Compressors

[58Lee]

I have never really given much thought to using a compressor until recently. Do you guys use one and if so why? My circumstances are that I am a bedroom player. Have LPs, 335s and Strats. My goal is to play around and practice just for fun. I heard a comment recently that a compressor can help you "tame" a guitar at times. Not sure I know what that means. I like a good touch sensitive pickup and an organic sound without too many toys. Thanks for your help and comments.

 

[lonesomesheik]

An LP or 335 with proper pickups don't need much of anything apart from a good amp, my2ctsaf:jim

 

[wild.joz]

An LP or 335 with proper pickups don't need much of anything apart from a good amp, my2ctsaf:jim

+1

 

[Bob Womack]

There are a lot of sounds you simply can't without a compressor, specifically, low distortion high-sustain sounds. If you want that sustained lead sound without all the drive, a compressor is the way to go. Larry Carlton, for instance, made his name on record with an MXR dyna-comp, a late '60s ES-335, and a Princeton Reverb. A compressor on legato passages will make you sound deliberate and like you know what you are doing.

Bob

 

[PHILBERT]

I am also not a big effects user. And I have to get an organic tone, or I'm not happy. Comp is the only effect I use on a regular regular basis.

Using a little compression gives me a better "feeling" to the response I get from the amp. It works the dynamics of my tubes to get a bouncy effect. I love the response it adds, and this allows me to play with more expression and not work so hard to get that. Plus I use it to drive the amp a little harder, so when I kick it in it has a bit more gain. This allows me to select the level, softer or harder, as I need it with a foot switch. Could I get the same results by just turning up my guitar or amp a little more? Not really, because the tone changes by doing that, and the dynamics don't, so it works better to comp it on all the sweet spot settings of the amp and guitar. It also helps on rolling back to clean levels. So I can go from clean to slammin' hard rock (almost metal) drive levels without losing too much volume or any sustain. Some amps may already have good compression, so it can vary amp to amp. But I still find it helped on several amps I used it on.

 

[J T]

Compressors seem to be so poorly understood and misused by most players, that they just toss them back in the pedal bin or put them up on ebay.

You can get some really nice tones and nuances out of the other end of you signal chain if that's what you're going for. Even if it's in front of a distortion pedal.

Don't overdo it. You'll wind up squashing that signal so much, it won't sound very good at all.

Imagine having a conversation with somebody, then putting an empty paper towel tube over your mouth. Your friend still hears all the words, but it all sounds really different, right? Instead of lots of the sound dissipating, it is all "squashed" together once it emerges from the other end of the tube. The smaller the tube, the more different it sounds.

Same kind of thing with guitar signal, not really as extreme, but the size of the "tube" is varied by the Sustain knob. Just a touch and just a little of the signal is affected, but evens out the signal. The higher the knob, the smaller the paper towel tube, the more "quacky" it gets.

So a compressor can actually get great signal out to your other pedals and amp to compensate for what's being lost in the unbalanced signal that leaves the guitar. On the other hand, too much and the guitar sounds, well, really yucky.

 

[J T]

Mark Knopfler had great tone with the Orange Squeezer with his Strat.

 

[Classic]

I recently picked up a Keeley 2 knob compressor which I'm intending to use with my LP for clean sounds and funky numbers. I tried and sold a compressor years ago but from memory either didn't like it or couldn't tell much of a variation. The Keeley seems far more transparent but I can definitely tell what it's doing and it sounds pretty good.

 

[toxpert]

I use a compressor for occasional leads that I do with the Tele. It adds a bit more squash for the tome I want for those songs.

I use a compressor always with pedal steel and lap steel. I place it between the instrument and the volume pedal. In this setting, it helps with leveling out pick attack...and, more importantly, feeds a sustained sound to the volume pedal. Makes it just like driving a car...press on the pedal and the power is there.

 

[sonar]

I've never had much use for a compressor and a LP, but I have been toying around with a comp and Tele for that squashed, Dyna Comp sound. The problem I'm having is that the comp is terribly noisy at band volume, specifically with a Princeton Reverb being pushed (vol. @ 7). When I pull back on the settings the noise lessens, but then it just sounds crappy.

 

[toxpert]

I had a DYNA Comp '76 Vintage reissue...it was OK.
I since replaced it with the XOTIC SP Compressor. I find this smaller pedal to have very little noise and easy to use.
Nice feature is the wet/dry mix for the signal.

