Compression.

[DTB]

2 hours ago, fretmeister said:

there is loads of compression in the preamp valves! And it increases as the gain levels are turned up.

https://www.award-session.com/pdfs/Tube Amp Compression.pdf

[Frank Blank]

1 hour ago, Linus27 said:

So, a question to those who know more about compression that I do. On my fretless Stingray, when I play on the G string, there is quite a drop in volume. I play quite a lot of melodic runs and when Move my run fro  the A and D string and onto the G string, it can at times become lost. My thought was to get a compressor pedal to even out the volume across all 4 string or this was what I was told would help.

 

Is this correct or am I barking up the wrong tree?

 

You are right. I just spent a couple of hours with @Osiris yesterday because I couldn't get my head around compression and I knew he was the man to explain it to me. It's really a very subtle and complex thing, but yes, compression, when understood and used correctly can, amongst other things, even out unequal string tone/volumes.

[DTB]

9 minutes ago, Frank Blank said:

 

You are right. I just spent a couple of hours with @Osiris yesterday because I couldn't get my head around compression and I knew he was the man to explain it to me. It's really a very subtle and complex thing, but yes, compression, when understood and used correctly can, amongst other things, even out unequal string tone/volumes.

The more I hear on this subject the more I think my tone could benefit from some subtle compression. 

[Waddo Soqable]

7 minutes ago, DTB said:

The more I hear on this subject the more I think my tone could benefit from some subtle compression. 

Only one way to find out.. Get yourself a cheapo/used unit, and have an experiment with it

[DTB]

4 minutes ago, Waddo Soqable said:

Only one way to find out.. Get yourself a cheapo/used unit, and have an experiment with it

I like the sound of the Boss unit. It adds a very slight amount of top end. As the treble is maxxed out on my preamp (bit like my credit card after getting back into bass) I think it would suit and allow me to back the treble off a bit. 

[Waddo Soqable]

Just now, DTB said:

I like the sound of the Boss unit. It adds a very slight amount of top end. As the treble is maxxed out on my preamp (bit like my credit card after getting back into bass) I think it would suit and allow me to back the treble off a bit. 

I just suggested a used or cheapo unit on the basis you could try it and see if it does what you need.. if it's a "nah.." you can flog it on and lose little or nowt..

If there's a particular one you fancy maybe try one out in a bricks and mortar shop if there's one near you that stocks them. 

[ezbass]

20 hours ago, Buddster said:

Very good 🤣

 

Don't know much about Arturia, but this looks a direct copy of a UREI 1176, which coincidently was my go to compression for bass. 

 

 

I believe my MXR compressor is based on the Urei; works for me.

[TimR]

If you get a 'cheap' unit to try, it needs at a minimum compression, threshold, and gain.

 

If you don't understand compression it's a good idea to get some free mixer software and play with some free plugins to see how it works. 

[StickyDBRmf]

I like Tony Levin's super-compressed sound on Stick. Like on Discipline. Other than that I tend to use a studio-type insert on my PODX3 to "even-out" the many strings of my Stick. There are compressors that deal with different frequencies to allow a more even attack, but I have neither the $$$ nor the proclivities to venture down that avenue.

[lidl e]

4 hours ago, DTB said:

I like the sound of the Boss unit. It adds a very slight amount of top end. As the treble is maxxed out on my preamp (bit like my credit card after getting back into bass) I think it would suit and allow me to back the treble off a bit. 

I was like you. Played for years but really only had a compressor built in to my SWR amp. 

 

I thought it was for slap only or more for pick players. 

 

When i recently started building my first full pedal board, i figured if everyone is using a compressor, maybe i should try one out.

 

I did a ton of research,  my favourite thing to do, and got my wife to grt me a lusithand alma compressor for xmas. I already had some of his kit and it's quality and the reviews are amazing.

 

The thing is a revelation. It's an always on pedal for me.

 

I was looking for more articulation and it just gives a roundness to all my notes that you can hear when it's not on.

 

I love it. 

Edited January 29, 2023 by lidl e

[NikNik]

On 27/01/2023 at 17:00, WinterMute said:

BBE sonic maximiser is an aural exciter, not a compressor, it uses EQ and phase cancellation to enhance higher harmonics and clean up mud. I'd not expect one to have much effect on bass unless you're going for some ultra clean fretless Micheal Manring type sound.

