Compressor or not?

[hbarcat]

A compressor is an extremely useful tool, especially for bass. While you dont exactly need one, it sure is awfully nice to have one.

Probably the most important reason to compress the bass signal is that it greatly facilitates getting the bass to be heard properly when combined with other instruments in a mix.

Without compression, the bass tends to fluctuate between being too quiet in the mix, so that it cant be heard very well, and being too loud, where it overpowers the other instruments and vocals. Compression automatically evens out the volume.

 

[ebo]

I’m glad I added a compressor to my board. I play finger style and with a pick. I play with dynamics, I get carried away by crowds and my own excitement. My compressor adds guard rails to keep me in my lane. I agree that every mix ends up with some compression, the trick is using it sparingly and allowing the signal to breathe.

 

[jellymax]

there's different types of compression. for example, if your speaker is slightly small for
the venue and you are at its threshold of clean lows, thats going to deliver a compressed
sound of sorts. with a large p/a system or large amp, then i would suggest a comp.
also, if that keeley is for guitar, don't use it on bass. it will sound thin. i have one so i know...

 

[Nashrakh]

This makes me think. When playing gigs with a FOH the sound guy will most likely put compression on your bass. When you also use a compressor pedal yourself it would be double compression. Isn’t it better to leave the compression to the sound guy alone? He can better judge how the bass sounds in the mix than the player on stage. What do you think?

Yes, but... hear me out. I can see this working two ways. 1) your compression is weaker than the one applied at the board. 2) your compression is stronger than the one at the board. Now, in case 1) the sound guy can just apply another layer on top, no problem... in case 2) I would argue that such a strong compression is part of your sound and your artistic vision, and that using such a strong compression is a rational and musically calculated decision on the part of the bass player. In that case, FOH needs no further compression on your channel anyway. Of course, you can always just assume that people do not know how to work their gear. But you know what "assume" does with you and me.

(I myself leave compression off when I know the FOH will have some applied, FWIW)

 

[Les Fret]

Yes, but... hear me out. I can see this working two ways. 1) your compression is weaker than the one applied at the board. 2) your compression is stronger than the one at the board. Now, in case 1) the sound guy can just apply another layer on top, no problem... in case 2) I would argue that such a strong compression is part of your sound and your artistic vision, and that using such a strong compression is a rational and musically calculated decision on the part of the bass player. In that case, FOH needs no further compression on your channel anyway. Of course, you can always just assume that people do not know how to work their gear. But you know what "assume" does with you and me.

(I myself leave compression off when I know the FOH will have some applied, FWIW)

Correct. But most sound guys think they know their gear better than you and think they have better gear than you (which in many is cases is true). So they probably will add compression on the bass anyway.

 

[buldog5151bass]

You already have a compressor you like. Play around with it and decide whether you like it on bass.

I've never used one except in the studio.

 

[Fuzzbass]

Correct. But most sound guys think they know their gear better than you and think they have better gear than you (which in many is cases is true). So they probably will add compression on the bass anyway.

As I've said before, there's no reason to panic if both you and the sound tech use compression. Your compression means that the comp added by the sound tech won't have to work as hard (and FWIW series compression is a common studio technique). I suppose too much squish is a possibility, but any decent tech should recognize this and adjust: either back off their own compression, or ask you to back off yours.

 

[PhatBottomBass1]

I have used the Cali76 Compact Bass on various occasions over a number of years starting when it was introduced. Nice, but not really something I feel I need with a great 200 watt+ tube amp.

I don't actually feel the need for one with the Two Notes ReVolt Bass tube preamp. I've generally felt more of a desire for one with solid state amps, personally.

I am not, nor have I ever been a slap player. Pick and fingers. Having some peak limiting in this application is likely very helpful probably even with a tube amp.

I feel that a HPF is likely going to give you more benefit, in more situations, overall than a compressor if you had to pick only one and playing predominantly with fingers or a pick.

IMHO

I do have a HPF and Enhancer on the Two Notes Torpedo, with the tube front end from the ReVolt preamp. I can't say that I need to have a compressor in the signal chain with this gear.

 

[Nic Olas]

I feel that a HPF is likely going to give you more benefit, in more situations, overall than a compressor if you had to pick only one and playing predominantly with fingers or a pick.

IMHO

So I'd like to know more about the HPF... I play predominately with my fingers, mostly play blues, some jazz/fusion, and some rock and interested in how the HPF would apply to a live gig at a medium club/bar or a patio/deck outdoor situation.

 

[PhatBottomBass1]

So I'd like to know more about the HPF... I play predominately with my fingers, mostly play blues, some jazz/fusion, and some rock and interested in how the HPF would apply to a live gig at a medium club/bar or a patio/deck outdoor situation.

It cuts off the unruly lower frequency range that drags on your amp, causes the stress on the mechanical components of your speaker(s) and produces the mud under your fundamental. It cleans up, tightens up and makes the system more efficient. All things being equal, this will make you sound better.

 

[eniac]

I’m a journeyman, so I never know what to expect. I’ve definitely had cases where double compression (mine and the board’s) has wreaked havoc. I think it’s important to define what the “system” is. If it’s just me and my amp, easy. But replace the amp with a PA and a sound tech, and now we have a far more complicated “system”.

1) You yourself are either compressing or not.
2) The tech is either compressing or not.
3) The tech is either competent or not.
4) You are “inheriting” the last player’s board-compressor settings or not.
5) There is, or isn’t, time to get things properly set before stick count. Bass guitar is typically one of the last instruments to get proper attention at the board, in my experience.

So, I’ve found that every situation can be different. I have to be flexible and I have to adapt on the fly. By the way, that's been a huge factor in getting me callbacks.

 

[Zooberwerx]

So I'd like to know more about the HPF... I play predominately with my fingers, mostly play blues, some jazz/fusion, and some rock and interested in how the HPF would apply to a live gig at a medium club/bar or a patio/deck outdoor situation.

Some pedal combinations have a special synergy and a HPF feeding a compressor is a great representation. You can put yourself into something really nice (used), like a SD Studio Bass and Broughton HPF, for well-under 2 bills.

Riis