UberMetalDood
New member
It sounds to my ears like an overdrive typically provides both a boost and compression, so why do a lot of people still add a compressor and boost to their overdrive in the signal chain?
Why do people use a compressor with a boost with an overdrive?
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Metalman_666
New member
Re: Why do people use a compressor with a boost with an overdrive?
The need to cram in as much processing as possible?
But seriously, if you're talking a light overdrive or a fairly transparent one it might add some juice without squashing dynamics. The way I set my Fulldrive with the Comp Cut on I have it adding a bit of a push to the front of the amp while still allowing me to play softly. I've never used a compressor and haven't really thought about it, but I can see how some might find them useful.
Have you seen players use all three at the same time?
The need to cram in as much processing as possible?
But seriously, if you're talking a light overdrive or a fairly transparent one it might add some juice without squashing dynamics. The way I set my Fulldrive with the Comp Cut on I have it adding a bit of a push to the front of the amp while still allowing me to play softly. I've never used a compressor and haven't really thought about it, but I can see how some might find them useful.
Have you seen players use all three at the same time?
UberMetalDood
New member
Re: Why do people use a compressor with a boost with an overdrive?
Lots of people on youtube and various forums and internet sites that have gear sound clips, etc... Some of them really do get great sounds but it seems weird to me that they would have a nice amp and then add so much in front. I always thought an OD pedal already has the boost and compression built in.
Lots of people on youtube and various forums and internet sites that have gear sound clips, etc... Some of them really do get great sounds but it seems weird to me that they would have a nice amp and then add so much in front. I always thought an OD pedal already has the boost and compression built in.
SirJackdeFuzz
New member
Re: Why do people use a compressor with a boost with an overdrive?
NO idea - i am NOT a fan of comps.
Hell, i do not even like to boost my dirty amp with an OD.
It compresses everything wayyy to much and tighten the low end.
Tight low end is just not for me.
NO idea - i am NOT a fan of comps.
Hell, i do not even like to boost my dirty amp with an OD.
It compresses everything wayyy to much and tighten the low end.
Tight low end is just not for me.
ParameterMan
New member
Re: Why do people use a compressor with a boost with an overdrive?
I don't know, but here's why I might do it:
Compression in front of OD pedals makes them sound much more saturated in a smooth creamy way that you can't get by merely turning up the gain. It also provides much more sustain as I personally don't find most OD pedals to be terribly compressed.
In my experience, boost pedals can sound better pushing the amp than a cranked-up OD pedal, at least I find that the case for TS-style pedals. You also then have the option to turn the boost off for rhythm and the OD off for clean(or clean-ish, depend on the amp settings).
I don't know, but here's why I might do it:
Compression in front of OD pedals makes them sound much more saturated in a smooth creamy way that you can't get by merely turning up the gain. It also provides much more sustain as I personally don't find most OD pedals to be terribly compressed.
In my experience, boost pedals can sound better pushing the amp than a cranked-up OD pedal, at least I find that the case for TS-style pedals. You also then have the option to turn the boost off for rhythm and the OD off for clean(or clean-ish, depend on the amp settings).
J
Jessie's ghost
Guest
Re: Why do people use a compressor with a boost with an overdrive?
I lucked into the compression thing a number of years ago when I tried out a Comptortion pedal with a squeaky-clean Fender amp that had tons of headroom, at least at the volumes where I was playing it. The Comptortion was an overdrive and compressor in one pedal, and I found that it reined in the dynamics enough so that I could do more with my pick attack. I could squash notes and make them sustain longer, than I could with the compression turned off. I could also get notes to open up and sweeten. I liked it, a lot.
Later I found that using a compressor pedal with an overdrive pedal in front of those same kinds of amps would accomplish the same thing. A Boss CS-3, choice of dirt pedal, and a Deluxe Reverb, for example, would give me my dirty blues and rock, even without being anywhere near the DRRI breaking up.
