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What are your thoughts on compression?

Joe Nerve

Joe Nerve

Oct 7, 2000
18,619
38,939
New York City
www.joenerve.com
Disclosures
Endorsing artist: Musicman basses
#1
Starting this in order to not hijack another thread.

I've never been an effects guy of any sort, but having played with a lot of backlines I've come to the realization that I like what that compressor knob does on Harke heads whenever thats the amp onstage. Gives me a punchy, tight, almost percussive kind of sound. I bought a digitech compressor a while back and it did nothing of the sort. Same with a compressor on a Fender combo I have. I just ordered a Carvin head and I'm hoping it comes with compression I like.

Anyhow - it seems some people hate it and would never use it, others always use it, and I guess some use it sometimes. What are your thoughts on compression? And does anyone know how Hartkes compares with Carvins?

+ someone posted this in the other thread: "It did wonders for Paul McCartney's studio work... But somehow I doubt that it has much role in the playing of Bootsy Collins or Flea.... :hmm:." I think the exact opposite - that it gives me the extra oomph for a good punchy funky sound. Like in Bernard Edwards' Le Chic.

thoughts?
 
#2
I've tried to like compression, I really have, but it seems to kill the attack. In theory, it sounds great, but I like a good sharp attack when I play. Maybe it's just the compressors I've tried, I dunno.
 
#3
I've had a Carvin 600R with the tube pre in it. It had built in compression, but it was pretty useless. The Carvin had a very clean sound, almost sterile, so I bought a cheap 266xl compressor/gate and found it gave me sustain and a little more punch.

I recently converted to a pre/power set up and I'm running an Ampeg BSP pre which has the warm Ampeg tube sound. I took the compressor out of my rack and haven't looked back. I found that with this head, I can control a lot of that stuff with my attack from my fingers.

Carvin makes sweet heads though. What kind did you get?
 
#7
fenderphil said:
hey, were running the same pre! Ive had mine about 10 years tho, lol
Click to expand...

Yeah, I guess now that I think about it recently was probably about 4 years ago. LMAO. :D

I love this head. Which channel do you run your FX loop though? Just curious. The overdrive channel, the clean channel or both? If you don't want to hijack this thread send me a PM. :)
 
#8
I really don't see how you can get that " clinky" , " squishy " sound when popping the G string on a 4 string without using compression. I have tried many styles of cabs with tweeters, but could never get that sound without dialing in some compression. I love the compression in my Roland DB 700 combo and leave it dialed in all the time. Does'nt destroy my attack at all, in fact, seems to give me more.

The closest I've come without having to use compression is in my Carvin LS1503 cab, which is a 3 way. It gets close, but when I stomp on the BBE compression pedal, it's squish city. A pedal at least gives you the best of both worlds - stomp on it when you need it and then stomp on it to turn it off. Bootsy used so many effects I highly doubt that he did'nt use compression somewhere. I really think you need it to get that sound if you pop and slap alot, not that I am an expert at it. I occaisionally need to funk it up and compression really helps me get that sound.
 
#10
Joe Nerve said:
The soon to be released BX500. http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=503371 Took the $400 gamble. :)
Click to expand...

Wow that's quite a thread. LOL. The interface looks very very very similar to my old redline 600R. I hope they've improved the compression since then, but I doubt it. The only difference between this interface and my redline is that 600r had "crossover" knob so you could blend between the different channels. It was a very versatile amp. With a pedal switch I was able to snap between a clean solid state sound, a more tubey eq setting, and then a third sound that was a blend of both. I liked it a lot and ran that thing for a good 6 years. In the end I just need more than 600Watts and I was jonesing for the Ampeg sound. But it was my experience with the Carvin that made me jump into the Ampeg BSP because now I needed to have different channels when playing.

Still 400 bucks. Man, I'm thinking I might need to drive over to the Santa Ana store today and take me a listen. It would be a great back up to my BSP which they don't make anymore.

I'm betting you're gonna need to buy a separate compressor though. I doubt you're going to be very happy with it. Hopefully you prove me wrong. :)
 
#11
i don't like to use compression in my rig. i try to play evenly, and control my own dynamics. if the FOH soundguy wants to put compression on me, that's fine, i just don't like it on my end. i've owned a bunch of compressors and have continually tried to make it work in my live rig, but i just can't.

i do love compression in the studio though. i think it is a great tool that is a must have in recording.
 
#12
Well compression lowers the peaks and lows of your playing allowing you to keep a sound that is relatively the same. If I were to use it I would turn it on very low because I play with meaning. When I hit it hard I want it hard and visa versa. I kinda think of compression as training wheels.
The thread starter said his amp compression added a punch to his sound. It sounds to me that what they call compression is really presence. I too use presence all the time. I leave it on 3/4 all the time, never move it! I don't like how amp companies call certain things different things there needs to be a univesal name!!!!!!!
 
