Who Uses Compression Pedals for Solos?

Guitarist

Mesa-ologist
I want a smoother, more compressed tone for my solos ala John Petrucci...so I'm thinking about adding the BOSS Compresser/Sustainer pedal. What do you guys think about this? Any of you guys use this? Any artists you know of?

Thanks in advance.
 
Re: Who Uses Compression Pedals for Solos?

I think a compressor is a great idea.. I've always wanted to compare compressed and uncompressed sounds side by side.
 
Re: Who Uses Compression Pedals for Solos?

Whats the benefit?

i might try , would the 'compressor' effect on my vamp2 do the trick of the compressor/sustainer?
 
Re: Who Uses Compression Pedals for Solos?

well, a compressor tightens up the sound, makes it stand out more and give it a kinda punchy sound

and a sustainer well, makes things ring out more


so needless to say, that setting would compress, but not sustain. You only really need a compression sustainer to make things sound punchier without compromising sustain
 
Re: Who Uses Compression Pedals for Solos?

drew_half_empty said:
well, a compressor tightens up the sound, makes it stand out more and give it a kinda punchy sound

and a sustainer well, makes things ring out more


so needless to say, that setting would compress, but not sustain. You only really need a compression sustainer to make things sound punchier without compromising sustain
Errr...I don't know if punchy is the word you're looking for. It actually in a way, looses the punch and the rawness and filters out some harsher high frequencies to smoothen out the overall tone for a more liquid sound.
 
Re: Who Uses Compression Pedals for Solos?

I always found the compressor on my V-amp2 to make everything more defined.

For example in Megadeth's Holy Wars...The Punishment Due, they have that run that has power chords on the E string seperated by the open E and B in that order. Do you know what I mean? When I incrased the compression level, those open strings were way more audible, where they used to be totally eaten by the low strings ringing out.
 
Re: Who Uses Compression Pedals for Solos?

DeadSkinSlayer3 said:
I always found the compressor on my V-amp2 to make everything more defined.

For example in Megadeth's Holy Wars...The Punishment Due, they have that run that has power chords on the E string seperated by the open E and B in that order. Do you know what I mean? When I incrased the compression level, those open strings were way more audible, where they used to be totally eaten by the low strings ringing out.
Sweet! So are you saying that you have your entire tone is compressed throughout all of your songs?

I'd be afraid of the compressor coloring the tone too much, and make it sound sterile.
 
Re: Who Uses Compression Pedals for Solos?

When I'm using the V-amp distortion (recording, practice) I always have the compressor at 5. With the XXX, it's articulate enough for me (and I'm a picky mother****er!) without any additional compression.
 
Re: Who Uses Compression Pedals for Solos?

I use one but only when I'm playing clean. They are fun pedals.
 
Re: Who Uses Compression Pedals for Solos?

Falstaff said:
I use one but only when I'm playing clean. They are fun pedals.
Is there a reason why you only like it on clean? I know I didn't like the compression on rhythm because it made the tone so sterile...but then again, I didn't have the time to work with the dials enough to really give that a fair grading. Thanks Falstaff.
 
Re: Who Uses Compression Pedals for Solos?

Guitarist said:
Is there a reason why you only like it on clean? I know I didn't like the compression on rhythm because it made the tone so sterile...but then again, I didn't have the time to work with the dials enough to really give that a fair grading. Thanks Falstaff.

Hmm...I'm not sure. I associate compressed clean leads with country music, so when I'm playing that kind of stuff I like to use my pedal. I also use it when I play twelve string, as it really adds a particular mojo with that guitar.

I play a non-mv amp and it is really responsive to touch. That can be a great thing and a difficult thing. The comp can really smooth over my bad playing. I think that when I'm using a distortion pedal the gain smooths things out a bit, too, so I don't need the safety net the comp provides.

I like it for rhythm as well as lead, but again just for clean. It might have a lot to do with what kind of music I play, too, as I don't associate any of my guitar heroes that play dirty with compression.

Compressors might sound good with one amp and not so good with another, too.
 
Re: Who Uses Compression Pedals for Solos?

Compressor's do not make your tone sterile in my experience. Its all about moderation and tweaking your sound. Pedals and effects are like make up imo, don't put on too much because if you do its all crap! But used in moderation it can make things beautiful.
 
Re: Who Uses Compression Pedals for Solos?

I run through a compressor all the time. The setting stays the same. I have a tendency to "attack" the guitar a bit and the comp helps smooth out the attack. Plus, it raises the signal floor so I can run more input into the processors.
 
Re: Who Uses Compression Pedals for Solos?

I use a TS-9 for compression on high gain leads. It really makes the notes stand out.

I've been thinking about adding a compression pedal for clean rhythm to help keep my levels down below overdrive levels. Will they actually do this? Or am I looking at the wrong effect? I use my volume knob right now, but the clean channel is pretty touch sensitive, and tends to overdrive easily if I pick to hard, and turning the volume down more kills the headroom on the guitar, taking away all dynamics.
 
Re: Who Uses Compression Pedals for Solos?

A compressor is cool for clean solos, for added sustain and smoothness.

But with overdrive/distortion, a compressor is useless. Distortion compresses the signal pretty heavily anyway, and a compressor before distortion will only give you more noise and hum.

I hear lots of beginners using compressors to make up for bad picking dynamics. It's a crutch.
Sustain, dynamics, punch... It's all in the fingers, really.
 
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Re: Who Uses Compression Pedals for Solos?

I tried your 'compressor' effect.

All it succeeded in doing was taking away all sustain and making more hum.
 
Re: Who Uses Compression Pedals for Solos?

Falstaff said:
I use one but only when I'm playing clean. They are fun pedals.

same hear, works a charm for clean rhythm parts.

from my understanding of the pedal, they make loud notes quieter, and quieter notes louder, thus evening out the dynamics... the reason i dont like this for solos is i like my sound to be as dynamic as possible.

distorted sounds are already quite compressed sounding anyway, there is much greater dynamics in a clean sound to warrant using one
 
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