Compressor usage

[T-Bay]

Just curious about compressors at the moment and was wondering how many people use them and whether they are always on or whether people use them sometimes but not others.

[Thunderbird]

Always on I don't know how it all works just that I get a better sound when I have the comp on

[Spoombung]

Yep, mild compression - a fatter, fuller sound. High frequencies seem better integrated somehow. Stronger harmonics. Choose a setting that doesn't completely flatten dynamics and you're away

[Lozz196]

Never, I play with a fair bit of drive from my Sansamp para Driver, which the manual states gives mild compression anyway.

[Dood]

My secret weapon. Triple band & parallel compression. It doesn't limit my attack, but brings up the volume of my quieter passages. This 'levels' my output but also means I can switch between a number of techniques in the sate knowledge FOH will be happy. P.s, I don't *need* compression to fix technique, it's a tool. Like a plectrum is.

[40hz]

I never ever used to until I discovered the Spectracomp Toneprint on my TC BH550. It seems to 'excite' my sound, So now it's on permanently.

[neilp]

Sometimes. It's an effect. I wouldn't use it permanently any more than I would a chorus or a delay. It's a good way of getting a fatter, smoother sound. I don't always want to sound smooth...

[mrtcat]

Permanently on. Fuller, fatter and more even tone without being noticeable to anyone that anything is affecting the sound.

[deepbass5]

Got into it for thumb / slap because you need to temper things and even things out, funk don't sound the same without one, unless you have a valve amp.

so have got in the habit of having one up front on my board, I would rather not have anything between me and the amp but these do balance out your playing style and string volumes.

[BrunoBass]

I've used various compression pedals over the years but have eventually moved all of them on. Compression is one of those things I always think I should use, but it never makes a difference enough to my sound to justify persisting with it. I usually play with a slightly overdriven tone so that probably compresses the tone slightly anyway.

[Osiris]

[quote name='mrtcat' timestamp='1503004147' post='3355059']
Permanently on. Fuller, fatter and more even tone without being noticeable to anyone that anything is affecting the sound.
[/quote]

Same here. Until you switch it off!
Used sparingly it goes a long way and can turn a good bass tone into a great one. I won't leave home without one.
My weapon of choice is the TC Electronics Spectracomp, arguably [i]the[/i] most versatile unit currently on the market.

[Cuzzie]

To Follow Osiris who knows my habits all too well.

I have a Cali76G, love it, just love it. As well as compression and it's tiny bit of magic to the sound I dial in a touch of grit with the Germanium in there. Only time i twiddle (helpfully it has a massive knob for my sausage fingers) I love compression higher for a very tight punchy sound, or back it off a bit for harmonic content and evening me out, but as everyone will say, it's not an excuse to not try to nail your technique, it helps to make your nailed techie even better.
Usain Bolt trains to be fast, wearing spikes makes his footing more assured to be able to perform, that's his compressor (or not now). You don't have to wear spikes of course and Zola Budd did OK!

Edited August 18, 2017 by Cuzzie

[TimR]

Yes. I have a compression dial on my Warrick ProFet amp. I leave it set at 3. Everything else is flat and I don't use pedals.

[Nicko]

I use it in a few songs, mainly where the song is more bass driven. I use an EBS multicomp which does more than compression and TBH I really use it for the non compression aspects it gives..

[tony_m]

Always on, with mild compression on the Low for fullness / fatness of tone and zero on the High (TE SMX Dual Band), plus occasional quick tweaks of the EQ balance control.

[steve-bbb]

have a dbx160a in my rig case is permanently on

FOH guys love it as it stops unwanted 'surprises'

[steantval]

All the time through my effects unit.

[Painy]

I actually use layers of compression. No real science in my thinking behind why I do this it just gets me the best sound with the particular kit I have.
First is a Palmer Deepressor pedal. I have this set with just a mild compression to even things out a bit across the full range of frequencies but keeping it transparent tonally and trying to keep the attack intact.
I then use the SMX compressor on my TE head to compress the lows fairly heavily (about 2 o'clock on the dial) which really thickens up the bottom end but keeps it tight, defined and punchy.
The highs I leave uncompressed on the SMX as I find the mild overdrive I also use effectively compresses those frequencies enough and also brings out all the rich harmonic content in both the highs and the mids.
I have been playing for 22 years but have only started using compression in the last 2-3 years as I never thought it made much difference. Now if I turn it off I really notice the difference and miss it a lot.

[goingdownslow]

[quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1503059539' post='3355392']
have a dbx160a in my rig case is permanently on
[/quote]

Where is it placed, before the pre, effects out/in, pre-amp out/power-amp in?

[SpondonBassed]

This is my house mate's compressor;
[url="https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-review/first-drives/hottest-corolla-on-a-charge"]https://www.autocar....lla-on-a-charge[/url]
Edit - Autocar wrongly say: [i]it was generous of Toyota to build an engine designed specifically for the Lotus Elise[/i]. They didn't, it is a Yamaha powerplant. Substitute "[i]use[/i]" for "[i]build[/i]".

I only get to use it on rare occasions.



To the OP: I usually have a little onboard compressor on either of my combos but I am not playing at volumes where it counts. Always practicing, never loud enough to be representative of a gig.

I do not own any pedals or boxes.

Edited August 19, 2017 by SpondonBassed

[Leonard Smalls]

[quote name='steve-bbb' timestamp='1503059539' post='3355392']
have a dbx160a in my rig case is permanently on

FOH guys love it as it stops unwanted 'surprises'
[/quote]

Me too... I currently use one channel pre- and the other post-effects in a sort of New York Glue sort of way (ie pre is very light, post is much heavier, and I blend them).

[Mykesbass]

Interesting set of results. Are the other non-users staying just not looking at the this thread? I can't believe I'm in that small a minority.

[T-Bay]

[quote name='Mykesbass' timestamp='1503144510' post='3356014']
Interesting set of results. Are the other non-users staying just not looking at the this thread? I can't believe I'm in that small a minority.
[/quote]
I have been surprised if I am honest, especially by the number than use them sometimes and not others, I thought I was unusual in doing that although mine is on most of the time.

[Al Krow]

Dunno if you have also seen this thread? A whole bunch of differing views expressed! But I did find it a very helpful intro to the murky world of compression...

http://basschat.co.uk/topic/248974-to-compress-or-not-to-compress/page__st__120__p__3291933__hl__compressor__fromsearch__1#entry3291933

[T-Bay]

[quote name='Al Krow' timestamp='1503151126' post='3356082']
Dunno if you have also seen this thread? A whole bunch of differing views expressed! But I did find it a very helpful intro to the murky world of compression...

http://basschat.co.uk/topic/248974-to-compress-or-not-to-compress/page__st__120__p__3291933__hl__compressor__fromsearch__1#entry3291933
[/quote]
Thanks, I had read through it but was just sort of curious as to what people do, I expected it to be an all or nothing split so have been surprised to see the results. All the comments are interesting, like any pedal/ effect/ filter there will be a range of views and for a relatively new player like myself it's useful to hear people's experiences.