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Do most bassists use a compressor/limiter?

#61
@bongomania, are you planning a review of the new TC Spectra Comp pedal? Have been GASsing for a Keeley Bassist, but there is something about TC pedals which appeals to me.
 
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#66
I dont use a compressor. I run so much overdrive, distortion and fuzz in my signal chain that a compressor never much appealed to me. Maybe one of those 400-500 dollar compressors would work some magic on my clean tone but for now I'm fine being compressor-less.
 
#67
I've never used a compressor. But I loved how the engineer made my bass sound when I was in the studio last fall, so I ended up shopping around and ended up with the FEA Opti-FET last week.

Even when I have it dimed out and squashed, I don't mind the tone. Obviously, I would NEVER play like that. But with all the knobs it offers a broad tonal palette for more subtle tweaks to my timbre.

Have my first gig with it Satnight and I still don't have it dialed in just right the way I want. I might leave it at home. I know the sound guy typically applies some compression and I've never had a problem at this venue.

Sorry for the ramble, but I wanted to add: I've never used any effects on the bass with the exception of a volume pedal to control the attack and create pretty swells. I do have some great pedals that I use for the guitar and running the compressor first makes the bass signal more manageable and makes me excited to explore further signal manipulation.
 
#68
scotch said:
Noise gates only 'fix' problems that really shouldn't be there in the first place! :rollno:
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+1

scotch said:
Regarding compression:

For recording, I agree that compression is pretty much a must.

For live use, I often see it being used as a 'crutch' for poor right hand technique or lack of dynamic control. There's a time & place for it, but I feel it gets over-used on stage. (At the front-of-house mixing board is another story!)
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I agree with this but there are exceptions: some people do play well that have a very very hard attack (i.e. Louis Johnson) and have a use for compression live but - for the most part - it can be used live without. I use Compression live but mainly as a Limiter, not as a Compressor, to reign in transients and keep my pops from tearing the heads off of folks. I think any bass player that uses bright roundwound strings and also plays with percussive techniques (such as slap bass or a hard pick attack) should at least use a Limiter, or a Compressor as a Limiter, live for this reason
 
#69
hello, I am considering getting the EBS multicomp. I read on another website that EBS pedals "go bad " after a couple years.
Has anyone experienced this? Ive got pedals that I bought back in 1983 that still work, a little bit of white noise but a trip to the guitar shop and about $45 fixes that. I would be really hot under the collar of I paid $200 and it "went bad" a few months after the 2 year warranty expired.
Question for anyone that has had an EBS pedal for over 2 years...any problems....?
 
#72
6ULDV8 said:
Relax. I read all the threads. I just want some input because I saw a youtube of a really awesome sounding bass player and in the comments everyone was saying "he must be using a lot of compressor or a noise gate"

whats up with that?

how does a noise gate help my bass sound?

:bassist:
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No, not all do. Most have a compressor in the signal chain at some point though weather they want or not. I could almost say, that all those who play outside of their bedrooms/practice place. Live your mixer is going to ad it to your bass, and if your recording, the engineer is definitely going to introduce some kind of compression there. Either a rack thing or a plugin in the compressor or both.
 
#73
scotch said:
...putting on my flame-guards! :bag:

I always use compression in the studio (or rather, the engineer does), and I do use a compressor pedal as an occasional effect- when the song calls for something that heavier compression imparts. Such as, but not limited to, slap/pop/percussive techniques and Tony Levin-style squashing. Also, I see the merits of "reining in" other dynamic sensitive effects like filters/envelope followers, etc... In fact, I've started using post-filter compression a lot lately.

But, I am of the opinion (again, please don't shoot me) that when folks talk about "very transparent" or "rather subtle" compression- they can very often achieve this with technique. Sure, the compressor is easier & takes less time, but I think it gets over- and ill-used in this role. Plus, your fingers are better suited to making subtle adjustments on-the-fly that a electronic device cannot. It just ends up sounding more natural & less processed. Only my opinion! :)

If a transparent, always-on comp is working for you- great! :) But, it might be worthwhile to turn it off some night & see what you can do without it as well.
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:)

Not shooting you or anything, but why do you use a compressor in the studio? Shouldn't the studio be the one place, where you try to sound as good as you possibly can. So if you honestly believe using compressor does not make you sound better, why do you use it in there? If on the other hand using a compression in the studio makes you sound better, so its ok. to use it in the studio, why not use it live? Do you not want to sound as good live, as in the studio?
 
#74
Teijo K. said:
:)

Not shooting you or anything, but why do you use a compressor in the studio? Shouldn't the studio be the one place, where you try to sound as good as you possibly can. So if you honestly believe using compressor does not make you sound better, why do you use it in there? If on the other hand using a compression in the studio makes you sound better, so its ok. to use it in the studio, why not use it live? Do you not want to sound as good live, as in the studio?
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Playing live and recording in a studio are two different arts. Particularly when it comes to building sounds that translate as intended. Furthermore, when in the studio, it's generally not the bassist supplying the compression but the engineer. It's an entirely different thing than in a live/gig environment.
 
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#75
scotch said:
Playing live and recording in a studio are two different arts. Particularly when it comes to building sounds that translate as intended. Furthermore, when in the studio, it's generally not the bassist supplying the compression but the engineer. It's an entirely different thing than in a live/gig environment.
Click to expand...

Live engineers use about just at much compressors as do studio engineers. :) I read, that you dont want learn to use the compressor yourself, but instead rely on the professional engineers to do it for you. Witch s completely ok. and a good approach to compression. There are others too, but having reliable engineers on all fronts is a solid thing to do. Now there are other approaches to it too, but in the end what works for the situation is the best one. :)
 
#77
Teijo K. said:
Live engineers use about just at much compressors as do studio engineers. :) I read, that you dont want learn to use the compressor yourself, but instead rely on the professional engineers to do it for you. Witch s completely ok. and a good approach to compression. There are others too, but having reliable engineers on all fronts is a solid thing to do. Now there are other approaches to it too, but in the end what works for the situation is the best one. :)
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Of course you're free to "read" that as you want. I know how to use compression. Lol

I'll let my experience as a 20+ year full time career bassist speak for itself. I'm not exactly a 'noob' with this stuff. ;-)
 
#78
IMO noise gates should only be used as an effect such as incorporated in a fuzz pedal etc. If you have noise/hiss your gear needs looking at.

I have a rack comp that is always on in that rig. threshold is low enough that most/all notes are effected. it gets quieter when i play soft and louder when i dig in. maybe not to the same degree. I love the thick tone of this rig and it sounds completely different if i run straight into the head. I have 2 other rigs without compression and I love them too.
 
#80
Rich Lobato said:
hello, I am considering getting the EBS multicomp. I read on another website that EBS pedals "go bad " after a couple years.
Has anyone experienced this? Ive got pedals that I bought back in 1983 that still work, a little bit of white noise but a trip to the guitar shop and about $45 fixes that. I would be really hot under the collar of I paid $200 and it "went bad" a few months after the 2 year warranty expired.
Question for anyone that has had an EBS pedal for over 2 years...any problems....?
Click to expand...
Hello. I had one for three years that worked perfectly. I read this too but I haven't experienced it with mine. Maybe there were some bad or defective units. There is a new version called SE (Studio Edition) and they say it has been improved: EBS Sweden AB - Professional Bass Equipment
 

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