To compress or not to compress

[ThudThudThud]

I use for transparent smoothing (I like that expression, Fuzzbass!), and to control my board's volume.
Your SABDDI, trackskinz, does have a compressing character to it, so you're likely experiencing compression already.

 

[Swimming Bird]

I use them for not-very-subtle tweaks to ADSR and my current setup involving a gate and a comp expands my dynamic range. The gate is set so a very light pluck actually has a noticeable swell effect (medium plucking/picking and heavier does not cause this); the gain boost from the comp helps achieve the effect. When I play harder, the gate doesn't affect the note attack but the comp really accentuates it.

 

[DavC]

never worried about Comps for bass to much in the old days of recording ( analog/tape ) ,... but , in the digital world , overages do not sound good ..! having a comp pedal can be handy when needed . i prefer one that has a Blend/Mix knob .. because i always want 'my' sound to come thru . dialing in some of the compressed tone can alleviate the peaks just enough to be safe . or .., if you need a little more sustain , they can help with that also . they are useful tools when you get the hang of it .

i have several comps ... my pedal is a Seymour Duncan Studio Bass ..

 

[pbass2]

Speaking as a bassist and occasional FOH guy and studio engineer, live, I let the FOH guy handle it--he's the one hearing how much the bass needs to be compressed given the entire mix. You can't tell that from your position on stage. In the studio too--I'd never print bass with a stomp box compressor, no matter how "studio quality" it's advertised to be. I let the engineer handle it--they're gonna have a nice LA-2A or something like that, and typically it's tracked with very little compression, to allow for options later on in the mix. So, I'm a real stickler for "traditional" compressor use in regards to bass guitar. And I've seen way too many people suck the life out of their sound using one incorrectly, and undermine them improving their technique at the same time.
I do however understand how having one on your pedalboard could be cool at an extreme setting for soloing, or could help if you're a big slapper(but even then, you should be able to control your sound without one), or maybe if you have gobs of unruly pedals inline in front of it. But for the more trad usage--limiting the dynamics of a straight-ahead bass sound--I think it's best left to whoever is handling the full mix.

 

[swafran]

Why be that?

I wasn't the one who said you'd regret it, but I agree with him; that piece of gear is known mostly because a lot of them were produced so they were everywhere. Also at the time there weren't a lot of alternatives in that price bracket for what it offered. But there are much better compressors out there today. The 3630 a was mostly functional compressor (some would say dysfunctional), cold and 80s-like, clipping hard not smoothly, etc. There isn't much tone magic there. I love my Empress, a lot of people rave about the Diamond.

 

[hondo4life]

I wasn't the one who said you'd regret it, but I agree with him; that piece of gear is known mostly because a lot of them were produced so they were everywhere. Also at the time there weren't a lot of alternatives in that price bracket for what it offered. But there are much better compressors out there today. The 3630 a was mostly functional compressor (some would say dysfunctional), cold and 80s-like, clipping hard not smoothly, etc. There isn't much tone magic there. I love my Empress, a lot of people rave about the Diamond.

What about a 3632…?
I'm really just looking at under $100, so probably used. Rack mount is also good.

 

[Bassmann79]

There needs to be balance when running Low to High notes, the high notes tend to fade or wash out completely and a compressor really helps keep it consistent and I use a MXR in my pedal chain full time now.

I have come to see the validity in a compressor

 

[ofajen]

Dynamic range is the enemy.

Otto

 

[SirMjac28]

A compressor is a part of my sound I've been through a few and settled on the Cali76-TX because the transformer in this compressor adds a certain polish or undertone to my sound that I really love.

 

[AngelCrusher]

Never used a compressor pedal, in fact 99% of the time I use on a Sans Amp DI.

How would you make the decision to get/use a compressor?

Obviously "get one and try it"......but what is a generally way of thinking about this?

Based on the bold - the answer is easy. Don't get one.

A compressor takes a long time to really learn how to use. I have been in studios for years and every engineer always says compression was something that took years to really master. It is such a subtle effect until your ears tune in for it, and when that happens you will facepalm at how hard you have been choking your tone. Its a real easy effect to get heavy handed with, and it also can't beat the best compressor you have - your right hand.

 

[TheCouchBassist]

A compressor is a part of my sound I've been through a few and settled on the Cali76-TX because the transformer in this compressor adds a certain polish or undertone to my sound that I really love.

I'm in the same boat. My Super Symmetry is always on. My tone feels completely lacking without it.

