Compression and Teles: what is good?

[beez]

For a layman like myself, I know what compression does when I play through it. It's ok on choppy clean rhythem....single note stuff sounds pretty even.

But I have read that for some users it is the one effect they would not want to do without.

My question: Can you recommend some recorded songs that exhibit the Best and Worst use of compression. Remember, this is for Joe Blow...who kinda knows what comp is....but isn't really sure why some people love it so much.

thanks,
Beez

[Slim]

I can't think of any examples for guitar off hand, but a lot of compression working in early Who drum sounds. Listen to the end of 'Substitute' for the drums to rise in volume after the last hit.

[Lyle Caldwell]

Sultans of Swing.
Back on the Chain Gang.
Just about everything out of Nashville for the past decade or so (I don't listen to country, so I can't give you titles).

[Nick Fanis]

R. Volkaert and B.Mason are using one all the time.
I use one all the time too but my playing is too horrible to be given serious attn :(

[Amos]

Sometimes the engineer compresses Brent a little too much IMO, especially on some of the more recent stuff.

The intro to "It's Five O'Clock Somewhere" sounds a little mo' bettah, though...

[Baard]

Good things about compression: It makes plucked stuff and pulled off stuff as loud as the rest of the(picked) stuff. It increases the sustain, and you can generally play louder without clipping.

Bad things about compression: It can take some of the snap and clarity away from the notes, esp. the low notes. If overused (too much compressor) it makes the guitar sound flat and muddy and uninspiring. That´s why the compressors have attack adjustment. It allows you to adjust the time before the compressor kicks in. This way you can have the initial snap of the sound present. But you still see troubles in the low strings. It´s a balance.

On the compressor I use i have treshold-ratio-attack and release parameters.

I like to use- 25-30 dm for treshold, ratio3:1, attack 10-20 ms(milliseconds, and release.....1 second.

I use the compressor first in the chain, and it´s a bit like playing with distortion, only clean. The compressor makes my playing more relaxed. It´s the only fx I use all the time.

I can play without it, and a guitar amp has already a fair bit of compression in it.


Here´s one clip, from Klutzee, he has a lot of compression on but it works pretty well with his style IMHO, by the way a clip he posted to warn about drinkin´and playing, but never the less, good picking, and a display of compressed sound on guitar playing:

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/1/gregcluttsmusic.htm

Now here´s another clip, I would not say it´s uncompressed, but it is my tele straight into the mixer, no amp, no fx whatsoever. If I had run my guitar through some comp, it would have been smoother. But I wanted to hear how it sounds unmodified. It´s the 3rd clip I´m talkin about.

http://www.soundclick.com/bands/2/winchestersmusic.htm

Baard

[OutlawSteph]

Lowell George used one of the first compression systems on the 70s Little Feat recordings for playing slide on his Strat. There's a Rockpalast DVD out, and Paul Barrere does commentary. So, that's where I learned that.

[Freewheeler]

Here's an A / B comparison. A is without and B is with slight compression. MXR Dyna Comp, Fender Telecaster 50's Classic, Mesa/Boogie Studio.22, Shure SM58.

Sorry about my stumbling playing but I made this quickly just for this thread!

Freewheeler

http://personal.inet.fi/hima/saarine...ssor%20A_B.mp3

http://personal.inet.fi/hima/saarine...ssor%20A_B.mp3

[Big Smokey]

I like compressors, but feel that they can be overused.
Here is an MP3 of my band, Big Smokey and the Scenic Wonders.
The lead guitar track is my 62 RI through a Keeley compressor into a Super Reverb. I used more compression than usually like on this track...
The baritone track is with no compression through a Johnson J-station set for a "blackface twin" sound...

I feel that the compressor evens out my picking on the tele track. You can hear the dynamics of the baritone jump around more without a compressor...

http://www.bigsmokey.com/giddy'up.mp3

[e-merlin]

Dan Baird uses it a quite a bit. If you don't have Love Songs For the Hearing Impaired or Buffalo Nickel you should drop whatever you are doing right now and go get 'em. Some of the most impressive Tele (and other guitar) tones and playing reside on those two albums.

[davidp158]

If you think of the cliché county twang, it often has a "snappy", rubbery character to it. This is caused by the attack being attenuated, and the sustaining note comes back up. Its not a very natural sound, but some players dig it.

Mild compression is great for evening out dynamics, and helps to make most things sit better in the mix. If you're playing style requires sudden bursts in level dynamics, you have to find a compression ratio that's not too high, or compression attack too quick.

I use my Carl Martin compressor mostly for slide guitar and some clean solos. The Robert Keeley compressor is also a good compressor, but hard (for me) to use with loud pickups.

Generally, a little compression goes a long way. If you can hear the effect, it may be too much (unless you like that effect). Using a compressor takes getting used to, so experiment with different settings and picking techniques.

good luck,
Dave

[Scotland]

What a perfect example and great pickin' there too. What kind of delay have you going there?
Love that MXR, I didn't realise they were so good. Is that an old one or one of the new ones?

[Freewheeler]

What delay? That's only the (Hammond) reverb of Mesa/Boogie. The MXR is brand new, I actually got it today! Thanx for liking and greetings to that haggish catching Nessie! :P

[Scotland]

That reverb really is excellent !! I have read that the new MXR's are really good and you have certainly proved that point to me today. Oh no, more GAS !!
Nessie...ha ha.

[Freewheeler]

http://www.netzmarkt.de/thomann/grup...-8.html?iwid=2

And cheap too. Check out the site, it's great!