To compress or not to compress?

[Marvin]

I use a racked DBX166. I use it soley as an effect and tone changer and not to iron out my crap technique.

[molan]

[quote name='discreet' timestamp='1419454550' post='2640215']
Once again I missed a Diamond Bass Compressor for sale on here... dammit!

Not a particularly 'remedial' compressor, it's true - but it doesn't half make your bass sound big and glossy.
[/quote]

Still my personal favourite. Almost like a compressor for people who don't like compressors

[HowieBass]

Having read another thread about compression (the one that was a bit "oh no you shouldn't" vs "oh yes you can") I decided to experiment a bit more with the in-built compressors available with my Zoom B9 - obviously not exactly expensive as compressors go. What I did find out was the settings I'd used for a patch I've created for my Curbow 5 were doing two things; making the low B rather quieter than when uncompressed (which I didn't particularly want) and making the G and D louder (matching the A and E for volume, which I like). It was at this point that I realised one very good use of a compressor is to balance out any unevenness in volume across the strings. I've now dialled in a two band compressor which allows me to retain the volume of the B and up the G and D to create a balance across all strings. I guess this is something like the TC SpectraComp TonePrint that many people seem to like using.

[JTUK]

There are going to be situations where it will come into play but that may not need to be on the bass signal
at source.
Of course, some playing styles are heavy and levelling out those spikes might have to be necessary

[Prime_BASS]

This thread is mighty more pleasant than the last, thank god.

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1415524654' post='2601057']
I nearly always have a mild overdrive on, so that's my compressor!
[/quote]

Similar stance as this from me.

When I used to play clean with fingers, I would use compression live as it added lots of harmonic content that just wasn't there or at least quiet plus the added bonus of keeping the giant peaks down when I dug in hard, because at a rock show it's hard to rock the hell out and maintain your plucking hands consistency.

Now I mainly play live with a pick and loads of drive.
I used to have a parallel signal with one side being clean with the compressor. I still liked the compressor just not with my dirt pedals and it helped add weight to the clean signal. Didn't need much more highs adding with using the bridge pickup, a pick and loads of drive.
For one reason or another I stopped using the compressor all together and now play without one. My pick technique is a lot more consistent than my finger and I have a preamp that has a built in compressor that has the LED as metering.
The limiter is on all the time but only ever so slightly, to bring back those big low open notes.

The compressor I've used that I liked was the Trex tube comp, which was a similar circuit to the Markbass one. Lots of control and an actual tube comp. I haven't used any cheap ones or ones with far less control that I found I liked, either too much effect or not noticeable.


I do want to try the Xotic sp comp though.

[MothBox]

[quote name='booboo' timestamp='1417302561' post='2619061']
I don't normally use compression, but recently bought an mxr pedal and set it up in a pretty subtle and 'standard' way. I didn't really notice the difference, but after the gig I was surrounded by fanny - pretty much had to beat it off with a sh*tty stick to get out alive. I'll try it again next week, and if the results are the same I'll post my settings.
[/quote]

This absolutely cracked me up! Need to get myself one of those.

I currently use an optical compressor set slightly above unity and trigger it as a boost alongside compression, usually because I'm digging in when I want that boost and figure it will help prevent aggressive peaking, not sure it actually works like that though. This also gooses my overdrives and distortions which can be useful.

But when playing more mellow tracks with fingers I'm usually compressorless.

[Al Krow]

I was told recently that compression really benefits SLAP bass. Is that correct? If so, why?

[Dad3353]

For those not using compression 'live', have you any objection to the sound engineer compressing the bass channel(s) FOH..? Just curious...

[Lozz196]

No objections from me - recorded it`s pretty much a given the bass will be compressed, and if my amp had an on-board compressor I`m sure I`d use it. I just don`t like having loads of pedals which is my main reason for not using one live.

[FuNkShUi]

I dont use them. I find it takes away the dynamics of my playing.
I want some parts to sound more dug in, and some parts to sound smoother etc
As for the FOH compression, if he asked what i'd prefer, i'd tell him the same. If he recommended i used one, i would. He's the sound expert so i'd hope he knew what he was doing!

[uncle psychosis]

[quote name='51m0n' timestamp='1417626538' post='2622429']


Errrr, nope, cant do it without talking in terms of ratio vs threshold.

You are better off reading up the Compression 101 link I posted?
[/quote]

That guide is fantastic, thanks for putting it together. Any tips for setting up a compressor as you recommend (very low ratio) when metering isn't available?

Cheers

[Dad3353]

[quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1421348888' post='2660281']...Any tips for setting up a compressor as you recommend (very low ratio) when metering isn't available?...
[/quote]

[51m0n]

Right, without metering you are really in trouble. The reason is the human ear has the ultimate expander/compressor/limiter technology built into it. The range of volumes you can actually hear and process is unbelievable, at the threshold of hearing the ear can pick up variations in pressure of 1 billionth of an atmosphere (less than an atom wwidth of movement, at the threshold of pain you are 130dB louder, or 10,000,000,000,000 times louder!

