Limiting vs Compression

Jack_TriPpEr

Jack_TriPpEr

New member
This explanation from Robert Keeley about the difference btw a Limiter and a Compressor, helped me make a significant improvment in my tone when I discovered this video about three years ago.

It lead to me incorporating a Limiter to even out the string-to-string volume in my clean tone and make it sound fuller without the downsides of how a Compressor messes with the tone. Doing that, I don't find a need to use a Compressor at all.

Anyone else have similar experiences? Or a different experience?
 
My experience with VSTs is yes, sort of. Limiter = compressor with a hard cutoff. Limiter has fewer functions so is easier to set. I'm sure Robert has forgotten more than I'll ever learn.
 
Aceman said:
Yep....

I still say what MOST guitar players want is a sustainer, not a limiter or a compressor.
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Respectfully disagree. Keeley demonstrates in that video, that sustain = level boost = added noise. The beauty of a Limiter is that you can goose your volume so the lowest volume strings are heard naturally, and the compessor comes in to squash any notes, like a boomy Low E, that are at distorted levels.
 
I only really use compression when I'm finger picking, as it makes volume control a whole lot more manageable, a limiter is definitely useful onstage, even from a practical standpoint as opposed to purely musical.
 
Could limiting be used to chop off spikes for recording if I don't like how the whole thing sounds compressed? What would you recommend?
 
Jack_TriPpEr said:
Respectfully disagree. Keeley demonstrates in that video, that sustain = level boost = added noise. The beauty of a Limiter is that you can goose your volume so the lowest volume strings are heard naturally, and the compessor comes in to squash any notes, like a boomy Low E, that are at distorted levels.
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His point is most guitarist want the effect of the longer release on compressor creating the sustain effect. I agree -most people are not looking for the effect of running heavy compression -like an Andy Summers or Tame Impala where that is the sound of their guitar.
 
NegativeEase said:
His point is most guitarist want the effect of the longer release on compressor creating the sustain effect. I agree -most people are not looking for the effect of running heavy compression -like an Andy Summers or Tame Impala where that is the sound of their guitar.
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Don't a lot of country guitarists use actual compression on their guitars?

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NegativeEase said:
His point is most guitarist want the effect of the longer release on compressor creating the sustain effect. I agree -most people are not looking for the effect of running heavy compression -like an Andy Summers or Tame Impala where that is the sound of their guitar.
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Gotcha, alot of people want a Compressor for the sustain effect. But... it now makes me want to piay around with the limiter settings and amp volume setting to see if i can get a sustain effect from it.
 
I love that super compressed twangy guitar tone that I hear on Clint Black's albums.

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NegativeEase said:
Yeah, thats probably the most popular use for using compression as a tonal effect
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What do you think happens when you take that clean sound and then distort it far more than any reasonable person would think wise?

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Demanic said:
What do you think happens when you take that clean sound and then distort it far more than any reasonable person would think wise?

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not as much in a big tube amp that's getting saturated like crazy

but pretty noticeable in a solid state amp.

I'd say country cleans are the most popular for outboard pedal compression, as heavy rockers get so much of that from other pedals and amps that it is less essential.
 
Little Pigbacon said:
Now I need a Keeley Compressor Pro, too.
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Realistically, that's probably the only pedal that I would be interested in getting at this point. But I have both the two and four knobbed versions of his original compressor, so I'll make do with those.

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NegativeEase said:
not as much in a big tube amp that's getting saturated like crazy

but pretty noticeable in a solid state amp.

I'd say country cleans are the most popular for outboard pedal compression, as heavy rockers get so much of that from other pedals and amps that it is less essential.
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I agree, but even in a tube amp, it enhances the clarity for heavily distorted staccato picking.

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Hearing the actual compression occur is/was indeed a hallmark of a lot of 80's pop and country of assorted eras.

Used an MXR Dyna comp severely in the actual 80's.
 
Demanic said:
I agree, but even in a tube amp, it enhances the clarity for heavily distorted staccato picking.

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Yeah, I remember the first time I engineered a polished metal band in the early 90s (Until then I had just done hardcore ,rap, punk, ska etc) -he had heavy compression/Limiting Hush Pedal/Noise gate and I believe dual rectifier into some really tight cabs

It was whole new thing to me.
 
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