Compression settings for a modern rock tone

[Wil]

I've got a DBX 266 XL rack mount comp. I used it for the first time last night, and I could tell it had a lot of potential, but I'm new to using a full featured compressor so might need a little guidance. I've read the excellent compression FAQ so have an idea what each control does, however I'm still a little unsure about where I should be setting the threshold control.

I play at a moderate pace with a fairly soft pick most of the time, Greenday-esq rock/punk I guess - for a punchy tone, should I set the threshold so that all the notes I play show, say, a 6db gain reduction, and then adjust the output gain accordingly, or should I be setting it so that only the very loudest peaks trigger the gain reduction meter? Just wondering what tree I should be barking up before I start playing with the attack and release settings.

Edited May 6, 2011 by Wil

[chrismuzz]

This might not be as helpful as you'd hoped, but the best way to set a compressor is to play as you normally would, and keep making adjustments to it. You sound like you know enough about how they work so just keep fiddling with it til you get a fine balance of the dynamic range you want, and enough gain to bring the volume back up to where it was should add a nice punch. Usually in rock pretty much everything stays at the same level especially the bass. I play metal and I have my threshold at max and the ratio set to infinity, with the gain set to get the volume back. I get no tone colouration from mine though and save that for other pedals .

I hope I've kinda been helpful! Hope you get the right settings for you, and hav some real fun playing!

[BottomEndian]

[quote name='Wil' post='1222026' date='May 6 2011, 10:34 AM']Just wondering what tree I should be barking up before I start playing with the attack and release settings.[/quote]
I'd incorporate the attack and release ([i]especially[/i] the attack) into your initial fiddling, to be honest. If you still want your pick attack to cut through, you might suffer from having the attack set too quick -- the compressor would pull down the pick attack along with the rest of the note, whereas a longer attack would give the pick a chance to cut through before the gain reduction starts.

Purely personally (and everyone's different), when I'm starting to fiddle with a new compressor, I set the ratio to around 3:1 and threshold to the point where normal playing is getting a gain reduction of (at most) 3 to 6 dB... and then go nuts from there. Spend a loooong time adjusting things and listening to the difference they make. Only [i]you[/i] can say what settings are going to work for you.

[Wil]

This is all very helpful, thanks!

[BottomEndian]

I'm sure 5im0n will be along at some point to set us all straight...

[thumbo]

[quote name='BottomEndian' post='1222047' date='May 6 2011, 10:56 AM']Only [i]you[/i] can say what settings are going to work for you.[/quote]

Spot on! I've used various compressors over the years and they all have different characteristics. It's very hard to say what would work well with your setup because there's so many factors to consider. I think your best bet is to play around with the compressor as much as possible, the more you do this the more you'll realise what you like the sound of and what effect the compressor is having on your sound.

I used to use a DBX 160a with my Markbass rigs. Strangely I found that I preferred the sound by running it in my amp FX loop. Although with every other compressor and amp I've had I've used a compressor somewhere between the bass and amp.

Edited May 7, 2011 by thumbo

[Pob]

Try this for a bit of ease with attack and release times - set it fastest attack and fastest release, high ratio and enough input gain that you can really hear it pump. Then slow down your attack time until you're getting a pleasing (to you) bit of bite when you pick. Then slow down your release until it sounds like a bass again, albeit an overly compressed bass. Then back off your input gain and ratio until it sounds like an actual bass! When you switch it in and out you should here a nice bit of oomph and bounce being added. Of course, if you want to smash the heck out of it, that's cool too...

[Monckyman]

All the above is good stuff about settings etc, but as I understand it, you asked basically whether to set the comp so it`s on all the time, or only works if you tan it.
As a bassist, I like a little bit of compression all the time, so that means a lower threshold and a slightly lower ratio.
I like the sound of a compressed bass.
As a sound engineer I would use compression to prevent dynamic spiking and to even out an inconsistent signal, so I`d be looking to let most of the signal through without compression with a higher threshold, but a higher ratio to pull it down a fair bit when needed.
The slower attack setting mentioned above for pick use etc are all relevant.
For fingers I would use a fairly fast attack.
As an engineer I tend to think that if I can hear compression, I`ve used too much.
As a bassist I like to hear it as part of the sound.
So it`s up to you and what you decide you like but bear in mind it`s really easy to choke down all your dynamics, with clumsy compression.
MM

[51m0n]

Which sounds and feels best for you?

Personally I like transparent compression, I dont like to feel it or hear it solo, my bass is more even in the mix.

I use very low ratios and very low thresholds as a result.

For a more overt rock punch I would start with about 4:1 ratio, attack set about 100ms ( to really let that pick through), release as short as the songs require, down around 50ms is usually ok.

Set the threshold to get a steady 3dB up to 6dB of GR, such that with the makeup gain set right you can hear it fattening up.

Of course you can also (if you get the threhold exactly just so, and the songs are similar in tempo and dont have too many fast passages) extend the release (up to 350ms area) and set the threshold a bit higher.

This works as follows, the threshold is crossed, and 100ms later, after the pick transient is on its way down, the compressor engages and stays engaged, even though the level is below the threshold, just because the release is long. This pulls up the level of the body of the sound, adding punch and girth. You may need a limiter after these longer attack settings though....