Who uses a compressor? - Kevin Dean's definitive poll

[Al Krow]

On behalf of Kevin, here's the 2018 definitive compression poll...

Edited May 26, 2018 by Al Krow

[Cuzzie]

Don’t like the category questions!

Not sure the significance of gigging or bedroom

should we also break it down into 3 piece band vs 52 piece orchestra.

What about studio bassist?

Everyones opinion is valid evidently

Should it not just be compressor yes or no

[Al Krow]

@Cuzzie

I'm guessing there are very few studio only bassists (but I could be wrong)?

I take your point, however, that there may be folk in non gigging bands. I'll broaden the first two Qs to cover this off.

If there's one message about compression that my fellow compression enthusiasts have laid on me - is that compression is different in a band mix than solo at home, hence the significance of bedroom vs gigging (now changed to 'in a band')

Between the Qs you should easily be able to work out compressor "yes or no", just by adding up the yeses and noes from both halves of the Qs.

Edited May 25, 2018 by Al Krow

[PaulWarning]

Need a catorgary who uses a compressor but can't tell what it does lol

 

[BreadBin]

There's no room for a bed in my guitar room!

[Akio Dāku]

I perform solo bass/vocals with drums on backing tracks and I use compression... I ticked "in a band" but I don't feel that's exactly accurate... 

[EssentialTension]

None of the above.

[deepbass5]

For me it needs

Have a comp on my board but only use it for specific numbers/styles

other than that i would be a I am in a band but compression is not my thing to be honest I would rather have nothing between me and the amp

[Al Krow]

2 hours ago, EssentialTension said:

None of the above.

Go on then, put us out of our misery - what 'box' would best suit you? 

1 hour ago, deepbass5 said:

For me it needs

Have a comp on my board but only use it for specific numbers/styles

other than that i would be a I am in a band but compression is not my thing to be honest I would rather have nothing between me and the amp

What styles do you particularly find a comp useful on? 

[prowla]

A compressor is good in front of octave & synth pedals.

I've got a Boss CP-1X, which doesn't kill the sound.

[deepbass5]

Answer any aggressive styles - Funk / Disco  occasionally for me,  - so any number requiring the thumb, as I find it does not sound right without it - to balance the high and lows, other effect pedals down the line used on these songs also benefit from the compressed signal.

If i did record i would prob use it then also

[EssentialTension]

1 hour ago, Al Krow said:

Go on then, put us out of our misery - what 'box' would best suit you? 

 

I woudl probably tick 'sometimes I use a compressor, but sometimes I don't'.

[Al Krow]

4 minutes ago, EssentialTension said:

I would probably tick 'sometimes I use a compressor, but sometimes I don't'.

Option 1 or 3 should cover your situation then; your pedal board will typically have a compressor on it which you may decide to engage or not depending on whether it's appropriate to do so.

Option 2 or 4 => you don't have a compressor or currently choose not to use compression in your music.

Phew, glad we managed to sort that conundrum out then  

[Leonard Smalls]

I'm in 2 bands,I use compression (lots!) but don't have a compressor on my pedal board...There's one on my rackmount BBE pre, plus another 2 channels on a rackmount dbx which I use into and out of my fx loop.

[EssentialTension]

4 minutes ago, Al Krow said:

Option 1 or 3 should cover your situation then; your pedal board will typically have a compressor on it which you may decide to engage or not depending on whether it's appropriate to do so.

Option 2 or 4 => you don't have a compressor or currently choose not to use compression in your music.

Phew, glad we managed to sort that conundrum out then  

Thanks for boxing me off but, no, I don't have a pedal board and I don't play in a  bedroom. I do have a compressor. I have had other rather different sounding compressors in the past. Sometimes I use a compressor, but sometimes I don't'. More likely I'd use a compressor at a gig or in a studio than at a rehearsal and more likely I'd use a compressor when I am less familiar with the material rather than know it well.

None of the four categories apply to me. But it's not important, I'll keep out of it.

