Compression stompbox in the studio

[GoldenAudio]

My housemate was asking if he should get a compression pedal for his live rig, and with most things considered he decided to go for. Which led me to the question

Is it worth using in the studio (Guitar / Bass)?

Advantages / disadvantages and thoughts all welcome, I would try it out myself but I don't live with him anymore.

Thanks G thumbsup

[nedorama]

Keeley compressor - fantastic for live or studio use. I have it and like it for clean, amazing on overdrive. Try it before and after overdrive/distortion pedals.

Helps you to get "your sound" vs. tweaking in the mix, which can be good or bad. I've recorded both ways.

For live, it's indispensable. For studio, it can be helpful or can be another tonal tool (think country twang).

[kafka]

If the compressor is part of your sound, then you should record it in the studio. A compressor does more than just change the sound. It changes the responsiveness of the whole instrument. I play differently through my effects, because I'm also playing the effects. You can't just add that later.

There's also a huge difference between compressing prior to the amp and compressing a recorded track. The effect on room sounds alone is huge, let alone the change to the tone.

[popvulture]

Yeah, I always think of pedal compressors for guitars as having a very different character than studio compressors.

I like the Analog Man BiComp, but that said, I almost always gravitate to its "Juicer" side. You can get a single Juicer from him for a lot less than the Bicomp, and with no wait.

[Dean Roddey]

A compressor pedal levels the signal that the amplifier sees. An outboard compressor levels the signal that the converters see. It's very different in terms of the tone generated, because the amp and downstream pedals are responding to the peaks and average level of the signal they see. So the pedal compressor makes for a very different sort of response.

[GoldenAudio]

Ok thanks guys, this definately deserves a little more investigation. Im guessing its not really worth trying to get a guitarist to use one, unless their willing if it will mess with their tone.

Me :Umm excuse me guitar man can you use this in your chain
Guitar man: fuuck

Maybe I'll try Bi-amping and see which one works best, are there any that stand out above others, im guessing something transparent is best for me to be using with other peoples gear.

G

[Dean Roddey]

I think that it was said correctly above. The guitarist would know if he needs to use it because it would be part of the tone he wants to get. If you think that he's not getting the tone that's best for the song, then yeh, you could suggest he use one if that would help. But generally, if he's getting the tone he wants, and you just want it more compressed as recorded, then compress it on the way in, I would think.

[doorknocker]

Originally Posted by popvulture

I like the Analog Man BiComp, but that said, I almost always gravitate to its "Juicer" side. You can get a single Juicer from him for a lot less than the Bicomp, and with no wait.

I like both sides of my BiComp! The Juicer is great for adding gain to leads but I'm using the 'Ross' side a lot for clean sounds....

Stompboxes and outboard comps are 2 totally different things as the stompbox will usually drive an amp and thus acts as front-end where outboard comps most likely are used for treating the miced amp sound.

But say when using E-Bow I often go direct through my pedals incl. teh BicComp and then have another comp like a LA-3A after the micpre.

[GoldenAudio]

Ok thanks all Ill add one to the wish list and test it out on my own playing

Gthumbsup