mrjones200x Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 As the subject says really. Where and when is the best place to use a compressor. I have one but never seem to find it much use. Well i use it to do tapping solo's like van halen but it seems to cut my distortion down :) Any help so i can play with it. Its a behringer cs100 Compressor/sustainer. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostindesert Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Most people plug into the compressor first before any other pedal. After the compressor the order could be a Wah/equalizer,overdrive/distortion, phaser,flanger,delay,chorus and volume pedal. You can put the Wah or equalizer after the overdrive/distortion and you put the delay after the chorus. As recommended by Ibanez in their Power Series vol.3 Pocket Manual. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrjones200x Posted January 30, 2009 Author Share Posted January 30, 2009 Sorry didnt explain myself properly. I have it in as the first pedal but i am struggling to use its functions and when i need to use it. What type of music is it mainly used in ect. Any specific songs where it is used. Dosent seem to do to much to my sound??? Maybe im missing the bigger picture :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lostindesert Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Most often a compressor is used on a guitar to influence either the attack or sustain portions of the sound. To emphasize the attack, gradually increase the attack control. Too much emphasis can ruin the sound by eliminating the sustaining pitched portion of the sound. Be sure the sustain time control is set at a moderate level when emphasizing attack to eliminate thie side effect. This usage is especially nice for muted or ''blocking'' styles of playing. If the sustain is set to high, notes following a heavily attacked note may not come out well because the compressor is still sustaining the previous note. Another major usage of compressors is to add sustain without distortion. Sustain isn't actually added but as the sound naturally decay, the compressor increases it's gain giving the impression that the sound isn't dying out but sustaining smoothly. Once the signal has dropped below a certain point, the compressor can do no more than raise the level of the remaining noise. Careful adjustment of the sustain control to playing techniques can keep noise from getting out of hand. Low sustain levels are useful for limiting applications. 1. Long sustain: attack almost full, sustain almost full and level at 10 o'clock 2. Compressing & limiting: attack at half, sustain at half and level at 11 o'clock 3. Mild limiting : attack at 9, sustain at 9 and level at 12 o'clock Settings for a Ibanez CP10 compressor/sustainer. Peter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rafaelh Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Yeah....what Pete said. If you don't notice it when its on but miss it when it's off it's a good chance you have it right LOL. When I do use one I preffer it after my Wah and before any OD or Distortion pedal. As far as music types, geez all kinds, funk, R&b, Reggae.....it all depens on what you want to dial in really. But if I had to pick a gender so as to you identify it easier, and where IMO you might hear it the most, I would have to say Reggae. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charlie brown Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 I put it fist in the chain, and use it (mostly) for my Rickenbacker 12-string! I do use it, for the 6-strings, too...but not so much. Probably need to "experiment" a bit more, with that. But, it's critical (to me) for the 12-string...once I started using one, I've never played the "Ric" without it. CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Rock Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 If you're not sure when to use it, you probably don't need it. I think less is better. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcwillow777 Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 I used to have mine first in my chain, but I have moved it and I like it better. I watched a lesson by someone on Premiere Guitar and he had his after his overdrive, so I thought I woud try it, and I like it. Not really a right or wrong place to put it, just a personal preference. I go Tuner > Wah > Mojo Vibe > Overdrive > Compressor... I use mine a lot. Like Raf said, if it is used right you don't notice it so much when it's on, but you do if it isn't. The main reason I use mine is for sustain. I also use a Boss GE-7, after my compressor, which also helps sustain. I use it mainly for soloing. A lot of country players like 'em for the attack, ie, chicken pickin'. I wouldn't be without mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fadedepi Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 I plan on ordering one these next week. Check out the UTUBE link below. What do ya guys think? Faded.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steven Lister Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Compressors are not created = If you're having trouble knowing what a compressor does for your tone, chances are you need a better one. This is the best one I have ever used: COMPRESSOR LINK And different compressors like different places in the pedal chain -- the one above likes to be AFTER my overdrive. You have to experiment with yours until yoou find what takes you there. Hit every BLUE NOTE baaaby..., I'm going to play on:-" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fenrirlupus Posted January 30, 2009 Share Posted January 30, 2009 Dosent seem to do to much to my sound??? Maybe im missing the bigger picture umm... it makes the quiet notes louder... so no, tonally it shouldn't do much... pretty much when you want extra sustain... you need to figure out the songs. if there's a song where you can't seem to hold the notes long enough, it could help. sort of makes it more dynamic sounding... i guess you could try using it on an acoustic sounding part? i've used the compressor in garageband (a program on macs... pretty good but the distortion is lacking compared to my amp... the chorus, flanger, and tremolo are nice though... and auto wah...) while playing stairway to heaven and it sounds pretty good... i guess try stairway and hotel california? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrjones200x Posted January 31, 2009 Author Share Posted January 31, 2009 I know it makes all the notes similar in volume so no matter how hard you hit your strings it should keep the volume similar thats why i use it when tapping to help the pulled off notes stay louder. Can someone explain what you mean by the attack? Would i be right in saying to use it when say playing metallicas master of puppets which has a palm muted intro to emphisize it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 A compressor limits the initial amplitude of a pick strike by lowering the gain momentarily. The release portion of the compressor circuitry varies the amplitude (volume or gain) to keep the signal at approximately the same until the note dies out on it's own. As someone said, toward the tail of the note, the gain can be increased to the point where background noise and hum begin to be amplified. This is where you need to vary the attack (limiting) and sustain (compression) to a level that sound natural while allowing the note to ring longer. Too much and you begin to flatten the tops of the waveform (clipping). A properly adjusted compressor/limiter will sound natural and will let the notes ring longer. Too much compression will create a subtle "pop" each time a note is struck hard. You will have to play with the controls until you get longer sustain with little noise at the tail and without the pop at the strike point. You can mimic the effect of a compressor using a foot pedal volume control. By backing off the volume as you pick the note and rocking forward as the note dies, you create manual compression and sustain. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jcwillow777 Posted January 31, 2009 Share Posted January 31, 2009 Compressors are not created = If you're having trouble knowing what a compressor does for your tone' date=' chances are you need a better one. This is the best one I have ever used: COMPRESSOR LINK And different compressors like different places in the pedal chain -- the one above likes to be AFTER my overdrive. You have to experiment with yours until yoou find what takes you there. +1 on the Keeley and where Steven puts it. That is my choice. It isn't cheap, but well worth it and the best one I have used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mickcd Posted February 3, 2009 Share Posted February 3, 2009 Compressors are not created = If you're having trouble knowing what a compressor does for your tone, chances are you need a better one. This is the best one I have ever used: COMPRESSOR LINK Id say chances are you don't need one. A compresser is not an efect it is an enhancement to acheve an objective. ie constant volume/sustain through a mix or in your band Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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