Members georgestrings Posted August 17, 2009 Members Share Posted August 17, 2009 No, a peak limiter merely limits peaks. A compressor reduces gain for higher amplitude signals, and increases it for low amplitude signals. They are often included in the same package, as a compressor/limiter, but they are not the same thing. I believe you're mistaken about that - atleast regarding any dbx compressor I've ever used... The dbx units are typically a compressor/gate, not a compressor/limiter... - georgestrings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members georgestrings Posted August 17, 2009 Members Share Posted August 17, 2009 All excellent points regarding the proper use of compression. I've had sound guys who would have been well off to approach compression in the same way. My biggest pet peeve is when they put a heavy compression on the mains, but don't do anything to dial it in appropriately. So I start a song soft with just singing and guitar and the drummer brings it in loud with a tom fill. So the soft isn't really soft, because the gain is bringing it back up and the Toms blow everything away so the vocals are completely lost, then they immediately disappear when everything comes in, all because the sound guy is lazy. So yeah, your approach sounds much better than that. Thanks - as I said, I'm no expert - but I know a little about using compression... Regarding compression use in the PA mains - I don't know ANY *good* sound pros that do that - that's what limiters are for, whether in the amps or processing... - georgestrings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bassandgolf Posted August 17, 2009 Members Share Posted August 17, 2009 I like the built in one in my Mesa M9. I use it at the lightest setting - it seems to smooth things out a bit. If I didn't have it built in, I would not buy an add-on. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members L. Ron Hoover Posted August 17, 2009 Members Share Posted August 17, 2009 I believe you're mistaken about that - atleast regarding any dbx compressor I've ever used... The dbx units are typically a compressor/gate, not a compressor/limiter... - georgestrings Every compressor is a compressor/limiter. The only distinction between them is the compression ratio. Anything with a ratio of 20:1 or more is considered to be a limiter. Typically, you'd only use a limiter for speaker protection and you'd set the threshold so that it only kicked in at the absolute limit because such extreme comp ratios are really unmusical. There are lots of cases where light compression is useful even for people with really good technique in the PA. And yes, you can configure a comp so that the quieter parts are louder and the louder parts are quieter. If you set the threshold such that the compressor is active under average plucking and use the gain knob to compensate for the compression, then the lighter plucks will appear louder because they won't be compressed. It's still operating as a gain reducer of course, but the effect is to bring the quiet parts up relative to the average when it's set up like that. A lot of people have no idea how to use a compressor, including lots of "pro" FOH guys. I was system tech on a major tour a bunch of years ago and the headliner's FOH guy wanted comps on everything. What he'd do was set all the thresholds really low, use fairly high comp ratios and then crank all the makeup gains up 10+ dB. It would be ok when the band was playing but between songs the PA would feed back uncontrollably. The guy complained that the PA wasn't set up right and got really dirty with me when I pointed out to him that whenever the band stopped playing the system gain went up by 10+dB and that was why it was feeding back... EDIT: there may be some comps out there that don't have ratios high enough to be limiters but they're rare. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members L. Ron Hoover Posted August 17, 2009 Members Share Posted August 17, 2009 And where is GZeus to say that all compression is evil all the time? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members James Hart Posted August 17, 2009 Members Share Posted August 17, 2009 A compressor does NOT increase gain of lower-amplitude (softer) notes or passages; it is gain-reducer only. true, but by secondary gain stages, they do have that final result. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bluedogaudio Posted August 17, 2009 Members Share Posted August 17, 2009 IMO, make up for a lack of technique and skill.A lot bass players use compression, and it's not because of lack of technique and skill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members FloydianAnimal Posted August 17, 2009 Members Share Posted August 17, 2009 I like my Multicomp quite a bit. I use compression all the time really, mainly to level out things like the high vs. low string, open strings vs. fretted notes high up the fretboard, and switching between using a pick, tapping, fingerstyle, slapping, etc. Having compression helps keep those things from sounding drastically different volume wise... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members countrybass Posted August 17, 2009 Members Share Posted August 17, 2009 Regarding a bassist's signal chain, I agree - regarding PA use, they're a speaker saver... - georgestrings Agreed Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members countrybass Posted August 17, 2009 Members Share Posted August 17, 2009 A lot bass players use compression, and it's not because of lack of technique and skill. But alot do. I'm just saying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jazz Ad Posted August 17, 2009 Members Share Posted August 17, 2009 A compressor does NOT increase gain of lower-amplitude (softer) notes or passages; it is gain-reducer only.I know what you're saying but it adds confusion instead of explaining.By reducing peaks it allows the whole signal to be boosted. In other words it boosts softer notes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bleepo Posted August 17, 2009 Members Share Posted August 17, 2009 I use a compressor. I believe I have excellent control over my touch, but it still helps my rig sound great. I only use it on the solid state channel of my gbe1200, the tube seems to compress naturally enough on its channel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RIC N BACKER Posted August 17, 2009 Author Members Share Posted August 17, 2009 IMO, make up for a lack of technique and skill.No wonder it didnt do anything for me since I have all those mad skillz... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RIC N BACKER Posted August 18, 2009 Author Members Share Posted August 18, 2009 So I tried it out again and I see (hear) its function. It might have its application...just not this one thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Goofball Jones Posted August 18, 2009 Members Share Posted August 18, 2009 Don't a lot of slap/pop bass players use compression to even things out? I don't slap/pop, so I don't know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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