Compression: A creative tool or a crutch?
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- Опубліковано 11 чер 2024
- In this video, I demonstrate some fun and creative ways to use compression on bass. I use the new Universal Audio 1176 Compressor Pedal to demonstrate these concepts.
Universal Audio 1176 Compressor Pedal (affiliate link):
sweetwater.sjv.io/c/4178498/9...
Origin Effects Cali76 Compressor Pedal (affiliate link):
sweetwater.sjv.io/c/4178498/9...
(Check out both the Origin Compact Bass and Compact Deluxe, both are killer. I have the compact bass. Different control options. Both are on Sweetwater.)
My Bass Course:
philipconradmusic.teachable.c...
FREE Practice Tracks:
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Bass Survival Guide (For GUITAR PLAYERS Who Want to Learn Bass):
rhettshullguitarcourses.com/p...
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Gear I Love to Use (affiliate links):
Origin Effects Super Vintage:
sweetwater.sjv.io/c/4178498/9...
JMJ Bass:
sweetwater.sjv.io/c/4178498/9...
Picks:
sweetwater.sjv.io/c/4178498/9...
Spring Reverb:
sweetwater.sjv.io/c/4178498/9...
Recording Interface:
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Power Supply:
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![He told me how to Find the Pocket with ANY Band [ft. Tim Pierce]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/walos4a-6Yw/mqdefault.jpg)
Once a player who went directly into an amp, slowly, subtly he is pulled into the rabbit hole that is “just one more pedal”. Welcome Phillip, we are happy you are here.
Hahaha thanks Alan! Glad to be here. Hope you are well!
Look who he plays with. I think Rhett breaks his balls.
I’m proud to say I’ve been heavily influencing his transition to the dark side of pedals.
Check the gurus optivalve
I use it after my hx stomp
🤘🤘🤘
Ive bought around 4-5 pedals but i always went back to my fender champion 100s effects just because i dont like having so many switches on the ground its like playing a pedal steel i prefer having a foot switch or a amp modeler or just something thats not a bunch of pedals rat nested together. My amp has an effects loop and runs pedals like a dream i just have no reason to extend my tonal range past what is already on it and my wah pedal, I can see for bass players how having a lot of effects on just because you arent switching pedals on and off a lot and just have a set system that doesnt change
My personal journey has been transitioning from “how can I sound good?” to “what serves the song/mix?”
Same! Mix is everything if you are a band guy.
Great vid. For those wanting a recap of the three tone settings he demonstrated. They are: using the clock dial metaphor to indicate dial position (oclock, oc)
Rubber Band: Single Mode, input and output at noon, attack 9 oclock, release 130 oclock, ratio 8
Angry Dog: Dual Mode, input 230 oc, output 10 oc, attack off, release 2 oc, ratio 12
Fat Bass: Sustain Mode, input 100 oc, output 10oc, attack off, release 2 oc, ratio all.
Thanks for making this accessible!
Just got mine in the mail! Can't wait to use it tonight at a gig 🎉
Great content as always. That #2 setting sounds fab. Thanks, Philip.
What a refreshing idea for compression pedal demo! Excellent job as always!
Thank you for watching!
Great video. I've been using the Empress Effects bass compressor. Love it. It wasn't until I started using that pedal that I began to understand how you can use a compressor to help shape your sound.
Nice!
That double mode is pretty sick on bass. So glad you did this video. I really enjoyed Rhett's on Black Dog, and wondered what that might be like on bass. Keep em comin' Phil. This youtube channel will be huge one day. I'm hopin'
Thanks for watching and your support! I plan to keep them coming ⚡️
That compressor is cool but your bass lines are even more coolerer!! Those bass lines with that pedal belong in a new Ween song!! Always enjoy your vids! Thanks!
Aw shucks! Thanks for listening. Glad to have you here ⚡️
Thanks for posting this vid. I had ordered Cali76 (which is backordered) yesterday, but after watching what this pedal can do and sounds, I’m sold on it. I definitely love the sound coming out of Cali76, but the price point and sound of this pedal is very lucrative!
I watched this video easily 20 times - and had this thing in and out of online carts for weeks. Pulled the trigger tonight. Can not wait to get it. 🙃😎
Hope you find what you’re looking for!
Bravo! 22 years ago the 1176 was the gateway compressor that really helped me understand not only the functional value but the incredible creative power of compression and limiting. The FET 1176 is a very flexible tool, from subtle to crushing. But it is the perfect jump off point to the understanding other compressor technologies and where they have their own specialties such as the transparent magic of optical compressors like the LA2A and LA3A, also incredible on bass.