It does this by being able to amplify quiet sounds and protect itself from louder sounds, so your sense of hearing naturally copes with too loud a signal (ie it has a limiter on the loud end and an amp on the quiet end).

This is really really useful in nature, but the downside is you cant measure volume with your ear well at all. Certainly not less than 3dB without a comparative level to work with. So whilst its possible to set up a compressor on an instrument in a mix without metering (the chances are you'll tend to be heavy slightly handed about it even then) setting a compressor on an instrument without a mix to hear it in is really hard.

How many people hear have played with a compressor and said I cant hear it unless I turn it right up, and then it ruins my dynamics because I cant play louder, when I dig in its the same volume?

Thats because you cant hear the change in the envelope of the sound, your ears are not designed to be good at that, they're designed to cope with loud bangs and let you find food and avoid being eaten.


So what can you do?

Well, practice with a compressor with good metering first, and often. That really helps.

Also if your amp has a clip light that can give you some clues (although many clip lights dont respond to very fast transients so well). Try the following:-
Turn off the compressor
Set the comp up with the fastest attack and slowest release
Set the ratio to max and the threshold as high as possible (so even turned on you arent going to compress yet)
Set the input on your amp so the clip light just, just comes on when you play normally

Turn on the compressor
Drop the threshold until you hear/feel the compressor grab the notes
The clip light has probably stopped coming on at this point - its like a really really naff bit of metering!
Open up the attack to about 25 to 30ms
Speed the release up to about 70ms
Drop the ratio down to 2:1 (or until when you play hard you still hear some difference and it doesnt feel like you are fighting the compressor)
Change the makeup gain so that the clip light just just comes on when playing normally
Play hard and turn the input gain down until the clip light stays off

Turn the comp on and off, can you hear any difference?

Maybe, maybe not (depends on the compressor 'action' and if it imparts some tonal change), but you are almost certainly pulling up to 3dB of compression on the loudest notes, without hearing or feeling it, which means a better more even signal to the amp, cab and punters.

You should still be able to back off to play quieter without any problem, but it will just alter your signal a little in a helpful way in a gig.

If you want a more obviously compressed sound shorten the attack time a little, find the sweet spot where you can hear it grab the end of the transient a little fo that classic pop sound for instance. Or play with the release time to try and get it pumping a touch (this is rather tempo dep[endant though so you should be careful of that).

Hope this helps.....

Edited January 16, 2015 by 51m0n

[Dad3353]

... but with my method, you get to meet more people. [size=4] [/size]

[ambient]

All my recordings feature loads of it, I use an eBow a lot, it's useful to keep that level even.

[uncle psychosis]

[quote name='51m0n' timestamp='1421409806' post='2660825']

Hope this helps.....
[/quote]

Thanks, I'll give it a go. I suspect if I ever really feel the need for compression I'll end up buying an MXR Bass Compressor anyway. The metering and detailed controls look ideal.

[51m0n]

The only thing wrong with the MXR is that it's lowest ratio is a bit too high to be an always on compressor IMO

Fine for an effect compressor though

[chrisanthony1211]

I had the MXR and found it much more difficult to find the settings I liked than the Markbass...out of all the compressors I have owned the markbass is by far the easiest to dial in, even with its multitude of knobs and dials..

Edited January 17, 2015 by chrisanthony1211

[Ant]

just had my first proper sit down and play with my two compressors (Maxon CP-01 and an Ovni FX Smoothie)

i havent properly messed with compression since i sold my first ever comp without fully getting to grips with it.

after sitting and tweaking for a bit everything i had been wanting from my sound but could never get just appeared!

the Ovnifx will be staying, as it totally rules. but the maxon is ace too, just loses some lows and adds tons of mids

for the record, im not setting my compressors that subtly, you can definitely hear the difference between them being on and off

[weepaul]

I got a wee DOD Milkbox for a few quid off the bay, has a wee feature that you can boost the highs, abit of mucking about and you can get a nice punchy tone.

[Wooks79]

I would love to get a compressor and someone who knows the magic to make it sound good, cos it has baffled me whenever I have tried

[Conan]

Having just bought an amp with a built-in compressor (TC RH750) I look forward to experimenting with it. I have never used compression before (except for about 30 years ago on an old Peavey mk 3 - but I'm not sure that really counts...)

[JTUK]

[quote name='Al Krow' timestamp='1421279712' post='2659474']
I was told recently that compression really benefits SLAP bass. Is that correct? If so, why?
[/quote]

No, I don't think it is absolute...
I definitely don't want any compression on my live bass monitor as I want all those peaks out there, and I can get them heard, high and low
to cut thru a pub band type mix...
What helps tho is if the band is EQ'd properly ..which isn't a given.

[No lust in Jazz]

For me playing live with a band, no compression.

I don't want to cut through a mix either, I want to sit in the mix providing 'aural sex' into the music.

[discreet]

Parallel compression is the best of both worlds, IMHO.