Looking for a compressor

[solspirit]

I bought one that was labeled as a compressor but turned out to be a limiter?/noise gate. Then I bought a $25 Mimidi Tight Up compressor and I haven't even tried it yet.

I got the bass, played with it for 3 days and it made me want to play guitar.

 

[donaldr]

I bought one that was labeled as a compressor but turned out to be a limiter?/noise gate. Then I bought a $25 Mimidi Tight Up compressor and I haven't even tried it yet.

I got the bass, played with it for 3 days and it made me want to play guitar.

Are you getting your first bass? If so I would not play thru a compressor until you mastered the instrument a bit.

 

[solspirit]

Are you getting your first bass? If so I would not play thru a compressor until you mastered the instrument a bit.

Yep, my first playable bass

 

[donaldr]

Part of being a good bass player is to control the dynamic in your playing, so if you use a compressor to do that how would you improve your technic?
I'm playing bass for a long time and I rarely use a compressor except for slapping or for when I want a mellower tone by bringing the volume down and playing ligthly. I also use it AFTER I recorded a track but only in the context of a song and other instruments. If the sound guy want to use a compressor on my bass live, I let him do so and I don't worry about it.

 

[Mincer]

I use a compressor for bass because I don't have the technique on that instrument, and I know I don't put enough time into it. I use a bass to compose bass lines and record, but it isn't something I usually practice.

 

[solspirit]

I haven't even tried it, I played with the bass a few times waiting for the compressor then they sent me the wrong one. Just playing around with it for a few days, I wanted to play guitar again so I just hung it up before I got an actual compressor.

 

[Blille]

Part of being a good bass player is to control the dynamic in your playing, so if you use a compressor to do that how would you improve your technic?
I'm playing bass for a long time and I rarely use a compressor except for slapping or for when I want a mellower tone by bringing the volume down and playing ligthly. I also use it AFTER I recorded a track but only in the context of a song and other instruments. If the sound guy want to use a compressor on my bass live, I let him do so and I don't worry about it.

I disagree with the assumptions here that the compressor is to cover bad technique and that there are no other things to improve in your technique apart from dynamics.

There is no way to reproduce the resulting signal from a compressor by technique. It’s not just reducing the peaks. The result is a flatter, thicker signal overall. And there is a LOT to work on apart from dynamics. Even then, if I could fix any part of my playing with a pedal I certainly would.

 

[Mincer]

I disagree with the assumptions here that the compressor is to cover bad technique and that there are no other things to improve in your technique apart from dynamics.

There is no way to reproduce the resulting signal from a compressor by technique. It’s not just reducing the peaks. The result is a flatter, thicker signal overall. And there is a LOT to work on apart from dynamics. Even then, if I could fix any part of my playing with a pedal I certainly would.

When recording, I will use a compressor so I don't hear strong attack when using a pick, which, as a guitarist, I find easier on bass than my fingers.

 

[Demanic]

Wow, see that's how all players have different needs. I want to capture the attack and sustain the tone behind it. Which I why I have used a compressor for bass.

 

[solspirit]

Wow, see that's how all players have different needs. I want to capture the attack and sustain the tone behind it. Which I why I have used a compressor for bass.

This is how I used it with a guitar. One of these days if and when I pick up the bass again, that's how I'll use it. I'm just so disappointed in the amp that I don't even want to play it right now.

 

[Demanic]

K, we're 30+ posts into the thread. Remind me again what's wrong with the performance of the amp.

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[solspirit]

K, we're 30+ posts into the thread. Remind me again what's wrong with the performance of the amp.

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It's too spongy for what I'm looking for. I haven't pushed all the buttons and turned all the dials completely but that was my first impression.

 

[donaldr]

I disagree with the assumptions here that the compressor is to cover bad technique and that there are no other things to improve in your technique apart from dynamics.

Never said there are no other things to improve than dynamics...
And yes a compressor will cover some of your bad technics. Ask a beginner to play a 16th note run for couple of bars, with and without a compressor, and then compare both. So playing flatter and consistant is part of controlling the dynamics.

 

[Demanic]

I think that a hard knee compressor sounds great on a bass with passive electronics. I don't think that it's as important if you are running actives.

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[NegativeEase]

I think that a hard knee compressor sounds great on a bass with passive electronics. I don't think that it's as important if you are running actives.

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completely agree, if you run actives and want to run a compressor -I'd run the compressor in the FX loop to make more of a studio compression sound as a compressor is often a waste in the first position with actives (of course -there are exceptions)

 

[solspirit]

Ok back the fuck up. What's a hard knee compressor?

 

[NegativeEase]

Ok back the **** up. What's a hard knee compressor?

Compression to your signal sets in suddenly at a certain volume threshhold and performs somewhat of a limiter function in this role -captures more regular dynamics of playing than soft knee typically -but also can create more dramatic kinds of compression artifacts like pumping

 

[Demanic]

Compression to your signal sets in suddenly at a certain volume threshhold and performs somewhat of a limiter function in this role -captures more regular dynamics of playing than soft knee typically -but also can create more dramatic kinds of compression artifacts like pumping

Pumping rules. Especially with mid scooped bass.

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[NegativeEase]

Pumping rules. Especially with mid scooped bass.

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Yeah, any artifacts or modulations created as a result of another processing choice can be great as long as the person understands the tradeoff or maybe gets lucky and prefers it all.

I generally like a later compression for dynamic preservation. medium knee and plenty of compression for sustain effect.

 

[dotsdad]

I currently use a Keeley Compressor+ guitar pedal to smooth out my sloppy picking on Jazz Bass. It is an excellent always-on pedal for guitar, but it does lose a little bit of the ultra-lows when used on bass. They make a bass version of it - if I had any money to spend I would buy one in a heartbeat!

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/de...sist-limiting-amplifier-bass-compressor-pedal