#13
About 6 months ago I went through a compressor purge. I was primarily using a dyna comp at that time, and it just felt like it either did nothing or it squashed my sound to oblivion. I sold what I had and went sans compressor for a while, but then I found the BBE Opto Stomp. Holy crap I love that thing. Maybe it's just my playing style, but the Opto lets my bass absolutely sing. The compression is soft and natural, and it's not nearly as noisy in my chain. It's subtle, but capable.

Could I live without compression, sure. Do I like what this compressor does to my overall tone? Absolutely.
 
#14
I like compression, but I don't use it all the time. Keep in mind that my opinion should be held as just an opinion. If you want real expertise on the subject, someone like bongomania can help out.

On a whim I picked up a Boss CS-3 and had the OPTO plus mod done on it by CMATmods.com. For me, it's a great pedal. I'm sure there are better pedals out there, but this one works for me. I can get light compression, mild compression and heavy compression for the "bwap" effect. The tone control helps shape the overall sound. After the CMAT mods, it has very little noise at even extreme settings. The note decay is very musical and seems to have a "shimmer".

So back to the original question, I love compression for slap. Love it for fingerstyle when I want to get my Tony Levin on and want some "bwap" on the attack. Love it for times when I want to cheat a little to smooth out the dynamics. Dislike it for times when I want dynamics to be expressive, but that's what the footswitch is for.

So yeah, I like compression. Just not all the time.
 
#15
markjazzbassist said:
i don't like to use compression in my rig. i try to play evenly, and control my own dynamics. if the FOH soundguy wants to put compression on me, that's fine, i just don't like it on my end. i've owned a bunch of compressors and have continually tried to make it work in my live rig, but i just can't.

i do love compression in the studio though. i think it is a great tool that is a must have in recording.
Click to expand...

I've been on both sides of the compression fence and this is exactly where I sit now. :)
 
#16
MakiSupaStar said:
Still 400 bucks. Man, I'm thinking I might need to drive over to the Santa Ana store today and take me a listen. It would be a great back up to my BSP which they don't make anymore.
Click to expand...

If ya do, please give it a good run for the money. I'm curious if the compression is musical - like if you can dial it in for some punch and have enough so it doesn't completely squash the sound like some do. The Hartke's sound great to me with just a wee bit dialed it. That's what I'm hoping for.

I'd like to know about the high end too. Does the graphic EQ get sizzly at all? I'm hoping to add a bit more highs then I get with my present Backline head. I had a GK 1001 head that extened the highs that I get with the backline (the "presence added a lot").... wait... now I'm hijacking my own thread. I guess you can respond in the carvin thread if you check it out.
 
#17
Check out Bongo's compression FAQ and reviews. Links are in his sig. Let's see if he pokes his head in.

Personally I think the best compression is one that you can't tell is on. I have the BOSS LMB-3 which is a limiter; IOW extreme compression and it is very transparent with the enhance knob off. The trick is to understand how to use it and what it will do for you.
 
#18
Joe Nerve said:
If ya do, please give it a good run for the money. I'm curious if the compression is musical - like if you can dial it in for some punch and have enough so it doesn't completely squash the sound like some do. The Hartke's sound great to me with just a wee bit dialed it. That's what I'm hoping for.

I'd like to know about the high end too. Does the graphic EQ get sizzly at all? I'm hoping to add a bit more highs then I get with my present Backline head. I had a GK 1001 head that extened the highs that I get with the backline (the "presence added a lot").... wait... now I'm hijacking my own thread. I guess you can respond in the carvin thread if you check it out.
Click to expand...

Yeah, might be this week some time. My main complaint with the Carvin compression I had before is that it had absolutely no effect. I could turn it all the way up, all the down, or off and I never could hear a difference so I could dial it in. Nothing of substance. I remember once, being bent over my head with my bass in my hand plunking, listening, and trying to figure out what it was doing. I was listening so hard I suddenly felt drool drop off my chin. LOL.

EDIT: Maybe I'll take the boob bass in so you can relate. Although this is not my main bass.
 
#19
warwick.hoy said:
Personally I think the best compression is one that you can't tell is on. I have the BOSS LMB-3 which is a limiter; IOW extreme compression and it is very transparent with the enhance knob off. The trick is to understand how to use it and what it will do for you.
Click to expand...


Exactly.....you should not be hearing your compression. if it is "squishing" your sound, you've got too much of it. (unless, of coarse, that is what you are going for.) I have had Carvins for a long time, so i have used compression for a long time. Right now i use a Presonus Bluemax which is fully manual. getting the attack and release settings dialed in is what makes a compression good.(IMO) and allows you to still control the dynamics through your technique.
 
#20
Joe, I think you should try out the EBS Multicomp. I don't use it all the time, but it's a must playing through some of the NYC backlines. The EBS is subtle -- it won't squash your sound, and it won't color it, but adds an amazing punch, and it's the best way (IMO) to get more out of a crappy backline.
 

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