Do You Use Compression?

Re: Do You Use Compression?

I liked a little help from the Dyna Comp when I used to have one. someone else said it was great for playing backing chords. Yup. Great for that.
Also, some people really like the dyna comp for that country sound. I think that's one of the things that really noticeable compression works well for.
 
Re: Do You Use Compression?

I like ODs in front of the amp, one of the reassons of that is 'cause of the compression they create, never used a compressor pedal tho
 
Re: Do You Use Compression?

I can't really make my mind about compressors. Sometimes I really love the effect and sometimes I hate what it does to my playing. In the end I've sold what I've had but I still look back every now and then. I'll probably pick one up some day and just use it when I feel like it and have it sit on the shelf when I don't.
 
Re: Do You Use Compression?

Just the natural compression from my amp settings, and that's it. I like to be able to control the dynamics.
 
Re: Do You Use Compression?

Compression is the most important effect I use, but it's equally important to know when to turn it off.
 
Re: Do You Use Compression?

I use one as a lead boost with the JCA20H (DOD FX-80B)

I set the level for a bit of boost, with a pretty small amount of compression, and a super fast release. It's great to push a lead out front a bit.
 
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Re: Do You Use Compression?

Several of the guitarists I idolize have made compressors part of their signature sound: Andy Summers. Jamie West-Oram. James Honeyman-Scott.

Every once is a while, I get the bug - "I'm gonna get that sound." I buy a compressor, I plug it in. It sounds dull and flat. It squashes my dynamics. The bright jangly bit I'm searching for gets buried in the mix because the pedal's volume is set too low, adn of course turning the guitar up or playing louder doesn't help. It just seems to me that the compressor is always set wrong, and removes control over the situation from my hands to a couple knobs on the floor. So, after a short while, I sell the pedal.

I've done this several times with several different pedals. Boss CE-2, MXR Dynacomp, Boss CE-3 (regular and Allums Opto Mod). I want to try it one more time with a Whirlwind Red Box, which is supposedly an old Dynacomp done right by modern standards (i.e. true bypass and an LED).

In the end, I expect it will be the same: I love the sound of compressors, except when I'm playing them.

Of course, I already have substantial compression on my rig, which is based around an EL84 18 Watter without a lot of headroom. I've recently upgraded my overdrive pedal from a modded SD-1 to BB Preamp largely because the BB has less natural compression and more dynamics.
 
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Re: Do You Use Compression?

Lately I've been using my DigiTech compressor on really subtle settings for clean sounds. If I can hear any compression going on, I dial it down a little. When playing a full-voiced chord, each note sounds out at a different volume; a compressor turned up too much starts to hide the quieter notes within the chord.

I remember when I first got my Boss LMB-3, I didn't even know what it was doing to my sound. Once I realized what it was doing, I had to totally adjust the parameters. The cool thing about that Boss is that it can be set to very subtle settings or heavy breathing effects.

A compressor removes volume dynamics by amplifying quiet playing and attenuating loud playing. However, I appreciate that this allows picking dynamics to be emphasized without dramatic volume changes. Like, hitting the same note in different ways or with different strengths or different pick angles brings about different sounds, but a compressor decreases the jumps in volume. When volume jumps are desired, the compressor gets turned off.

Oh yeah, running my octaver into a compressor makes the unprocessed sound get quiet, since the compressor is responding to the octave down sounds, which don't sound out to our ears as clearly as midrange-heavy guitar notes. Plugging a Metal Zone into a compressor at heavy settings can get pretty crazy - each sustained note fades into static.
 
Re: Do You Use Compression?

I use it like a motherfracker.

Here is a good example of how I use it: http://soundcloud.com/hunterjsmith/red

This is a dual P90 guitar (PRS SE Singlecut) running through a buttload of compression and a clean amp.

I am one of the minority who uses it "as an effect" as opposed to using as a subtle enhancement.

I squish my signal so much that it trembles.

I squish my signal so much that the strum has almost no attack.

Or at the very least, a very unnatural attack.

I dig the sound, though - it works for me. Tell me if you would notice that these guitar tracks were compressed to hell if I hadn't said anything.

Most guitar guys just tell me this track sounds good, and only notice the monstrous amount of compression after I tell them, then they go "oh, yeah."
 
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Re: Do You Use Compression?

