A healthy guy like Mick should like being called thick. It’s clearly not a reference to his waist. OFC, saying one is thick can be an insult (ie-thick skulled). It’s like a pet name you might give to a politician whose policies you disagree with. In a musical context it’s great, and the ladies like a good “Thick Mick Lick” as well. You could say that episode after episode he consistently gives us a good “thick Micking.”
Sometimes I forget there's a TPS every Friday, and when I get home from a crappy day and instinctively open up UA-cam, it always puts me in a great mood to discover it. Thanks for everything you do guys, it's a real lift to many of us.
Alternate click bait title: So You Bought a Compressor Because It Seemed Like A Reasonable Thing For a Guitarist To Do and Now You Would Like To Know Exactly What The Hell You’re Supposed to Do With One. Too wordy?
Seriously - Mick and Dan are 2 of the best players around - so graceful and gifted. The subtlety and layers of delicacy in their picking, melodies etc is just breathtaking.
Good show guys! I bought a Keeley Aria a while back after you guys demoed it. I was putting together a pedal board for my new band- a alt country, folk rock thing. That pedal is magic. I am def a "general thickener" type. I leave the Aria comp on all the time- set to just give my guitar a "little extra" - and boy- that one pedal (with the tone knob up a smidge) does more for my guitar than anything else. I find it also helps one switch guitars- humbuckers too dull?- dial up the tone knob a smidge, singlecoils lacking sustain after you get used to the sound of your humbuckers? - just dial up a bit more sustain. Perfect. You guys did an "always on" show a while ago- the Aria is it for me- so good!
I know Nile. Super cool & down-to-earth guy. Knows Crazy-Music Theory. I have taken his recording classes, & have gone clubbing & hung-out with him in NYC. "He got da Funk" - One of the Best R&B Guitar players & Songwriters on the planet = The Hitmaker !!!
Mick 'Pinot Noir Palladino' on bass! I almost dusted off my robot dance moves with the Nile Rogers chops early on...good thing you stopped when you did! Good Show guys!
I keep hearing people say that. But I've never been able to hear or feel it that way. Useless pedal in my opinion. Particularly since they are so ridiculously expensive.
@@hammill444 then dont think of it that way then if it doesn't feel that way to you. To me, it is my "give me another bar of this note I'm holding without changing the sound of my overdrive" button, placed first in my chain after the wah. How anybody could live without a free extra bar of sustain button that sounds natural upon engagement instead of "oh he kicked on a pedal"...beats me
I couldn't figure out compression for the longest time. Just picked up a Pigtronix Micro Germanium Philosopher's Tone and wow... love it. It is exactly what I was looking for to go with my new amp. Love the natural sound of the amp, and the compressor gives me that plus more, without coloring the sound too much at all.
I have a feeling the real name of this episode should be “Mick tries to find a compressor he might like”. Either way, love the episode as always, great work gentlemen.
Loved the discussion on the Niles Rogers direct tones! Could you guys do an episode on how to get great “direct into the console” tones using pedals? Could cover everything from Zeppelin to Niles to Prince. I’m sure there are some great preamps and compressors that would get you there!
It’s really interesting that a compressor for me at least is an effect of feel rather than anything you actually hear. I use a 5-knob Ross-style pedal with blend. I always set it up so that when I twist the knobs it sounds almost like it’s off. But it feels a whole lot different than with the pedal off. Plus, it’s a blessing at low volumes. The amp sounds like it’s louder. Another thing is that I run my comp after the dirt. The good thing in this is that into my one-channel amp, the always-on reverb at the end of the chain will not get too overwhelming if I run my overdrives really hot. Kind of a limiter in this use, I guess. Of course, when using it like this you lose some of the fun with overdrives. Whenever I run the amp loud I don’t feel a need to use a comp as often. This leads to the fact that almost all gain pedals need to be set up in this scenario a bit differently. But that’s the nature of the game.
When I saw this week's video was about compressors I was SO happy! I've been interested in compressors for a while but didn't really know how to use them. Thanks for showing me the ways of the force D&M!
Compressor, disco lights, and a bass. Get out my platform shoes, huge 70s collar, and plenty of polyester! Great show guys. Always a reminder of how versatile a simple thing like compression can give that extra ‘something’. Cheers.
Talking about using something you wouldn't expect to use as a boost, I've recently been using an Effectrode Tube Vibe in the vibrato setting, no vibrato volume up. Best clean boost I've ever owned! 12ay7 in v1, two 12at7s after. Awesome! Great episode today chaps
if you guys ever look more at cheaper pedals then I highly recommend the Mooer Yellow. great always-on pedal that is fairly subtle as a compressor but which really thickens up your sound. also very quiet
I know that You guys are not "that kind of players", so im not saying that you forgot, but... Compressor (with fast attack) in front of drive (especially distortion, but not only) makes legato super much easier, alot of compression, with blend 75-100% and compression from 60 to 100%. And i mean Allan Holdsworth style legato. The notes almost just play themselves... :D I used it for years for this purpose.
@@lucaszembrzuski ah crap the mxr doesnt have attack, it mixes attack, release and a couple other minor things into one knob. its such a vintage pedal though thats highly reccomended and quite a bit cheaper so i think i'm gonna go for it
I have 6 compressors and have sold 2 or 3 others. I recently bought the Fat General. Everything you said is spot on about it.I will still keep 5 of my other favs as they work uniquely to solve problems as you have mentioned. The Seymour Duncan Vice Grip has a 20:1 ratio. It is killer for players using dirt pedals that want a 'wall of sound' for very, very long sustained power chords.
