Where do you place your compressor???

[ilansgroove]

forget the debate about which compressor is better ...
i wonder how you guys use yours ....

I placed mine as the first pedal in the chain, to shape the sound before it gets processed, but logic tells me it sould be at the end of the chain to even out everything, but trying that i find that some pedals sound less sexy ... for example, wjen i place the Comp (TLC AGUILAR) at the end of the chain, my envelope filter (3Leaf Wonderlove) sounds less "liquide" ....

however it would be nice to have the comp to control the fuzz and OD levels

don't want to put it in the middle, because i'm using a switcher for all pedals, and when it's off, i wand my "clean" sound to still have the comp on it ...

another idea i had, was to get another comp at the end of the chain and use it only when i'm using some OD and Fuzz (was thinking maybe of the Diamond bass comp)

anyway ... you see what I mean ...

please share your thought and experience

 

[Inertialsky]

I put the compressor right before the amp or preamp - last in the signal chain after all other effects

 

[enricogaletta]

The second after tuner..

 

[FretNoMore]

I've tried it in several positions; first in the chain (a reason for this is often to help an octaver after it), after the envelope filter (to allow full dynamics into the filter but tame the output) and last on the board (to tame and/or fatten the overall sound) and they all have their pros and cons. At the moment I have it first in the chain, at a mild setting that adds a bit to the sound but doesn't remove all dynamics.

 

[MightyMiloQuinn]

I use mine at the beginning as a tone shaper and help with the Octaver. But I'm planning on putting a limiter at the end to contain the craziness created by everything else down the line.

 

[mulambo]

after the filters, octave and overdrive, before the VT Bass, volume and delay

 

[Groove Doctor]

In a cardboard box labelled "MISC".

I don't use it now I gig a Mesa WA head.

 

[monkeyfinger]

In a cardboard box labelled "MISC".

I don't use it now I gig a Mesa WA head.

That was helpful.

I have mine near the beginning of the chain, after tuner, eq, boost. I don't like having comp on when running dynamic effects. So I have it in a clean/dirty looper on the clean side. After the looper comes flanger and chorus. I think it works better as an effect at the beginning of the chain and as an audio tool, i.e. to fix stuff, at the end of the chain.

 

[Bassmike62]

For me : After filter, octave and phaser, but before dirt, modulation and ambiance fx.

 

[Plectrum72]

The second after tuner..

Same here

 

[ilansgroove]

i think it's time for me to experiment again

 

[AaronVonRock]

Second after my tuner as well.

 

[Joe Louvar]

tuner - booster - compressor - EQ - looper
http://www.talkbass.com/attachments/2014-little-nano-petal-board-jpg.402404/

 

[SuperSubSonicRainboom]

for me, i kinda think about the recording signal chain they use for vocals. so it goes; bass->preamp pedal->compressor pedal->all the other pedals->front of bass amp->mic it. The COMPRESSOR is about sending all the rest of the effects a big fat ding-a-ling signal for them to chew on.

 

[mmbongo]

I put the compressor right before the amp or preamp - last in the signal chain after all other effects

This. You don't want it before any modulation pedals because they won't work right. I personally don't want compression before my dirt because I like them to work off of dynamics, plus they already compress the signal so I don't want them compressing an already compressed signal. So, very last in the chain for me.

 

[Yango]

Bass—tuner—compressor—amp.

If I'm going to use something like an octaver, I'll use: Bass—tuner—compressor—octaver—amp. Just so the octaver gets a nice even signal to process.

 

[monkeyfinger]

This. You don't want it before any modulation pedals because they won't work right. I personally don't want compression before my dirt because I like them to work off of dynamics, plus they already compress the signal so I don't want them compressing an already compressed signal. So, very last in the chain for me.

Why do you think compression makes modulation not work right? From my experience, it makes modulation effects work better.

 

[Bassist4Eris]

This. You don't want it before any modulation pedals because they won't work right.

-1. No disrespect intended, but this is NOT my experience.

My comp is "always on", so placement is important, because it ALWAYS has to interact well with any other effects I may be using. I put the compressor after my autowah, like others do, to tame the resonant peaks. I also put it there to avoid compressing my signal before it hits such a "dynamics-sensitive" device.

I put my dirt after my compressor because I find that compressing after dirt tends to "tame down" the dirt.

And I put my modulation effects (well, just a chorus pedal) after the dirt, because it sounds better that way to me. So by default, the chorus goes after the comp in my signal chain.

TBH, I've tried chorus before and after compression, and I can't really tell much of a difference.

 

[SteveV74]

Wherever it sounds best

 

[raventepes]

The best answer is to experiment and figure out where it works best in your chain. We all have different tastes in equipment and sonics. What works for one person may not work for you.

Now having said that, I've always stuck mine at the beginning of the chain with an EQ at the end to shape the end result before hitting the amp. Many processors screw with the signal and weaken it. Figuring out where it needs boosted and cut at the end seems to help, some.