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Does a Compressor Remove Your Dynamics?

#41
technically, yes. as many have already said- it limits your top volume levels.

but, what would be volume turns into intensity- the sound/vibe is still there, and the compression can add some energy to the sound. so, while dynamics will be "lost," intesity will still be maintained- even enhanced sometimes.
 
#42
Dynamics.. Long ago, in the early 80's this "bass" player in a music store "showed" me how much better I would sound playing slap with a compressor.. My response was why do I need a $400 piece of equipment to do what a month of practice can do. I guess the only form of compressor I've ever used was a Bassballs, and that was to try and comp synth lines long ago.

For perspective, listen to a cheap MP3 recording of a band set just a little hot.. Crash cymbal and it's half volume for a bit. I know that's an extreme, but good example.

One step further, I says compression compensates for a lack of musicianship, or knowing your instruments limitations.

Robin
 
#43
Yes it can, if you're doing it wrong.

Saying you need more practice to make up what a compressor can do is an uneducated perspective. Saying you don't like using one because it squishes your attack and doesn't really help sustain makes sense.

Do compression right, and it's a very effective tool, not an effect. You can use it to help notes bloom, to help drive and warm up gear that can't quite get there or just to sweeten what your trying to express.

Try one with a mix control and see what you've been missing ;)
 
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#44
No disrespect intended, but I've never used the high and low compression on any of the Trace Elliot amps I still gig with now. I'm old school, and do have BAS on all levels.

Truth be known, my avatar pick was taken at a Tripping the Lights Fantastic gig, playing with the Psychedelic Shadow Show. I was playing my 4001 through a '73 Bassman 100 and a 4X12 Bassman Parralax (?) cab with a mike in front of it, if you can go big.. Do it! No pedals, no excuses, just you, a Bass a drummer, and I'm looking at the Drummer in the pic ;-) We laid it down, and knew it!

I know this is a huge debated, but it's in the hands, or Pick in this band.

Compression is for wussies..

Robin
 
#47
RobinG said:
No disrespect intended, but I've never used the high and low compression on any of the Trace Elliot amps I still gig with now. I'm old school, and do have BAS on all levels.

Truth be known, my avatar pick was taken at a Tripping the Lights Fantastic gig, playing with the Psychedelic Shadow Show. I was playing my 4001 through a '73 Bassman 100 and a 4X12 Bassman Parralax (?) cab with a mike in front of it, if you can go big.. Do it! No pedals, no excuses, just you, a Bass a drummer, and I'm looking at the Drummer in the pic ;-) We laid it down, and knew it!

I know this is a huge debated, but it's in the hands, or Pick in this band.

Compression is for wussies..

Robin
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I had a Bassman 50 about 20-25 years ago, and the one thing I remember about that amp, was the sweet compression that was build in the amp. Absolutely no need for anything in front of that one, it had it all inside. Really nice overdrive too. There was not a knob that read "compression", it was just present all the time, probably the valves working the magic they do.
 
#50
I did not expect this backlash/ response to my post. I have a '64 Bassman as well, I've owned it off and on since 1982.

I thought this was a place to share opinions, and help fellow Bassists. I've never used any compression from bass to preamp. Line out, Mike'd cab, from there it's out of my control in the mix. A stage amp is what it is, and BAS gives me a few choices.

I do like to play harder and drive a pre amp slightly over the edge with low output PUPS. That's a sweet spot for me :-)

Robin
 
#51
Sorry if you took it as a bad response. I dig your gear and all that, just wanted to add my opinion to it. There is many kinds of compression at play when you put a microphone in front of a valve amp. The amp itself compresses the signal naturally, then the speaker adds a little bit of compression, the air before the mic adds a tiny bit of natural compression as well, the further you put the mic the more, and then finally the mic compresses just a tiny bit more. But it is not bad, its really really good and natural sounding compression. This is my opinion as a bass player and sound man/mixer.

