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[j.hall]

anyone here compress distorted guitars in a mix?

if so, what comps do you like

love to hear some thoughts on this topic.

i personally go back and forth.  working a 6 song EP at the moment, and i'm very much enjoying the LA-3 plug on guitars.  i rarely do it, but seem to like it when i do.

[imdrecordings]

I haven't been successful using Compression on distorted guitars during a mix, individually. Tracking wise, an 1176LN style compressor with a slow attack and moderately fast release has added beef and cu-thunk to palm muted metal guitars.

Other than that about the only compression I've used successfully on distorted guitars during a mix is on the guitar bus.  A UAD LA3A on the guitar bus, really controls and reins in loud distorted guitars that can lurch out, ever so slightly in front of the overheads or vocals.  But even then, I'll usually pull the compressor and edit the wave file's volume instead, by the end of the mix.

[rankus]

I have been thinking that it depends on tempo a lot for me... If the song is fast like punk / power-pop then I compress more.  Often for slower grungy stuff, less or no comp.  For me it really depends on the genre I suppose..

Comps: are often waves ren comp or whatever else is left over after the (cpu) power hogs are used for vocals and bass etc.

[spoon]

j.hall wrote on Thu, 15 May 2008 12:02

anyone here compress distorted guitars in a mix? if so, what comps do you like love to hear some thoughts on this topic. i personally go back and forth.  working a 6 song EP at the moment, and i'm very much enjoying the LA-3 plug on guitars.  i rarely do it, but seem to like it when i do.

Depending on the amount of distortion and the guitars, I find they are already pretty smashed out of the amp...they dont need any additional compression.

This excludes light blues distortion/overdrive especially on single coil maple necked guitars (Fenders come to mind)...or compression for color (1176, RNLA and the like).


Cheers,
David

[grantis]

I will occassionally compress a lightly distorted guitar with a Massey CT4, but I seldom compress high-gain guitar sounds as they're typically already "smashed to taste".

[j.hall]

indeed high gain settings compress the tone A LOT.

but i'm noticing on this EP that a few dB of LA-3 just helps them jump out, but not "up"

i'm looking for that overall clarity and definition in the tone that EQ alone isn't doing.

haven't ever thought to use an 1176 on guitars.  seems way to aggressive, i'll try it though.

[rankus]

Yes, if I'm using compression on high gain guitars it's usually to try to make them a bit "smaller" to fit into a dense mix.  It will also help bring out some of the nuances in tone ... up to a point... then it just makes em too small.

I should mention that I'm talking about fairly mild compression here too.. about -2-4 db at 2or3 to 1 ratio.

[J-Texas]

ITB - Just a little Renaissance Compressor on the bus to make it pop. Sometimes. Depends (not the peepee poopoo).

[beau]

totally depends on the track... for lower gain guitars, i usually always compress somewhat, but gain reduction will vary, depending on the originally tracked tone.  normally, the more gain, the less compression... but, sometimes i will try throwing a compressor on super distorted guitars just for fun... sometimes it works, and other times i laugh and say no way....

peace

beau

[Podgorny]

OTB, I usually use 160VUs on guitar.
But a couple of months ago, I tried the BF-3A and I LOVE it. My go to when mixing in the box.

[Baddo]

I've used the UAD LA-3 plug on individual tracks and like it a lot.
I also setup an additional parallel compression bus and mess with an eq before the compressor for hoomph and grind.

This on heavy distorted guitars.

[rankus]

Baddo wrote on Fri, 16 May 2008 12:15

I've used the UAD LA-3 plug on individual tracks and like it a lot. I also setup an additional parallel compression bus and mess with an eq before the compressor for hoomph and grind. This on heavy distorted guitars.

Ah yes, this is the reason I love these forums... always something I hadn't thought of... =  Parallel comp/eq on distorted gtrs.  Going to try that soon.  Thanks Baddo!

[TheViking]

J,

I know we're probably talking about conventional compression here, but I wanted to throw this in there.   I have had an amazing experience with the CraneSong Pheonix plug in and the Massey Tape Head plug in on both guitars and drums respectively.   There's something about those analog tape compression models that seem to really do something cool to the tone.

[j.hall]

i can't remember a guitar track (clean, dirty, high gain.....etc) that didn't have the pheonix on it.

try "luster" with the knob straight up noon.

[NelsonL]

I've been overdubbing guitars through 2" tape to PT-- it requires a few work arounds but sounds great.

Love the Massey Tape thing too--