Compressors...it's clear as mud.

[homerecor]

I am not a guitar player so I’ve only ever used compression for controlling dynamics on vocals and drums and such. Is there any difference between compressors designed for guitars and compressors designed for general use?

Some guitar players swear they’ve gotta have it for effects. Do they just overdrive the signal with it, or make it pump, or what?

 

[mshilarious]

Some guitar players swear they’ve gotta have it for effects. Do they just overdrive the signal with it, or make it pump, or what?

Guitarists like compression because it gives them an even signal level which allows a consistent distortion. Personally I hate that "Boston" style sound, I like a dynamic tone where distortion tails off to a clean fade.

Guitar players I've known who keep their compressor on all the time have tended to bore me.

 

[turnitdown]

Compression on guitar is especially good on clean parts, to get a "funky groove thang" type of sound...

I also like it sometimes on heavily distorted leads for the "completely over the top" sound.... (Whhoo hoo !!! Look at me!!! I'm feeding back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)

 

[chris-from-ky]

A compressor is a compressor but, I wouldn't use a stompbox compressor on a vocal track. It might have to do with high z and low z inputs. This is a good question. I'm interested to read what the smarter people will post about it.

Chris

 

[VTgreen81]

Some guitar players swear they’ve gotta have it for effects. Do they just overdrive the signal with it, or make it pump, or what?

compression used in conjunction with normalization gives a long fat sustain.
Each sounds envelope has an attack, decay , sustain and release. The compressor knocks down the hottest spots, usually the attack. Then normalization brings up the amplitude of the quiet parts so the sustain stays fat through to the release.

 

[Arif Driessen]

i'm not a guitar player so when i have to record guitar, i use compression to make me sound better, eatch pick and strum sounds like there's more control over it. And Mshilarious, you don't need to put the compression to the max... you can have just a little bit to bring it all just a little more together

 

[mshilarious]

Mshilarious, you don't need to put the compression to the max... you can have just a little bit to bring it all just a little more together

Yes, I'm aware of that, and I can see you are too. Now we just have to educate all the guitar players . . .

It's a lot easier to add a bit of compression later with a decent compressor rather than relying upon the guitarist to be reasonable with their pedals. But then guitarists like to have their sound when they record, so what can you do.

Honestly I am biased against pedals for recording as many of them don't sound very good. I came up in the '80s when every effect was overused and every guitarist carried around a Rockman and many of them used it as a preamp. I hate that sound.

 

[lpdeluxe]

The '80's...brought to you by Guitar Center! Haha.

 

[Outlaws]

Yes, I'm aware of that, and I can see you are too. Now we just have to educate all the guitar players . . .

It's a lot easier to add a bit of compression later with a decent compressor rather than relying upon the guitarist to be reasonable with their pedals. But then guitarists like to have their sound when they record, so what can you do.

LMFAO!

Its funny how many great guitarist I know that don't understand a damn thing about their sound.

I record with pedals, but I also spend an awful lot of time tweeking them before I even start to jam, let alone record.

 

[fretmeister]

Compression used as a guitar effect (good examples skunk baxter\steely dan and mark knopfler\dire straits, many cool country players) is different than using compression on a guitar track in a mix. A little compression makes the guitar part "sit in the mix," but not so much as to sound like an "effect." As a rule, too much compression = tone suck on guitar. Be careful.

P.S. Yes, guitar players do use it to overdrive their amps and distortion pedals. Would often be better off using a clean FET preamp for that purpose. Have you ever witnessed the "disappearing guitarist?" The lead guitarist steps on the stomp box for his great soaring lead and completely disappears, like a Harry Potter movie? TOO MANY PEDALS! The master of sustain, Carlos Santana, refused to use a pedal of any kind throughout most of his career. He is now using a vintage TubeScreamer, and states that he wished he had discovered it earlier. Please, Carlos, don't buy a compressor pedal!!!!!!!!!!