Todd Brown wrote:I didn't know compressors with psg for live playing was such a touchy issue!
I don't think it's a touchy issue at all, whats occurred as of late is that a compressor, who's purpose is to tame transient peaks, has now become an effect , rather than a tool. I for one find them difficult to use LIVE with the PSG and that's due to nature of the beast, using a volume pedal. Compressors respond and react to changes in input levels, the volume pedal is used to change the input signal level.
Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders
Pro Tools 8 and Pro Tools 12
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 8 years
Tony Prior wrote:I don't think it's a touchy issue at all, whats occurred as of late is that a compressor, who's purpose is to tame transient peaks, has now become an effect , rather than a tool. I for one find them difficult to use LIVE with the PSG and that's due to nature of the beast, using a volume pedal. Compressors respond and react to changes in input levels, the volume pedal is used to change the input signal level.
I can't imagine fighting with a compressor AFTER the volume pedal (which it sounds like you're talking about). That would be frustrating! When I use a compressor it's the first thing in my signal chain (BEFORE volume).
GFI S10-P Ultra -> Milkman 40w Pedal Steel Mini or 300w Half & Half (or Sarno SGBB/Nashville 112 or '94 Twin Amp or Homebuilt 5e3)
Effects: Cali76-CD Compressor -> EP booster -> Sarno Earth Drive -> Earthquaker Devices Zap Machine -> Earthquaker Devices Grand Orbiter Phaser -> Caitlinbread Dirty Little Secret Mk III -> Malekko Envelope Filter -> Hilton VP -> Pedal Projects Klone -> Tech 21 Blonde -> Strymon Timeline -> TC Electronics Spark Mini Boost -> Strymon Lex -> Strymon Flint
Kevin Milner wrote:
I can't imagine fighting with a compressor AFTER the volume pedal (which it sounds like you're talking about). That would be frustrating! When I use a compressor it's the first thing in my signal chain (BEFORE volume).
Agreed, I think many are trying to use the compressor after the V Pedal to tame the transients. I don't use one, never found a reason.
t
Emmons L-II , Fender Telecasters, B-Benders
Pro Tools 8 and Pro Tools 12
jobless- but not homeless- now retired 8 years
I have been reading this post to help me to adjust my sound , which is confusing. I have a Pod XT live it has several compressors , delays . Someone mention about a passive volume peddle , and was wondering if my pod's was a passive or active . Does anyone use a Pod XT live? If so , do you have any suggestions. My homade steel has a Gorge l E 66 and a Barcus Berry pickups.
Todd, It sounds like your motivation for a buying compressor is to add sustain. I see you are playing a Session amp..just curious..Have you tried a tube amp? Just my 2 cents but there is no better tone and sustain than when you go directly into a quality tube amp or pre amp and let it work for you. I have tried all kinds of compressors and they just never worked for me on steel.
Yeah, you got it, Charlie. I have played through a couple tube amps, an old Twin with an Altec 15", was probably my favorite. This Session is a good amp. The best steel amp I've owned. Just put an Eminence EPS 15 in it. I was gonna trade it out for a '90's Custom Vibrasonic, but that didn't work out. I really think it comes down to this ShoBud. It just doesn't have the sustain I'm wanting on the slower stuff. Maybe I just need to save up for a Push/Pull!!!
Lap steel or Tele question: I assume the compressor is the first in the chain, then delay and reverb last? What order would the fuzz box or distortion go?
The best compressor pedal I've ever used for any application, by a long shot, has been the Carl Martin Compressor. Expensive, but totally transparent.
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67 Shobud Blue Darling III, scads of pedals and such, more 6 strings than I got room for
My favorite stomp box compressor is the Barber Tone Press-it has a blend control that allows you to blend in some of the uncompressed signal with the compressed (also known as parallel compression)...killer pedal and reasonably priced, too....
John Macy
Rockport, TX
Engineer/Producer/Steel Guitar
I have used a compressor for many years now.I have a Boss CS and a Line Six.I switch sometimes because one or the other just doesn't sound right at the time.Which is probably my ear usually.I run all my effects between guitar and Hilton VP.I use a holy grail reverb first,but everyone says it should be last.It sounds best in front.Next is my delay,then compressor.If the compressor is used sparingly,you only hear compression on the initial note you pick.The echoes arent heavy enough to initialize compression.If the delay is after the compressor,every note and the echoes are compressed and it gets muddy quickly.The worst thing I can say about compressors are I hate to play without it.I also get no hum whatsoever.I use a one spot power adapter for everything...
Try a Joe Meek Floor Q. They are studio quality clean in a pedalboard size.
If you like a little compression, no tone change and added sustain/roundness, this
is the one....This is about the same price as a Keeley, and far more adjustable. Built very well too. Remember there are no rules. If you like it, then it's the best for you.
Randall!
Interesting that you mention Meek. I have a bunch of compressors that I used to use with my Tele. 3 ancient Dynacomps, which produce the expected results with a Tele. I no longer use anything other than amp reverb. But I did try them with steel. They sounded like cr@p with my Shobuds, and my Kline. The only one that sounded good, was a Joe Meek VC-3. And I think the reason it sounded good was, you couldn't tell it was even turned on.
I remember a pic of the eminent Mr. Emmons, with an Orange Squeezer plugged into the guitar jack. So I tried one. Didn't like it. Not my Shobud sound at all. Give me a passive volume pedal, and a tube amp with reverb, and I'll be quite happy. No stompboxes for me in the last 15 years. Well,,, except for the Kelley Katana, which I like for my bottleneck guitars.
Compression, I'm confused, never had one, been thinking of buying the Boss CS-3.
Recently I started to record my steel & acoustic electric for the first time into my computer using a free download recording software called, KRISTAL. (I have also tried Audacity).
After I recorded both my acoustic electric & pedal steel I was amazed when I played back both guitar tracks at the difference in the sound, wow what improvement & quality, this was the sound I wanted to hear for years.
I was told it was becuase of compression, is this true if I buy the Boss or any other compressor???
Boss is your BASIC compressor...it lacks some useful controls (ATTACK and INPUT level) that would help on Steel, which has very high output (can swamp the compressor into squashing everything and/or distorting) and where you don't want an obvious compression squash to be audible....and it is noisy if you turn it up high at all...
There are many different flavors, from Keeley (which I use) which is like the Boss but has the control and low noise....to high-end rack-mount comps with even more control (e.g., DECAY)...and many flavors within each class. E.G., some can mix your wet compressed signal with the dry signal....
It would be more obvious to you if you go to a store that has a selection and play with some of them....doesn't have to be on steel, 6-string guitar is fine - just to hear the differences.
www.facebook.com/swingaliband & a few more....
Williams S10s, Milkman Pedal Steel Mini & "The Amp"
Ben Bonham "CooderNator" archtop parlor electric reso w/Fishman & Lollar string-through
Ben Bonham "ResoBorn" deep parlor acoustic reso with Weissenborn neck and Fishman
Ben Bonham Style 3 Tricone., 1954 Oahu Diana, 1936 Oahu Parlor Squareneck
You might want to check out the little Guyatone ST2. Very simple (2 knobs) and has a direct switch which passes the uncompressed signal in addition to the compressed signal when engaged.
If I use it for steel or guitar, I turn the sustain all the way off, then set the gain to match the volume for on / off, maybe add a slight bit above for a clean boost. It addes a nice roundness, thickness, if you will, without sounding squashed.
I mostly use the pedal with my G&L ASAT, but have used it with steel a few times, works very well. I have a couple other compressor pedals, Boss CS-3, etc, don't like them at all for steel.
