What is pickup "compression"?
- Thread starter Artie
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fuzzyratfarts
New member
Re: What is pickup "compression"?
I MAY BE WRONG....but I think that term refers to when a pickup does not sense changes in picking attack/style/severity well. It makes all notes sound relatively similar in tone/volume. A non-compressed sounding pickup sounds different when you pick the strings with varying levels of intensity, while a compressed sounding pickup makes all notes sound similar...I think....
I MAY BE WRONG....but I think that term refers to when a pickup does not sense changes in picking attack/style/severity well. It makes all notes sound relatively similar in tone/volume. A non-compressed sounding pickup sounds different when you pick the strings with varying levels of intensity, while a compressed sounding pickup makes all notes sound similar...I think....
ratherdashing
Kablamminator
Re: What is pickup "compression"?
You know what a compressor does, right? Imagine a pickup doing the same thing - albeit subtly. That's my take on it at least.
You know what a compressor does, right? Imagine a pickup doing the same thing - albeit subtly. That's my take on it at least.
D
DeadSkinSlayer3
Guest
Re: What is pickup "compression"?
I think of it as like a boxy, 'stuck in one spot' kind of sound, all smushed into one big pile of ****.
I think of it as like a boxy, 'stuck in one spot' kind of sound, all smushed into one big pile of ****.
ratherdashing
Kablamminator
Re: What is pickup "compression"?
Using insane amounts of gain makes ANYTHING sound compressed.
D-EJ915 said:
Using insane amounts of gain makes ANYTHING sound compressed.
Re: What is pickup "compression"?
Here's Chris Kinman's definition:
http://www.kinman.com/html/toneWorkshop/glossary/sonic.htm
Here's Chris Kinman's definition:
http://www.kinman.com/html/toneWorkshop/glossary/sonic.htm
B
Breogan
Guest
Re: What is pickup "compression"?
IMO when people talks about a compressed pickups they talk about the effect it makes in the amps preamp. The reasons low output pickups are more subtle it is because the overall output it is lower and doesn't affect the dinamic range of the amps input. If the output of the pickups it is higher then saturates the preamp earlier and, beause of that, tends to sound more flat and compressed.
I think this effect it is the same as when people taks about the sustain of a pickup.
I never read of anyone talking about a low output pickup as compressed but we read everyday people describing high output pickups as "compressed with lots of sustain".
IMO when people talks about a compressed pickups they talk about the effect it makes in the amps preamp. The reasons low output pickups are more subtle it is because the overall output it is lower and doesn't affect the dinamic range of the amps input. If the output of the pickups it is higher then saturates the preamp earlier and, beause of that, tends to sound more flat and compressed.
I think this effect it is the same as when people taks about the sustain of a pickup.
I never read of anyone talking about a low output pickup as compressed but we read everyday people describing high output pickups as "compressed with lots of sustain".
Re: What is pickup "compression"?
THe ibanez V8 is one i didnt like. It seem to just muddy all the notes together. I think if you play lightly with a soft attack then it may sound ok but i tried everything even put it in a different guitar and it was still to much. The V7 isnt so bad. It gets just dirty enough.
It took making that pickup video i made to make me realize what i like about a pickup, now i have a good idea what im looking for. What i use to think sounded good now doesnt seem all that great now. Now i know what to look for.
THe ibanez V8 is one i didnt like. It seem to just muddy all the notes together. I think if you play lightly with a soft attack then it may sound ok but i tried everything even put it in a different guitar and it was still to much. The V7 isnt so bad. It gets just dirty enough.
It took making that pickup video i made to make me realize what i like about a pickup, now i have a good idea what im looking for. What i use to think sounded good now doesnt seem all that great now. Now i know what to look for.
LesPaulRules
New member
Re: What is pickup "compression"?
