does anyone else dislike compressors?

Re: does anyone else dislike compressors?

With single coils, mine is on all the time. I love that snap I get. I also have it set so it doesn't squash. The comp side of my VS Route 66 V2 is pretty dynamic and sensitive.
 
Last edited:
Re: does anyone else dislike compressors?

I have no idea how one comes to the conclusion that compressing the signal of an instrument inherently makes music less dynamic.
Heavy compression is something that's been used for decades in music, most likely on many records that people consider 'dynamic'

As for guitar suits some styles of playing, other types not so much.
That has no bearing on the overall dynamics of music

Try 'listening' to get an 'idea.'

Of course, compression is all over radio, TV, LPs, CDs, etc. Sometimes it sounds terrible there. In a signal chain, it was always sounded unnatural to me -- and that has everything to do with dynamics.

Your mileage blah blah.
 
Re: does anyone else dislike compressors?

If your tone has any distortion in it you're using compression.

If you don't compress it someone else will. Just about every great guitar tone on every great track you've ever heard is compressed in some form. It's the nature of mixing especially when albums and tape were the norm for distribution. (But it's even worse today with the loudness wars.) I couldn't imagine trying to mix a song without it. And multiband compression is really the bomb.
 
Re: does anyone else dislike compressors?

If your tone has any distortion in it you're using compression.

+1

I have no real use for compression when playing dirty.

Compression is great to help clean rhythm parts sit properly in the mix . . . especially with funk stuff it makes a big difference.
 
Re: does anyone else dislike compressors?

i've tried them a bunch of times and never liked them. i prefer natural.

Me too. Owned a bunch of them over the years including some real good ones but I just don't like what they do to my tone and I always sell them again. The Homebrew CPR was my favorite though and the most natural sounding one so far. If a guy did like compressors, that's the one I'd recommend.
 
Re: does anyone else dislike compressors?

Do you guys think most recorded music is compressed (even if just "slightly") at the studio, while it is being played.?
I meant to say (lead) guitar, not music in general.
 
Last edited:
Re: does anyone else dislike compressors?

I never leave home without one, along with a tire plug kit. What if I have a flat?

Air tools rule too, you need a compressor for that.
 
Re: does anyone else dislike compressors?

For most of my playing I don't use them, but there are scenarios where they are highly useful. Usually i use a comp when im playing my 12 string or playing country, granted there are other scenarios as well when I like them. Don't trash because you dont have a use for one though, its a matter of different strokes for different folks there is no universally accepted rig.
 
Re: does anyone else dislike compressors?

Not trying to stir up trouble but what is the point in having threads like this if not to start a flame war?

Just get over yourselves like I said any piece of gear you can put in a chain can be argued as how useful/valuable it is. There are guys that love strats and hate les pauls, there are guys that plug straight into an amp and guys that love having effects, etc. So music being art why argue the validity of an item when no one plays the same and everyone has different artistic goals?

If you dislike something, GREAT, but why waste your time trying to inflate your ego because you love/hate something? It doesn't make you more right/wrong, just seems like it would be easier to just use what you like and not worry about what others think.

Regardless of anyones opinions compressors exist and serve a purpose, chances are even if you dont use a comp pedal you listen to recorded music with them and in a lot of scenarios rack comps are used in live and studio settings.
 
Re: does anyone else dislike compressors?

Not trying to stir up trouble but what is the point in having threads like this if not to start a flame war?

Just get over yourselves like I said any piece of gear you can put in a chain can be argued as how useful/valuable it is. There are guys that love strats and hate les pauls, there are guys that plug straight into an amp and guys that love having effects, etc. So music being art why argue the validity of an item when no one plays the same and everyone has different artistic goals?

If you dislike something, GREAT, but why waste your time trying to inflate your ego because you love/hate something? It doesn't make you more right/wrong, just seems like it would be easier to just use what you like and not worry about what others think.

Regardless of anyones opinions compressors exist and serve a purpose, chances are even if you dont use a comp pedal you listen to recorded music with them and in a lot of scenarios rack comps are used in live and studio settings.
Because it is a "Discussion Forum".
Should we go back and delete all posts that are not an affirmation of some pedal or amp.?
Could you sleep nights then.?
Best
BTW, do you realize you posted, just to say that you do not like/get something.? Why not just keep it to yourself.?
 
Last edited:
Re: does anyone else dislike compressors?

For some reason I have difficulty operating pedals like the Boss CS-2, although I like "professional" compressors like the DBX 160x that I use for bass playing just fine.

I think many pedals have been made with 80'ties funk on a clean Strat sound in mind?
 
Re: does anyone else dislike compressors?

Because it is a "Discussion Forum".
Should we go back and delete all posts that are not an affirmation of some pedal or amp.?
Could you sleep nights then.?
Best
BTW, do you realize you posted, just to say that you do not like/get something.? Why not just keep it to yourself.?

I guess i just prefer constructive conversations over pointless bickering and flame wars hence why I hate hanging around these forums much.

To me these types of threads are a hindrance to progress rather than anything of value.

Who is honestly being led in a better direction to the sound they want by saying somethung along the lines of oh yeah les pauls into marshalls rule dont let some stupid comp suck the life outta your tone? Umm half the posts I read are complaining because the compressor is doig what it is supposed to level out your dynamics. It is an effect, it shouldn't be used all the time, and it wont work for everyone I am a studio musician and I play pretty much every style of music from classical to jazz to metal and yeah I own dozens of stompboxes and many guitars to achieve different tones. There isnt a right answer but flat out saying they suck is just simple ignorance, just because you dont know how to use something or its intended uses dont fall in line wih your needs does not make it bad for everyone else.

Maybe instead of saying ignorant things you could shed some light on real scenarios, real products, what you liked, what you didnt, etc. Isnt the purpose of a forum to be a resource to musicians? I am sorry I dont think ignorant rants are a way of making people agree with your point of view nor are they valuable to developing a signal chain.
 
Last edited:
Re: does anyone else dislike compressors?

If your tone has any distortion in it you're using compression.

If you don't compress it someone else will. Just about every great guitar tone on every great track you've ever heard is compressed in some form. It's the nature of mixing especially when albums and tape were the norm for distribution. (But it's even worse today with the loudness wars.) I couldn't imagine trying to mix a song without it. And multiband compression is really the bomb.
Yea and verily! Seems odd how so many people admire "sag" when a tube amp's power section goes into distortion but a similar number cry foul when the topic of compressors comes up.

I suspect that part of the issue is that comps aren't supposed to change the timbre of the guitar. Consequently, a lot of folks will squish the hell out of their signal so they can "hear it do something". Another issue with comps is that the threshold isn't adjustable on most stomp boxes. Sometimes you want to knock the top off your transients (more like a limiter) and sometimes you want the note to be heard when you didn't quite pick it cleanly. When you can adjust where the comp kicks in, it becomes a lot more useful IMO.
 
Re: does anyone else dislike compressors?

Not much of a fan myself. With my current rig I get a wide variety of tones from pick attack and I prefer it that way. I don't want something in line automatically adjusting the gain of different frequencies to keep things balanced.
 
Back
Top