How are you guys using your compressor?

[SlowGroove]

Re: How are you guys using your compressor?

Normally a such device keeps the volume pretty even, narrow or a wide span is how you adjust your comp, and how good it is!
Some like them for the typical boing sound and feel, others wants them to be invisible soundwise, and just for keeping the signal even, then there are those who uses them as a cleanbooster for leadtones, others have theirs pretty hard setup for a snappy funky rhythm tone, and there is a huge difference in what chips that are used, or if they are optical, how they colour the sound, or how they do not colour the sound, and how the one thing is "bad" or the other thing is "bad"....in short most players do not know what to with a device like that, some thinks they rob you of dynamics, well if you set it hard...it will be a narrow thing to use!
Some makes the sound more round and fat, old MXR, Ross, Ibanez, Boss CS-1 and CS-2,
people have turned it into a bloody maze!
Look it up how they are used in studios and such, it is one of the most mistunderstood tools for guitar!!!
P'S they are also used in a slightly different way as compression and expander(read noisegate)

Thank you for all the info Rid !
Think i will stay away from those compressors !
I do not even have modulation yet - just fuzz - so i will look into that first !


James

 

[NecroPolo]

Re: How are you guys using your compressor?

Noisegates...the worst invention for guitars ever...that is something that will trash your sound for sure!!!!
That is what you silly brewtal types get from all that distortion!

Yep.


Besides that: nasty chicks, fame, money, fun...

 

[baritone]

Re: How are you guys using your compressor?

If you can hear the compressor working, you don't have it set right, use of compression should be subtle.

That's how I do it. I keep a compressor as unnoticeable as possible, but I keep it around for the tiniest bit of dyncamics control. Sometimes, I adjust the output volume so the compressor is acting as a clean booster.

 

[lex666]

Re: How are you guys using your compressor?

If you can hear the compressor working, you don't have it set right, use of compression should be subtle .
I only use a compressor when I use my Rick 360/12, the pups are so weak it needs help, plus it keeps the big strings from overpowering the little ones. A trick made famous by Roger McGuinn.
I wouldn't have one in my chain if it weren't for that, I don't like the loss of dynamics.
Compressors are great for vocals, bass, and drums, but I don't think they are necessarily needed in a guitar rig, especially if you use a tube amp, the tubes compress the signal in a more natural way.

Explain to me some more about 'tube compression'. If I am playing thru a tube amp, is it possible I'm over compressing my tone? Is that why I'm no longer liking the comp pedal? Should I leave the comp out of the chain? Or is it time to try a new comp pedal?

I played around with the CS3 again last nite using my LP on some clean rock ballad stuff. I like the tone without the comp, but I like how I dialed in the comp to make all my notes ring evenly.

Anyone tried the MXR Super Comp? I'm thinking about giving that a try...

 

[NecroPolo]

Re: How are you guys using your compressor?

Explain to me some more about 'tube compression'. If I am playing thru a tube amp, is it possible I'm over compressing my tone? Is that why I'm no longer liking the comp pedal? Should I leave the comp out of the chain? Or is it time to try a new comp pedal?

I played around with the CS3 again last nite using my LP on some clean rock ballad stuff. I like the tone without the comp, but I like how I dialed in the comp to make all my notes ring evenly.

Anyone tried the MXR Super Comp? I'm thinking about giving that a try...

Everything works that feels right. I don't use a compressor in the rig, because the driven amp is enough for me. A fellow of mine (nop, not silly brewtal, he plays clean pop) uses some rackmount dbx compressor with rather radical settings. There are no rules. What feels right for you, is right.

Tube compression is a very subtle and natural phenomenon. Virtually it is some sort of fundamental design flaw because tubes are non-linear amplifying components by default that distort and clip the signal, especially when driven hard. Fortunately for all of us, they do all the bad things the good way

I have no experience with that MXR but for a stompbox there's a Carl Martin compressor / limiter that eats alive the CS3. They work wonderfully with guitars and basses as well. Rackmount units do the thing on an another level. Check this out, for example:

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/feb07/articles/tlaudiofat.htm