That probably explains a lot,

[nilorius]

For those who thought bad and silly for my compression discuss - agree and let You think i was wrong and you where right. Now i let some hours at internet to know what compression really does. Yes - I was a big fool, but finally would say that compression is not for me. I hope this will end those attack coments.

Edited January 30, 2023 by nilorius

[Waddo Soqable]

43 minutes ago, nilorius said:

For those who thought bad and silly for my compression discuss - agree and let You think i was wrong and you where right. Now i let some hours at internet to know what compression really does. Yes - I was a big fool, but finally would say that compression is not for me. I ope this will end those attack coments.

I'd say however that reading stuff on the Internet is no substitute for real life hands on experience.. You might be better off just trying a compressor unit, in a music shop for instance, have a play and listen.. Then decide if compression is, or is not for you.. 

Just a thought. 

[nilorius]

14 minutes ago, Waddo Soqable said:

I'd say however that reading stuff on the Internet is no substitute for real life hands on experience.. You might be better off just trying a compressor unit, in a music shop for instance, have a play and listen.. Then decide if compression is, or is not for you.. 

Just a thought. 

Thanks for Your wise quote.

[Kev]

1 hour ago, nilorius said:

For those who thought bad and silly for my compression discuss - agree and let You think i was wrong and you where right. Now i let some hours at internet to know what compression really does. Yes - I was a big fool, but finally would say that compression is not for me. I hope this will end those attack coments.

Are you talking about live use, or compression in general? And have you ever recorded music, or been recorded?

[ezbass]

1 hour ago, nilorius said:

For those who thought bad and silly for my compression discuss - agree and let You think i was wrong and you where right. Now i let some hours at internet to know what compression really does. Yes - I was a big fool, but finally would say that compression is not for me. I ope this will end those attack coments.

 

15 minutes ago, Waddo Soqable said:

I'd say however that reading stuff on the Internet is no substitute for real life hands on experience.. You might be better off just trying a compressor unit, in a music shop for instance, have a play and listen.. Then decide if compression is, or is not for you.. 

Just a thought. 

This is true ^^^.

 

Another way to approach it is to record a bass line along to something and play with the compression settings to see how it affects your place in the mix. It was this that turned me into a compression pedal user. I was adding a bass part to a collaboration and sent a mix to good friend of mine who runs a sound reinforcement company and who also writes and records music. He suggested some compression setting for my bass track, which I tried and it made a subtle, but very pleasing difference. I went out, bought a compressor and use it at the end of my signal chain to mimic these same settings. 

 

I have posted this tale of my compressor conversion in other threads.

[nilorius]

3 minutes ago, Kev said:

Are you talking about live use, or compression in general? And have you ever recorded music, or been recorded?

I am more thinking in general and recorded a lot, but without compression. Any way, i don't say i hate it, but studied in net - what it does - it's not for me. Also i had tried a cheep, primitive Nux compressor and didn't feel it's for me.

[Buddster]

1 hour ago, nilorius said:

For those who thought bad and silly for my compression discuss - agree and let You think i was wrong and you where right. Now i let some hours at internet to know what compression really does. Yes - I was a big fool, but finally would say that compression is not for me. I hope this will end those attack coments.

Fair play to you for reading up on compression and coming back to post your comment 

Edited January 30, 2023 by Buddster

[nilorius]

17 minutes ago, Buddster said:

Fair play to you for reading up on compression and coming back to post your comment 

This is for real, i really call myself for a fool in this compression thread, because i wrote before i almost didn't know what i wrote for. Anyway - this thread is not for me, i will not match up here a lot anymore.

[Waddo Soqable]

1 minute ago, nilorius said:

This is for real, i really call myself for a fool in this compression thread, because i wrote before i almost didn't know what i wrote for. Anyway - this thread is not for me, i will not match up here a lot anymore.

A bit of discussion is always good, we won't always agree on all points of course, but you can always learn something from other's opinions, and them from you no doubt! .. 

[ezbass]

This seems to be the correct compressor thread to post this. Don’t know if anyone has posted this already, but this popped up on my YT feed today. I’m not endorsing it or debasing it (no pun intended), just FYI.

 

 

Edited August 11, 2023 by ezbass