Best bit was the bass section at the end! War of the world's bass-line Horsell Common and the heat ray!!!! Followed by some mighty jazzy blues bass. AWESOME :-)
The compressor 101 video that you mention around 3:05 was the first TPS video I ever watched! I've seen every one since. Thanks for all the content, guys!
Compressor is an always on thing for me I thought I knew what I needed to know you dudes smashed my illusion and a BIG THANKS for that. I am going have watch this a few times......like button smashed!!
You guys did a really good job recording the sound of compressors. It's very hard to demonstrate the sound, because it's more of a feel thing. Well done.
Some love for the Keeley Aria at the start using both the drive and comp sides. I’ve been using mine against a mid gain Marshall to give it a boost. It’s good!
I've used several compressors over the years and at the moment I'm back to uncompressed. I feel the same way about compressors that I do about reverb - I like them, I want to like them in my rig, other people make them sound really good, but I'm never able to make them sound good so that I'm content.
Been a happy Effectrode PC-2A user for a few years but always wished it had a slightly slower attack....managed to completely miss the fact that it has an internal trim for that! Slowed the attack down....now absolutely perfect! Thanks folks :-)
Boss cs3 is my always on pedal. It evens out frequencies and gives some more sustain. It is 2nd after tuner and before the il torino. I absolutely love it
Thank for going over. Compression can be such a boring topic to listen to, especially since you guys were getting technical about it. But once you actually start playing with it yourself, it just make all the difference in the world. You guys first introduced me to this and my life has never been the same. I can't believe I used to play without it. Once the modulation came in, my attention when back to the video from what I was doing lol.
Hi Dan and Mick, Excellent Show 👍👍👍. Great ways to use a Compressor, Thank you! I enjoyed the Bass Segment, Laughed with the "Sometime Later" on the screen,, just Brilliant. Take care ♥️👍. Melbourne, Australia.
What a lovely show - this recording is well before I'd heard of Mssr.s D&M, yet their schtick is still the bollocks: so earnest, so keen; so transparent; so human. My Black Finger has little-to-none of the pot titles mentioned, however I'm once again inspired to fiddle about with both the controls and the series. Schwang :)
Would you use the Cali76 also for compressing vocals in the studio? How would you deal with impedance then? The same question goes for the studio grade pre-amp pedals of the latest generation. How about using them as studio preamps on mics (could be lovely on double bass)?
Great stuff, guys. I am currently shopping for a compressor, and now I have some better questions to ask, thanks for that. The bass loop was just great, too. The only thing else I could have asked for was Dan picking up his Jazzmaster to join in at the end and make it a true Funkadelic Friday. Cheers! Oh, and if you guys do go to live stream VCQ, I truly hope you can still read all the comments. I am about 5 hours behind you, and I can't watch until you are either in bed or in a bar. Hard to watch or listen with power saws and air compressors running, and it would suck to feel left out. The ways you guys involve and interact with your viewers is just awesome. It makes you the best show on youtube.
Yes! So glad to hear some country tones!!!! Mick's Strat sounds killer compressed! I need those pickups in my Strat. Dan, where is Red? I have to say though, that blonde Tele with the Topanga and compression reminded me of Danny Gatton.
Great job describing all the uses of compression. I will say it's one of those things that you kind of need to be in the room to understand or at the very least be playing it yourself. Even with y'alls wonderful audio production and headphones, it's still a little hard to grasp. It did peak my interest however, so mission accomplished guys! Awesome work as usual.
I asked you about an update on comps awhile back and you said you had something in the works, but I never thought it would be this good an update. Definetly one of my favorite TPS episodes ever. I've always been a fan of comps and this was absolutely stellar. Much respect and appreciation. Cheers
Anybody got any love for Roland blues cubes? I ordered the 80W Artist on epic deal on andertons. Can’t wait. Played one before and thought it was awesome
I have a CS-1, which, being kind, has its own particular thing. Part of that thing is not a lot of sustain, so I occasionally use it with a clean boost slammed into the front.
I finally pulled the trigger on a Cali 76 couple of months ago. First heard one on this show and wanted one for ages (but dang they’re expensive). Tried a couple of other highly recommended and while they were pretty good the Cali is just fabulous especially for articulate clean playing and for making your solos sing. I’m a pos 4/5 strat player that likes clean/edge of clean mostly with OD for many solos of course. At home the compressor helps my amp sing at lower volumes. Thanks guys for making me sound so much better. Family still doesn’t listen lol but it makes me feel better when Chris Bucks wife closes the door on him. 😂
13:37 "Oh no - I had some great country lyrics..." - my all time favourite "country" lyrics (from Harry Nilsson's "Son of Schmilsson" [classic!] album): Now Joy to the world Was a beautiful girl But to me, Joy meant only sorrow. Now that, gentlemen, is poetry.
Great stuff, thanks again guys for the very informative vids... On a side note, i was trying to figure out where Mick keeps his pick when he goes to finger style playing...absolutely love his style ....some great country riffs as well...got be inspired to try my best Buck Owens and Roy Clark impersonations! ;)
nice video thanks tps. Now I need to go and buy a comp pedal! I've been wanting to ask this for a while, but guys, I really really loved the OCD pedal that you used on the show before. I want to get one used but found out that there are so many versions of them. I can't go out and buy all of them for comparison but I wonder if you guys can bring them on the show! I really enjoyed the in-depth video on the RAT pedal. Can we get a in-depth show on other pedals? like OCD or Klon clones! from very cheap to original vintage! Thanks and Hi from Korea!
