Compression


The Ace
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Joined: 11/27/03
Posts: 802
The Ace
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Joined: 11/27/03
Posts: 802
03/22/2004 1:28 am
I have a question for all of you who have been around the ropes with all the effects, and have been practicing for years.....


Ya know how many people say "Oh don't do this...... or that..... cuz it'll hurt you in the long run........." ?

This is one of those questions.


-COMPRESSION-

I have a digitech RP200, and I have to say, I've never been dissapointed with it, and the tone is great compared to using my solid state distortion.

I usually set the compression very high, as to get max. sustain. I also turn the gain pretty far up too. (Oh by the way, I'm talking about a nice metal tone too.....) The compression makes everything the same volume, of course, but that doesn't bother me. All legato techniques come extremely easy, and everything has a fresh sound, as if it was just picked. Now, I've turned the compression off, and put it on a clean setting, and I usually can still get off all the stuff I was playing with the compressor on.

But the compressor makes everything soooo much easier and sound soooo much better.

So what I'm really trying to ask is, will compression hurt me in the long run? Will it make me a sloppy player whos mistakes are hidden by an effect? Or will I pretty much be OK?

I've listened to a lot of the recordings you guys post on the site, and I gotta say it sounds like you're doing something to make the guitars compressed, because they stay the smae level throughout. Well, except for the classical and jazz/blues stuff I hear.

Thanx a lot! I was really just wondering, because I don't want think I'm a great player then realize I actually just hide behind compression.
There are only two important things in life - There's music and theres girls, not necessarily in that order....
The Ace's Guitar Tricks
# 1
Azrael
Gargoyle Instructor
Joined: 04/06/01
Posts: 2,093
Azrael
Gargoyle Instructor
Joined: 04/06/01
Posts: 2,093
03/22/2004 9:26 am
i refrain from using a comp on my guitarsound. i discovered, that it is sooo much more versatile to have just your amp, your guitar and maybe one or two other effects like a wah or sumething like that. why? simple - when you crank up your amp itĀ“ll be loud enuff for everyone to hear. and now comes the vital difference - DYNAMICS!. your playing wil sound SOOO much more interresting when you can 'form' your tone. when you play softer, it sounds different, when you turn your volume knob down it sounds different, when you use your fingers instead of your pick it sounds different. with a muliteffectunit every guitar sounds pretty much the same and there is very little you can do to truly express yourself during a solo. i used to go over a Boss ME50, which is great, but now iĀ“m just using my new amp and iĀ“ve found the perfect tone (to me). imagine jeff beck having a compressed highly distorted sound. he wouldnt be able to sound anywhere near the way he does.

and that doesnt mean you cannot play metal with a sound like that - infact you can play metal very well with it.

[FONT=Times New Roman]Holiness is in right action and courage on behalf of those who cannot defend themselves. What you decide to do every day makes you a good person... or not.[/FONT][br][br]

# 2
PRSplaya
Full Access
Joined: 09/19/02
Posts: 3,941
PRSplaya
Full Access
Joined: 09/19/02
Posts: 3,941
03/22/2004 1:40 pm
I've never actually used compression before (unless you count natural tube compression;) ). I've messed with it before, but liked my sound better without it.

Azrael....what kind of amp did you get?
[FONT=Palatino Linotype]Tonja Renee's personal instructor[/FONT]

>HERE'S WHERE I AM NOW<
# 3
Azrael
Gargoyle Instructor
Joined: 04/06/01
Posts: 2,093
Azrael
Gargoyle Instructor
Joined: 04/06/01
Posts: 2,093
03/22/2004 3:10 pm
Kustom Quad 100 DFX

:) you dont always need the most expensive and the biggest amp to get an awesome tone. this little baby knocks me off my boots.

[FONT=Times New Roman]Holiness is in right action and courage on behalf of those who cannot defend themselves. What you decide to do every day makes you a good person... or not.[/FONT][br][br]

# 4
The Ace
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Joined: 11/27/03
Posts: 802
The Ace
Guitar Tricks Instructor
Joined: 11/27/03
Posts: 802
03/22/2004 6:33 pm
Thanx. I never use compression on the clean tone, only if I really need to.


I was just wondering if I shuld or shouldn't use compression.
There are only two important things in life - There's music and theres girls, not necessarily in that order....
The Ace's Guitar Tricks
# 5
spanky10940
Registered User
Joined: 12/27/02
Posts: 221
spanky10940
Registered User
Joined: 12/27/02
Posts: 221
03/31/2004 6:19 pm
I'm still playing (read: learning) the effects that I have but what you say about compression makes a TON of sense.. because I always use it... yep- I was a messy baby, makes for a sloppy guitarist I guess...
"The one truly great thing about this life is that noone can sincerely and truly help someone, without helping themselves"

Ralph Waldo Emerson
# 6

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