Using a compressor as an underdrive?

[Rex_Rocker]

Anybody use a compressor pedal to clean up a gainy amp for broken clean-ish sounds? If so, what are you using? How do you set it up? Or is it a bad idea?

Thanks!

 

[Blille]

It’s not very common but you can do something like that by having a limiter right before the amp. Something like the Keeley GC-2. This will make the signal smoother by killing spikes but you should probably work on general volume earlier in the chain if it’s just that the overall volume is too loud. I use an old dbx unit right before my 5e3 to avoid having it go crazy when I use a lot of reverb etc.

 

[PFDarkside]

The recipe for cleaning up a guitar into a gained up amp is reduced input gain and reduced bass. If you are thinking of limiting the output with a high compression ratio, that’s a good start. If you can roll off bass that’s another step. If you have an OD with a bass control you can roll off the bass and volume to do something similar.

 

[Mincer]

I think it would feel weird to play...step on the pedal and your dynamic range is squished, but you are quieter instead of louder. I think it would work, just feel a little weird.

 

[Benjy_26]

It can work, I think. Rolling back the volume on the guitar would be easier, no?

 

[CaptainWhizz]

An EQ pedal set to cut overall signal and some targeted frequencies?
I saw someone play an Orange Tiny Terror, have it cranked for the dirty tone, and used an EQ pedal in the loop (IIRC) to switch to cleans.

EDIT: I must be misremembering, I’m sure it should go before the preamp.

 

[idsnowdog]

I used to use a limiter/compressor/gate second in my signal chain after my ADA MP1. What I liked was that it evened out my playing and even though the limiter reduced initial attack I could run pretty hot levels to everything else like delay and reverb without clipping. That ability to reduce the peaks and valleys can beef up your tone instead of restricting it.

 

[Demanic]

I like using a compressor to tighten up a clean sound. I suppose that I could use the clipping control on my Keeley 4 knob to introduce a bit of breakup.
But if it's the amp that's breaking up, I would just turn down the pre gain.

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[chadd]

I like using a compressor to tighten up a clean sound. I suppose that I could use the clipping control on my Keeley 4 knob to introduce a bit of breakup.
But if it's the amp that's breaking up, I would just turn down the pre gain.

Sent from my SM-A115A using Tapatalk

I used to add some clean "grit" from my philosopher's tone to get something like the tone in "last night" by the strokes

 

[Demanic]

I think that I tend to use to get the classic "chickin pickin" sound.

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[GuitarStv]

I think it's an idea worth checking out. You could use the compressor to even out signal level, so that even though it's lower volume it's still audible because there's less peaky-ness and you're going to be able to hear all the lowest volume stuff. This would probably work best with a crunchy main tone that is being dropped down to very clean with the pedal.

 

[Ascension]

I think that I tend to use to get the classic "chickin pickin" sound.

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Same here and also clean sustain. I for many years ran JCM 900 MK III Marshall Dual Masters and used a lighter touch and my guitar volume roll off to clean up. Trying to use a compressor to do what I did would not work as you would loose all the dynamics.
Here is me playing with a friend in a tiny room running a MK III 50 watt 1/12 combo and only a delay in the lop and a wah in the front.

 

[alex1fly]

Did it last night at a jam, actually. I was on bass but we switched around instruments. The guitarist had his amp set to a gainy breakup and was playing a Telecaster. His compressor didn't have a huge ratio going on but the level was set lower, so engaging the compressor brought the level down and cleaned up the sound. Turning down the guitar volume cleaned it up, but in a different way - made it "weaker" while the compressor kept it "strong". FWIW

 

[ErikH]

I've done this with my Keeley Compressor Plus. What really helps is the blend control. IMO, Keeley makes the most dynamic friendly compressor out there.
Paul Gilbert has been doing this for a long time. He also had his HBE Detox EQ which allowed him to lower the input to the amp from his board and keep a good EQ'd signal for clean. I had one of those. Great idea and great pedal. Which I had it still. Lately he's been using a compressor and demonstrates in a Rig Rundown.

 

[dave74]

I used it like that for a song intro before. It was setup for big squash with the amp set to it's normal high gain settings, then I would just back the pedal level down so that it was a "raging amp from a distance" sound. It was a cool effect without needing to change anything on the amp.

 

[jeremy]

ive used timmy as a clean/cut pedal. gain all the way down and level and eq to taste. i bet it could work with the right comp too