Great show guys! Now I don't feel like an oddball with 2 compressors on my pedal board. I have a Bogner Harlow at the front of the chain and a Pigtronix Philosophers Tone after my drive pedals and before my modulation and delays.
Thanks gents! Hearing about the various parameters around 6:00 was enlightening. As a suggestion, having a white board to draw up the bits you draw in the air would be supremely useful to demonstrate the impact on the signal. Even just a little hand held one stuck to the stool you can whip out would be great.
So many great country vibes in here! With that in mind, any ideas how to get an approximated banjo feel in a live show setting? For context, I own a Roland GR-55 with the midi pickup which does a fair job, but it isn't ideal carting around a large synth unit (and fitting a temperamental and awkward pickup to an otherwise gorgeous strat) for just a couple of songs. Folks also keep telling me to "just buy a banjo", but I'm already loaded up with kit for gigs in a busy city where cars are impractical. Any thoughts?
I find my clean tone disappears live once i switch off the overdrive. If I put the compressor after my drive pedals, is that going to help with this problem? keeping volume consistent between pedals is a bitch live.
I recently remembered how That Pedal Show was when it started (also watched an old vid). Mick would always take the role of "I know nothing and don't understand this stuff, so would you please explain this in simply understandable terms". After asking, it apparently was also partly honest like a guitar clinic interview thing. This episode brought back those memories, I don't know how long it's been since Mick last time started with something like "I honestly don't know". I suppose you guys have also learned a lot since the beginning :) It feels like these days the only things Mick really just lifts his hands up is those unnecessarily complex digital systems with endless menus. And compression. And even that said, I recall Mick really studied that one Boss system or whatever it was to be able to use it to demonstrate its features. Long way mates, long way. Now Mick playing slide guitar with compressor sounding very low, I wonder if Joey Landreth made a huge impression... And I can't even list all the things I've learned here and how much it has expanded my possibilities with sound. I used to be straight into overdrive channel with integrated reverb guy, but now I have a small pile of pedals, looking to grow it and they are amazing tools. Compression is still that thing that I just don't know how to use properly and don't have any feel for. I've tried using some plugins with more parameters to dial it in slightyl, but it's always either: don't hear any difference or: too much, sounds silly. Like "I don't hear the quiet notes too well, I don't hear the quiet notes too well... and now it's twangy country because the loud notes get squashed...". Especially the part about using attack and release. I understand what they do, but I have no idea how to actually dial them in and what kind of applications there are for different releases for example, when do you hear the difference in release? So I'm really happy about this episode! Maybe you could have an episode like this about flanger (despite the few already existing flanger vids) too! It's an effect I'd like to learn to use subtly and in context. Watching Dan love it so much I'd love to understand it so that it doesn't sound like a coke bottle effect. After watching the episode I was left with one more question: what kind of compressor (brand, model) would you use for different applications, what do you require for which. Because there are simple ones and ones with a lot of controls, apparently the similar ones also sound different and different application probably needs different things. Like overdrives are plenty and for different uses, but how to compare them. With overdrive you can quickly judge the amount of gain and the character, be it tubescreamery, distortion, boost, klon etc. The controls are usually just extra adjustment, but you get an idea what to use it for. What do you listen to in a compressor and so on. I guess the question comes out as confused as the compressor is for a non-educated. The JHS pedal was really nice, it was the first one where I went "oooh this is a sound".
Another great show guys! In all the things you have discussed that impacts your sound, you have touched on the number of speakers 1x12 vs 2x12 vs 4x12, but how would different speakers in you amps/cabs impact things? How would an alnico blueback impact a tubescreamer sound compared to a greenback? Or a creamback with higher wattage? What about Jensen speakers (classic fender)? What do you all prefer for speakers, all the same or mix and match? Keep up the awesome work!
Hi Guys, I use a small 2w Fender Greta into a 1x12 at home. Thanks to Dan’s advice I now have on my pedal board a TC Spark to control the little monster that is the Greta followed by my Love Pedal OD11. Question is, having pulled my MXR Dyna Comp out from under the sofa do I put it before or after the Spark?
If you guys have any tips for the boss cs3 please do share I have 1 and I never use it because of how noisy it is when I had originally got it and didn’t have problems now it’s so noisy I can’t even use it. It’s definitely not due to being old or over use it’s only a couple years old and hasn’t had much use.
Yes good shout, I do use mine now with my Keeley Darkside and it's the best compliment and greater than any other use. But generally it has a very loud floor noise and impossible to get the gain up above 9 O'CLOCK which as you know is very annoying 😫
If you want a really nice transparent compressor sell your cs3 and get a higher end comp. Not trying to be a dick, just been there and that is what I ended up doing and have been happy since. I find the cs3 to be more useful for sustain than for quality compression.
Hey guys! Any thoughts on single coil sized humbuckers and how they compare to their full sized counterparts? Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience! Much appreciated!
A really good guide to compression, although given the recent offerings from Wampler, Keeley, Strymon, an update would be appreciated. And yes, pedal makers ARE artists. The work of Marcus Reeves is breathtaking!
That certainly was ace! Save the best 'til last... Cool :) Question for Dan Sorry if you've already answered but what's the background on the Butterscotch Tele?
A very interesting and informative edition. Hopefully I can start adjusting my compressor with a bit more wisdom now, although I suspect I will end up changing to a different one.
