What do you like about compressors?

[BurningSkies]

Yes, it does. Oh wait, you mean my post. : D

So, which part, the part where I describe what I like about compression, or the part where I mostly agree with OP's impression that compression doesn't really add much to bass tone?

The part where you tell me how you need to spend more than $2k for a compressor then proceed to tell me that I don't need more sustain without knowing what I do with it or why.

 

[symbolic_acts]

Line 6 CustomTone

^theres a good example of a sound that is simply not possible without a lot of compression in the right places. Geddy used an insane amount of compression.

 

[pbass2]

Are bass and guitar compressors radically different? In other words, can you use a guitar compressor successfully with a bass?

If you mean stompoxes, you just have to try 'em and see. Some are dialed in for the lower freqs of bass I expect (or say they are). I've never seen a rackmount pro audio compressor that was designed to be instrument-specific, though everybody has their faves for different applications. I have ones that I prefer on drums for example, while I might like another one more for bass. Again, the venerable LA2A--kills on bass and vocals (IMO) while some folks might reach for the 'ol 1176 (or clones of any of these famous boxes). And then that can all change with whatever the particular mix needs . . .

 

[tekhedd]

The part where you tell me how you need to spend more than $2k for a compressor then proceed to tell me that I don't need more sustain without knowing what I do with it or why.

Ah. Well, IMO, if that helps. But by definition anything I say is IMO, so it's generally considered redundant to constantly repeat it. At least according to style manuals, and not actually my opinion, that. But anyway I digress.

To be fair, a lot of the >$2k compressors are only so-so for bass, too. Perfect, transparent compression only gives you reduced dynamic range. If that's your thing, then there are many options, but judging from OP I believe the entire question is "if all I'm getting is reduced dynamic range, what exactly is the point?" The answer being, well, unless you have a compressor that does fun things to the attacks or adds intersting harmonics on the overshoot, you have nothing.

So, I mean, you could suggest that OP should play with the attack time. For bass and kickdrum, <30ms decay adds increasing amounts of distortion, whereas times >40ms attack adds increasing amounts of overshoot. If the compressor distorts on overshoot, or driving a tube stage, the overshoot can be very interesting. If not, only the distortion is really interesting. In either case, what you'll learn is that only a select few compressors will make sonically pleasing compressor-distortion, and even fewer will generate sonically interesting overshoot. Perfect, linear compressors (say a midrange DBX rack unit) will, properly dialed in, give you more sustain, or correct for sloppy technique, but not have any effect on tone really.

Which is where the disappointment comes in. You think "yeah I have a nice compressor this is going to sound good" but it really just makes things slightly more squashed and less interesting. Because it's a *great* compressor, that's the problem. What you really need is a compressor that has interesting flaws.

 

[orange joe]

I use a DOD Milk Box for light compression, but honestly, the biggest reason is for the extra highs it gives my bass. I play flats because I very much prefer their tone to rounds, and the Milk Box increases them just a tad without being harsh and it increases my sustain a little. So I get a nice thump and decent treble without getting into rounds territory.

Granted, I’m unaware of any other compressors that can add highs via a knob like my Milk Box, and I use this for a specific niche reason, but I love this compressor. I’m always interested in hearing about other compressors with similar features, since the DODs are getting old and can be slightly noisy, but not bad.

The Boss LMB3 has a similar feature in it's "enhance" knob and it's a pretty darn good compressor.

 

[MJ_Sotti]

I had a Keely for a little bit, and I couldn't figure it out. And this is NOT a troll, but I just can't figure out anything of what you guys are talking about. All I know is it made all the notes the same volume. Maybe I didn't know how to set it up...

 

[JohnnyChatter]

I tried to hard to get on the compressor train. I spent a bunch of money and was never happy... I have probably lost more money on compressors than anything else. I feel like they suck the life out of my tone. Some people say they use them to fix problems but I feel like they fix nothing you can’t fix yourself in technique. That being said musicians far better than I and ones I look up to a great amount love them. So they really are just personal preference in the end.