Well said! Thanks for watching!
Really good sound of your bass! Also the playing is great, not flashy, but most of the time that is what is bass all about..nice and melodic support of the music
Very nice! Thanks for sharing.
Thanks for watching!
Good video demos.
Thanks for the demo, I have been thinking about getting the UA 1176 Compressor,
and thanks for the tips on using compression.
Thanks for watching!
@@philipconradmusic You're welcome
Great vid Phillip. I’ve been waiting on a bass player to review this pedal. Still a beginner when it comes to compression but your vids help a ton!
Thanks so much for taking the time to watch. Glad to have you here!
Agreed. Nice to see a bass focused/usage on this one. I'm sure the Cali76 is great. This might be a good way to test the waters. Sounds great - awesome demo, Phil!
Nicely done. Cali 76 is one of my desert island pedals
It’s a great one. Thanks for watching!
As a bass player I rarely use compression, this video has made me think again, as a part time slide guitarist however, compression is so key if you ever want to do any kind of clean slide guitar.
Awesome. Thanks for watching!
Nice! I've been using the Stacked Edition Cali76 on bass for about a year and it sounds/feels so juicy. It's essentially doing the dual mode that this new pedal has.
The 76 is awesome. I love both of these pedals. The magic switch is the bonus of this pedal for sure.
Huge thing about gear is how it makes you play. Awesome vid⚜️⚜️
Thanks for watching!
Great vid, philip!
Thanks for watching!
thanks you... I want one now
I use an orange kongpressor (LA2A-based) and I love that touch of grit it adds to my signal as it compresses.
Nice!
I am using the kongpressor as well. What seetings are you using?
My settings are 2 a clock Squash and around 12 Release and Attack.
I'm with you 100%. I used to be team transparent, but once I started using drive pedals for a touch of saturation I never wanted to go back. Using drives like that made me want a compressor. It just makes the tone pop.
Agreed. Thanks for watching!
Let me preface this by saying that you don’t need *any* pedal to get your playing across. I regularly play with some of the best bassists on the east coast, many of whom walk into the gig with a gig bag and maybe an amp if they aren’t just gonna go DI (because it’s a $200 “whatever” gig and who cares). All of that being said, bass is an instrument that benefits from compression in a way that no other does…and it has to do with its role in the band. Bass is an ANCHOR. It glues the guitar to the drums and drives a significant portion of the band’s overall character, groove, etc. If the bass isn’t foundational…if it wanders up and down in the mix, the entire band sounds wiggly and the anchor might as well be lost at sea. Compression helps you achieve that foundation and importantly, it has to be good compression. Bad compression smears your low end and accentuates the midrange too much. Good compression (often parallel compression) allows the bass to sit where it should regardless of what’s being played. That’s the reason you buy a compressor or play with an amp that’s got a good, natural squish to it.
I bought an Empress Bass Comp and immediately enjoyed the feeling. I ended up playing a lot more
Nice!
Compression is one thing bass players need much more than we realize. Most players have no idea just how much compression there is on the bass sounds of their favorite albums. And don't even get me started about live, as a sound guy, I am literally doing the bass player harm if I don't add at least compression to the dry tone.
Agreed. I’ve done my share of time at front of house, and it is incredibly helpful
Thanks for watching!
Compressors are some of my very favorite effects because it manipulates volume over time, and every sound, no matter how outlandish, has volume and time. Especially useful for bass since it has to manage both dynamics and rhythm.
Well said! ⚡️
This isn't a video about compression and compressors this is a video about the 1176.
This video made me get the 1176
Hey Phil, great job here. Compressors are such a useful tool and you did a great job explaining away the typical “fix bad technique in a box” stigma they get. Curious about a couple things with the pedal. Do you know if the pedal has any kind of HPF going into the compressor circuit? (Mostly a curiosity since my main compressor has a HPF dial and I’d love to emulate some of these sounds) Also, can you clarify what the single, dual, and sustain switch does? I’m assuming this is a ratio selector but not totally sure. Thanks!
Now I need this 😂
Sounds good. Would love to see Sweetwater send you the new UA LA-2A comp pedal and the OX Stomp pedal. Then have you shootout the 1176 Vs LA-2A, then shootout the 1176 Vs The OX Stomp’s 1176 to see if they sound the same.
"first in the chain baby, I have no idea what it does"
I have a nice compressor, but I only use it as an EFFECT when I'm doing a Tony Levin pop bass kinda thing.
My reason for using compression has to do with trying to create my own personal “formula” while reflecting on groups and musicians I have long admired who have utilized it effectively themselves. When I listen to records by Boston or the Byrds, both of which employed copious compression on their instruments, I definitely enjoy hearing the results. In the case of the Byrds, it began as a utility to try boosting the sound of the 12-string Rickenbacker played by Jim McGuinn. Eventually, it became a fixture of their sound straight through to win they put out their last original records in 1971. In the case of Boston, it largely had to do with Tom Scholz forging a sound with some of the original project studio equipment in the industry acting as his method of capturing the music. Another temple I like is original Chicago guitar player Terry Kath utilizing it on their second record, during the 4-part track called “It Better End Soon”; Terry began the piece with his neck pickup volume down at 1 or 2 for his rhythm playing and then cranked it up for his solos.
Thanks for sharing!
Hmm, very interesting & thanks for sharing this as compressors always have fascinated me. I've never owned one until now but it's not a stand alone unit. I have a SansAmp DP-3X & it has a built in all analog, FET based technology compressor. I'm also interested in playing through the Seymour Duncan Studio Bass Compressor (it's a pedal). The reason being because I asked Alex Webster's (amp builder/guy who works on & mods, fixes, repairs Alex's basses) what he thinks the best bass compressor there is. In his opinion he said hands down the Seymour Duncan. If anybody uses this compressor I'd be curious to hear from you.
BTW here's a bit off of SD's website that sounded interesting as well, cheers!;
This versatile studio-grade compressor is a must have for any bass player looking to maximize their sound, with a range of tones from subtle to super-squashed. One of the secrets to the Studio Bass’s power is its 3-position mini-toggle and blend knob, which give you near limitless control over your tone by letting you mix uncompressed tones alongside the affected sound. Blend in your unadulterated clean signal, a mid boost that will help you cut through the busiest mixes, or a fat low-end growl. Find that sweet spot where harder picking lifts the dry signal right up above the effected signal or mix in just a hint of the original sound.
Punk rock pick players, slap-happy funkateers and ferocious fingerstyle players alike will find endless sonic options, and there’s enough power that you can even use it as a clean boost for solos. It also makes a great ‘always-on’ pedal to form the heart of your sound.
Hey Philip! Great video, been following you for a while now. Love your stuff. Have you had any issues with compressors being noisy? I have a mxr bass comp and by the time I adjust levels to where it’s actually starting to limit, there’s an audible buzz/hum coming through. Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks for watching! Yes, compressors can be noisy depending on how you set them as they are raising the noise floor. I find it usually doesn’t create a problem in the mix and I find compressors to do more good than harm, especially in the recording process. Also, not all compressors are the same. Hope this helps!
Maybe it's how you're saying it but idk if I would say it inspires or changes how I want to play. What I do agree with is that a compressor is one kf the mist important ways to change your bass sound, it's more than just using it for a purely functional reason
Great video! I am currently in the market to add a compressor pedal to my bass board, how would you compare the UA 1176 against the Cali 76? There is a considerable cost savings in going with the 1176, so wondering if there is any compromise with the sound and features?
Thank you for that vid, I was waiting for it before buying this comp, there are no videos on UA-cam showing it on bass. I hope it works also very transparent with his parallel mode : if that's the case I woulds say at this pricepoint it would certainly be the best option out there ....
To be honest I haven’t played it much with the parallel mode yet. But I have loved this pedal so far!
@@philipconradmusic I finally bought it and I love it, there are lot of creativity possibilities in this pedal and at this price point it is perfect .... Thank you letting us discover it on a bass context ...
I mostly use compression for tone shaping.
That bass sounds killer! Is the Lindy Fralin pickup stock or overwound?
Stock I believe. I bought it over 10 years ago…
Line 3 is a song waiting to be fleshed out
Is there a gain or something when you kick in the second switch to control the saturation...if so it would probably do the mowtown vibe killer..or am I wrong.
Hi Philip, I’m wondering if you have the knob directions for Attack/Release mixed up on this video, because according to the manual, it states “Unlike most compressors, you rotate the control clockwise for faster attack/release (as with original hardware).
On the video, you stated that you had your Rubber Band setting at relatively quick attack, but your attack knob is at 9 o’clock, suggesting that it’s actually slow attack according to what the manual says.
Definitely go with what the manual says.
My first bass pedal is a compressor :)
Nice choice!
