can however hit the input of a tube amp hard enough to get some tube compression. "High gain" is created in amps by pushing the tubes so hard they can't get louder they just distort. If you exceed that threshold far enough it doesn't matter how hard or soft you pick. You will get dirtier or cleaner but volume will change little. Thats how/why you just don't need a compressor when playing high gain amps. There just are not any dynamics left to control
vinta9e
New member
Re: Do you use a Compressor in your rig?
Possibly also by means of not being transparent e.g. introducing distortion or spectral coloration (bandpass).
Perhaps a compressor + midboost / buffer all-in-one could be something you're looking for?
Don't need to bash Boss pedals, but to my ears, custom builds often put them to shame when comparing detail definition. Just a preference for an impression of higher fidelity on my account, really. On the other hand, there's a huge crowd of happy Boss users, their pedals are widely available and not very expensive, thanks to which it's really easy to find/buy/try/sell one without taking a big hit in the wallet. Trying one can't be a bad idea.
Honestly, what I'd recommend depends on whether you're looking for inexpensive, or the smell of cork. :laugh2:
Compare the signal of a typical magnetic to a typical piezoelectric pickup (system) I don't think the word 'compressed' is really out of place in that context. Would you agree?
Pickups are a bit similar in that aspect, I think. Some preamps (Marshalls in general), guitars (Jacksons for example) and players love hot pickups, while other combinations might be best served with something of a more tame kind. Running slightly cooler pickups into plush-feeling amps enhances the resolution in articulation and dynamics in some sense... I mean... when you crank a gainy amp, you've already got liquid, saturated tone that's very "legato", and having a larger dynamic range control at the start of the chain, allows for easier variety in tones you may get from different ways of picking, rather than just a "wall of sound".
A compressor might still come in handy paired with a high gain amp, here's how:
I set my preamp gain about halfway. My tone is well dirty and crunchy already but it is dry, not saturated. The amp will roar when I hit a power chord hard, but it will also clean up when I roll back the guitar's volume pot and pick softly. My compressor is set up for a high ratio and low output level. When I step on it, I get a compressed, slightly hairy clean tone with unreal sustain. I can't help it bringing Pink Floyd associations to my mind.
I loved all that thick feeling sustain, but felt I was losing too much attack with the ratio being set that high, so I had my comp modded into a parallel one. The ability to mix the enhanced sustain of the compressed signal with the bite and attack of the unprocessed signal finally made me happy.
Well, as you probably know, a compressor's primary function is being an automated volume knob that attenuates the loudest parts of the signal (transients or attack in the guitar's case). It's secondary function being the make-up gain, lets you set the output level, boosting the quiet parts (sustain, ghost notes, harmonics and unfortunately noise) the most in effect. A compressor could "fatten up" things by boosting or cutting your signal, increasing or decreasing the overall gain and the relative amounts of attack and sustain, depending on how it's set up and what you play.
Possibly also by means of not being transparent e.g. introducing distortion or spectral coloration (bandpass).
Perhaps a compressor + midboost / buffer all-in-one could be something you're looking for?
Don't need to bash Boss pedals, but to my ears, custom builds often put them to shame when comparing detail definition. Just a preference for an impression of higher fidelity on my account, really. On the other hand, there's a huge crowd of happy Boss users, their pedals are widely available and not very expensive, thanks to which it's really easy to find/buy/try/sell one without taking a big hit in the wallet. Trying one can't be a bad idea.
Honestly, what I'd recommend depends on whether you're looking for inexpensive, or the smell of cork. :laugh2:
Yes it can. To my ears, moderate pickups produce relatively louder transients and softer sustain, as compared to high output. We're talking about a completely different dynamic range, a different transfer function between what you play and what you hear. Wait, that's exactly what compression is all about.
Compare the signal of a typical magnetic to a typical piezoelectric pickup (system) I don't think the word 'compressed' is really out of place in that context. Would you agree?
In every high gain preamp the signal gets both amplified and attenuated/clipped/compressed as it travels through a chain of gain stages. The basic principle is the same, yet some preamps feel so easy & plush, while others fight back a bit, giving something like a stiff feel in your strings. The more compressed preamps feel more legato, the more open ones feel more staccato, might describe what I'm trying to say.
Pickups are a bit similar in that aspect, I think. Some preamps (Marshalls in general), guitars (Jacksons for example) and players love hot pickups, while other combinations might be best served with something of a more tame kind. Running slightly cooler pickups into plush-feeling amps enhances the resolution in articulation and dynamics in some sense... I mean... when you crank a gainy amp, you've already got liquid, saturated tone that's very "legato", and having a larger dynamic range control at the start of the chain, allows for easier variety in tones you may get from different ways of picking, rather than just a "wall of sound".
