octave before or after compressor ?

[spiker]

Octave before or after compressor ?

Folks are telling me it tracks better when octave is before ???
I would have thought if octave was before the comp it would have already 'octaved'.
Would putting the compressor before octave smoothen the sound & create a more focused and accurate tracking, what do YOU think ?

[Dick Tree]

I don't compress, but I would probably put the comp before the octave, in order to get better tracking from my OC2

[spiker]

Originally Posted by Dick Tree

I don't compress, but I would probably put the comp before the octave, in order to get better tracking from my OC2

That's what i would have thought, a few folks are putting octave pedal first though...?

[hairyampdroolin]

I put the octave first personally, that is simply how I prefer it, YMMV. Have a look at the PYPB threads, I assume the split would be about 50/50, it really depends what you prefer when you try it.

[sammyp]

i generally compress 1st then add effects next!!

[Marton]

Compression before my octaver definitely help for the tracking.

[LegoBass]

I would do octave first than compression. This way, the octave pedal can track your entire sound fully and doesn't have to strungle on the compressed notes. Then the compressor would smooth out the octave and make it a little easier on your speakers. I proabablly sounds about the same both ways though....

[MikeBass]

I run my compressor at the end of my chain.
I like my effects to take the full signal. They seem to respond or "feel" better to me.
For the record, I don't use effects much if at all. But I do use an octave pedal often.

[acleex38]

Both my tuner and my octave pedal like being after the compressor. My overdrive and filter/phaser like being before it. And the octave won't track well at all if I run the OD first, BUT my octave works much better before the filter. It's one big freakin' logic puzzle.

Right now, I run OD/Comp/Octave/Filter/Tuner (assuming I'm using all of those pedals instead of swapping in something else). But with this lineup, I can't run OD and Octave at the same time. :-(

[loopmantra]

i put it after the compressor...actually,it goes > markbass compressore-morley pba2 dual wah-THEN-ehx octave multiplexer,
always liked it that way,which only shows-whatever's good to your ears,you should stick w/it.nevermind what others do.

[blastjv]

I run my Xotic BB Bass into my Boss OC-2 Octaver into my BBE Opto Stomp Compressor.

I think the lesson here is - everyone needs to try it dfferent ways and find what works for them...

-JV

[blastjv]

It might be worth adding that the BB, which many folks use as an OD pedal, is set to really just 'focus' my tone, not to provide any real 'overdrive'. I don't notice much difference in how the Octaver tracks with the BB before or after, maybe slightly better with the BB first, but that may be my imagination... My BBE compressor is set very mildly and where the Octaver is concerned just evens out some of the resonant spikes the Octaver can cause.

-JV

[cybersnyder]

Originally Posted by spiker

Octave before or after compressor ?

Folks are telling me it tracks better when octave is before ???
I would have thought if octave was before the comp it would have already 'octaved'.
Would putting the compressor before octave smoothen the sound & create a more focused and accurate tracking, what do YOU think ?

It depends on the compressor, the octave and settings on both along with your bass and your playing style. With my OctaBass and MultiComp, it definitely works better before the comp. With some basses if I'm playing long notes with an OC-2, the octave works better after the compressor becuase it doesn't have that octave up glitching that you get as the note decays.

There is no hard and fast rule and it's really easy to switch two pedals. Try it and see what works best for you, your bass, your playing style, your pedals. Don't be in disbelief when someone says that something works better which is opposite of what you might think. There really are circumstances when both work better. For me, the octave usually goes first.

[blastjv]

Originally Posted by cybersnyder

With some basses if I'm playing long notes with an OC-2, the octave works better after the compressor becuase it doesn't have that octave up glitching that you get as the note decays.

Hmmm, hadn't thought of that point...worth trying out for sure!!!

Thanks!

-JV

[Waterpilot]

I put my compressor first but in all honesty haven't even tried it anywhere else.