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fx placement: compressor before or after overdrive pedal?


FloydianAnimal

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i actually like to compress ahead of overdrive pedals, so i can get a sound that is on the edge of breakup without having to really regulate my playing. basically, the softer notes still hit the overdrive just right, and the louder notes don't oversaturate.

overdrive, by its very nature, tends to compress your dynamics, but i don't think most overdrive pedals actually have a compressor built into them. that wouldn't make much sense.

robb.

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I personally preferr to put the OD behind all other effects

 

 

Really? Have you experimented with effect placement and found that you liked that best? Or just put it there and it works?

 

I have my tuner first...so it gets all of my signal...then the envelope filter...for the same reason. It gets more "quack" being first. Then I have all of my OD/Distortions...it allows them to have the most dynamics. I can dig it and get them to sound nasty, or I can lay off and have them be a little more mild.

 

After that I have a compressor, and then all of the modulation (phase, chorus, flange).

 

I have done a lot of testing and found this to be my favorite chain so far. I'm sure it'll change...but for now it's great.

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Really? Have you experimented with effect placement and found that you liked that best? Or just put it there and it works?


I have my tuner first...so it gets all of my signal...then the envelope filter...for the same reason. It gets more "quack" being first. Then I have all of my OD/Distortions...it allows them to have the most dynamics. I can dig it and get them to sound nasty, or I can lay off and have them be a little more mild.


After that I have a compressor, and then all of the modulation (phase, chorus, flange).


I have done a lot of testing and found this to be my favorite chain so far. I'm sure it'll change...but for now it's great.

 

 

That is pretty typical and makes good logical sense.

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I tested my placement of my Punch Factory and PD7, I found it sounded horrible when I put the OD first, but I think thats more just because of the pedal. And I don't trust running my cable into it directly as the jacks are a lil bit dicky and crackle. Maybe if I get a Muff or Bluebeard or something I'll have another go at placing them in different positions. All food for thought though...

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Really? Have you experimented with effect placement and found that you liked that best? Or just put it there and it works?


I have my tuner first...so it gets all of my signal...then the envelope filter...for the same reason. It gets more "quack" being first. Then I have all of my OD/Distortions...it allows them to have the most dynamics. I can dig it and get them to sound nasty, or I can lay off and have them be a little more mild.


After that I have a compressor, and then all of the modulation (phase, chorus, flange).


I have done a lot of testing and found this to be my favorite chain so far. I'm sure it'll change...but for now it's great.

 

 

I have experimented with the placement and found that is how i prefer my configuration.

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Depends a LOT on the exact units you have. They are not all created equal even though they may have the same basic description.

 

A Boss CS-3 and an EH Small Stone are very different (and those are only TWO examples out of hundreds).

 

There's just no hard/fast rule. I like to Comp first, but that's just me (and really, other than compression I don't use many effects on bass, if any at all. I'm a meat and steel kind of player).

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The conventional wisdom is to put the compressor before the OD. If you put it after it might increase noise.

 

 

Since when? The conventional wisdom would be putting a rack mount comp in the FX loop...and all of your OD up front. But as far as signal chain goes, that would put the comp as the last thing in the chain before the power amp. Well after any OD/distortion...

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