Hello, Dearhearts! As a mediocre guitarist but alleged professional in the studio environment, I'm perplexed as to why there are few or no examples of a Gain Make-up Stage on compressor pedals. In rack mount studio compressor/limiters there is almost invariably a make-up stage to compensate for the overall gain lost by compression and limiting. In recording situations, this gain compensation is invaluable aid to get maximum recording signal . Why is this feature not common on guitar pedals? BTW...I just added a couple of TPS T-shirts to my collection which I plan to wear proudly in the US of A! Thanks for all the invaluable info!
Mick may not have wanted to play the slide demo but that tone with the Lowell George thing on the Cali 76 was the standout for me. Gorgeous, but what was the guitar?
Additional insight regarding threshold for anyone new to compression. All compressors have a threshold. If you don’t have a “threshold” control that just means it is fixed. If you have a fixed threshold compressor and you want it to kick in sooner simply raise the input so you are hitting it with a louder signal, and then lower the output to compensate. Effectively the same as lowering the threshold on a variable threshold compressor.
Just a word about using two compressors. Stacking two identical comps as the new dual Cali 76 is fine. However, your tonal palate can be expanded a bit by using two different comps in series, particularly if they are of different types. I use the original single Cali 76 (not stacked) Field Effect Transistor (FET) compressor in front of an Xotic SP, based on the Ross Operational Transconductance Amplifier (OTA) compressor, both always on. Each is set to moderate compression. In this way, they complement each other and compress the signal in different ways resulting in compression that no single or two identical comps comp can equal. Depending upon how the controls are set, attack may be fully preserved, the compression distinct and if you wish it so, powerful, all while harmonic content is added. I believe that Roger McGuinn pioneered dual studio guitar compression with his Rick360/12 on the Byrds’ classic recordings in the middle-late 1960s. He reports that on those recordings he played through a DI box directly into the recording desk with two Teletronix LA-2A Leveling Amplifiers (used as compressors) in series. The simple to use, two-knob LA-2A offers 40 dB of gain from input to output which makes it useable as a compressor and/or a pre-amp. I understand that McGuinn was never that pleased with his live sound, primarily of course, because he did not have access on stage to the studio equipment which was such a big part of his sound. A modern, well-equipped pedal board would have largely solved his problem, but such was still many years in the future.
I use the Boss cs on a clean guitar to level and push fingerpicking parts and solos against strumming parts. Another way use it is im the very end of the signal chainto embed/bury the guitarsound in reverb when I gaze at my shoes
![Beyond The MXR Dyna Comp & Boss CS-3 Compressor [J Rockett Airchild, UA LA-2A, 1176 & Origin Cali76]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/R3z0dFoPwyc/mqdefault.jpg)
![Beyond The MXR Dyna Comp & Boss CS-3 Compressor [J Rockett Airchild, UA LA-2A, 1176 & Origin Cali76]](/img/tr.png)
There once was a player named Mick,
with many-a-tasty lick,
his latest obsession
is pedal compression
and his tone is
massive and thick!
What a fantastic limerick about Thick Lick Mick
@@grisok I hope Thick Lick Mick sticks.
A healthy guy like Mick should like being called thick. It’s clearly not a reference to his waist. OFC, saying one is thick can be an insult (ie-thick skulled). It’s like a pet name you might give to a politician whose policies you disagree with. In a musical context it’s great, and the ladies like a good “Thick Mick Lick” as well. You could say that episode after episode he consistently gives us a good “thick Micking.”
they call him: Mick Sick Lick
@@mmmichelin1 Rumour has it he's *the* General Fattener
When you've got thick licks and they call you General, you've got everything.
Sometimes I forget there's a TPS every Friday, and when I get home from a crappy day and instinctively open up UA-cam, it always puts me in a great mood to discover it. Thanks for everything you do guys, it's a real lift to many of us.
Alternate click bait title: So You Bought a Compressor Because It Seemed Like A Reasonable Thing For a Guitarist To Do and Now You Would Like To Know Exactly What The Hell You’re Supposed to Do With One.
Too wordy?
David Good this title needs some compression
No, describe me cept I'm finding out what it does before I get one
“COMPRESSOR EXPLOXES AND KILLS DAN (GONE WRONG) (COPS CALLED) feat: Brian Wampler”
@@tcarad2 LOL
It’s not wrong lol
Seriously - Mick and Dan are 2 of the best players around - so graceful and gifted. The subtlety and layers of delicacy in their picking, melodies etc is just breathtaking.
That is incredibly kind Paul, thank you. Humbled and continuing forwards. :0)
Good show guys! I bought a Keeley Aria a while back after you guys demoed it. I was putting together a pedal board for my new band- a alt country, folk rock thing. That pedal is magic. I am def a "general thickener" type. I leave the Aria comp on all the time- set to just give my guitar a "little extra" - and boy- that one pedal (with the tone knob up a smidge) does more for my guitar than anything else. I find it also helps one switch guitars- humbuckers too dull?- dial up the tone knob a smidge, singlecoils lacking sustain after you get used to the sound of your humbuckers? - just dial up a bit more sustain. Perfect. You guys did an "always on" show a while ago- the Aria is it for me- so good!
I know Nile. Super cool & down-to-earth guy. Knows Crazy-Music Theory. I have taken his recording classes, & have gone clubbing & hung-out with him in NYC. "He got da Funk" - One of the Best R&B Guitar players & Songwriters on the planet = The Hitmaker !!!
Mick 'Pinot Noir Palladino' on bass! I almost dusted off my robot dance moves with the Nile Rogers chops early on...good thing you stopped when you did! Good Show guys!
"It's the overdrive for your clean sound" :))
yeah baby :)
I keep hearing people say that. But I've never been able to hear or feel it that way. Useless pedal in my opinion. Particularly since they are so ridiculously expensive.
@@hammill444 then dont think of it that way then if it doesn't feel that way to you. To me, it is my "give me another bar of this note I'm holding without changing the sound of my overdrive" button, placed first in my chain after the wah.
How anybody could live without a free extra bar of sustain button that sounds natural upon engagement instead of "oh he kicked on a pedal"...beats me
@Infinite Revery Nope. Sustain isn't everything to everybody.
@@hammill444 you’re not using the right compressor period. Wasn’t a fan until I got a Slide Rig. Anything from Origin Effects is what you want
I couldn't figure out compression for the longest time. Just picked up a Pigtronix Micro Germanium Philosopher's Tone and wow... love it. It is exactly what I was looking for to go with my new amp. Love the natural sound of the amp, and the compressor gives me that plus more, without coloring the sound too much at all.
Loved seeing some bass in the this video hope y’all do more with it.
I’d love to see what you guys thing about drives and fuzz on bass
I have a feeling the real name of this episode should be “Mick tries to find a compressor he might like”. Either way, love the episode as always, great work gentlemen.
That pure joy in the intro is infectious. That's the stuff. Well done, guys.
mick absolutely killing it with the sounds made in the beginning. my ears thank you
Loved the discussion on the Niles Rogers direct tones! Could you guys do an episode on how to get great “direct into the console” tones using pedals? Could cover everything from Zeppelin to Niles to Prince. I’m sure there are some great preamps and compressors that would get you there!
Jhs color box my friend!
For a newbie like me, thanks for clearing up what “type” of compressor I like the sound of.. and more importantly how and when to use it. 👍
I love my Wampler Ego Compressor. There is lot I don't understand about compression, but I do know it's sounds better when it's on.
It’s really interesting that a compressor for me at least is an effect of feel rather than anything you actually hear. I use a 5-knob Ross-style pedal with blend. I always set it up so that when I twist the knobs it sounds almost like it’s off. But it feels a whole lot different than with the pedal off. Plus, it’s a blessing at low volumes. The amp sounds like it’s louder.
Another thing is that I run my comp after the dirt. The good thing in this is that into my one-channel amp, the always-on reverb at the end of the chain will not get too overwhelming if I run my overdrives really hot. Kind of a limiter in this use, I guess. Of course, when using it like this you lose some of the fun with overdrives.
Whenever I run the amp loud I don’t feel a need to use a comp as often. This leads to the fact that almost all gain pedals need to be set up in this scenario a bit differently. But that’s the nature of the game.
You two are the knights who say KNEE!
Sam Popkin +1
Made me lol! Python references fit well on TPS!
When I saw this week's video was about compressors I was SO happy! I've been interested in compressors for a while but didn't really know how to use them. Thanks for showing me the ways of the force D&M!
Compressor, disco lights, and a bass. Get out my platform shoes, huge 70s collar, and plenty of polyester! Great show guys. Always a reminder of how versatile a simple thing like compression can give that extra ‘something’. Cheers.
Talking about using something you wouldn't expect to use as a boost, I've recently been using an Effectrode Tube Vibe in the vibrato setting, no vibrato volume up. Best clean boost I've ever owned! 12ay7 in v1, two 12at7s after. Awesome! Great episode today chaps
Great to see Barber get a brief mention! Their stuff is outstanding.
At 15.33 Dan having a sulk over mick being able to honk Nile Rogers . ... Classic
if you guys ever look more at cheaper pedals then I highly recommend the Mooer Yellow. great always-on pedal that is fairly subtle as a compressor but which really thickens up your sound. also very quiet
I know that You guys are not "that kind of players", so im not saying that you forgot, but...
Compressor (with fast attack) in front of drive (especially distortion, but not only)
makes legato super much easier, alot of compression,
with blend 75-100% and compression from 60 to 100%.
And i mean Allan Holdsworth style legato. The notes almost just play themselves... :D
I used it for years for this purpose.
Which compressor did/ do you use with these settings?
@@sledge2742 Marhsall ED-1 (without blend ofc) and now Wampler Ego Mini.
@@lucaszembrzuski interesting, the ego sounds amazing but I can't really afford it lol so i think im gonna go for the mxr
@@sledge2742 anything with the attack control really, i got the Wampler because i have all mini pedals pedalboard.
@@lucaszembrzuski ah crap the mxr doesnt have attack, it mixes attack, release and a couple other minor things into one knob. its such a vintage pedal though thats highly reccomended and quite a bit cheaper so i think i'm gonna go for it
I have 6 compressors and have sold 2 or 3 others. I recently bought the Fat General. Everything you said is spot on about it.I will still keep 5 of my other favs as they work uniquely to solve problems as you have mentioned. The Seymour Duncan Vice Grip has a 20:1 ratio. It is killer for players using dirt pedals that want a 'wall of sound' for very, very long sustained power chords.
Hands down the best show on UA-cam!!
Wow, Mick! I'm only 1 min in and I need to restart the video. That was some serene bending you did there! Kudos to all your practice and musical love.
Thanks Tim!
Best bit was the bass section at the end! War of the world's bass-line Horsell Common and the heat ray!!!! Followed by some mighty jazzy blues bass. AWESOME :-)
Just when I thought my mind wasn’t blown enough with modulation and compression, you do it on the bass too 🤯 Game changer for me! Thx for all you do!
The compressor 101 video that you mention around 3:05 was the first TPS video I ever watched! I've seen every one since. Thanks for all the content, guys!
Compressor is an always on thing for me I thought I knew what I needed to know you dudes smashed my illusion and a BIG THANKS for that. I am going have watch this a few times......like button smashed!!
You guys did a really good job recording the sound of compressors. It's very hard to demonstrate the sound, because it's more of a feel thing. Well done.
Luke Hearn Compressors are like perfumes.
@@becosfx less is more...? "How can less be more? Surely more is more!" - I.M.
It is not a feeling. Compression is very concrete - as you may hear in this demonstration.
Some love for the Keeley Aria at the start using both the drive and comp sides. I’ve been using mine against a mid gain Marshall to give it a boost. It’s good!
I've used several compressors over the years and at the moment I'm back to uncompressed. I feel the same way about compressors that I do about reverb - I like them, I want to like them in my rig, other people make them sound really good, but I'm never able to make them sound good so that I'm content.
Boss CS-2. How does it compare, where does it fit among these compressors?
For the solo use demo at the end, was the compressor before or after the drive?
Been a happy Effectrode PC-2A user for a few years but always wished it had a slightly slower attack....managed to completely miss the fact that it has an internal trim for that! Slowed the attack down....now absolutely perfect! Thanks folks :-)
That 335 steals the show. I always treated compression as a dirty word, but I was really only thinking of one use for it. well done, my friends!
Boss cs3 is my always on pedal. It evens out frequencies and gives some more sustain. It is 2nd after tuner and before the il torino. I absolutely love it
Thank for going over. Compression can be such a boring topic to listen to, especially since you guys were getting technical about it. But once you actually start playing with it yourself, it just make all the difference in the world. You guys first introduced me to this and my life has never been the same. I can't believe I used to play without it.
Once the modulation came in, my attention when back to the video from what I was doing lol.
this is hands down my favorite of your musical intros. full staff guys, full staff.
Hi Dan and Mick, Excellent Show 👍👍👍.
Great ways to use a Compressor, Thank you!
I enjoyed the Bass Segment, Laughed with the "Sometime Later" on the screen,, just Brilliant.
Take care ♥️👍.
Melbourne, Australia.
What a lovely show - this recording is well before I'd heard of Mssr.s D&M, yet their schtick is still the bollocks: so earnest, so keen; so transparent; so human. My Black Finger has little-to-none of the pot titles mentioned, however I'm once again inspired to fiddle about with both the controls and the series. Schwang :)
Glad to see the bass yes as i play both and you have sparked new ideas thanks
Would you use the Cali76 also for compressing vocals in the studio? How would you deal with impedance then? The same question goes for the studio grade pre-amp pedals of the latest generation. How about using them as studio preamps on mics (could be lovely on double bass)?
Great stuff, guys. I am currently shopping for a compressor, and now I have some better questions to ask, thanks for that. The bass loop was just great, too. The only thing else I could have asked for was Dan picking up his Jazzmaster to join in at the end and make it a true Funkadelic Friday. Cheers!
Oh, and if you guys do go to live stream VCQ, I truly hope you can still read all the comments. I am about 5 hours behind you, and I can't watch until you are either in bed or in a bar. Hard to watch or listen with power saws and air compressors running, and it would suck to feel left out. The ways you guys involve and interact with your viewers is just awesome. It makes you the best show on youtube.
Nice show, gentlemen. Have you done any episodes featuring single-ended tube amps? Would you consider such a thing? Thanks, keep up the good work.
Never thought of doing that lick at 0:37! Nice! It'll take a bit of work to use it in context.
If you want a really subtle and natural compression effect try turning your pick round and playing with the ‘blunt’ end.
Love the usual uncompressed format of the show. Please never put TPS through a 12:1 compressor. Format is great as it it, tangents and all.
Yes! So glad to hear some country tones!!!! Mick's Strat sounds killer compressed! I need those pickups in my Strat.
Dan, where is Red? I have to say though, that blonde Tele with the Topanga and compression reminded me of Danny Gatton.
Great job describing all the uses of compression. I will say it's one of those things that you kind of need to be in the room to understand or at the very least be playing it yourself. Even with y'alls wonderful audio production and headphones, it's still a little hard to grasp. It did peak my interest however, so mission accomplished guys! Awesome work as usual.
How can people dislike this? So much better than any talking head on tv!!! No more tele of Netflix for me.
I asked you about an update on comps awhile back and you said you had something in the works, but I never thought it would be this good an update. Definetly one of my favorite TPS episodes ever. I've always been a fan of comps and this was absolutely stellar.
Much respect and appreciation.
Cheers
Anybody got any love for Roland blues cubes? I ordered the 80W Artist on epic deal on andertons. Can’t wait. Played one before and thought it was awesome
I have a CS-1, which, being kind, has its own particular thing. Part of that thing is not a lot of sustain, so I occasionally use it with a clean boost slammed into the front.
I finally pulled the trigger on a Cali 76 couple of months ago. First heard one on this show and wanted one for ages (but dang they’re expensive). Tried a couple of other highly recommended and while they were pretty good the Cali is just fabulous especially for articulate clean playing and for making your solos sing. I’m a pos 4/5 strat player that likes clean/edge of clean mostly with OD for many solos of course. At home the compressor helps my amp sing at lower volumes. Thanks guys for making me sound so much better. Family still doesn’t listen lol but it makes me feel better when Chris Bucks wife closes the door on him. 😂
Yep, good compression isn't cheap compression.
Hi guys, Could you talk about about the Nobels ODR-1 in future video? thnx
agreed
best ending to a night in the studio with whiskey and other consciousness altering...ehem greetings from Nashville boys :) good morning night
13:37 "Oh no - I had some great country lyrics..." - my all time favourite "country" lyrics (from Harry Nilsson's "Son of Schmilsson" [classic!] album):
Now Joy to the world
Was a beautiful girl
But to me,
Joy meant only sorrow.
Now that, gentlemen, is poetry.
Great stuff, thanks again guys for the very informative vids... On a side note, i was trying to figure out where Mick keeps his pick when he goes to finger style playing...absolutely love his style ....some great country riffs as well...got be inspired to try my best Buck Owens and Roy Clark impersonations! ;)
Those tele bends are clearing my ears and touching my soul, daaamn
Great detailed explanations! Thanks!
nice video thanks tps. Now I need to go and buy a comp pedal!
I've been wanting to ask this for a while, but guys, I really really loved the OCD pedal that you used on the show before. I want to get one used but found out that there are so many versions of them. I can't go out and buy all of them for comparison but I wonder if you guys can bring them on the show! I really enjoyed the in-depth video on the RAT pedal. Can we get a in-depth show on other pedals? like OCD or Klon clones! from very cheap to original vintage! Thanks and Hi from Korea!
Try out the pulp and peal by JHS. It's an awesome compressor with a desk drive type thing. It's awesome, I think playing bodysnatchers is a necessity!
Custom shop Tele is back! Love the sound on that.
Great show guys! Now I don't feel like an oddball with 2 compressors on my pedal board. I have a Bogner Harlow at the front of the chain and a Pigtronix Philosophers Tone after my drive pedals and before my modulation and delays.
I love these guys, they just love what they do !!!
Thanks gents! Hearing about the various parameters around 6:00 was enlightening. As a suggestion, having a white board to draw up the bits you draw in the air would be supremely useful to demonstrate the impact on the signal. Even just a little hand held one stuck to the stool you can whip out would be great.
So many great country vibes in here! With that in mind, any ideas how to get an approximated banjo feel in a live show setting? For context, I own a Roland GR-55 with the midi pickup which does a fair job, but it isn't ideal carting around a large synth unit (and fitting a temperamental and awkward pickup to an otherwise gorgeous strat) for just a couple of songs. Folks also keep telling me to "just buy a banjo", but I'm already loaded up with kit for gigs in a busy city where cars are impractical. Any thoughts?
I find I only need compression for playing slide into a clean amp. Let's see what I learn here today! 😀
This is just what the Dr ordered!! Thanks!
I find my clean tone disappears live once i switch off the overdrive. If I put the compressor after my drive pedals, is that going to help with this problem? keeping volume consistent between pedals is a bitch live.
Yes
I recently remembered how That Pedal Show was when it started (also watched an old vid). Mick would always take the role of "I know nothing and don't understand this stuff, so would you please explain this in simply understandable terms". After asking, it apparently was also partly honest like a guitar clinic interview thing. This episode brought back those memories, I don't know how long it's been since Mick last time started with something like "I honestly don't know". I suppose you guys have also learned a lot since the beginning :)
It feels like these days the only things Mick really just lifts his hands up is those unnecessarily complex digital systems with endless menus. And compression. And even that said, I recall Mick really studied that one Boss system or whatever it was to be able to use it to demonstrate its features. Long way mates, long way. Now Mick playing slide guitar with compressor sounding very low, I wonder if Joey Landreth made a huge impression...
And I can't even list all the things I've learned here and how much it has expanded my possibilities with sound. I used to be straight into overdrive channel with integrated reverb guy, but now I have a small pile of pedals, looking to grow it and they are amazing tools. Compression is still that thing that I just don't know how to use properly and don't have any feel for. I've tried using some plugins with more parameters to dial it in slightyl, but it's always either: don't hear any difference or: too much, sounds silly. Like "I don't hear the quiet notes too well, I don't hear the quiet notes too well... and now it's twangy country because the loud notes get squashed...". Especially the part about using attack and release. I understand what they do, but I have no idea how to actually dial them in and what kind of applications there are for different releases for example, when do you hear the difference in release? So I'm really happy about this episode! Maybe you could have an episode like this about flanger (despite the few already existing flanger vids) too! It's an effect I'd like to learn to use subtly and in context. Watching Dan love it so much I'd love to understand it so that it doesn't sound like a coke bottle effect.
After watching the episode I was left with one more question: what kind of compressor (brand, model) would you use for different applications, what do you require for which. Because there are simple ones and ones with a lot of controls, apparently the similar ones also sound different and different application probably needs different things. Like overdrives are plenty and for different uses, but how to compare them. With overdrive you can quickly judge the amount of gain and the character, be it tubescreamery, distortion, boost, klon etc. The controls are usually just extra adjustment, but you get an idea what to use it for. What do you listen to in a compressor and so on. I guess the question comes out as confused as the compressor is for a non-educated. The JHS pedal was really nice, it was the first one where I went "oooh this is a sound".
Another great show guys! In all the things you have discussed that impacts your sound, you have touched on the number of speakers 1x12 vs 2x12 vs 4x12, but how would different speakers in you amps/cabs impact things? How would an alnico blueback impact a tubescreamer sound compared to a greenback? Or a creamback with higher wattage? What about Jensen speakers (classic fender)? What do you all prefer for speakers, all the same or mix and match? Keep up the awesome work!
The sound of that amplifier combo today was Ace! (to coin a phrase)
Hi Guys, I use a small 2w Fender Greta into a 1x12 at home. Thanks to Dan’s advice I now have on my pedal board a TC Spark to control the little monster that is the Greta followed by my Love Pedal OD11. Question is, having pulled my MXR Dyna Comp out from under the sofa do I put it before or after the Spark?
Also Niles' one of a kind guitar is part of that tone. He has quite a unique strat worth a study in itself.
Really helpful and enlightening. Thank you very much gentlemen!
If you guys have any tips for the boss cs3 please do share I have 1 and I never use it because of how noisy it is when I had originally got it and didn’t have problems now it’s so noisy I can’t even use it. It’s definitely not due to being old or over use it’s only a couple years old and hasn’t had much use.
Yes good shout, I do use mine now with my Keeley Darkside and it's the best compliment and greater than any other use.
But generally it has a very loud floor noise and impossible to get the gain up above 9 O'CLOCK which as you know is very annoying 😫
If you want a really nice transparent compressor sell your cs3 and get a higher end comp. Not trying to be a dick, just been there and that is what I ended up doing and have been happy since. I find the cs3 to be more useful for sustain than for quality compression.
I love all the compressors in my Zoom G3Xn. Make me sound like I know how to play!
Hey guys! Any thoughts on single coil sized humbuckers and how they compare to their full sized counterparts? Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience! Much appreciated!
If I use the compressor as a booster for my solos, shall I place it after the distortion? Shall I do DIST- NOISE GATE - COMP?
It was such a blast to watch you guys just tooling around and improvising
"Dan and Mick stumble into compression - you won't believe what happened next!"
< i hope the tangents weren't compressed >
Rack-mounted compressors HATE THEM!
You won't believe the dress this compressor wore to the prom!
Stumble is the right word - maybe even fumble.
New Pedal day! I just scored the new Walrus Audio Optical comperosor partially due to this lesson on guitar comperssion... Fantastic tool!
Thanks for the hard work guys...
I believe the pedal can change your relationship with your guitar and the way you choose to use it. Great job fellas.
A really good guide to compression, although given the recent offerings from Wampler, Keeley, Strymon, an update would be appreciated. And yes, pedal makers ARE artists. The work of Marcus Reeves is breathtaking!
That certainly was ace! Save the best 'til last... Cool :) Question for Dan Sorry if you've already answered but what's the background on the Butterscotch Tele?
A very interesting and informative edition. Hopefully I can start adjusting my compressor with a bit more wisdom now, although I suspect I will end up changing to a different one.
Hello, Dearhearts! As a mediocre guitarist but alleged professional in the studio environment, I'm perplexed as to why there are few or no examples of a Gain Make-up Stage on compressor pedals. In rack mount studio compressor/limiters there is almost invariably a make-up stage to compensate for the overall gain lost by compression and limiting. In recording situations, this gain compensation is invaluable aid to get maximum recording signal . Why is this feature not common on guitar pedals? BTW...I just added a couple of TPS T-shirts to my collection which I plan to wear proudly in the US of A! Thanks for all the invaluable info!
So happy Don Rich nearly got a mention
Mick may not have wanted to play the slide demo but that tone with the Lowell George thing on the Cali 76 was the standout for me. Gorgeous, but what was the guitar?
OK doh got it ... Supro Westbury. Love it!
Mick, that slide playing was tasty. Especially the bit with the Cali from 55:19
I like drive into compressor and roll off the guitar volume knob to get clean sounds without losing volume.
Additional insight regarding threshold for anyone new to compression. All compressors have a threshold. If you don’t have a “threshold” control that just means it is fixed. If you have a fixed threshold compressor and you want it to kick in sooner simply raise the input so you are hitting it with a louder signal, and then lower the output to compensate. Effectively the same as lowering the threshold on a variable threshold compressor.
Just a word about using two compressors. Stacking two identical comps as the new dual Cali 76 is fine. However, your tonal palate can be expanded a bit by using two different comps in series, particularly if they are of different types.
I use the original single Cali 76 (not stacked) Field Effect Transistor (FET) compressor in front of an Xotic SP, based on the Ross Operational Transconductance Amplifier (OTA) compressor, both always on. Each is set to moderate compression. In this way, they complement each other and compress the signal in different ways resulting in compression that no single or two identical comps comp can equal. Depending upon how the controls are set, attack may be fully preserved, the compression distinct and if you wish it so, powerful, all while harmonic content is added.
I believe that Roger McGuinn pioneered dual studio guitar compression with his Rick360/12 on the Byrds’ classic recordings in the middle-late 1960s. He reports that on those recordings he played through a DI box directly into the recording desk with two Teletronix LA-2A Leveling Amplifiers (used as compressors) in series. The simple to use, two-knob LA-2A offers 40 dB of gain from input to output which makes it useable as a compressor and/or a pre-amp.
I understand that McGuinn was never that pleased with his live sound, primarily of course, because he did not have access on stage to the studio equipment which was such a big part of his sound. A modern, well-equipped pedal board would have largely solved his problem, but such was still many years in the future.
I use the Boss cs on a clean guitar to level and push fingerpicking parts and solos against strumming parts. Another way use it is im the very end of the signal chainto embed/bury the guitarsound in reverb when I gaze at my shoes