Compression Before OD/Distortion/Fuzz

[KeithBMI]

Is it redundant? Do you need it? I have a Rocktron Compressor going into a Double Muff and I'm wondering if I need that little green pedal to even out my sound. If overdrives and the such are an extreme form of compression and all...

Discuss.

(Thanks in advance)

 

[Son of Bovril]

your distortion will sound different if placed before or after the compressor, so take it out of the loop and see if you are happy without it and then decide if you need it or not...

 

[bongomania]

I agree about experimenting to see what sounds good to you. Me personally, I switch OFF my compressor when I switch on my distortion(s).

 

[bassman1185]

Most distortions will give you a somewhat compressed sound, so running a compressor before distortion IS, in my opinion, redundant. I would probably put the compressor last in my signal chain. That would help even out some of the inconsistencies between clean and driven sounds. However, it might also boost any noise that's coming through from the Muff, and Muffs are generally not the quietest pedals.

 

[Willem]

I put it before because I see it as redundant putting it after. If OD compresses, why would you compress again?
Distortion sounds more even to me after compression.

 

[KeithBMI]

Thanks for the advice. I'll mess around and see how it affects my sound.