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Do you consider a compressor pedal a "must have"?

#141
For me compression is an integral part of the bass sounds I like. I'm kind of used to that studio sound consisting of a 1176 followed by a LA2A. Never really liked any pedal for playing live until I tried the Cali76.
I tell the PA guys to be cautious not to overcompress and limit my bass and that I'm using a very good pedal. Guess this is happening to most compressor-less players anyway: they get compressed to death with the unique compressors found on most PA mixers and then again on the Masterbuss that goes to the PA speakers.
When I play Jazz or in an accoustic setting (me still playing a Fender) I don't compress or make the settings in a way that I barely ever hit the threshhold of the comp.
 
#147
For those who say they like rack comps, but not pedals, I recommend you check out compressor pedal comparison thread. Pedal compressors have come a LLLLLOOOOOONNNNNGGGG way from typical Ross clones. Many are on par with mid-range rack units. (Sure I would not compare one to high end studio compressors like the Manley VariMu, or the Shadow Hills industries Mastering Compressor. That would be unfair.)

Also, there is this point from the venerable ovnilab FAQ:

In the case of using a line-level rack compressor, your choices are fewer: it generally has to go between your preamp and power amp, or in a line-level loop, which usually means it is going after all of your pedals. So you'll have to weigh the pros and cons of the effect of the compression on your whole signal with and without your other effects. Unless you just prefer having the compression or limiting at the end of your signal chain anyway, I'd suggest that rackmount comps are better for people who don't change their tone around a whole lot, or where your main use for compression is just peak limiting rather than sustain or a "squish effect".
 
#149
I don't like what they do to dynamics when I'm playing. I play a certain way specifically in order to get certain dynamics and response, and a compressor throws me for a loop and requires a major technique adjustment that is distracting, and it ends up not sounding like "me." In a live setting, I don't want that monkeyed with. I can adjust technique in real time – without any conscious thought.

Sometimes it must be done, to make what you are playing actually sound as you intended it to sound, in its final form. For example, recording. You can't hear and instantly adjust in real time to get your bass to fit perfectly into the dynamic range that the engineer needs. You're with your instrument and headphones, not in the booth – and you don't know what's in the engineer's head, or what's going on with his/her rig.

And if a live sound engineer, who has a better sonic perspective during the show, needs to compress my channel on that end, fine. But let him do it as he sees fit. I don't "need" to do it on my rig in order to get my intended dynamics.

In other words, compression itself is not necessarily a bad thing, and it's sometimes necessary. But it's not something I should be worrying about on my end. Let the person who needs to fit my dynamic range into a certain niche in the mix worry about it. I'm a bass player, not a sound engineer. That's their worry. I play what I play, with my band, and just worry about that. A sound expert takes that and decides how to process it to make it work best in the given situation.

So, I don't hate compression as a rule. I fully understand why it has to be used for certain things. I just view it as something that's not my problem or my responsibility. So yes, what I'm playing might need to be compressed...but no, I don't need a compressor. The person who needs to do the compressing needs it.
 
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#151
ArcadeNate said:
I have gigged off and on for many years and have never used a compression pedal. But from what I understand, they even out volume variance under normal playing conditions. If that's true, it seems like it could turn a good sound into a great sound. Do most pros use these? (I don't consider myself a pro based on the dives I've played.) Are these must haves? Is the difference noticeable at a small club type setting?
Click to expand...

No, I don’t have a compression pedal. I do have compression (of sorts) as part of my integrated amps and preamps. It’s one trick pony type of effect that other than the amount of compression, there isn’t much control, like you might get with a pedal.

But for me, it’s adequate. Yes it does smooth things out, especially the lower notes.
 
#157
Note consistency and intensity, I love Jaco for the consistency of his right hand, especially with the stamina he displayed. All the note values and volumes have incredibly consistent flow. I wonder what compressor he used?
 

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