 

[Texas Blues]

The compressor is the flux capacitor of the pedal world. I tried one a long time ago back in '55 when they invented the 'thang.

 

[Gold Tone]

Compressors seem to be so poorly understood and misused by most players, that they just toss them back in the pedal bin or put them up on ebay.

You can get some really nice tones and nuances out of the other end of you signal chain if that's what you're going for. Even if it's in front of a distortion pedal.

Don't overdo it. You'll wind up squashing that signal so much, it won't sound very good at all.

Imagine having a conversation with somebody, then putting an empty paper towel tube over your mouth. Your friend still hears all the words, but it all sounds really different, right? Instead of lots of the sound dissipating, it is all "squashed" together once it emerges from the other end of the tube. The smaller the tube, the more different it sounds.

Same kind of thing with guitar signal, not really as extreme, but the size of the "tube" is varied by the Sustain knob. Just a touch and just a little of the signal is affected, but evens out the signal. The higher the knob, the smaller the paper towel tube, the more "quacky" it gets.

So a compressor can actually get great signal out to your other pedals and amp to compensate for what's being lost in the unbalanced signal that leaves the guitar. On the other hand, too much and the guitar sounds, well, really yucky.

+1000

 

[PHILBERT]

There are a lot of sounds you simply can't without a compressor, specifically, low distortion high-sustain sounds. If you want that sustained lead sound without all the drive, a compressor is the way to go. Larry Carlton, for instance, made his name on record with an MXR dyna-comp, a late '60s ES-335, and a Princeton Reverb. A compressor on legato passages will make you sound deliberate and like you know what you are doing.

Bob

+1,000,000

 

[Edward]

Compressors seem to be so poorly understood and misused by most players, that they just toss them back in the pedal bin or put them up on ebay.

You can get some really nice tones and nuances out of the other end of you signal chain if that's what you're going for. Even if it's in front of a distortion pedal.

Don't overdo it. You'll wind up squashing that signal so much, it won't sound very good at all.
....

Big affirmative, on all three counts. Purists feel free to cover your ears: a compressor is simply another tool in the box. It can be used poorly or done very tastefully, just like every other freakin pedal out there. Nothing, inherently "bad" about them.

Edward

 

[Mr. Papa]

Love my CS-3, but miss my Bi-Comp.

 

[GM in NJ]

This is a really interesting discussion to me, and I'm enjoying the different opinions.

I have owned an old Dyna-comp, and a Janglebox, and ended up selling them both.

I know helpful compression when I hear it, and neither of these boxes did exactly what I wanted. In the process, I lost some tone and gained some noise.

So, no compressor on my board right now, but maybe someday I'll try another.

 

[rays44]

Big affirmative, on all three counts. Purists feel free to cover your ears: a compressor is simply another tool in the box. It can be used poorly or done very tastefully, just like every other freakin pedal out there. Nothing, inherently "bad" about them.

Edward

Plus 1001.
You can also use it on demand. For instance if you're going for a long sustained note that your rig won't normally give you, just hit the comp for that note. It doesn't have to be on any longer than needed. Lots of creative ways to slip any effect in and out as needed.
Re-read the tool thing above. :lol

 

[toxpert]

also re-read my last comment ...for the Xotic compressor.

Most compression pedals are either on/off and you set the compression. All of your signal is processed at that setting.

The Xotic pedal has a blend that mixes compressed and uncompressed sound.

Its like having two channels with a infinite blend knob.

Full counterclockwise = original signal (or your can adjust for a db boost)
Full clockwise = 100 % of the signal is compressed

It a great option where you can dial in any amount of compression...but add just a bit (or all) of that to your unaltered tone. I just don't see this option on other traditional compressor pedals.

 

[PHILBERT]

I have no idea what compressor model my Digitech GSP1101 is modeled after. I just know it kicks butt. No "squish" at all. Just power, and a great bouncy response. Makes playing have more feel...and is more fun. I use modest settings.

They gave me three choices. I use the first simply called "Compressor". There is a Dyna Comp model that sounds way squishy. I don't like it. Then the third model changes the tone...no good. Hey, whatever. At least I have one model that is color free and totally cool. I doubt anyone would know when it is kicked in. I know, and it is more a feel thing. :dude: