Do you need a compressor pedal?
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- Опубліковано 27 тра 2019
- In this video Travis Feaster and I discuss and demonstrate several uses for compressors as well as some disadvantages to having a compressor as well.
Comment below: Do you use a compressor? Which one?
Yes, for my TV. The programming and the commercials should be the same volume.
Amen
Look for the nightime volume setting ......
You forgot to mention 99,9% of youtube videos that have talk and music would need compression, or some leveling. For some reason everybody thinks, if there is some talk and then music, the music needs to be so much louder. Music comes much louder, then I turn volume down, and when its back to talk I, can barely hear it. Even bigger productions/"professional" same thing. Or intro music in youtube videos, so FUCKING LOUD compared to rest of the video.
TV - Do you remember that?
Commercials are too loud because of compression.
My least favorite Wampler video is this one. Set the Boss CS-3 attack at 3 o'clock and the sustain at a low 9 'o clock or even less. Turn its volume up and its sweet. Max the volume and you've got a nice clean boast. You rarely need it for OD-I agree. But you guys are compressor bullies and weren't fair here. (just my opinion-still love you).
I run my compressor in front of my drive pedals. Adds smoothness and fullness and sustain. Makes it feel great as well.as sounding fatter. I use a Boss CS-3.
100% especially for a lot of legato playing.
maybe it's a crutch but it just makes playing lead feel like butter.
@@ToneSherpa I have a cs-3 for around 30 years (looks a bit rocked, but still working well) and whenever I put it into the fx chain for my electric guitar, I am amazed how it smoothes the sound in a very special way, no matter the settings. For me it also sounds like butter, like greasing the notes.
People may like it or not like it, but I love it. Cheers : )
@@jorn-jorenjorenson5028 yep, same. so far nothing beats the cs-3... I still might try out the Keeley compressor though.
I have a bunch of compressors, from small pedals, through table-top units, up to 3U rackmount units, and patches built into digital pedals. Would never be without one. My favorite, for a long time has been the old grey Univox Uni-Comp. It was the very first compressor I ever bought, somewhere around 1977. I had to sell it in 1980, but recently came across a schematic, cloned it, and love it all over again. It is about as simple an optical compressor as they come. Far from "transparent", despite having the cleanliness of an optical circuit, it is very clearly an "effect". It has a long gain-recovery time, much like the classic Dynacomp, but without the problems that use of a transconductance amp introduces. It *LOVES* Tele bridge pickups. Back in the day, I would use it in conjunction with my MXR 6-Band and Envelope Filter to mimic reverse-tape effects, with the long gain-recovery time being a big part of that..
My second favorite would probably be another one I built, using the terrific SSM2166 chip. The chip - now hard to find - was intended as a one-chip solution for a mic strip. It provides considerable control over compression, but also includes downward expansion to effectively gate out the "breathing" so common to compressors and so common a source of both complaint and misunderstanding among users.
One invaluable use of compressors is for playing guitar and singing at the same time, or alternatively playing energetically behind a singer. Enthusiasm in strumming, or trying to remember words, sing them, AND strum at the same time (like riding a unicycle and juggling for some of us), can result in level imbalance between guitar and voice. A bit of compression will let you go nuts on the strings, but keep the guitar safely and consistently below the level of the vocals, so that they don't fight each other.
In a perfect world, you can stick any pedal wherever you want. In the real world, compressors are best placed *before* any clipping or other high-gain pedal. Why? Remember that their purpose is to not only turn the volume down, but to turn it up when things quiet down. And when you stop playing, what that high-gain pedals offers is hiss. If fed to a compressor, the compressor interprets that as soft-picking that *desperately* needs some boosting. That's why compressors can be misunderstood as being noisy. It's not the compressor, but rather the noise you are inadvertently feeding the compressor. As well, compressors respond to the dynamics of your input signal. Clipping pedals of any type do what they do by running out of headroom; losing dynamics in the process. So feeding a compressor with a signal lacking full dynamics doesn't really give it much to work with.
