The black art of compression

[Lefty52]

Hi Justin, Greg Carter here. Greetings from Brisbane, Australia.

I'm just getting into bass guitar after many years behind a drumkit. I'm having a blast with it, you know, just learning the ropes and belting out some sloppy grooves.

I've got a little home recording set up decked out with some good quality mic pres, converters, mics and whatnot. I play a 3/4 scale P through a tube guitar amp. It's low volume for me and the bass/amp combo sounds and records great. I've also got a Sansamp Bass Driver DI but I haven't really gotten into it much.

I've been experimenting with compression, either via an Analogman Mini Bi-Comp pedal, or a Toft rackmount FET unit. Man, I have to say that I just don't have a handle on applying compression to bass. On drums, I usually parallel compress. That way, I retain the dynamics and transients of the raw tracks, while adding the explosiveness of the wet tracks.

But with bass, I'm just not getting it. I'll record a track with compression, and think it sounds great. I'll listen back the next day, and think it sounds small and restricted. Not to mention tubby. I understand that compression can act to control dynamics as well as enhance tone, but achieving this - setting the compression to suit bass guitar - well, I'm not grasping it.

If you have the time to throw any advice my way I'd appreciate it.

Cheers.

 

[jmjbassplayer]

I really don't love bass compression, 'cuz it seems to suck tone. So I use it very minimally, grabbing only a few dB at 4:1. Try a slower attack and a faster release.

JMJ

 

[Peter_00]

+1

Though I have found that just putting your bass through an 1176, la-2 etc and doing very very little gain reduction just makes it sound better. There is some magic in there for sure.

 

[pbass2]

I would recommend NOT tracking with any compression until you get the hang of it. Not sure what kinda rig you're using, but just track it dry, and then experiment with compression via plug-ins--then you can always change it after the fact, at the mix stage, etc.

 

[Lefty52]

My intention was to use a touch of compression to smooth out my erratic playing, add a little density and detail, and remove or diminish the "click from the pick". I get the feeling that trying to remove pick clack does not lead to a great bass tone, in that the quick attack setting required for this doesn't really work so well on the overall sound. I've tried Justin's suggestion (thanks man) and yeah, a slower attack does work better.

 

[Jungy]

You hardly ever hear the pick click in a mix anyway and it usually doesn't detract from the song either