What's the deal with Compressors?

[Hoople Head]

I admit, I've been (poorly) playing guitar on and off for 10 years now, and until recently I had no idea WTF a compressor pedal was for. I've read the definition of what it does many times, but in a practical sense had no idea of exactly what it did or how to use it.

 

So this week I've gotten curious and started messing around with the compression settings on my Valvetronix - I'm aware that this is clearly not the best compression in the world, but it's somewhere to start.

 

So far, "the deal" seems to be:

 

- Increased compression -> louder

- Increased compression -> more sustain

- Picking dynamics/attack are sort of "filtered" out, i.e. whether I pick really hard or soft matters less

- Obviously there's some loss of "tone", especially playing clean

 

Basically, when I turn up the compression level, the sound gets a bit more sterile but I seem to suck less.

 

Is this the gist or it or am I way off?

[mrbrown49]

You've got it right. The idea is to make the quieter passages and louder passages closer to the same volume. It's more for fitting your guitar into the mix than making it sound good on it's own. The exception to that is slide players who use it to control slide noise and dynamics. You are also spot on in your observation that too much compression kills the dynamic response and feel, resulting in a bland, mushy tone.

[Bert-O-325]

I always think of it more in terms of evening out the dynamics

- it'll boost the quieter parts and lower the louder parts - and not just where I pick louder or softer - but even where certain strings or notes on a guitar seem to have a natural tendency to be louder or softer, it evens them all out.

of course you can crank the effect up so much that its completely squashing out all the dynamics - which sounds pretty strange, especially when playing an otherwise snappy, twangy bit such as a Tele on the Bridge, playing near the bridge - but as with most effects, I think its best when dialed-in/used very sparingly.

[Hoople Head]

Thanks for the responses.

You've got it right. The idea is to make the quieter passages and louder passages closer to the same volume. It's more for fitting your guitar into the mix than making it sound good on it's own. The exception to that is slide players who use it to control slide noise and dynamics. You are also spot on in your observation that too much compression kills the dynamic response and feel, resulting in a bland, mushy tone.

This is probably a fair point as to why I've never had much of a need for it. Seems like something a gigging (or recording) musician would use. The only mix I have to cut through is whatever's on the TV.

[Invader.CC]

I think your missing some things by not having a good compressor..What is intended to do is not only give longer sustain but give better single note clarity while under distortion ..Plus the good compressor give you an attack speed so picking dynamics comes out more although it still will be a little muted ..If it is sucking your tone really bad you have set your compressor to high..I use a compressor to add single not clarity to distorted leads and also for overall tone improvement with the overall improvement of tone it is at low settings and you can't really make it out you just know its there..

[mrbrown49]

...at low settings and you can't really make it out you just know its there..

 

 

That's when they sound their best.

[Les Paul Lover]

I used to have a compressor, lost it and never missed it. (though it does bug me, how in hell have I lost it??)

I'mnot one for effect, after playing some 14 years, my only pedal is a wha, which I almost never use.

Compressors seem to kill the fun of alternating strong & soft picking.

Frustrating when you try to nuance your phrasing, and therefore useless to me.

They are very much used all over the bar scenes, where bands constantly set them to high/strongly, so that their playing sound level remains constant, as explained by MrBrown49.

Irritates the hell out of me. If you pay attention, you may notice that many a singer use it on their voice too, to compensate for their lack of ability to control their voice singing level.

But their voices are then noticeably tinged by the compression, I personaly don't like it.

Note aside: I guess it's good that a singer unable to control their ability to scream their head off in the mic, do take precautionary steps to control that aspect.

But some use it so much that wether they scream or whisper in the mic, you just hear the same sound level.

I'm not a big fan of that effect, but I guess it has a place.

[niceguy]

Compressors are incredible tools, when used properly. I strongly believe that most gigging musicians do not need compressors in their live rig... though IMO.

 

The actual effect of compression can sound cool, but when overused in the entire song, it just kills the concept of dynamics. Then again, if the type of music requires lack of dynamics, then go for it.

 

IDK, I used to use a compressor but I was glad to be rid of it.

[BAXANDALL]

To throw another thought in here, Barber makes a compresser that I use sometimes with my bass called the Tone Press that is kind of unique as far as I know. It actuall sends the signal straight and also through the compressor circuit and adds a blend knob. They call it parallel compression. With that you can have the added loudness and almost infinite sustain but you can also dial in the picking dynamics as you want.

Pretty cool pedal. The split circuit also takes away that squished feeling if you ride on the compression for sustain.

[Hoople Head]

To throw another thought in here, Barber makes a compresser that I use sometimes with my bass called the Tone Press that is kind of unique as far as I know. It actuall sends the signal straight and also through the compressor circuit and adds a blend knob. They call it parallel compression. With that you can have the added loudness and almost infinite sustain but you can also dial in the picking dynamics as you want. Pretty cool pedal. The split circuit also takes away that squished feeling if you ride on the compression for sustain.

 

 

That sounds pretty cool... looks affordable, too, at about $150. Some of these compressors are hella pricey.

[cincy_cosmo]

 

To throw another thought in here, Barber makes a compresser that I use sometimes with my bass called the Tone Press that is kind of unique as far as I know. It actuall sends the signal straight and also through the compressor circuit and adds a blend knob. They call it parallel compression. With that you can have the added loudness and almost infinite sustain but you can also dial in the picking dynamics as you want. Pretty cool pedal. The split circuit also takes away that squished feeling if you ride on the compression for sustain.

 

 

I nearly boought a Hartke bass amp that had that feature. I love compression on bass, not so hot on it on guitar.

[BAXANDALL]

I nearly boought a Hartke bass amp that had that feature. I love compression on bass, not so hot on it on guitar.

 

 

I'm pretty with you there in live situations but when recording I'll use it during solos or rhythm parts to keep them constant level wise or I'll just add it later... Just a tad does it. You don't want it to pump. Although, I've never gotten the Tone Press to pump. That's cool!

[LAracer]

I like to use a compressor to get a kind of slappy-quacky clean tone (strat into Fender tube amp). I think knopfler did this alot on the first two Dire Straits records, but it's hard to tell with his weird style (and by weird I mean spectacularly awesome). Robert Cray also sounds like he uses a compressor this way. It sounds quite aggressive (for a clean strat, hehe).

[Superrust]

I have a Electro Harmonix Soul Preacher that I like. As mentioned above you don't need to use a lot of compression. This one also has a toggle to switch attack. I have mine on slow so it doesn't compress so fast. Works and sounds great. Just make sure you you aren't compressing your overdrive pedal. Place the compresser in front of other pedals as I have found better sound this way.
http://www.ehx.com/products/soul-preacher

[pamackie]

I haven't used compression much at all myself but I know I hate the sound of a recording with too much of it. Countdown to Extinction is a good album with god-awful production, all because of compression.

[Kuz929]

I tend to always keep my compressor on no matter what I play. I have an MXR Dynacomp and I have the sensitivity (amount of compression) around 11 o'clock, and make sure the output is even to my amp's output on its own. i feel it gives a smoother sound all around, but if you start to crank up the sensitivity, it gets really "quacky" for lack of a better word.