 

[OhDee]

In live situations I don't like compressors and I see them as my enemy... Not pedals, not amp built in compressors... Just throw em away... turn em off... Don't need em.

when mixing however (!) they are great friends and can do some magic. So for me they are just really good tools for mixing, sometimes even while recording... Something to do with 'controlled environment' vs. not... I dont know the exact reason actually...


That's how I feel right now. I might change my mind tommrow who knows... the only thing I truely believe in is keep an open mind about everything and don't decide too many things. I learnt this kindof tricky love-hate attitude to compression from a good friend of mine who is one of the best bass players I know...


cheers

 

[Rip Van Dan]

I know compressors are consider necessary for many bassist out there, but I just can't get into them at all. Maybe I am just not familiar enough with compressors, but I cannot find many tones I like using. When I do use a compressor i set the ratio very low (around 2.5 or 3) for just a slight bit of smoothing.

When I turn the compressor up any I just feel like it crushes all the life out of my tone and all of the demos of compressors I've heard make the bass sound sterile.

I'm not trying to bash anyone's tone, I curious on how others use your compressors. What do you want it to do to your tone and what settings do you use on your pedal? Maybe y'all can help me find a new angle on the subject

A lot of basses need a touch of compression to give them enough sustain to sound good. My 1965 Jazz, did not have a lot of sustain, but it had those foam mutes in the Ashtray pickup cover and I don't remember if I ever pulled them off before it was stolen in 1976. My current Jazz (1982-83) has a maple neck with white binding, no foam, and it has sustain forever.

The only time I use a compressor for live play is for the song "Time After Time" by Cyndi Lauper. The bass on that sounds almost like an organ pedal tone. It really has no attack to speak of, or any other dynamics. So I'll run my bass through the compressor in my WTDI and turn it way up. Then the compressor snags what was attack and turns it into sustain. It leeches all the attack out of it and will pretty well sustain until I take my finger off the string. Now that's an extreme example of what a compressor will do, but once you use it like that it leaves no question in your mind what it is capable of. Then the question becomes, how much do you want it to do.

If you have a compressor with threshold, ratio, attack, and decay/release controls on it, you can do all kinds of things with a compressor. Most of the stompboxes have one or two controls and use an algorithm to extrapolate the other accompanying settings. A really well applied compressor in most situations will sound like you are not using a compressor. It adds sustain without stripping too much of the attack out of your music. Do a search on using compressors and you'll find a lot of info here at TB.

In a recording situation, compression is applied much differently, to build the body of the sound up, limit the peaks, increase the level, and still leave good dynamics in the sound. So, different strokes when mixing recorded sound.

Personally, I feel the more parts you have control of in a compressor, the more successful you will be in using it.

 

[BurningSkies]

I had a Keely for a little bit, and I couldn't figure it out. And this is NOT a troll, but I just can't figure out anything of what you guys are talking about. All I know is it made all the notes the same volume. Maybe I didn't know how to set it up...

It's not an easy device to master. My first compressor was a Alesis Nano-compressor though I've also had a few DBX units, etc. too. Again, all the controls interact with each other so it takes some time to figure it out. They're truly more about 'note shaping' though EQ can also be something they impart. All notes the same volume can be one of the goals. Or at least all notes not going above one volume.

I tried to hard to get on the compressor train. I spent a bunch of money and was never happy... I have probably lost more money on compressors than anything else. I feel like they suck the life out of my tone. Some people say they use them to fix problems but I feel like they fix nothing you can’t fix yourself in technique. That being said musicians far better than I and ones I look up to a great amount love them. So they really are just personal preference in the end.

Heavy compression can kill the sound of an instrument and suck the life...it can do the same to a mix too. But they also can bring a mix together. That's one of the biggest differences between a final mix and a master.

To me a success is that I have sound engineers saying that I've got a really even consistent signal that's super easy to mix. We also multi-track record nearly all our live shows and from doing band-mixdowns, I can say that my track is the most evenly represented though I do maintain dynamics.

 

[AlexBassMP]

I use a bit of compression with a diamond compressor,makes the notes a bit smoother,fatter.More complex compressors with all the controls are not for me,specialy not live.

I use a Demeter Compulator clone for two reasons : I like optical compressors and it has just two knobs.

