Guitar why use a compressor

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Close Menu. Click Here. JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding. Why don't more guitarists use a compressor live?

Thread starter UrbanHymns Start date Jun 20, UrbanHymns Silver Supporting Member. Messages 2, Please allow me to generalize a bit. In my listening experience, it seems like compression is much more likely to be used on guitars in recordings as compared to live, even on basic rhythm parts. I'm assuming this is because most guitarists prefer a dynamic feel, but compression gets added through the mixing and mastering process to "tighten" things up.

So if my assumption is true - that compression "tightens" things up and smooths things out, then why don't more guitarists use compressors as an always-on effect when playing live? Dwight Yoakam's "3 Pears" record is a good example: tons of compression on those guitars. Yet pedals are mostly shunned by him and his band live. Messages My SP is always on.

Muzik4Machines Senior Member. Messages 1, LaceSensor1 Senior Member. Messages 3, I think most guitarist are getting enough compression with their amps. Perfect example is Angus Young. You see them used a ton in country and funk. Most other genres use enough gain that the compression is not necessary. Also a really really good player, especially classically trained, will control the dynamics with technique.

Sustain controls the amount of compression that you want while the level control allows you to dial in the overall volume of the effect. The attack function allows you to control how quickly the compression kicks in and the tone control allows you to dial in how bright or warm you want it to sound, much like the tone knob on your guitar. Dialing in the tone makes it possible to compensate for some of the tonal effects of compressing the peaks of your signal which typically results in more bass than in your unaffected signal.

Practice playing chords and single note lines with the pedal bypassed, then turn the pedal on and play the same thing again and listen for the difference.

Compression is a particularly helpful tool for bass players in the studio and on the stage. It helps to make the bass guitar more defined and articulate while also helping reign in the wide dynamic range of the bass.

Compression will make short notes more punchy and articulate while giving more sustain to the longer notes. We figured it would be best to give you all a few examples of what a compressor does and how it sounds, so check out the video below to hear one in action.

Your email address will not be published. Understanding Compression A more balanced sound, a beefy tone, and more sustain are what makes compressor pedals appealing to guitarists. Bass Guitars and Compressor Pedals Compression is a particularly helpful tool for bass players in the studio and on the stage.

Our Best-Selling Strings. Other Posts you may like. Auto release automatically adjusts release time based on how much attenuation is taking place in order to keep things as transparent as possible. Low amounts of attenuation will trigger a fast release time, while greater amounts will be slower.

Also can be labeled as "output," "gain," or similar variations. With compression turning down the signal, a need arises for a way to bring the signal level back up. This control simply allows you to turn up the output in order to offset the amount of gain reduction you are incurring. This means that the compressor is automatically turning up the output based on its current settings and how much gain reduction it is expecting to do. This type of compression uses a light source and light-sensitive resistor to adjust the volume of the signal.

This is an especially smooth compression that is easy to get a good sound out of, and is very natural sounding. It's great for evening out your volume between chords and single notes. A classic form of compression borrowed from a studio favorite. The gain is controlled here by a FET Field Effect Transistor , which is a type of transistor favored for its ability to emulate vacuum tubes among its many other benefits. This is great for all types of playing with the right settings, but especially handy for funk, reggae, ska and other genres where that signature snap can be useful.

This is by far the most common type of compression found in guitar pedals. This is a method of gain control in which the AC guitar signal is converted to a DC voltage. That voltage tells the VCA when to turn up or down. While the above are the most common types of compressors available to guitarists in stompbox form, you may find yourself someday using rack gear that gives you access to a lot more types of compression.

A vacuum tube compressor that uses a special tube that is able to vary its output dependent upon its input. Very expensive but beautiful sounding.

Has its own unique sound that nothing else comes close to. Pulse Width Modulation compressors uses a high-frequency oscillator to sample the input signal into slices it uses to control compression. This can be extremely transparent and is especially great sounding on acoustic instruments. There are many more types out there as well, but these are the major ones players will likely come across. Compressors are designed to hold dynamics within a certain range.