Having said that, constraining the dynamics of what you send to a clipping pedals will make the clipping pedal less responsive to your picking. That CAN be what you want - making the distortion intensity more consistent in spite of how you strum. If you want it to be more responsive to picking, simply turn down the compression amount. But the compressor/clipper pairing works better/best in that order.
Traditionally, compressors were viewed as killing brightness. Why? Most of the harmonic content in a string occurs in the first few milliseconds after picking, which is also the peak that pushes the compressor to turn the gain down. So if you instantly turn the level *down* on the brightest part of the note, and then turn the volume *up* as the string settles down into mostly fundamental, what you end up hearing most is the dullest part of the note. The more recent inclusion of "blend" controls that mix in some uncompressed clean signal, allows for the initial attack to be heard as Leo and nature intended. The uncompressed signal will very quickly recede to the background while the compressed version hangs in there, resulting in the best of both worlds: a nice bright attack with the endurance of boosted squish.
Hmm, interesting about the "invaluable use of compressors." Let me take an opposing view: Seems to me that a singer-musician more naturally wants a guitar to be responsive and sensitive to anything he does with his hands (fingers, palms, wrists), because the sound of the guitar (whether loud or soft) becomes one with the voice. You're arguing that a compressor frees up the singer to focus on his/her voice. But that would rob him of his ability to play guitar dynamically. And it also would rob the song mix of a dynamic sounding guitar. I think the rule should be: If the song calls for a compressor on guitar, then use it. Don't use it just because you're making it easier for the singer.
You and Travis make a good team for these demos. Big props to Travis to play the same figures. It’s the only way. And even tho he’s not fond of the big squish, I use it very effectively on selected parts of a song, much like I would in a remix situation. Great demo! 👍🏽
It took me like 7 years to figure out how to use that cs-3, but I'm stoked on the settings I get out of it now. It gently squishes the louder chords, adds sustain, and gives a nice boost to my leads. I turn down the level a bit, set the attack real slow, and add sustain (make-up gain) to taste. The attack is too quick when you have at 0. My settings are: Level - 01:30, Tone - 12:00, Attack - 03:30, Sustain - 09:30. I wish I had that blend knob though!
A must for all the Luther Vandross and Funk stuff I played in a cover band. Compressor + Tele+Clean Tube amp = Beauty
For me a compressor is a must for clean settings. I’ve tried them all. My current preference is the Cali76. Use the blend to keep natural pick attack.
It doesn’t color the sound.
Dirt pedals go in front to keep dynamics.
Roll back the volume on the guitar and let the comp bring the fullness. Love that...
Skip the rest Cali 76 is perfection. Keeps the lows and just is magic for cleans and strat overdrive sounds.
@@forester057 I agree. Haven't heard a lot of comps (and not the Wampler), but the 76 is not only the best guitar compressor I've ever heard, it's one of the best compressors I've heard PERIOD and I'm an audio-dweeb
I have a 1982 Boss CS-2 which I absolutely love.
Yep, got one here, same year. I love it and I hate it. Sometimes it steals all mg dynamics, other days....
11th commandment: To demonstrate compressors thou shalt always use a Telecaster.
12th commandment; Thou shalt not EMG thy Lester ;-)
13th commandment: Satan is the creator of EMG pickups, so don't use them unless you want your tone to sound like hell and have no soul.
Does the compressor stop it from going to 11?
You should use a bass. If it pass the test, the compressor is good.
11th commandment was " to love one another as I have loved you" -Jesus
But as far as a possible #12 I'll ask the priest when he gets here for the exorcisms.
Something that I have found, at least for myself playing rock: If I'm playing in a 3 piece band - the sustain a compressor gives is super-important to hold together the sound, otherwise the guitar is dropping to low and it cannot vie with the natural sustain of the bass. In larger bands greater than a trio - its less about the sustain and more about the actual compression which help the guitar to keep its relative place in the mix overall volume & dynamics.
Classic guitarist tone-freak error is not considering how you'll sound in a mix. The loss of dynamics does take some getting used to for both your hand and ears, but the overall effect is hugely positive. It's not like the sound engineer isn't going to drop some on you in the PA anyway....
Your example that refers to a finger picker is spot on. I've never thought of it that way but it's a brilliant way to explain what a compressor does. Well done.
For the first half of the video I could not figure out who Travis reminded me of. Then I brought up East Bound And Down to listen to:)
I used to use a boss cs-3 for so long. I loved it. I would use it with a low "sustain" (ratio?) But i now have a Wampler Ego v2 and its a great Compressor. It took me a while to find a setting that suits me, but it is so versatile, its amazing. I like subtle compression when i play and for a while it was hard for me to find a setting that wasnt squashing my signal a ton, but when i did find that sweet spot, i feel in love. Thanks brian for everything you do
I played 80s and 90s country for years and cannot imagine doing it without a compressor. It serves so many purposes. You can vary the Tone of a note by plucking it harder. Also on those super fast runs, it brings out the notes you can't hit with authority. It also worked on Pete Anderson stuff, just get a little more push into the amp to break up even though I believe he did not use one.
Oh and a noise gate as well. That comp will add noise.
I got myself the Orange Kongpressor a little while back and I use it all the time. Totally dig compressors when used right. I think it’s a really underrated effect.
I use a Keeley Compressor Plus as an always on boost and tone enhancer. With my Tele, I can get all the jangle I want and if I wanna get sustain for leads, it's all there
As a youngster, I got to see the CS-1 first hit the scene. Sounded an awful lot like skill in a pedal, so naturally I firmly eschewed any benefit from that once I started playing. After a few decades of torment I figured I wasn't ever going to be good enough to worry about MY skill so I have recently been looking into acquiring such a device. Thanks for the timely video presentation.
Brian, I have your Ego pedal and love it! It's an 'alway on' pedal for me.
Very informative. Great to see Travis and Brian together again. Fun, laid back and relax.
I recently got into pedal mods and building and put back together a DOD FX80B comp that had its guts hanging out and some bad solder attempts, even was able to tweak the infamous switch to get it to work as it was intended; it's probably my fifth compressor but this vid solidified for me even if it doesn't stay on my board i'll keep it kicking around for clean fingerstyle stuff
My MXR dyna comp brings out dynamics in my pedals and amps that I wouldn’t get otherwise. Even with high gain. It absolutely adds something that isn’t there. I don’t always use it but I’m ALWAYS blown away by the difference it brings out
"And then he asked me if I wanted to go get donuts." Love it. Seriously, great explanation of compression.
The best use I had for my CS-3 was when I used a solid state Fender amp on the road. I actually had the occasional compliment on my guitar tone. The pedal was always on with the tone knob all the way down. Basically, it took the harshness of the solid state amp and tamed it to give an approximation of what tube amps do when you turn them up. Once I got a nice tube amp (deluxe reverb), I ended up not using the CS-3 because I didn't like the attack or lack of low end frequencies, and I've had to use fuller sounding, higher headroom compressors ever since. Thanks for the video.
Still have my C2 compressor, crazy. Haven't put on my board in over 20 years. Gotta grab it now! Great video cause when I bought it back in the 80s I really didn't know why I really wanted it, but now I know lol!!
After trying an empress compressor and JHS PnP v4, I bit the bullet and got the Cali76 stacked edition. My main overdriven tone is a Benson preamp that gets pushed by a EQD speaker cranker as a stage 2 drive option before going into the Cali76 that is set to a light compression/limiting. I enjoy the Cali76 both before and after dirt pedals but I am sticking with after because I want the dynamic interaction between the guitar and the Benson Preamp to remain as pure as possible. Using the volume pot on the guitar to get all shades of clean into medium drive. The Cali76 keeps my volume in that sweet spot while I can play around with right hand dynamics and really hear that interaction shine through.
Great demo.
Compression is a tool - not every job requires the same set of tools. When I was just beginning to play, the use of a compressor helped me paper over deficiencies in my command of playing dynamics - it smoothed things out and made me sound better than I was. As I got better over the years, I realized I could enhance my playing by exploiting dynamics instead of suppressing them - so the LACK of a compressor made me sound better. But face it - BIG distortion and compression go hand in glove. So - I still have a compressor on my board, but thankfully it has an on/off switch you just have to step on to activate - and changing things up makes me sound better now. Go figure...
Compressor pedals are rarely used for hiding inexperience with dynamics. It's moreso used to modify tone or level out the strings.
I have been playing for over 50 years. It took me 40 yeaars to buy a compressor pedal. I now have 2. The standard Boss CS-3. My main is the ay Huge Saffron Squeeze. My experience is to have a top of the line compressor. The Way Huge (As well as many of the "High End" ) pedals are a must. I could not believe the improvement. I thought I needed nothing as I have -what I think, an amp that needs nothing. Mesa Boogie TC 50 Crown. Yes a veratile and great amp. I do not care what you have a quality compressor will bring your rig to life. hank you-Great video. I hope it helps somone like me from waiting 40 years to buy one. At least go to Guitar Center (45 day free trial) try some. Buy on Reverb, if you can get a better deal. Best of luck folks.
I just started using the Origin Effects Cali76 compact deluxe. I really like it. I can't believe I never used one. It really sounds natural and I typically forget how much better my sound is until I turn it off.
Love my Ego mini. It is the best version of that circuit topology out there imho. I am a compressor junkie and have some for different needs. I usually run two or three. Sonuus voluum in the loop does me some super fast gentle smooshing on my go to amp that has lots of headroom (its in the loop but it does me tuning and tremolo too). Thats always on. Then I have the ego up front as a boost and sustain for my clean and to bring my drive from below unity to solo volume. In this way the comp saves me having extra drives and boosts. And if i want a less squashed clean lead i just back off the guitar and get less rms with the same peak. Sometimes I do a faux clavinet thing by setting the attack slower, and the brighter tone switch position and pushing up the sustain more to really bring out the attack as seperate. The cs3 was the only one I had for years before I really got my head around comps and past 10 o'clock the sustain is just smashing the threshold and at such a high ratio it really steals the whole character in my opinion. Sucks the bass out too (or at least the percieved envelope). Brian the ego is a work of art. Thank you for such a great tool.
I like my Xotic SP Compressor for taming dynamics on bass and sometimes with my acoustic. The Egos look nice.
Off topic: If they ever did a movie about Jerry Reed, or a remake of Smokey and the Bandit, Mr Feaster, I think you got the job son! Yous a dead ringer for the Alabama Wild Man.
Now to dedicate the rest of my life trying to play like him!!!!
@@WTFeasterBand - Good luck with that!! :D If it was a film, Brent could play it, you'd have to do a Karate Kid job
Make this happen!
Brings some newer stuff in too like Moonshine in the Trunk by Paisley
@@WTFeasterBand wampler productions 2020 April fools
I wasnt sure if i wanted a comp pedal cause i mostly use humbuckers but i got a Donner ultimate comp to try out and turns out i love it. When im playing through my JB/59(4 conductor 59 as well as JB which is 4 conductor standard) set i can use the split coil option with the compressor and an overdrive and it sounds absolutely amazing. The JB is hot enough that split it still sounds great and full and the 59 isnt as hot which lends itself to a lower output cleaner tone as a humbucker but since its nice a full/warm pickup it still fills out when split really well. In other words they both sound very good split unlike other 4 conductor humbuckers. And with a little compression you can get them sounding JUST as good as dedicated single coils( using a comp pedal with spilt pickups is a great trick to get them sounding more authentic). I love using compression now and the Donner was cheap and has a "treble" and "normal" setting along with tone, level, and comp(gain) which makes it work well with any pickups. Id just recommend keeping the comp lower with humbuckers or other high output pickups. The Donner ultimate comp is now first in my pedal chain and i have no intention of taking it off. I really only expected to use the Donner long enough to know if i wanted a "real" more expensive comp pedal but it really sounds great and is very versatile. Some mini pedals are adequate but not ideal but the Donner is just as good as any other comp pedal ive heard so far. So if your on the fence i highly recommend it that way you dont have to spend too much money if its not your thing. But im convinced anyone would love compression if they knew how to use it right with their setup.
Brian, thank you for creating this amazing pedal. Travis says he doesn't have much use for a compressor because he doesn't often play clean. But this misses how great the pedal sounds with some moderate to even heavier gain. With the knobs all at unity on my mini Ego first in my chain, and either onboard gain from the amp and/oror gain from a pedal, it adds a warmth, a depth, a boost, and lovely saturation and sustain. It is a "big" sound such that it almost sounds lame by comparison without the compressor on. My Les Paul into my Fender Super Champ x2 with Ragin' Cajun speaker (on the gain channel, with gain at about 9:00 o'clock), along with the Ego on the unity settings I mentioned, above, sounds huge, even at relatively low volume. The Ego also sounded monstrous along with the TS 9 pumping out some gain on this video.
I've battled with using one I'm here to learn more about the controls 🤘🤘
I had a DOD Milkbox when I first started playing electric. Gave it to a friend who liked it and I didn't understand what it did. Now I can't live without compression. The Ego is awesome, and I ain't just sayin' that....it's a GREAT unit!
I've tried my darndest to implement a compressor so many times. I use them then trade them. I'm back on the compressor bandwagon rn. I found a old Barber Tone Press at a steal of a price. It's voiced real nice and it's my favorite of all I've owned. We'll see if it stays on my board.
I barely ever use compressors but when I do, it’s usually for my clean tones to smooth out the spikes in the high end. I love the Ross/Dynacomp Sound, but feel it’s too much at the same time, so I often go for something Ross based with a blend knob. I have Ross clone in case I want that overly squashed sound though.
Loosing dynamics I'm not a fan of but with the blend it does become interesting. Extra bonus cool on the B bender.
I have the CS2 and the Mini Ego. I use the mini-ego into a Silver Archer and a Tumnis deluxe - the latter two together for increased harmonics.
I’ve been very happy with the mini ego, less noise than the CS2. Also the mini ego has more range. If I have to take one pedal into a modeling amp, it will be a compressor. Right now the ego is the only pedal going into my Vox. Into my two Marshall’s running in stereo, I have the three I mention above on a pedal board with the other usuals . I’ve been buying pedals since the 70’s. “Less is more” when you get down to it.
I use a keely pro into a moog mf drive in an NS-2 loop. But I use it as a limiter mostly so I can actually run a lower input into my chain and boost it. That way gives me more clarity because I’m using a seven string drop tuned to F#. Cutting the input gain on the compressor then rebooting through my drive gives me huge big clear high gain tone.
The only problem with this video is Travis Feaster is such a smooth player, it's no wonder he doesn't use a Compressor!
Great demo, makes me want a Version 2 EGO.
Brian, yours sound so good, when you play it!!Jim
When I 1st started using a compressor I didn't realize that I was compensating for a manufacture/setup issue on a new guitar. Since then I have always kept the compressor as part of my rig, even the most stripped down version. It's not always on but I still use it a lot. I dig the way you approach and explain the circuitry. Can you expound on what sets (or doesn't) my Cali 76 compressor apart from other compressors. Thanks
Yes I need one. I know many are the exact opposite, but it's tough for me to like my sound without it. No, I don't have crappy gear. Of course, I'm turning the compressor off when I run my big muff circuits, but like many others are saying, I use it as a mostly always on clean boost with light compression for overdrives. Makes everything perfect and creamy!
Now I know I don't need it for the most of personal playing style.
Right now know when to use it.
Thank you for the information. 🙂
Digging Brian's playing, as always :)
I find this video so interesting, because I have a couple guitars with active pickups and some with passive, and the active pickups tend to compress the signal alot, well some more than others. I actually find my EMGs compress more than my Seymour Duncan active, but it's still there and you tend to lose some dynamics. I always find it's too easy to screw up my sound when adding a compression pedal that I just try to run a minimal pedal board. I find they really take away from tube amps especially. For me that's why I tend not to like solid state amps because of the over compression. Even though I don't play alot of "clean" stuff, I prefer not running compression. When I play clean I need to hear more dynamics, for me it seems to take away from that.
personally, yes. i've been running parallel compression before my amp and after my overdrive for years. it's the key to my tone.
Addendum from my experiences... My Line-6 pod(s), and likely most if not all digital modeler processors, provide Compression/Sustain effects. Additionally, I own the CS-3 and use it for tone shaping for both clean and dirty (behind distortion). I'll note that CS also adds boost / gain (tremendous boost / gain in the Line-6 POD). I suspect it's tacky to make a shout out to my own channel (Czar of Zonk), but I note this because I use CS in my 2018 performances (all analog / CS-3) and in my 2019 performances (all Line-6 POD). On the 2018 performances (using a Gretsch hollowbody and a 1964 Sears Silvertone 1x12), you can see me hitting the CS-3 -- so y'all can also see the CS-3 in action (or not, as the case may be). For me, the CS is not so much about squashing or gain, but about tone shaping.
Hell yes. T-Rex Comp Nova, I sold it, then bought it back. I have others, but that one seems to work for me. That+RC Booster just is my clean tone. I'm a really uneven, sloppy player so it's kinda helpful.
nice for recording/playing acoustics too.......and essential for bass imo... :)
1 thing that I like about Fender's is the ability to moderate your volume with pick force. Compression takes away this wonderful part of playing. And I got 2 Boss CS-2's. 1 is highly modded with some spidery looking chip making it like a plug in super comp. Not quite understanding what it did I bought a stock 1 to compare and found with either I had to change the way I play. So I just use a silent modded 10 band EQ and my fingers to keep each note, chord or run at whatever volume I feel is best. So compresser pedals make great door stoppers. I even tried a BBE mini sonic stomp but took that off my electric board and just use it for my acoustic set up. Now that really helps especially with my 12 string. Through its own mixer going into the P A. With a AKG wireless bug system and the Sonic stomp, it's as close as a miked acoustic can get IMHO. And I can walk around while playing.
Cool that Ego mini has a blend knob too... :)
I've been digging a compressor on my Tele. It's real nice with a TS9 when the dirt is all the way down.
I play a UBass and it's Piezo. Absolutely needs one. Piezo need a few things high pass at a low frequency a treble bleed and a compressor.
Compressors also work nice in front of solid state amps on metal tones. But always on the wet rig using a cleaner dry amp.. Less aggressive amp settings compression brings sustain
Blend is so important I like one extreme setting and a dry rig. Two amps one dirtybox with a loop and a clean warm. In my case Bandit 112...
Hey Brian , I love compression to help smooth out my tone, but in my experience they are noisy when combined with drive pedals. Is the EGO quieter when used w/ overdrive?
One of the things I noticed about the newer Boss one is that it does not "pump" at all. Some of the charm of running compression maxxed out is that pumping noise you get. It can be kinda cool sounding, but it oddly makes me feel a little nauseous when I use it too much, it's like you're hearing your guitar through a tunnel. Fast tremolo does that to me too.
@ 16:00 wampler compressor enhanced the overall tone and seemed to boost. Also the volume of all the notes picked sounded even.
I mean, you don't need to have the boss dialled full up, and then it sounds a bit better ;)
Thanks Mr. Wampler.
For the first example, Brian had the attack time at the fastest setting, which of course will immediately engage compression. Given that he was aiming to show the compressors at a minimum setting, I'd argue that attack time should be at maximum so that it stays out of the way of the transients...just sayin'.
Doing that *sometimes* does a weird clamping thing half way through what you play though, as I discovered with a cheap comp pedal. So your transients get through, then the comp hits it and the signal drops quickly then recovers. At least if the attack is fast, the comp is definitely engaged when you strum or pick.
They are only 'needed' to flatten the dynamic range (without needing the volume to find a power-amp+speaker's sweet spot), in order to sound like tape or studio compression that was prominent in the late 70s and throughout the 80s.
Skank comping, DIsco and funk wah parts, and 'popping' licks a la 'Eminence Front' are prime examples of when a compressor is 'needed'. Andy Summers and Johnny Marr used them all the time.
You *might* get by playing rockabilly without one, but it takes a sweeeet rig :o)
Cool vid, Brian. I think the "to have or not to have" depends on what you're playing, and how clean. For clean tones, a compressor gives and interesting, glassy tone, which is great for some styles. If you play dirty, you're already getting compression from the dirt, so an extra compressor pedal is overkill.
I have found that when you add the Ego compressor (all settings at unity) to a dirty sound, it does much more than merely add compression -- there is a boost, depth and warmth added to the tone that is not there without the compressor, and it sounds huge.
I bought a cheap Joyo $40 compressor... it's not a grey Ross, or Boss, but it's surprisingly good for what it is.
My current favourite: Drybell Unit 67
I use it as a sustainer , also as a clean boost, always at low gain. I use a tc hypergravity with a blend at one quarter compressed 3 quarter dry signal.
W/ high gain and comp, it's really fun for solos!
@@russwilson2305 thanks, just tried it yesterday this was glorious.
@@66numero -Cool dude! It's awesome. My favorite high gain solo boost. I was working on For the Love of God by Steve Vai, and I could not get the 4th note to hold long enough. I bought a $40 Akai comp and was amazed.
I want some Wampler pedals! Ive been watching a few vids, and your pedals sound dope!
Hello, Brian Wampler. I just bought the plexi-drive deluxe and it brought my Marshall tsl 602 to life. I also played the ego compressor and I would like to know how to use it most as a highly aggressive player, metal. Pick squeals, etc. Do you plan on making a noise gate that will not lose any tone soon. Huge fan. Wampler for life! Thanks
Looks like a great argument against compressors. Guitar dynamics are in the picking hand. I spent years developing the ability to shade dynamics with my right hand. If you can't get even dynamics using your hands, maybe you need a compressor. Thanks.
It’s definitely an effect- sometimes it’s useful, sometimes it’s not. It really depends on use-case.
Cool Walrus Audio Mayflower T-Shirt Brian.. 😅👍🏼
I have dirt cheap Joyo Dyna Compressor. It's always on. I place it right after my Digitech Synth Wah envelope filter. I dial the sustain and attack almost all the way up, and the level so that it's slightly louder than the uncompressed level. My cleans sound huge. I use a TS mini, an MXR 78 badass distortion, and am ibanez super metal mini, for various flavours of dirt, but none of them have the dirt turned up even halfway. With the compressor I get loads of sustain out of any one of them, without much dirt. Turning different combinations of two, I get different flavours, with more dirt, and with all three, I get a really smooth creamy Soldano type lead tone. The a crybaby . Then an MXR eq used as a mid boost for solos, then a volume pedal, into a delay for swells, and finally int
o a peavey VT classic running ultra clean.
The short answer, is: YES. Particularly if you play a single coil guitar, but even humsucking guitars benefit from them. Turn that sucker on and forget about it. Adds life to any guitar by giving a little push to the front end of an amp. If you are playing through a Matchless or such, might not be quite as necessary. But def worth a try. I personally have and use two BOSS compressors, and I love them both, going into two different Fender amps. However, I'm sure there are other, very capable compressors out there.