 

[pbass2]

Based on the bold - the answer is easy. Don't get one.

A compressor takes a long time to really learn how to use. I have been in studios for years and every engineer always says compression was something that took years to really master. It is such a subtle effect until your ears tune in for it, and when that happens you will facepalm at how hard you have been choking your tone. Its a real easy effect to get heavy handed with, and it also can't beat the best compressor you have - your right hand.

+1. Man, I've produced and engineered a few young bands where the bassist was so used to using a stomp box compressor to "tame his sound", and it just sounded so bad--it was just a squashed version of bad technique--you could hear how inconsistent and just "off" the note quality was throughout the track, even though it was squeezed to death. So we'd turn it off because we had WAY better options in the studio and you want to leave any aggressive compression 'til the mix anyway (you don't want to paint yourself into a corner when doing the basics). Well, we'd turn off the poor guys stomp compressor and his playing was so uncontrolled and all over the place that I ended up re-doing his parts later, at the request of the rest of the band. It also revealed that his bass was setup like crap.

 

[makanudo]

There needs to be balance when running Low to High notes, the high notes tend to fade or wash out completely and a compressor really helps keep it consistent and I use a MXR in my pedal chain full time now.

I have come to see the validity in a compressor

Same feelings and compressor. I found out my overall levels sound better with the compressor before my B7K. I don't know if it could be fixed with a pickup height adjustment or plucking strenght but the balance between a Low B string, up on the G is tasty.

 

[ddnidd1]

What about a 3632…?
I'm really just looking at under $100, so probably used. Rack mount is also good.

Quite often no compressor is a heck of a lot better than a cheap compressor.

Check out Compressor Reviews to get some recommendations on a compressor that's worth getting.

 

[hondo4life]

Quite often no compressor is a heck of a lot better than a cheap compressor.

Check out Compressor Reviews to get some recommendations on a compressor that's worth getting.

Holy cow, that is a gold mine of kompressor reviews. Thank you.

The 3632 does get a much better review than the 3630. But there are so mamy others....

 

[Fat Steve]

I use the EBS MutiComp to get a bit of tube-like gritty gain as the first pedal in my loop. I have the threshold all the way off, so it doesn't really compress my signal as much as it just adds a bit of depth.

 

[TuneIn]

Never used a compressor pedal, in fact 99% of the time I use on a Sans Amp DI.

How would you make the decision to get/use a compressor?

Obviously "get one and try it"......but what is a generally way of thinking about this?

Check some major labels for compression, dbx160a, ebs, keely, check the online demos, then see who they endorse. if you like those players and the tones those players achieve, dig a little deeper. Google search..its your friend.

 

[Wasnex]

There are a number of reasons to use compression -- or not. EDIT: this is not a comprehensive list of uses, just the first ones that popped into my head!

• The most common reason is subtle, transparent smoothing, as done on nearly every studio recording. Done live, it can help the bass to sit better in the mix.
  
• Another reason is subtle production: to add tube-like/vintage "warmth" to the tone.
• Another is as an effect: to add heavy squash and/or overdrive. This was done in the studio by Led Zeppelin and many others; often with the Urei 1176 in "British Mode"
• Some compress only when playing slap style
• Some compress to hide uneven playing technique (this is not a good idea when practicing at home, but understandable when playing live)

As for me: I often use overdrive at the gig. Overdrive by its nature provides some compression, so I rarely use a dedicated compressor when using OD. However if I'm playing a classic rock/R&B/blues gig where I won't use overdrive, then I do occasionally bring a compressor for transparent smoothing and/or vintage warmth.

Compression is especially useful when you need to sustain unusually long notes.

 

[Bassmann79]

Same feelings and compressor. I found out my overall levels sound better with the compressor before my B7K. I don't know if it could be fixed with a pickup height adjustment or plucking strenght but the balance between a Low B string, up on the G is tasty.

I have had my MXR for a while now, used it but didn't really "get it"....but after doing some pre-recording I noticed for sure that my highs wash out in various spots so definitely going to use it during studio recording but also as of Saturday night, am using it live now as well. It doesn't affect my tone much but certainly gives me sustain and balance.

 

[FrenchBassQC]

Never used a compressor pedal, in fact 99% of the time I use on a Sans Amp DI.

How would you make the decision to get/use a compressor?

Obviously "get one and try it"......but what is a generally way of thinking about this?

I use mine maybe 25% of the time, does it worth it... Yes because during that 25% it did what it was designed to do and that's all that counts at the end right? If well used, it can do magic...