When there are not any dynamics left to control you're doing it wrong. Or perhaps, you're doing it exactly right if you're meeting your goal. Too much control is something I'd rather avoid, but just enough when I need it doesn't hurt either.
A compressor might still come in handy paired with a high gain amp, here's how:
I set my preamp gain about halfway. My tone is well dirty and crunchy already but it is dry, not saturated. The amp will roar when I hit a power chord hard, but it will also clean up when I roll back the guitar's volume pot and pick softly. My compressor is set up for a high ratio and low output level. When I step on it, I get a compressed, slightly hairy clean tone with unreal sustain. I can't help it bringing Pink Floyd associations to my mind.
I loved all that thick feeling sustain, but felt I was losing too much attack with the ratio being set that high, so I had my comp modded into a parallel one. The ability to mix the enhanced sustain of the compressed signal with the bite and attack of the unprocessed signal finally made me happy.
AudioWonderland
New member
Re: Do you use a Compressor in your rig?
This is just wrong on so many levels I am not even going try to correct it. Its not worth the time it would take. Happy hunting!
This is just wrong on so many levels I am not even going try to correct it. Its not worth the time it would take. Happy hunting!
SongsForTheDeaf
New member
Re: Do you use a Compressor in your rig?
I have never tried a compressor pedal..I always fear they would mess with my dynamics in a bad way
I have never tried a compressor pedal..I always fear they would mess with my dynamics in a bad way
Aceman
I am your doctor of love!
Re: Do you use a Compressor in your rig?
And another way to look at that is that your dynamics might mess with the band in a bad way...
Or (as in my case) that your dynamics are just bad.
And another way to look at that is that your dynamics might mess with the band in a bad way...
Or (as in my case) that your dynamics are just bad.
SongsForTheDeaf
New member
Re: Do you use a Compressor in your rig?
True...you don't wanna standout in the mix too much or too little but I use a Stone Deaf PDF-1 parametric filter for that stuff. Whenever I listen to demos of compressors they always sound thinner and way more squashed then I'd like
True...you don't wanna standout in the mix too much or too little but I use a Stone Deaf PDF-1 parametric filter for that stuff. Whenever I listen to demos of compressors they always sound thinner and way more squashed then I'd like
Aceman
I am your doctor of love!
Re: Do you use a Compressor in your rig?
See, that's the thing. On a demo - you hear the compressor as an effect. On/off, comparisons, etc...But in reality, you don't hear it. It just sounds good.
See, that's the thing. On a demo - you hear the compressor as an effect. On/off, comparisons, etc...But in reality, you don't hear it. It just sounds good.
mrpinter
New member
Re: Do you use a Compressor in your rig?
I use a couple of Boss CS-3 compressors on a couple of different boards. Yes, they have the quality of being inexpensive, but they also work pretty well. What I want from a comp is a little squish in the dynamics, a little pop in the attack, and increased sustain. The Boss pedals do this but do add some noticeable noise. Every once in a while I think about trying another compressor... maybe I will, a Wampler Ego or The Warden from Earthquaker Devices look interesting. In the meantime the Boss pedals do what I want from them. They are usually on when I play clean, and when overdriving or distorting the signal it doesn't really seem to matter whether they're on or off. So they mostly stay on.
I use a couple of Boss CS-3 compressors on a couple of different boards. Yes, they have the quality of being inexpensive, but they also work pretty well. What I want from a comp is a little squish in the dynamics, a little pop in the attack, and increased sustain. The Boss pedals do this but do add some noticeable noise. Every once in a while I think about trying another compressor... maybe I will, a Wampler Ego or The Warden from Earthquaker Devices look interesting. In the meantime the Boss pedals do what I want from them. They are usually on when I play clean, and when overdriving or distorting the signal it doesn't really seem to matter whether they're on or off. So they mostly stay on.
SongsForTheDeaf
New member
Re: Do you use a Compressor in your rig?
Since I last posted here I got an MXR super comp.. so far I have noticed more balance between strings at low subtle settings with it left on all the time. More harmonics jump out , more sustain and the treble and my solos are thicker and warmer than before. Hope this helps
Since I last posted here I got an MXR super comp.. so far I have noticed more balance between strings at low subtle settings with it left on all the time. More harmonics jump out , more sustain and the treble and my solos are thicker and warmer than before. Hope this helps
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