compression


bbzswa777
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Joined: 01/15/14
Posts: 620
bbzswa777
Registered User
Joined: 01/15/14
Posts: 620
12/03/2014 6:34 am
From what I've read of compressor pedal reviews, it seems like people use them mostly for cleaner tones.

And I'm thinking this is because distortion kind of compresses the sound on its own, right?

So my question is: do any metal or prog rock lead guitarists use compression along with their distortion/overdrive?

And if so, would it be best to get a compressor/sustainer combo pedal?

I notice the Carl Martins are supposed to be really good, but it doesn't look like it includes sustain.
# 1
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Guitar Tricks Admin
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12/24/2014 1:02 am
Hi bbzswa777,

I found this and I think it might be helpful:

Sustain, Clarity and "Pop" Using Compression:
Compression is something rarely used in metal and other high-gain genres because of how distortion and overdrive already compress the signal naturally. In progressive metal it is used not only to compress the tone for more sustain, but it also helps fight the noise gates (which we will get to shortly) allowing you to have all the sustain you could want, despite having a lot of gating in your signal as well. The compression is also really helpful in bringing out clarity and note definition in chords. Lastly it helps even out your tone wherever you play on the fretboard, so if you're playing a riff that jumps from the low strings suddenly to the higher strings it'll make those notes "pop" a lot more.

It's worth going over how compressors work so you know how to set yours properly. Some compressors just have a Sustain and Level knob but a lot of the ones on the market (pedal or rackmount) are more detailed than that. Threshold is the volume at which the compressor starts actually compressing your signal. Your Sustain knob is obviously going to equal the amount of compression, and can also appear labeled as Ratio. Ratio basically the amount of input signal to the amount of output signal after your signal passes that threshold. In other words, if your ratio is 5:1 that means that if your signal goes 5db above your threshold, the compressor will reduce that to 1db above the threshold. Attack is how quickly the compressor kicks in after your signal passes the threshold. Release is how quickly the compressor stops working as soon as your signal drops below that threshold. Obviously your Level knob will control the overall output of the compressor.

Popular compressor models are quite few really, with the most popular model by far being the Keely 4-knob compressor. It has all the options you need and is generally regarded as the most transparent compressor. Transparency is generally what you want with a compressor, and the less it colors your tone the better. If you like how a compressor colors your tone though, feel free to use it. I also recommend the MXR M87 Bass Compressor, which also has a visual display of how the compressor is working, which is fantastic.

From http://www.connorgilks.com/apps/blog/show/20495920-guide-to-djent-tone


Hope this helps!

James
GT Admin
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# 2
bbzswa777
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Joined: 01/15/14
Posts: 620
bbzswa777
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Joined: 01/15/14
Posts: 620
12/24/2014 4:46 am
Thanks!

So it seems that even though it's not a common practice to use a compressor with distortion, doing so might help with sustain?
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Guitar Tricks Admin
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12/30/2014 1:39 am
That's correct, it would definitely help with sustain.
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