Using a compressor; Cheating?

[Nevermorian]

Hey fellow bassists!

I am currently chased by the following question;

I kinda like the sound of a compressed bass. But as we all know, a compressor compresses the signal from your bass and keeps it on a specific volume level. And that's what is on my mind; Isn't using a compressor some kind of cheating since it hides technical sloppiness? I mean, you should be able to play a lot of licks, riffs or whatever without any (or at least with a minimum of) dynamical changes. This becomes totally uninteresting when you use a compressor, you don't have to worry about it anymore.

And, yes, my dynamic sucks. I am playing with three fingers, and although I have no triplet feel in 16th notes and my timing is not too bad, there is still this problem. But, you know, it's like a keyboarder who only uses midi files for his solos or a guitarist using an arpeggiator. Or am I too closed-minded?
Any opinions?

I hope you understand what I have written, I am a bit out of training when it comes to speaking/writing english...

Thanks in advance,

N.

 

[SanderThomas]

If it makes the total sound better: why not?
If you can play without, it allows you to play more dynamical, but if you can't, just use it
(I use compression too)

 

[Infestdead]

I wouldn't say its "cheating" but then again, I am not a bass player. However I play drums in a band and in a live setting sometimes the bass hits notes harder than other parts thus making them louder when they aren't supposed to be. I know that is also the player as well not having full control, but it sure makes the bass sound a shitload tighter! I actually prefer it.

 

[Bassista]

well,it all depend on choice you make (use it or not) at the end-this is only effect that makes the sound slighty different,like distortion or whatever

 

[Haunted/Hated]

It isn't any more cheating than using an amp, or distortion or an effect pedal.

And add to the fact that there is ALWAYS a compressor on everything in a recording.

 

[Bassista]

And another thind ,what does it mean ''cheating'' in music? man ,ya gotta change your music approach

 

[SanderThomas]

I guess "cheating in music" is sounding better than you actually are. As long as it makes the music sound better, there's no problem with that. But it doesn't make the musician better.

 

[Burning46&2]

I don't use compression because I try to get my dynamics on higher level (so I have to hear it). I don't think it's 'cheating' but I don't like compressed sound..
Only 'compression thing' in my playing is a limiter in my amp, so I don't get louder when I slap Is it cheating

 

[Haunted/Hated]

All amps have some natural compression, so that would make us all cheaters :Spin:

 

[Higon]

Not cheating dude.

I use compressor too, but some times I turn it off just to let people hear when I beat the crap out of the strings real hard. You can't do that with the compressor turned on.

 

[Bassista]

well , i use compressor sometimes when i want fretless sound more "fretless" than usual:more mids and max lows compressor ,and thats it.

 

[Burning46&2]

There's new Digitech BassSqueeze compressor that allaws to compress high and low band individualy.. anyone checked it?

 

[Bassista]

Nope ,i don't use cyber toys to make metal music ;by the way your band site doesnt work properly(i think ,tried to check it out but nothing happened so... got some email?

 

[xenophobe]

I used a DBX DDP for compression and eq. It's not cheating. If you want raw unprocessed sound, get a chello or upright bass or something.... but then you couldn't mike it up, because most PAs have some kind of noise reduction, eq, and compression anyways.