Black Finger as a Compressor in the Studio

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mattkw80

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Is the Electro Harmonix Black Finger just for guitar?

Or, could I use it for general use on Vocals, Snare, Kick, etc?

The EH write up on it says.....

""the Black Finger uses the same professional-grade techniques that the most revered, vintage and mega-thousand dollar, high-end studio compressors use, except that it's in the form of an affordable, compact foot pedal!""

Does this mean, since I can't afford a $3000 LA-2A, that I can still get some pretty good vintage tube color out of this instead ?

Anybody else using this in the studio, but not as a guitar pedal ?
 
i've only heard it in use on git, but it sounded very nice and i see no reason why you couldn't use it on other sources with good results as well.

i remember being real impressed. the things got a big footprint though, not exactly subtle compression.
 
I've used 3 different kinds of software that emulate an LA-2A.

Of course I've never been in the same room with the real thing as they are $3000+ , but I really like how the software version's of them sounded.

I was hoping maybe for $200 this would have similar characteristics.
 
Yeah - lots of people like that compressor, and the pre-amp.

I'm more so looking for a Compressor where you don't have to set an attack or release.

ie: La-2a, Black Finger, dbx 160a, etc.


I don't know how to set the attack and release - and would rather just have to worry about ratio and threshold.
 
mattkw80 said:
...I don't know how to set the attack and release - and would rather just have to worry about ratio and threshold.
Click to expand...
The dbx 160x (or a) does a good fast version of general auto-level.
Actually the RNC in SuperMice' mode is pretty easy + the time options are there.
 
I've used Black Finger on vocals with good results.. What I did was watched the waveform and seeing the thing work out the peaks when simultaniously listening that it won't start coloring the sound. I've used it on bass, guit and vox...

We're about to record an EP soon, startin with drums next weekend, I'm definetly bringing it along for snare.
Trying to compress so that the "gravity blasts" remain audible in the track. Won't be easy since the blasts are approx. a quarter of the decent hits in volume...:confused:

If it works, I'm definetly getting another for stereo-recordings.:cool:

..that's pretty much how I use compression, if I hear it changing sound I back off a bit.. It's very rarely that I like the coloring compression puts in.
 
Right on, thanks for the info.

Got any sound clips with it in use?

Also - have you ever messed around with the Electro Harmonix 12ay7 mic pre ?

I'm thinking about buying that...... so my setup would be....


MIC --> Electro Harmonix 12ay7 mic pre --> Black Finger --> M-Audio Project Mix I/O
 
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Thumbs up for the EH 12AY7 mic pre here.

I have a Gyraf G9 and the EH pre doesn't quite stack up in comparison but there's really no shame in that, it's a fraction of the price and the G9 really is pretty special.
 
had a 12ay7 for a while, i really liked the sound but found the dynamic range lacking.
 
I have the Black Finger compressor and it's a really heavy-handed compressor. I set it at about 10/11 'o clock on squash with tube, and it's pretty nice there. If I turn up the compression, then it gets pumpy.

I'm not very good at recording yet, I only have a RODE NT-4 and this compressor. I go directly into my iMac G5 with it. Here's some examples -

http://www.myspace.com/kbduo

the track End of Autumn will showcase heavy compression, and then some of the other tracks will showcase lighter compression. Please don't be too harsh with your comments. I need lots of work.
 
Wow.... thanks for posting the examples !

Do you only use the Black finger on guitar, or have you tried it on other sources as well ?
 
mattkw80 said:
Wow.... thanks for posting the examples !

Do you only use the Black finger on guitar, or have you tried it on other sources as well ?
Click to expand...

Matt -
The RODE NT4 is going directly into the Black Finger. The NT4 is powered by a 9V, and then goes into the Black Finger, via 3.5mm to 1/4" adaptor. The output of the Black Finger goes from 1/4" to 3.5mm adaptor to iMac G5 3.5mm input. The results are recorded in mono, amplified in Audacity, then summed to stereo. Then converted from WAV to 160kbps MP3.

So, this is over the entire mix. I was looking to use the Black Finger as a preamp/compressor/limiter. Works pretty well for what it's doing, but I need to work on mic placement and room treatment.

There is no guitar, only drums and bass.
 
Kirk Markarian said:
Matt -


There is no guitar, only drums and bass.
Click to expand...


Yeah - sorry about that.... when I opened your page, I though I was listening to "End of Autumn" but it was actually the player down below playing.


So you run your whole mix through it ?

Mono ?
 
yeah, for now. I realize that my bass drum isn't cutting through the mix the way I'd like, the bass distortion is too fuzzy and blurry in the low-mid and the low end is boomy. The cymbals overpower the mix, and the snare is weakened by too much room reflection, and not enough clarity.

The NT4 is a stereo mic, summed to mono in the black finger, then output as mono. That weakens the mix significantly. But, it's warm! :D
 
Yeah it sounds good to me!

Have you ever ran just your voice through it, or a bass, snare drum, etc. ?
 
Thanks Matt!

Well, I have recorded a couple of experimental synths through it, but it just increased the noise level of an already grungy sounding Cocolase.

http://www.myspace.com/nauscopie - "what's the problem, baby" is recorded through the black finger to a BBE Sonic Stomp to laptop. patience pays off on this track, because I don't bring in the interesting stuff right away. The grungy sound is the Cocolase, looping. The synth sounds are from a Sidrassi Organ. The Black Finger really boosted the overall volume, leveling the mix a little bit, and the BBE accentuated the bass, tightening it, and the high-end is more crisp. A little exaggerated, but it's experimental music, so the recording process is a little different.

If you are interested in those instruments, check out the website:

http://www.ciat-lonbarde.net
 
hmm.....

Well I've got the EH 12AY7 Pre-Amp and the Black finger home now.

The Pre sounds awesome on the Rode NT2 mic, instantly.

But.....

With the Pre-Amp hooked up to the Black Finger, I am now staring at 7 knobs to mess around with.

I know all this stuff is very releative to the signal coming in, but can anyone share some pre-sets they like with these 2 pedals, or some setup tips ?
 
mattkw80 said:
With the Pre-Amp hooked up to the Black Finger, I am now staring at 7 knobs to mess around with.

I know all this stuff is very releative to the signal coming in, but can anyone share some pre-sets they like with these 2 pedals, or some setup tips ?
Click to expand...


Just start twisting stuff and see what happens.

It's highly unlikely you'll damage anything.

.
 
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