I lucked into the compression thing a number of years ago when I tried out a Comptortion pedal with a squeaky-clean Fender amp that had tons of headroom, at least at the volumes where I was playing it. The Comptortion was an overdrive and compressor in one pedal, and I found that it reined in the dynamics enough so that I could do more with my pick attack. I could squash notes and make them sustain longer, than I could with the compression turned off. I could also get notes to open up and sweeten. I liked it, a lot.
Later I found that using a compressor pedal with an overdrive pedal in front of those same kinds of amps would accomplish the same thing. A Boss CS-3, choice of dirt pedal, and a Deluxe Reverb, for example, would give me my dirty blues and rock, even without being anywhere near the DRRI breaking up.
Tor
Riffologist Extraordinaire
Re: Why do people use a compressor with a boost with an overdrive?
Horses for courses.
Right now I play a lot of rock/pop stuff. So I use a compressor after my two very uncompressed and open ODs. That way I can pick lightly and clean up the sound without much loss of volume, but I can also really dig in (for more gain) without jumping out of the PA speakers. Plus, I can strum a chord that will just roar a little longer than without the comp.
I also have a boost after my comp, whenever I want to have my solos up in the mix.
I can see why you don't really need much of this playing blues, metal or in a three piece classic rock cover band, but I'm not.
Horses for courses.
Right now I play a lot of rock/pop stuff. So I use a compressor after my two very uncompressed and open ODs. That way I can pick lightly and clean up the sound without much loss of volume, but I can also really dig in (for more gain) without jumping out of the PA speakers. Plus, I can strum a chord that will just roar a little longer than without the comp.
I also have a boost after my comp, whenever I want to have my solos up in the mix.
I can see why you don't really need much of this playing blues, metal or in a three piece classic rock cover band, but I'm not.
ratherdashing
Kablamminator
Re: Why do people use a compressor with a boost with an overdrive?
It really depends on the specific overdrive involved. Some of them compress plenty, others are very loose with the compression.
It really depends on the specific overdrive involved. Some of them compress plenty, others are very loose with the compression.
UberMetalDood
New member
Re: Why do people use a compressor with a boost with an overdrive?
How about in a recording situation? Isn't it best to add compression after the track is recorded instead of recording a compressed signal? I thought compression increases sustain but squashes dynamics.
How about in a recording situation? Isn't it best to add compression after the track is recorded instead of recording a compressed signal? I thought compression increases sustain but squashes dynamics.
guitfiddle
firstlessonologist
Re: Why do people use a compressor with a boost with an overdrive?
This is it, in a nut shell. I like the od to give me more distortion/volume without damping the dymamics, and for the comp to squash the tone I already have so it won't peak or get too quiet, while boosting it some. When the band is bearing down, and I'm playing about as hard as I like to, the comp smooths everything out.
When the band backs off, I turn the comp off while leaving the OD on, and then I can control the amount of OD and compression with pick attack. I turn the od off for cleaner things, and that's about it.
This is it, in a nut shell. I like the od to give me more distortion/volume without damping the dymamics, and for the comp to squash the tone I already have so it won't peak or get too quiet, while boosting it some. When the band is bearing down, and I'm playing about as hard as I like to, the comp smooths everything out.
When the band backs off, I turn the comp off while leaving the OD on, and then I can control the amount of OD and compression with pick attack. I turn the od off for cleaner things, and that's about it.
Petrovsk Mizinski
New member
Re: Why do people use a compressor with a boost with an overdrive?
A high gain track would already be a quite compressed signal.
In that instance, compression would be used mainly just for evening out palm mutes and slightly spikes in lead lines/solos.
For clean parts, of course that would be quite uncompressed, so the compression would be there to reduce the dynamic range to make it easier to mix.
A high gain track would already be a quite compressed signal.
In that instance, compression would be used mainly just for evening out palm mutes and slightly spikes in lead lines/solos.
For clean parts, of course that would be quite uncompressed, so the compression would be there to reduce the dynamic range to make it easier to mix.
