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Compression - what's all the fuss about?


Al Krow

Compression - what's all the fuss about?  

65 members have voted

  1. 1. Did anyone notice or comment when you switched your compressor off mid-song?

    • Yes - one person (or more) said that something sounded different about the bass part way through.
      9
    • No - no one batted an eye lid!
      21
    • I don't use a compressor but I'm interested in the result anyway.
      35


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3 minutes ago, EBS_freak said:

I couldn't take somebody that calls themselves the Wesernator seriously.... even if (which he is) the dogs danglies.

784-nintchdbpict0003096373631.jpg

Thats fine, check out his bio, come back to me when you've worked with even 3 of the names on there :D

 

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27 minutes ago, 51m0n said:

Thats fine, check out his bio, come back to me when you've worked with even 3 of the names on there :D

 

If you read back, I didn't dispute his credentials. I know who he is - and in fact, you'll see I even stated that he is the dog danglies.

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1 hour ago, 51m0n said:

Think like a bassist and you can't tell what its for; think like a sound engineer and you can't imagine a world without compressors on nearly everything.

So more like vinegar on chips than glue to firm up the action of screws on a chair? 

Particularly if you're from the norf of England?

Aha, finally, I think the penny is about to drop! Wait I believe the chancellor is about to abolish those...(ooops was that too political? :D)

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Haha! Well according to Cuzzie's other thread on this subject there would clearly be demand for one! :) Or at least for Indian takeaway cars. 

Compression threads are dead. Long live compression threads. 

Edited by Al Krow
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27 minutes ago, Skol303 said:

I think that constitutes a legally binding contract to which I am going to hold you :) 

Oh dear. It needs: offer, acceptance and consideration to be legally binding. Law 101. Maybe stick to sound engineering? :D

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Ok.

Lets have a different look at it....

If a compressor pedal (using 3+ band compression) was called 'bass balancer' and only had (for sake of argument) 4 sliders on it (no dials) and each slider represented a string and moving the slider adjusted the volume and dynamics of each string, so you ended up with a lovely tone for each string which was also adjusted to be the same volume as the other 3, creating a fantastic balanced sound .....

who would use one? - no dials, thresholds, ratios etc, just 4 sliders that did it for you for each string.

Edited by la bam
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9 minutes ago, la bam said:

who would use one? - no dials, thresholds, ratios etc, just 4 sliders that did it for you for each string.

I like your inventiveness! But given some of the discussion above, I think such a device might muddy the waters even further... I dunno.

I think those 'one knob' compressors are probably the best bet for anyone struggling to get their head around attack/ release/ threshold/ ratio.

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tried a compressor at a gig last night, in front of the sansamp bass drive sim on my Zoom, then switched it off after a few songs, my sound was clearer and more dynamic  with the compressor off, doubt if the crowd noticed, but I did, so I guess the bass drive does enough compressing for me

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15 minutes ago, PaulWarning said:

tried a compressor at a gig last night, in front of the sansamp bass drive sim on my Zoom, then switched it off after a few songs, my sound was clearer and more dynamic  with the compressor off, doubt if the crowd noticed, but I did, so I guess the bass drive does enough compressing for me

Like the fact that you've tried the thing out in action - cheers for that. What comp were you using or was it a Zoom patch and, if so, what patch / setting did you have it on?

Fyi @Osiris (I hope he doesn't mind me mentioning) has been getting some great results with the Zoom patches especially with the 160 comp modelled on the DBX 160a which he'd previously dismissed as too polite for his tastes but now seems to have found the 'sweet spot' where it adds bags of punch. His precise settings remain a trade secret 'cos they only work with his particular rig and playing style so you'll just have to use your ears, although even some experts e.g. @51m0n have pointed out that they can't actually hear any difference when using the more transparent comps (at which point it basically becomes guess work, right?! :D)

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