I dig it really much. I am in no way trying to give you a bad response, but english is not my native language, so maybe some of this sounds negative. If so, I am sorry, it is not intended to.

RobinG said:
I did not expect this backlash/ response to my post. I have a '64 Bassman as well, I've owned it off and on since 1982.

I thought this was a place to share opinions, and help fellow Bassists. I've never used any compression from bass to preamp. Line out, Mike'd cab, from there it's out of my control in the mix. A stage amp is what it is, and BAS gives me a few choices.

I do like to play harder and drive a pre amp slightly over the edge with low output PUPS. That's a sweet spot for me :)

Robin
Click to expand...
 
#53
Pushing your amp into slight breakup introduces a form of compression, so I guess you just called yourself a wuss and someone limiting his musicianship then, without realizing it. ;)

What you do is similar to having a clean amp with large headroom and adding the compression and breakup with pedals instead. You think there's a difference?
 
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#55
@RobinG, yes in the case of a sweet older bassman a compressor pedal infront is blasphemy. Those amps have so much mojo that true musicianship does show through, and that's true of most great amps. As soon as you drive it, mic it and give it to a sound guy what comes out of the PA's is usually compressed either by older gear naturally doing so, or by the sound guy doing it to you on newer "hi fi" PA systems.

I use a lot of pedals to try new things, and compression helps blending with the music that's there with me. I can't haul around a pristine bassman to the weekly headphone jam, so having some compression to warm the tone where tubes aren't is nice. Like I said, you do it wrong and you are just hiding behind your compressor.
 
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#56
Cool thing. I do see this limiting musicianship a bit differently, but thats just me. By using wider variety of instruments (from unamplified double bass to electric bass guitar with lots of different effects), gives me more tools to play all kinds of music so limitting my tools would be limitting myself musically too. But there you have it, we just see this differently, no big deal in the end I would say.

RobinG said:
No worries Teijo K, I'm an older player, and have opinions about a lot of things, and I'll share them.

I still say any compression on any individual instrument limits the musicianship, but that's just me.

Robin
Click to expand...
 
#57
groooooove said:
but, what would be volume turns into intensity- the sound/vibe is still there, and the compression can add some energy to the sound…
Click to expand...

That's a good way to describe dynamics and what I think I was trying to get at in my original post: volume and intensity. So, while a compressor will inherently boost and limit volumes, the original intensity will still be retained or even enhanced.
 
#58
I am prefacing this post by saying I don't use a compressor but I really think it's important to put this out there.

Compressors, as used most typically by bass players, allow players to alter the envelope of the note. For example a player might produce an attack like Da Da Da when not compressed. When they play the same thing through a compressor, properly configured, it doesn't necessarily change the dynamics of the musical passage perceptibly but instead can make that same passage aa aa aa or DA DA DA changing the attack or decay characteristics of single notes. This can be subtle or extreme but either can make the bass come alive in the mix in certain contexts. Players can produce similar results with their fingers but not to the extent that a compressor can. Further, tube amps and overdrive/distortion effects do this naturally. I'd be fascinated to hear a dissertation how players who use tube amps or overdrive are wimps who can't control their dynamics.

A lot of people making insulting remarks in this thread would be wise to learn something about the subject matter before weighing in. You're not going to change hearts and minds insulting people and the only thing you are doing is perpetuating a falsehood.
 
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#59
RobinG said:
I did not expect this backlash/ response to my post.
Click to expand...
You keep saying ignorant and insulting things in each post. Here's a pro tip for free: when you have to put other people down, call names, and denigrate other people's ability to use tools for their musicianship--you're going to get backlash.
 
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#60
Sooo...how about a Compression sticky so we don't have to do this three times a week? I've been seeing comp threads pop up with a lot of frequency lately and most folks are often (and rightfully) directed to Bongo's site, but to me it seems with all of the naïveté and mystery surrounding its use that it's deserving of its own thread where the basics can be hashed out and discussed.
 
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