Bass Compressor - I can't tell the difference

[Diesel]

I had long wanted to try out a Bass compressor... however...

I don't seem to really able to differentiate anything between a compressor ON or OFF..

The store guy who demostrated a compressor tried pretty hard to get me into the listening mode...

but I still don't get it right.

Any thoughts about this and your experience with compressor.

I don't play slapping, only use my index / middle fingers for playing.. so doesn't it make sense to get one ?


Also, one question on playing some slow tempo songs such as Patience ( Guns and Roses ) where I would play the root notes of the verses.. would it help to prolong the notes' duration between notes with a Compressor / Sustainer ?

 

[cheesedaele]

For all bass-centric compression: http://www.ovnilab.com/

 

[kester]

The effects of a compressor aren't lays very obvious, but it does help to even out your dynamics if set properly. Yes, you can use ut to boost your sustain, but it's all dependent on the settings you close. Cheesedale has posted a link to a great site on compression.

 

[Diesel]

One question again, if it sounds logical to get one compressor to try...

I usually have a problem playing on the higher strings D or G ( standard thing ) and they sounded lower volume than on the lower strings E or A.

Would a compressor help a lot or just very subtle?

I currently uses EQ to boost up my mids and highs so that my higher strings sound more louder...


One example of song is Sweet Child O Mine... From the intro playing on higher strings at 12th frets and then have to slide down to 3rd fret or 5th fret during verse...


Edit :: don't think anything wrong with my guitar. I've 2 basses and they both felt like this, or maybe only myself kept think like so...

 

[kester]

yes, one application of a compressor is to even out the loudness of your notes- for example if you feel the lower notes are much louder than the higher notes the compressor can even out the volume depending on where you set the "threshold" (basically thats where the compressor kicks in to reduce volume). The effect of the compressor will vary from compressor to compressor, I'd suggest you try a DAW compressor to hear the difference, or the MXR Bass Compressor (has a meter so you can visually see how much compression is being applied). If you have more money try the empress compressor (which has a sidechain- so you can use the EQ to affect how the compressor compresses... but thats abit more advanced).

I don't want to come across as rude, but please read this and this.

 

[Diesel]

Yes did read the articles... Was eyeing on CS3 previously until i came across a very cheap clone of CS3 Beta Aivin CS100.

Others that I've test is MXR with that cool sweeping LED indicator.

However I just can't figure out the differences.. So I just thinking just get a cheaper clone and experiment. Hmmmm

 

[kester]

Yes did read the articles... Was eyeing on CS3 previously until i came across a very cheap clone of CS3 Beta Aivin CS100.

Others that I've test is MXR with that cool sweeping LED indicator.

However I just can't figure out the differences.. So I just thinking just get a cheaper clone and experiment. Hmmmm

I own the MXR bass compressor (I got it when it first came out), and I really love it. the LED indicator is really useful when setting levels.

cheap pedals might have certain issues- for example the noise floor is higher so it might introduce noise into your signal chain (a side effect of the way compressors work). But its the cheapest way to get started, unless you already have a DAW, in which case you can use the compressors on your bass signal to hear the difference.

In my (personal) opinion, if compression is applied well you never hear it until it's taken away. Compression will even out the attack of your fingers, picks, and slaps, which makes you sound like a better player. Compression can also be used to even out "boomy" notes, and to bring out clarity in your playing (mostly for slapping).

 

[cheesedaele]

I usually have a problem playing on the higher strings D or G ( standard thing ) and they sounded lower volume than on the lower strings E or A.

Would a compressor help a lot or just very subtle?

I currently uses EQ to boost up my mids and highs so that my higher strings sound more louder...


One example of song is Sweet Child O Mine... From the intro playing on higher strings at 12th frets and then have to slide down to 3rd fret or 5th fret during verse...

That sounds more like uneven height of pickups or strings. Compression may solve the outcome of the problem, but the cause of the problem is still there. Compression is also not an optimal solution as you may introduce unwanted noise and artefacts into your signal. Check the height at the bridge or pickups, or even the nut. If you're not convinced yet, picture this: if someone's clothes are getting too tight and they can't fit into their pants, they can either suck in their beer belly or work out and lose weight.

The FAQs on the site answer those questions you have. It also gives detailed reviews of the Boss CS-3 and BA CS-100. If you want to experiment be prepared to shell out quite some cash to get many different compressors to A/B between. There's a large variety of compressor pedals, and they all do different stuff. I may be wrong on this, but I don't think there's any compressor pedal that does it all yet. Most have controls over only 3 or at most 4 parameters on an effect that ideally has at least 5 controls.

The MXR M87 kester's recommending is one of the most tweakable comps on the market - 5 controls, and a visible LED indicator. But even then, it doesn't have what I consider to be an essential compressor function: hard peak limiting (a ratio of 20 is arguably close to limiting, but in essence still not the same). It also doesn't do parallel compression, which some others in turn feel is essential. The Empress comp does all that and has a parallel clean signal, but only goes up to 10:1 and isn't cheap.

At the end of the day, a compressor is a very personal choice, there's no "best" one, only one that "fits your needs best". There's also a lot of compromising involved - it may have one feature that you need the most but has one or two disadvantages that you'll have to just suck up and deal with. I use an Aguilar TLC, because to me, what's important is peak limiting, no tone colouration and as deathly quiet a noise floor as possible - things which the TLC really delivers <3. I'd like it more if it had a release control and an indicator/meter, and wasn't so big and difficult to mount on a board. But these are things that I can live with, so for now at least, nothing else serves my essential needs as well as it does, in the size and at the price of a pedal.