I agree with what others have said, and will just add a real world experience. Been playing Les Pauls for a long time and always enjoyed higher output pickups for their added sustain and compression. My JB and other higher output pickups make it easy to rip solos out at the speed of light... with the BIG trade off being a loss in clarity, note seperation, and an overall reduction of the sound spectrum. It's easier to hide behing a JB than a 59B.
Still love a JB, but now prefer lower output pickups such as a '59, or Burstbucker.
I agree with what others have said, and will just add a real world experience. Been playing Les Pauls for a long time and always enjoyed higher output pickups for their added sustain and compression. My JB and other higher output pickups make it easy to rip solos out at the speed of light... with the BIG trade off being a loss in clarity, note seperation, and an overall reduction of the sound spectrum. It's easier to hide behing a JB than a 59B.
Still love a JB, but now prefer lower output pickups such as a '59, or Burstbucker.
MikeS
Bengalsologist
Re: What is pickup "compression"?
Parallel universe, definitly. Modelers, to me, always seem to have a slightly compressed tone to them. On the other hand, I've been able to dial in better tones from my modeler than I have from my Marshall (yes, my Line6 is more Marshall than my Marshall).
Call me crazy, Artie, but I honostly believe that pickup choice matters less with a modeling amp. I can still tell teh differences between guitars on a modeler, but the difference is not nearly as pronounced as it is on the 50 watter.
Parallel universe, definitly. Modelers, to me, always seem to have a slightly compressed tone to them. On the other hand, I've been able to dial in better tones from my modeler than I have from my Marshall (yes, my Line6 is more Marshall than my Marshall).
Call me crazy, Artie, but I honostly believe that pickup choice matters less with a modeling amp. I can still tell teh differences between guitars on a modeler, but the difference is not nearly as pronounced as it is on the 50 watter.
Artie
Peaveyologist
Re: What is pickup "compression"?
This could be a whole new thread by itself.
I can only comment on half of that because I've never owned a "real" guitar amp. But at the same time, I've always thought that I might hear more difference in guitars and pups, not so much because of the modeler per se, but because of my set up. I'm guessing that by going through an SS amp and old Yamaha studio monitors, (complete with midrange and tweeters), that I might hear more definition than with a guitar amp that might typically have a pair of 12's.
I really, really need to get a Bassman.
Artie
MikeS said:
This could be a whole new thread by itself.
I can only comment on half of that because I've never owned a "real" guitar amp. But at the same time, I've always thought that I might hear more difference in guitars and pups, not so much because of the modeler per se, but because of my set up. I'm guessing that by going through an SS amp and old Yamaha studio monitors, (complete with midrange and tweeters), that I might hear more definition than with a guitar amp that might typically have a pair of 12's.
I really, really need to get a Bassman.
Artie
Aceman
I am your doctor of love!
Re: What is pickup "compression"?
I have a DiMarzio ToneZOne that is what I would call fairly "compressed." But - since I'm playing through a fairly pristine solid state amp, I feel it give me just an extra tubey edge that sounds really good....
And for the record-massive gain, which equals clipping, is actually a form of "limiting." You can push the sound up if it falls below a minimum, or pull it down if it goes above a certain level. Both have their uses. The push up is what gives notes their sustain with a compressor. Depending on the unit, an effects box may do one, the other or both! when the gain is pegged, the amp clips, which means anything going in is pretty much shoved up to the ceiling, in glorious explosion of fuzz! At that point nothing gets louder- just hairier.
I have a DiMarzio ToneZOne that is what I would call fairly "compressed." But - since I'm playing through a fairly pristine solid state amp, I feel it give me just an extra tubey edge that sounds really good....
And for the record-massive gain, which equals clipping, is actually a form of "limiting." You can push the sound up if it falls below a minimum, or pull it down if it goes above a certain level. Both have their uses. The push up is what gives notes their sustain with a compressor. Depending on the unit, an effects box may do one, the other or both! when the gain is pegged, the amp clips, which means anything going in is pretty much shoved up to the ceiling, in glorious explosion of fuzz! At that point nothing gets louder- just hairier.
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