Re: Guitar Compression was :Re: ...reflections...

[van Sinn <vansinn@post.cybercity.dk>]

A good way is using sidetrack compression, i.e. keeping the straight 
signal and adding/summing a compressed signal to it.
When the naural guitar signal decays off, the sidetrack compressed 
signal comes in to play.
This allows keeping the natural dynamics.
I don't recall which ones are build this way, but seem to remember the 
Fernandez compressor was.

WRT batteries, I never understood why any pedal at all was ever buid to 
rum off a single 9v battery, instead of simply using 2x9v.
Electronics need a ? supply anyways, so the 9volts will be split to 
?41/2v, or fairly quicly even less, as the battery is quickly worn out.

Compressors need so much gain internaly that good designs should run off 
?15v to ?24v.


William Walker wrote:
> I went through a period of several years when I was anti compression  
> and would not use it for all the reasons  previously mentioned here.
>  Oh it destroys dynamics, and  makes all of the levels the same yada  
> yada rabble rabble, rabble. The reality was that I was using  
> compression in the wrong way and yes it was robbing me of dynamics.  
> These days I won't leave home without it. Why?  because like it or not  
> we live in a digital freaking world and digital devices are not very  
> forgiving when overloaded, I include in this group any DSP or Looper  or 
> DAW for that matter. When I was first using compression, an MXR red  
> comp way back when I was making the mistake of jacking up the  
> sensitivity to the point of rendering everything completely over  
> compressed and lacking in dynamic range. That god awful pumping effect  
> that cheap compressors do and even good ones when not set up  correctly. 
> These days I use a keeley on the front end of my signal  more as a 
> slight  boost and signal massage, with very little  sensitivity, and 
> with the internal trims set for the highest  headroom .  If recording 
> I'll also use a Carl martin at the end of my  signal chain for some 
> discreet limiting, and I'll also use a UA plugin  LA-2 sim when 
> recording. I don't get any radical dynamic limitation, I  still have a 
> dramatic degree of quite to loud dynamics, and I have the  added benefit 
> of the limiting that helps avoid clipping other things  in the chain not 
> to mention a bit less need. to change  my gain stages  when switching 
> between instruments with widely different out put levels.
>  I do agree that over compression sucks, or rather pumps, and I'm not  
> particularly fond of the Adrian Belew/ Jamie West Oram, 80's  
> compression aesthetic  where all dynamic range is killed, but I do  feel 
> that compression when used sparingly is a good thing. with that  in mind 
> the M-9 does a very decent LA-2 compression model  they call  tube 
> compressor. BTW I went to try the pigtronix philosophers tone and  my 
> first impression was that it was not capable of subtle compression,  and 
> the grit control was completely useless to me. Something I'm  missing or 
> maybe it was a crappy amp they had me plugged in to. Any  thoughts , I 
> sure do love its compact size and its gotten great  reviews. any feed 
> back? does it have internal trims like the Keeley to  reduce its 
> sensitivity.
>  Thanks
>  Bill
> 
> 


-- 
rgds,
van Sinn