Which brings us back to a useful piece of advice: if there's no perceptible difference to you, you don't need one.

 

[kester]

The MXR M87 kester's recommending is one of the most tweakable comps on the market - 5 controls, and a visible LED indicator. But even then, it doesn't have what I consider to be an essential compressor function: hard peak limiting (a ratio of 20 is arguably close to limiting, but in essence still not the same). It also doesn't do parallel compression, which some others in turn feel is essential. The Empress comp does all that and has a parallel clean signal, but only goes up to 10:1 and isn't cheap.

The Empress comp also has a sidechain function, I think that would really add to the price of the unit.

 

[Diesel]

I got a cheap compressor already.. tested it out with various knobs position and I happy to say it works what I had expected.. maybe with my small practise amp I actually could hear much better between the higher and lower string's volume... hehe.. at least happy that I didn't wasted my money.

And you are right guys, compressor circuit introduces noises... especially when the sustain knob is turn more than 2 O'clock position. Otherwise, keep it lesser than that, noise are not too noticeable when playing on the strings.

Here is a question for you guys... been told to use compressor as the first pedal in the chain..
I have a Hartke VXL Bass Attack and a Boss BEQ-7 7 band equalizer..

WHich one is preferable to be immediately after the compressor ?

Can I remove the EQ from my line up ? I think its a little redundant because I actually have the Hartke..

I was using the EQ as a pedal instead of tuning my sound.. I play a little differently.. cos I setup my EQ with On / Off with different tone.. one would contain a little more bass notes while the other position would be lesser... then I would switch between these 2 different tones ( depending on songs ) for Intro, chorus and vocals' Verses.. I need to penetrate thru my 2 guitarists and drummer during chorus or bridge section sometimes, and I dont prefer to play harder on the strings.. so I just use the EQ to switch to a stronger tone..

So is EQ a necessity .. now that I have Compressor and a Hartke Bass Attack ?

My line up as shown.. ... simple..( no special effect or starwars stuffs.. )

 

[cheesedaele]

could hear much better between the higher and lower string's volume... hehe.. at least happy that I didn't wasted my money.

And you are right guys, compressor circuit introduces noises... especially when the sustain knob is turn more than 2 O'clock position. Otherwise, keep it lesser than that, noise are not too noticeable when playing on the strings.

Get your bass setup like I advised and you can fix the problem without noise issues.

Here is a question for you guys... been told to use compressor as the first pedal in the chain..
I have a Hartke VXL Bass Attack and a Boss BEQ-7 7 band equalizer..

WHich one is preferable to be immediately after the compressor ?

Can I remove the EQ from my line up ? I think its a little redundant because I actually have the Hartke..

I was using the EQ as a pedal instead of tuning my sound.. I play a little differently.. cos I setup my EQ with On / Off with different tone.. one would contain a little more bass notes while the other position would be lesser... then I would switch between these 2 different tones ( depending on songs ) for Intro, chorus and vocals' Verses.. I need to penetrate thru my 2 guitarists and drummer during chorus or bridge section sometimes, and I dont prefer to play harder on the strings.. so I just use the EQ to switch to a stronger tone..

So is EQ a necessity .. now that I have Compressor and a Hartke Bass Attack ?

You'll hear it from me, and wherever else you ask, if there are people who bother about proper advice, you'll hear it from them too: there is no "correct" way to order your effect pedals. There isn't any "wrong" way to do it either. It's dependent simply on what you want to use them for. Try it any manner of ways, pick the one that you think sounds best. e.g. I use my TLC at the end of the chain, because that's where I need it, for my own reasons. It fits me and serves my needs, but that doesn't at all mean that it's the "best" way and anyone else doing it differently is "wrong". There's also a few good articles in the FAQ I linked about effect pedal order, some even specifically about EQ and compressors.

If you look at your photo you posted, the Boss is GEB-7 not BEQ-7.

The Hartke's EQ doesn't have a bypass switch so it's on full-time. The two switches on the Hartke control the tube simulation ("On/Off") and the Hartke shape circuit ("Shape"). If you feel you can't find a tone amongst those that replicate that which you use the GEB-7 for, then it's up to you whether you want to keep/drop that setting from your toolbox.

The questions you ask are like asking "should I go to Sentosa?" We can't answer you because we don't know your reasons for going / not going to Sentosa.

 

[Diesel]

Yes I agree with both of you , that there is no correct or wrong sequence.

Now that I placed my Hartke as the last piece is then I realize there is a benefit for me to plug in to any system, PA, mixers etc easily because it has various output connection socket available, ground lift, phantom power option. Leaving it to the last pedal should be more sensible

Thus I now decidx to dump my GEB ( yes, mistaken typo earlier ) between compressor n Hartke.

Now my pedal box seems too small hahaha

 

[blindmouse]

Hi. May I know where do you all buy the MXR M87 Bass Compressor? I would like to get one too. Thank you.

 

[cheesedaele]

Hi. May I know where do you all buy the MXR M87 Bass Compressor? I would like to get one too. Thank you.

Not sure who the authorised local distributor(s) is, can't seem to find the info online, so they might not even have one. I've seen MXR pedals in Swee Lee, Davis, Ebenex, Music Theme. I don't recall ever physically seeing the M87 specifically tho. Even so, I'm sure one of the stores will be glad to bring one in for you.

 

[lordie]

i prefer demeter copulator or ebs muli-comp for always on compression demter is super transparent and omfg super sexy, while demeter is transparent enuff but u can add a bit of color via the tube option, simple 2 knob design and it just works and sound super good