I was going into watching this video like "this will not make me wanna have this pedal" … and then you played the Angry Dog setting 😫
😂 sorry loopy. Thanks for watching as always!
Philip, did you ever use the old red Dynacomp on bass? Talk about simplicity, I like it!
I did! One of the first pedals I had. I sold it years before I knew what it actually did! 😂
@@philipconradmusic that happens!
do you use the 1176 and Albatross at the same time?
I don’t typically use fuzz and comp at the same time as the fuzz is actually accomplishing a similar goal of making the sound more consistent. Great question.
Hey Philip. Just a quick question.
What's your view on this compressor and the various other generic compressors out there, like say, the Origin Effects Cali76 Deluxe, the Empress, etc., for use with bass compared to a compressor that's been optimized for bass like the Cali76 Bass Compressor?
Do you think there's any difference worth consideration?
Of course, anyone else out there with knowledge om this topic is welcome to chime in.
Thanks!
Great question! I have used both and love both. I like the versatility of this one with the switch, but both are awesome. I don’t think bass needs bass-specific compressor pedals personally. Maybe a shootout video could be cool though…
@@philipconradmusic Thank you for the reply, Philip! It's a nice bit of perspective for me as I wade through the ocean of compressor pedals.
Cheers!
How would you compare this to the compadre you were using?
Both are great compressors. This one has the magic switch. Both are cool honestly.
How does this pedal stand against the Cali76?
As a compressor very comparable. This one has the bonus features of dual and sustain mode.
I always thought a fuzz pedal was used on Black Dog.
2 1176s
i’m a long time musician and newer sorta intermediate bass player. i have a compressor on my chains but it’s one of those things that only comes on when i’m going for a specific sorta sound. i think it’s ability to make unique artistic tones outweighs any allegations of compression being a crutch. though i do also just hate the mentality of “oh it makes it easier.” like if it sounds good isn’t that the end goal of being a bassist? why do we have to pretend like someone isn’t good enough when they clearly are making something that sounds good because of some arbitrarily conceived standard of skill.
will you do 1176 vs cali76?
No I don’t think I’ll do a shootout. I like them both for different reasons.
@@philipconradmusic interesting. they are based off on the same comp, amd you think they are apples and oranges.🤔 i want to try 1176 now lol
hey, looks like the Cali76 affiliate link is wrong
Just fixed it. Thanks so much! Let me know if you still have any issues 🤘
@@philipconradmusic But, don't you have the bass version of the Cali76? Your link is for the standard one. Also, Origin makes a stacked edition which is what I use on bass and it's also great. Great video btw!
I'm super sure the double Urei 1176 was first a John Paul Jones thing, not as a distortion effect but as an always-on into the Acoustic 361 on stage, to make up enough gain to compete with Page's Marshalls. Especially when he was carrying the bass line on the organ pedals.
I believe Sam in G.V.F. does the same into 2 slaved Acoustic 361's
Nice! Thanks for sharing
How about neither? I've been studying mixing for the last five years and let me tell you: bass is HEAVILY HEAVILY compressed on studio albums. It's probably the most compressed instrument, in fact. A good mix engineer basically wants NO dynamic range from the bass. What they want is consistency. And they know that no player on Earth can achieve the level of consistency they're looking for. So they process the hell out of the bass.
So why when we start talking about live playing do we treat bass differently? Wouldn't extreme consistency still make for a better sound? I get that live playing is supposed to sound a bit more natural than studio playing, but you still want it as tight as possible. Besides, any club you play in with FOH support is going to apply compression/limiting to your bass. So why not control how that's happening yourself instead of letting the sound person do it for you?
I don't see it as a creative tool. I see it as a practical one. And it's certainly not a crutch any more than doing a sound check so the FOH person can get your levels balanced is a crutch.
A lot of truth in your thoughtful comment. My point is I want to allow FOH or the studio engineer to make informed compression decisions based on what they hear. Once I compress something it takes away their control to do their job. That’s why I approach compression as a creative tool and tend to allow FOH to decide how to use it as a mixing tool.
🤔You can let any effect or even amp or instrument that you play, influence you’re playing.. bass isn’t the only instrument that has that distinction..
on guitar it’s standard modus operandi.. why not bass also?!😉
I find bass players (my main audience) less receptive of being influenced by gear outside of their bass itself, so I am speaking to them specifically 😉 You are right though. Thanks for watching and glad to have you here!
@@philipconradmusic
👍No problem, thanks!
No Slap? 🤪