Where do you like to put your compressor in the FX chain?

[Boneless]

Not a "where should you put it" question, it's just out of curiosity. Where do you put your compressor and why (and maybe, how do you set it)? Light smoothing (eg. low threshold, low ratio, fast attack and release), added punch (medium settings basically), peak limiting (high threshold and ratio, fast attack, release can vary), hard squishing, etc.

 

[Jimbob Jones]

I tend to go Track > Trig > Dirt > Tone > Mod > Echo

So all my tone shaping (EQ and comp) comes after my synth and distortion, but before my delay and mod.

Logic is as follows:

• Pedals that track you, or trigger from your playing need the cleanest signal possible, so go first
• Tone shaping (and mod) can often be swallowed if put before dirt
  
• Extreme mod settings can make your compressor do weird things
• Echo (delay or reverb) should come as late as possible in your chain

Having said all that, I tend to do all my tone shaping with my amp nowadays, rather than using pedals, so comp comes dead last...

 

[GMC]

Currently, just after my Octaver but before my dirt. The joy of using a Boss ES-5 is that I can order my 5 FX loops in any order that I like per patch.

 

[JEBassman]

I have my EBS after my tuner. Basically I followed the EBS "Standard Setup" pattern. I tried other setups also, and like to switch things around to experiment.
My current setup is Korg Pitch Black tuner > EBS MultiComp > MXR M82 Envelope Filter > EBS BassIQ Envelope Filter > EBS UniChorus.

I have a Markbass Compressore tucked away. I love its' warm sound but have limited space on my board [This is my mini board; not enough room for everyone!].

 

[hintz]

I put my empress last to tame/level everything before my amp.

My board is about to change, but what works for me is: tuner, octaver, envelope, dirt, modulation and then compression. I set my empress with a slow attack/quick release at a 4:1 ratio, blend 100% wet and I run the input pretty high and output low.
This gives me all the benefits of compression such as added sustain and some light limiting while still sounding natural by letting that initial peak sorta through. Running this way helps bring out my attack and where it sits in the chain has to do with certain fx needing dynamics to function properly. I know from experience that boss OC2 sounds much better with compression before but not my envelope filter.

If I didn't have an envelope (which I like the "peaky" types) then I'd run mine upfront.

 

[Krisfield]

Very happy with this effects order.

Wah -> Pitch Shift -> Compressor -> Booster -> Distortion -> Preamp Overdrive -> Delay

 

[JEBassman]

I've been running my compression before my envelope(s), to feed them a tighter signal.
Sometimes I also run an envelope solo, without the compression, so I can focus on adjusting one filter at a time. Keeping my signal simple, often without any pedals, helps me focus on my tone.

 

[BassAndReeds]

I’m a peak limiting type. High ratio at top of my performance level. I’m conscientious about singers and allowing them to do their thing.

 

[geobassix]

Always first in the signal chain.
Low threshold, low ratio, slow attack and fast release to keep volume even across the fretboard without killing my dynamics.

 

[dave64o]

At the end of the chain and used as a leveler to help keep a more consistent output level as other effects get turned off and on.

 

[bloke_zero]

At the end of the chain to level the volume - but you guys have made me think, especially since I use an envelope follower maybe to put it first and make that more consistent, but subtly enough to not mess with the dynamics.

 

[alack]

Tuner>Octave>OD>Modulation>Tremolo>Comp

One of my amps (MB500) has a loop. So at some point I'll try it in the there.

 

[Snakeman1066]

This usually...Filter Effects, Compressor, Overdrive/Distortion, Equalizer, Pitch Effects, Modulation Effects, Level Controls, Echo Effects

 

[Bassist30]

Empress comp at the end. This way I can get the full effect and have it leveled to my needs. The compressor is always on. You did not mention the Compressor you are using. But on the empress I have it ( not using the clock type description but levels like volume tone etc) input 4 to 5, attack 3. Release 4, blend 6, output 4 to 5. 4:1 Ratio

 

[el murdoque]

Mine goes on the shelf where I can look at it while I play without.


I used to have it between two dirt pedals, so I had the possibility to use a dirt pedal that's touch sensitive (harder playing = more dirt) and one where the sound is more even, no matter how I play it.

 

[Rev J]

Near the beginning:

Pigtronix Bass Envelope Phaser>tc spectracomp (Chordal Compressor toneprint has a nice midrange sound)>Ashdown LoMenzo Hyperdrive>Boss PQ3B Bass Parametric EQ>tc Sub N' Up>tc Shaker>tc Vortex mini>tc Corona>tc Flashback X4>tc HOF2> Boss Looper.

I put the compressor after the envelope as the envelope responds to dynamics so it makes more sense to me to give it full dynamic range, after that into the Hyperdrive getting a more even signal. Since the Hyperdrive only distorts the midrange with those first 3 pedals going it makes for a cool synthy sweep with like a square wave especially if you pitch shift and put some modulation on it. I use the EQ to cut out the frequencies that cause noise from the first 3 pedals.

C/S,
Rev J

 

[Bassbeater]

I parallel compress right after boost pedal. I use aggressive settings on a Markbass and mix it back in with the uncompressed signal from an xotic RC

 

[Gyver]

I have a crap ton of effects so I put it last and use it as a limiter to control peaks, especially peaks from my 3 Leaf Wonderlove and BOSS OC-2. My compressor is a MXR M-87, and I set the ratio at 20:1 with attack at noon and release as fast as it will go (all the way clockwise). The input is set so that the LED just lights up when I play clean aggressively, the output is set to unity gain. I find the MXR really brings out the slurp in the Wonderlove. Keep in mind these settings are for an extreme band where I am called upon to make all kinds of noise - when playing in a more traditional band I set the ratio at 4:1 with everything at noon, if I use it at all.

 

[alack]

Changed my mind. Didn't like the way drive pedals were interacting with the compressor so I moved the compressor in-between the OC-2 and TC Spark. I've got a BBE overdrive pedal after the Spark that is yielding surprisingly good Grand Funk/Free bass tones. When the comp was at the end of the chain it was squashing those tones.

Current chain: Boss OC-2, TC SpectraComp, TC Spark (4 Knob), BBE OD, TC HelixPhaser, Boss TR-2, Boss TU-2

 

[willbassyeah]

before my way huge swollen pickle and after my way huge aqua puss