Compressor, Yay or Nay?

[James Freeman]

Gotta juice up my Strat and even out the plinky single coils, especially on position 2 and 4.

 

[LeftyLoungeLizard]

If you're doing 80's chorus clean, 70's funk or any decade of country, then "yay".

Makes a strat "spank".

 

[sleewell]

Yes

 

[James Freeman]

I think it's even more misunderstood than Flanger.
There are millions of "Do I need a Compressor" threads all over the internet, and when people get one they have no idea how to use it (me included).
I always thought if I 'hear' the compression working, I am overdoing it, that's a good rule of thumb unless I am using it for an obvious effect.

 

[DrewJD82]

'Compressed to fuck and back' is definitely a tone in itself that has it's place.

 

[jellodog]

Gotta juice up my Strat and even out the plinky single coils, especially on position 2 and 4.

Alternative suggestion, before you give in to the compressor:

Try lowering the pickups a smidge first?

Also, if it's position 2 and 4 that are the problem, middle pickup height is even more suspect at this point :-)

 

[jellodog]

I think it's even more misunderstood than Flanger.
There are millions of "Do I need a Compressor" threads all over the internet, and when people get one they have no idea how to use it (me included).

Totally!

And there are so many different types of compressor. Some are horrible... some are gorgeous.

And then there's all the possible settings.

Good rule of thumb for a starting point is that Release should be 10x the Attack setting in milliseconds, if the compressor even has those parameters.

 

[Jarick]

I have not yet invested in a standalone compressor but I am really starting to enjoy putting compression on a lot of my patches. I like to use it to hit the front of a clean amp a little harder which sometimes makes a much more enjoyable tone than turning up the gain. However other times it sounds better to simply turn the amp gain up a little bit more.

I never do the super super super compressed tone personally as I don't play country music and haven't found a need for it.

Not sure which hardware compressor I'd go with though as I've never used one. Dyna Comp seems way too aggressive. The Xotic SP looks cool but I never got along with the HX model of it. Maybe the Wampler or Keeley ones?

 

[dronerstone]

Every time I tried to like one, I just couldn't. Not for me then, I guess?

 

[Alex Kenivel]

I like a little compression up front so level changes aren't so dramatic when I switch pickups/coils. Anything more than that is usually me overdoing it.

 

[Achilles]

I like a little compression up front so level changes aren't so dramatic when I switch pickups/coils.

+1
Also, if you get a good one the make up gain boost by itself can be tastier than a LOT of dedicated ODs.

 

[FuzzyAce]

I don't use compression too much, even when I used to play clean through a twin reverb a lot.
Subtle is usually better unless you are going for the squashed sound. Maybe something with a mix control would be ideal?
Some compressors can make a great clean boost too.

 

[norminal]

Gotta juice up my Strat and even out the plinky single coils, especially on position 2 and 4.

I dig the Andy Timmons method of using a compressor as a clean boost with just a smidge of compression.

For Strat tones, I can’t do the highly compressed cleans unless I’m trying to nail that 80’s clean or something Nile Rodgers-esque.

 

[Orvillain]

Not as part of my amp/pedal rig.

But in the context of a mix.... hells yeah!

I want a pair of these!!

 

[holoholo]

Compression is such a weird thing for me. I want it to be subtle and not country compressed. But then at which point I’m like if I can barely tell it’s on, then why have it in the first place.

 

[MirrorProfiles]

If you have too much dynamics in the part (some notes being too quiet or too loud compared to others) then you want compression. If you want to alter the attack or envelope characteristics of the sound, you may also want a compressor. If you want to avoid the odd occasional transient jumping through, they can also be useful. Perhaps you want the sustain of a note to be a more even level to the attack of the note.

The main thing that helps with dialling in a compressor is first establishing what you are trying to achieve. So many people run before they can walk with compression and overdo it with the wrong settings. As with any effect, there should be some kind of purpose for it being there, which will be context dependent.

 

[la szum]

It's an effect on its own. Can be subtle and unobtrusive or in your face. It all
depends on the music, the context, and what someone is aiming for.

I am an have all the spices in your spice drawer kind of guy. Doesn't mean I
use every spice in every dish or meal, though. But damn sure gonna have it
on hand for when I do want to use them.

 

[la szum]

My experience is it also depends on the amp, and not just the guitar. Some amps
have more innate compression than other amps. Some amps are super stiff and
spikey with an immediacy that may need to be tamed. Other amps have a ton of
give and an inherent squash that can make an added on compressor a bit much.

 

[Stone]

Mostly yes but as a studio thing rarely before OD amp cab

 

[Achilles]

Mostly yes but as a studio thing rarely before OD amp cab

Too many knobs!

MUCH better! Let the photocell do all the work.