Guitar and Mix Bus Compression

[Trep]

Generally I dont like Compressing Guitars, Lately Ive been wondering if the lack of "Hugeness/Montrosity like" is due to a lack of it.

How Many of You Guys are Using Compression on your Guitar Tracks, and does double tracking/ Quad Tracking influence your use of it?

Also with Mix Bus Compression, Do you guys prefer Limiting Settings or what?

 

[punkrockacademyfightsong]

I use compression on the guitarbus in almost every mix I do, because I like the sound of the guitars "fighting" with each other (not too much of course) but I think it makes instruments sound powerful if they make other instruments duck a bit.
my settings on the guitar bus compressor are usually ratio 3:1 or 4:1, attack 20ms, auto release. I aim for about 1 db of reduction when the rhythm guitars play (without leads), and 2-3 db's of reduction when the leads kick in.

 

[Zuranthus]

sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't...i'm doing a cover of a song that has these open string trills, without compression it's all mud
it's a trade-off issue with compression (always) dynamics vs. clarity

 

[Keiffer]

I don't think any lack of hugeness is post tracking compression issues. I'd concentrate on getting the best "HUGE" tone right into the mic.
The Bass gtr is really the major player in this.

 

[LSD-Studio]

no compression on guitarbus for me

 

[Ermz]

It's hard to say. I can't settle on one way or the other as a general rule of thumb. I think it largely depends on the recorded tone and what you are trying to do with it in context of the mix. If you're going for a huge, wall-of-sound, rock production then you may find that limiting the guitars a bit will get them more present and up front, if a bit less defined. If you're doing thrash metal then you might find the picking definition to be more important than perceived largeness and leave the compression as minimal to non-existent. It all seems to depend.

 

[Gomez]

Sometimes...

I track through one of my comps, but I compress just a bit to control bottom end.

I did like that idea of the c4 thing that Andy posted ages ago. Worked well on the guitar buss in several occasions.

 

[006]

Eh...distorted guitars are already compressed as it is but if it floats your boat...

I never use comp on saturated sources, I've used it on clean guitars and stuff though.

~006

 

[Gomez]

Eh...distorted guitars are already compressed as it is but if it floats your boat...

I never use comp on saturated sources, I've used it on clean guitars and stuff though.

~006

You're right 006. If you get a sine wave and you compress it what do you get? Distortion.

BUT,

Have you ever had a pretty high gain sound that when when you're muting and stop playing a low note you get that low "whoomph"... that's where I have my comp kick in, to level that out a bit... I also like it for colour!

Basically controls the bottom end a bit.

 

[JonWormwood]

Eh...distorted guitars are already compressed as it is but if it floats your boat...

I never use comp on saturated sources, I've used it on clean guitars and stuff though.

~006

Fuck yeah.

Have you ever had a pretty high gain sound that when when you're muting and stop playing a low note you get that low "whoomph"... that's where I have my comp kick in, to level that out a bit... I also like it for colour!

Basically controls the bottom end a bit.

And that's due to the playing.

EDIT: But I know what you mean.

 

[if6was9]

I'm by no means an expert mixer by any means, but I go by the same rule that 006 stated above, distorted guitars are compresed enough so I don't do any more to them.
Only reason I'd compress is for fixing tracks that have a weird low end resonance on certain notes.

I've heard parallel compression can be cool for guitars for adding hugeness but so far I've only found use for it on drums really, must try it again on my next project on other stuff

 

[seditz740novaprospect]

no comp on guitars here


2 bus always has the ssl comp on it for glue

 

[csholtmeier]

For saturated guitars, I like the UAD LA3A in limit mode ticking off about a db of gain reduction.

For cleans, LA2A or 1176 stepping down a bit harder.

 

[Sloan]

Compression is the best drug that God ever invented.

 

[colonel kurtz]

yea, and it's a shame some people can't put it down

 

[Gnash]

You're right 006. If you get a sine wave and you compress it what do you get? Distortion.

BUT,

Have you ever had a pretty high gain sound that when when you're muting and stop playing a low note you get that low "whoomph"... that's where I have my comp kick in, to level that out a bit... I also like it for colour!

Basically controls the bottom end a bit.

Definately for this. I always hate to do it, but resonating chunk notes can get boomy.

 

[Trep]

Well I tried it, Used an API 2500 plugin on the guitar Bus and it sounded what i was looking for.

Did what a Few of you said, Knocked about 1 dB off it.

Defanately not something i would want to use all the time