 

[Hypercaffium]

I absolutely love what they do, how they work, and all the technical stuff behind their functionality. Compression is probably one of the "family" of effects I spent more money and time on, but I hardly use them to be honest. I like the idea of having a couple of them though.

 

[FugaziBomb]

Most compressors in the $0-$2000 price range suck on bass.

I'm guessing I should just toss my 160A I've been using on bass tracks for years, then?

I know it's just your opinion, but it's also my opinion that your opinion is insane.

 

[BurningSkies]

I'm guessing I should just toss my 160A I've been using on bass tracks for years, then?

I know it's just your opinion, but it's also my opinion that your opinion is insane.

In my worldview, it's a reminder that we all live in different worlds and have different gigs. The over/under on carrying a really nice rackmount studio compressor on the road is pretty bad. Not to mention that that expense and trouble of cartage won't translate into a huge difference for the FOH experience...then most sound engineers are going to have some form of compression on your signal by default anyway.

...also the bass players of TB play in widely divergent styles in a huge variety of playing situations and venues, so the need for sustain is certainly dependent on your musical micro-climate rather than any over-reaching bass-commandment that's been handed down by God.

To the extent that no one is required to have or use a compressor either.

 

[FugaziBomb]

In my worldview, it's a reminder that we all live in different worlds and have different gigs. The over/under on carrying a really nice rackmount studio compressor on the road is pretty bad. Not to mention that that expense and trouble of cartage won't translate into a huge difference for the FOH experience...then most sound engineers are going to have some form of compression on your signal by default anyway.

...also the bass players of TB play in widely divergent styles in a huge variety of playing situations and venues, so the need for sustain is certainly dependent on your musical micro-climate rather than any over-reaching bass-commandment that's been handed down by God.

To the extent that no one is required to have or use a compressor either.

Not using a compressor as part of your live rig is fine, but blanket statements that anything other than pricey mastering compressor or tube compressor (what I gather he meant by $0-$2000) suck on bass is really dumb.

 

[BurningSkies]

Not using a compressor as part of your live rig is fine, but blanket statements that anything other than pricey mastering compressor or tube compressor (what I gather he meant by $0-$2000) suck on bass is really dumb.

I can't imagine that in even the most rarified live-touring tier of bands much of anyone is carrying around racks of studio compressors.

 

[FugaziBomb]

I can't imagine that in even the most rarified live-touring tier of bands much of anyone is carrying around racks of studio compressors.

Right? I guarantee even high dollar acts like Beyonce and Tay Swift are touring with $300-$400 Dbx units in their racks (or at least their crew is).

 

[tekhedd]

Not using a compressor as part of your live rig is fine, but blanket statements that anything other than pricey mastering compressor or tube compressor (what I gather he meant by $0-$2000) suck on bass is really dumb.

So, to summarize my previous statements, anything other than pricey mastering compressors suck[*] on bass, unless you're using them just to extend your sustain or to correct sloppy technique.

* - or to be more specific, are pointless

 

[FugaziBomb]

Yeah, those things suck. I'll dispose of it for you, PM me for a shipping address.

Obviously we all use compression on tracks (I prefer plugins since about 1997), but that's because Everything Is Always Compressed When Recording[TM]. Are you also saying you gig with it live because you like the way it shapes your tone?

I gig with a 1066 XL because I need stereo compression. Tone is irrelevant to me when talking about compression, because i need compression to be mostly transparent. I use compression as a utility, not an effect. I've played around once with generating distortion using the 160A, which it did admirably, but I have 20+ OD units that are designed for doing the same thing. It's kinda like using a flat head screw driver as a fulcrum when you've got a pry bar sitting right next to you - why not just use the best tool?

I dunno, man... To each there own I guess, but dismissing all sub $2000 compressors as sounding bad for bass guitar is really silly.

 

[FugaziBomb]

So, to summarize my previous statements, anything other than pricey mastering compressors suck[*] on bass, unless you're using them just to extend your sustain or to correct sloppy technique.

* - or to be more specific, are pointless

You think it's pointless to reduce dynamic range of a bass guitar in order to produce different tones with varying technique while maintaining a more consistent volume? You and I have different definitions of "pointless"