I'll have to go try out a couple at the shop on Saturday, I think they have a Dyna Comp, a Philosopher's Tone, and a Digitech, so maybe I'll find one I like.
 
Re: Do You Use Compression?

Earlier I played a lot of funk, so it was essential then. Now I play a lot of rhythm in pop/rock settings, so I find it usable to limit the dynamics a bit with it.
 
Re: Do You Use Compression?

ImmortalSix said:
I use it like a motherfracker.

Here is a good example of how I use it: http://soundcloud.com/hunterjsmith/red

This is a dual P90 guitar (PRS SE Singlecut) running through a buttload of compression and a clean amp.

I am one of the minority who uses it "as an effect" as opposed to using as a subtle enhancement.

I squish my signal so much that it trembles.

I squish my signal so much that the strum has almost no attack.

Or at the very least, a very unnatural attack.

I dig the sound, though - it works for me. Tell me if you would notice that these guitar tracks were compressed to hell if I hadn't said anything.

Most guitar guys just tell me this track sounds good, and only notice the monstrous amount of compression after I tell them, then they go "oh, yeah."
Click to expand...
That's cool. I think my favourite example of that kind of effect is the clean intro and verses of 'Born Of A Broken Man' by Rage Against The Machine. Sounds almost piano like.
 
Re: Do You Use Compression?

Rich_S said:
Several of the guitarists I idolize have made compressors part of their signature sound: Andy Summers. Jamie West-Oram. James Honeyman-Scott.

Every once is a while, I get the bug - "I'm gonna get that sound." I buy a compressor, I plug it in. It sounds dull and flat. It squashes my dynamics. The bright jangly bit I'm searching for gets buried in the mix because the pedal's volume is set too low, adn of course turning the guitar up or playing louder doesn't help. It just seems to me that the compressor is always set wrong, and removes control over the situation from my hands to a couple knobs on the floor. So, after a short while, I sell the pedal.

I've done this several times with several different pedals. Boss CE-2, MXR Dynacomp, Boss CE-3 (regular and Allums Opto Mod). I want to try it one more time with a Whirlwind Red Box, which is supposedly an old Dynacomp done right by modern standards (i.e. true bypass and an LED).

In the end, I expect it will be the same: I love the sound of compressors, except when I'm playing them.

Of course, I already have substantial compression on my rig, which is based around an EL84 18 Watter without a lot of headroom. I've recently upgraded my overdrive pedal from a modded SD-1 to BB Preamp largely because the BB has less natural compression and more dynamics.
Click to expand...

You really should try a Diamond Comp sometime.

And JHS is a HUGE influence on me - what an amazing guitarist he was.
 
Re: Do You Use Compression?

Compression is funny...most folks that use compression as an effect do it really poorly IMHO but there are a few that do it well.

To me compression is a great tool and can make or break some situations, that said I do not currently own one and almost never feel like I need one...

I mean, I spent years working on a playing technique and thousands of dollars building a rig that is very touch sensitive and has lots of dynamics and a compressor will just kill that with a single stomp!
 
Re: Do You Use Compression?

the guy who invented fire said:
Compression is funny...most folks that use compression as an effect do it really poorly IMHO but there are a few that do it well.

To me compression is a great tool and can make or break some situations, that said I do not currently own one and almost never feel like I need one...

I mean, I spent years working on a playing technique and thousands of dollars building a rig that is very touch sensitive and has lots of dynamics and a compressor will just kill that with a single stomp!
Click to expand...
It's funny that I have noticed I will probably never play with a compressor, but couldn't imagine making a mix without several!!!
 
Re: Do You Use Compression?

True, when I mic amps I usually put a little compression on it from the board, helps with the mix but just feels odd if it comes out the amp.
 
Re: Do You Use Compression?

schecterplayer said:
True, when I mic amps I usually put a little compression on it from the board, helps with the mix but just feels odd if it comes out the amp.
Click to expand...

thats different and makes sense. at that point you arent changing the interaction of the guitar/amp and tone you are just evening out the level coming out of the pa.
 
Re: Do You Use Compression?

I only ever use compression when I'm playing country leads and going for that "maximum squish" tone ala Paisley, etc. What's nice about it is that it adds sustain like overdrive does, so if you're really squishing your clean leads with one, they're as easy to play and sing as much as if you were doing leads through a modded Marshall. But the problem with using that much compression is always added hiss/noise.
 
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