Compression

[rv_bass]

Before using Series basses I used to add a slight amount of compression to tighten things up a bit.  I find the Q switches fill that role well now.  Just wondering if anyone uses compression, and if so what are you trying to accomplish with it?

[edwardofhuncote]

I'm curious too, what the experience here says... I use a compressor pedal as kind of a governor on my own right hand. Playing too hard is a bad habit, and I should know better after years on upright, but some of the music I'm playing now has a pretty big dynamic swing within one tune. I hate to admit I'm using a pedal to cover bad technique, but... well - "to thine own self be true" I guess.   

[jazzyvee]

I have tried using compression on my bass a small number of times but I never found I liked what it does to my sound when it kicks in. The ones I had tried I doubt they were true bypass either and affected the sound of my bass so now I never got into using one and leave those jobs to the FOH guys they know how to use it much better than me and  their compressors are undoubtedly more high end than I could justify buying.


The other thing with alembics being so sensitive is that a compressor would highlight other undesirable characteristics of the players technique. 😬

[StephenR]

Only thing I ever used a compressor for was to emulate a limiter. I would set it so that it only kicked in when I hit a low note on my B-string that would clip the power amp I was using at the time. Release time was set to be as fast as possible so it wouldn't affect the sound and the threshold was set so that only certain low frequencies would trigger it. As a result it rarely came on. I don't like the sound of compression on a bass.

[edwardofhuncote]

Only thing I ever used a compressor for was to emulate a limiter. I would set it so that it only kicked in when I hit a low note on my B-string that would clip the power amp I was using at the time. Release time was set to be as fast as possible so it wouldn't affect the sound...

^That's^ kinda' what I'm doing, except I'm not close to clipping the amp... just using it for suppressing peaks.

[edwin]

I never use compression. Interestingly, I overheard an engineer I've worked with for 20 years mention to someone that he just brings up my channels flat, since I provide perfect EQ and compression via my DI. I had to butt in and let him know I've never used a compressor. He was pretty surprised!

About 30 years ago or so, when I got my first 4 track, I spent a while practicing playing so that I could get the VU meter to hit 0 consistently. I couldn't afford a compressor. I guess it paid off.

[811952]

I think adjusting to playing an Alembic has much to do with not needing a compressor. After the initial technique remediation that the brilliant reproduction of the instrument inspires, I think we all end up with a much more even technique across the instrument than the typical Fender player might. At least that's what I think I've seen. I know that when I play my Precision Bass, it is significantly more forgiving of slop and brutish playing than the Alembic, which sends it all to the amp very accurately.


John

[pauldo]

Intriguing question and really good answers. 
I never understood how to set one up properly and to me it appears their intent is to keep high output from getting too high and low output from being to soft (or is that a limiter?)*  Which is NOT what I desire - dynamics can make the 'easiest' song beautiful.

I did have a rack mount Washburn Processor for bass that had a compression on it (EQ and Chorus) - I used it when recording guitar; cranked the compression up all the way, dial in some chorus and had a really cool (for me) guitar tone.

*Compressor/ limiters are often sold together as a dual unit - what is the point? 
As inferred by others the tone and nuances come from the hands . . . AND an Alembic will 'teach' you what is proper and when it is appropriate to behave badly (at times my Distillate has seen some brutish and hard playing).

[811952]

Paul,


I hope you can forgive me for the beer bottle slide playing at the gathering at Bag End. That's a fine instrument.


John

[gtrguy]

A limiter is like a compressor that limits output at the loudness you set and goes no higher. There is upward compression and downward compression. Loud notes are made more quiet, and soft and less loud ones are brought up in volume. You have control over how much compression you want, usually in a relationship like 3/1 or 10/1 or whatever you set.

I never use one live but I record with them often if I want certain sounds (rarely on bass though). I actually try to avoid them in a recording when used just for making sure that you don't distort your signal by going too hot, but plenty of people use them for that. Live I think they can be tone suckers real fast, but there are better made ones (than the stomp box type) that are nice. Slappers might use one to tame the popping volume peaks versus their normal playing volume.

[5a quilt top]

I have a love/hate relationship with them.

They smooth out the tone, but at the expense of dynamics, so for me, it's always been difficult to find a happy medium.

So for bass, I use as little as possible - just enough to contain any pops and unwanted string noise from my fingers if I get a bit aggressive. I've found this to be more of an issue with my non-Series Alembics than with my Series II. When I'm using it, I set the compressor so it is barely on and it usually kicks in when I'm emphasizing the treble frequencies.


And I never use one for guitar - my low-powered tube amps compress naturally when they are pushed hard (which I do). To add a compressor would just further compress that compression, which = mush.

[pauldo]

Paul,


I hope you can forgive me for the beer bottle slide playing at the gathering at Bag End. That's a fine instrument.


John

 
No worries John, that was Bass bottle on a bass, seems so right. 
 

[hieronymous]

I've used compression for as long as I can remember - I had a little half-rack Boss compressor when I was in high school, though I'm not sure I really knew what I was doing with it or how good it sounded - I also had a crappy amp so I was probably trying to protect the amp.


For the past 10-15 years, I've been using a tube compressor from Custom Audio Engineering/Custom Audio Japan:





I'm basically using it to help me gauge my right hand (whether pick or fingers) - I have always had a tendency to play too hard - and also to get an idea of the various volume outputs of my basses - I use it with my Stanley Clarke, my Activator equipped P-Bass, my stock Duck Dunn P-Bass, my Gibson Les Paul - they all have different volume outputs, so the compressor helps me a lot.


One important thing - I can't stand compressors that don't give a visual indicator of when the compression is hitting.