[fretmeister]

Where’s the “I don’t use compression but I’m aware the PA / sound guys adds some” option. 

[Al Krow]

1 hour ago, fretmeister said:

Where’s the “I don’t use compression but I’m aware the PA / sound guys adds some” option. 

I'm making a mental note of all the various permutations for future polls: 

Do you play in a 52 piece orchestra and use compression?

Do you use a compressor but can't tell what it does?

Do you perform solo bass/vocals with drums on backing tracks but still use compression?

Do you have a comp on your board but only use it for specific numbers/styles but otherwise compression is not your thing?

Do you use a compressor more at a gig or in a studio than at a rehearsal or when you are less familiar with the material rather than when you know it well?

Do you use compression except when you're aware the PA / sound guys adds some?

Do you  find it hard to tick boxes or have really never been comfortable with multiple choice Qs? 

Edited May 26, 2018 by Al Krow

[Al Krow]

1 hour ago, fretmeister said:

Where’s the “I don’t use compression but I’m aware the PA / sound guys adds some” option. 

... but more seriously, are you only playing gigs where you have someone sorting out the sound? My assumption is that pretty much all sound techs will be using compression / HPFs for the bass? But what do you do when it's just down to you to decide, do you bother or not with compression?

[deepbass5]

I think this shows it is easier to step on a compressor as and when you want to  -  than tick a box to let the world know

how about those that may use their compressor after the sound check just to fosters the guitarist off

[Al Krow]

11 hours ago, Leonard Smalls said:

I'm in 2 bands,I use compression (lots!) but don't have a compressor on my pedal board...There's one on my rackmount BBE pre, plus another 2 channels on a rackmount dbx which I use into and out of my fx loop.

Just for you I've deleted reference to 'pedal board' in the Q!

[Al Krow]

10 hours ago, deepbass5 said:

I think this shows it is easier to step on a compressor as and when you want to  -  than tick a box to let the world know

how about those that may use their compressor after the sound check just to fosters the guitarist off

Lol! 

However, come on, no way would he or anyone else notice if you did that! 

Nah, surely the secret to annoying band mates is to leave yourself plenty of headroom on the bass volume knob and you can turn that up after the sound check! Let's face it the only thing that really is going to get their attention during a gig is if you are louder than them! 

Edited May 27, 2018 by Al Krow

[xgsjx]

It's a hard one to make a poll for.  I use a compressor in the studio & quite often at home if I'm plugged into the mac, but live, I don't.  Though I'm not against using a compressor, there isn't one on my board.
As I take my Roli Seaboard to jams (& soon to be to gigs too), I've been considering putting the bass through the macbook & using some of the VST effects, like compression.

Though having a valve amp, I suppose that works kinda like a compressor too.

[Al Krow]

Wow - this is really interesting and not at all what I was expecting.

After 55 votes just 5 are not fans of compressors! That's a pretty overwhelming vote in favour of comps.

Obviously it's a relatively tiny sample of BCers so far and it could well be that folk who don't use compressors are more likely not to frequent the 'effects' thread and may not have seen / or be interested in this particular poll...

[PaulWarning]

I've started using a compressor in a band situation, not because I know what it does but because I suppose it might be doing something subtle and it's on my multi FX so why not? so although I'm a user it wouldn't bother me if I wasn't, some compressors seem to make it louder but a volume knob does that, when I've evened out the volume there's no difference that what my knackered old ears can make out

I don't really understand how it can alter your tone, when all it's supposed to do is even out the differences in volume.

[Al Krow]

@Kevin Dean

Hi Kevin - in case you're interested, I ran a similar poll on our sister US forum a couple of days back and have had a much larger response which is going to perhaps be a better guide? 

Broadly 2:1 ratio of folk who pretty regularly use compressors to those who never use them (from over 500+ respondents).

So that's another very convincing vote in favour methinks. And I'd better start making use of the thing that @dave_bass5 flogged me! 

You planning on getting one?