I sold my pedal, but I find the one inside my Boss Kantana to be wonderful. It increases the reverb sound, adds sustain, and reduces the need for distortion, which is always good. Too much compression sounds bizarre and will actually increase noise. Too little and you will get nothing.
I use a CS-2 for cleans and a CS-3 for overdrives.
5:20 Isn't it true that a short attack time will actually give you more compression? So shouldn't you turn the attack knob all the way clockwise? Or is the attack knob on the Boss the other way round?
If you are using a buffer on your pedal board should you use it after the tuner, the tuner being first in line?
I have a Boss-CS3. It does the trick but I wanna score an Ego here soon. That blend knob makes my nips hard. I have the Euphoria and it kicks so much ass. Best overdrive.
I'm a big fan of the cs2, cs3 not so much without mods. Great video guys, might just have to pick up an ego after watching this and some of Tom Quayles stuff.
@Brian, I've always used compressors before dirt, but I've heard people using them after drives for a squishy tube amp feel. Anyone have any guidelines for such a use case?
The Boss CS2 uses a BA662 chip and Ross/Dynacomp uses a CA3080 - as far as I recall
You are correct.
hey it's Jerry Reed! great video
No. I've had several, and I always take um off my board.
It volume up what is low so if you have parasites sounds, it will boost it up.
Hi Brian, great video, love your content. With the Ego compressors; do the attack and sustain knob go from slow to fast or fast to slow? Cheers! #chasingtone
Wampler Pedals : can u recommend a compression pedal and setting to get reasonably close to mark nophlers sound . I realise I'd probably have to use my strat as supposed to one of my teles. Really appreciate your vidios and talents!
Cmon people. I have Keeley, Xotic, and Origin FX compressors. I refer to them as MORE pedals. I set the amp be it a tube amp to desired settings, set my compressor subtle to “more” settings. I liked the sweetens up the sound reference. On grainy sounds I use it the same. Some may refer to it as a clean booste. I even run a SP comp in front of a Kemper 😉
You have tips on the cs 3 making so much noise? I can’t even use mine because of all the noise it makes bought it brand new and it hasn’t seen much wear or use.
I’m in a love hate relationship with 2 compressors...they are the quickest pedals to be removed from my board...used pretty much for sustain when playing lead...
Travis be back! Now just need Max sitting quietly
Compressor after the first drive, is a great way to control levels and dynamics for rhythm playing, especially in a worship setting ;-) The cleans are compressed like normal, but the OD rhythm doesn't give you nasty surprises/volume jumps. So you can play heavy handed without stress ;-)
Christian Boddum I’m gonna have to give that a try! Always heard comps go in front, so I never tried them anywhere else! Great tip!
Any thoughts on the Aphex Punch Factory Compressor? The fact that it also has a DI interests me.
Compressor before or after dirt pedals? I've always had my compressor at the beginning of my chain, right after the tuner, but I'm seeing more and more where they are being used after dirt pedals. And lately I've been trying to avoid using the compressor at all with my dirt pedals. Thoughts?
Huh. Two handsome gentlemen, one red Telecaster, talking about guitar pedals and name dropping famous musicians. Did I click on That Pedal Show?
My ADA MP1 preamp had compression on the clean channel only, when overdrive was used it wasn't there. I have a preset on my Boss MS-3 where compressor is auto on, press it again to turn off. That is the closest I have to that sound.
I want a mini ego. Does it work with passive fender basses?
Wow... I want a compressor pedal.. And I have the best call Seymour Duncan Vice Grip😍😍😍
TRAVISSSSSS!!!!!!!!! I love me some Travis and some Max. Good times. I use a Keeley 4 knob and it's always on. Always. It can give you a "studio" sound. It can make your amp sound like it's cranked up when it isn't. But it can be tricky to set. Great video, as always.
keleey 4 knobs is the best of all! O tried everything
I’ve used a CS2 for 30 years, love it. Can’t stand the CS3.