What compressor settings you usually use for live rhythm guitars?

[spycam]

Hi,
i'm wondering, what compressor settings you usually use to compress rhythm guitars when playing at live shows?

Treshold?
Ratio?
Attack?

Thanks.

 

[flhctroll]

I used to comp guitars live but I havent been lately. I used to comp everything. Been goin non comp except vocs, Bass, Kick & Snare.

 

[Keessi]

if they are overdriven guitars, I wouldn't compress 'em at all. the overdrive has already done that.

If they have dynamics that you want to eliminate though I'd use a 3:1 ratio so that it cuts maximum 3-4db...

 

[spycam]

My compressor has 3 parameters:
Treshhold: 0-40
Ratio: 1:10
Attack: 1:10

So what would optimal settings be?

 

[STINNETT]

My compressor has 3 parameters:
Treshhold: 0-40
Ratio: 1:10
Attack: 1:10

So what would optimal settings be?

Dude, this is totally dependant on what the problem with your sound is. I wouldn't normally compress distorted rhythm guitar anyway.

Do you have alot of volume swing going on or something? If so (and you don't want to address that with the guitar rig) you've got to look at what's happening with the sound before you can come up with a compressor setting.

 

[AStacy2]

It's impossible to tell you optimal settings because I don't think that there are any. I usually don't compress distorted guitar but a band that I used to run sound for a lot really liked them to be compressed. But, I used a threshold of 0, ratio of 3:1, and the fastest attack and release. I don't think those settings will help you any though. You should google up how to set a compressor and read some stuff then actually try different combinations and see what works good for you.

 

[gumplunger]

Don't put a compressor on the guitars just because you have one. Chances are you'll make it sound worse. You use compression when you hear something and think "that needs compression because ... ", not because you think "compressors make stuff sound better so I'll put it on my guitar so it sounds better".

 

[Sinister Mephisto]

I once asked a guitar student of mine if he knew what compression was and he said "Yeah, well... I know it makes things sound better."

 

[gumplunger]

I once asked a guitar student of mine if he knew what compression was and he said "Yeah, well... I know it makes things sound better."

Haha, yeah that pretty much sounds like what's going on in this thread. Kinda like how people thought if they used Andy's C4 preset, it would automatically make the guitars sound professional or something.

 

[PA Rich]

I only ever run vocals, bass or keyboards through a comp at live shows, but I guess it depends on the situation.

 

[spycam]

thanks for your answes

 

[Phase]

Let whoever is at the mixing board take care of compression. mic'd amps almost always have a compressor patched in post, on the board, to tuck stray loud notes in the mix.