The Fine Points of Compression

Our columnist Barry O’Neal of XAct Tone Solutions revisits compression. Now that you know what those knobs and switches do, it’s time to add some seasoning. In my last column, we talked about compressor basics, so now you’re totally comfortable with all the compressor controls. You’ve cracked the code on what all those little knobs and switches do and now comes the real fun: figuring out how to actually use the thing.Maybe more than any other effect, compression is a type of seasoning, and like salt, the line between tastefully enhanced and completely ruined can be a thin one.Clean Tone GlueIf you play clean, or even edge-of-breakup, compression might be the secret sauce you didn’t know you were missing. A compressor in front of your amp smooths out dynamics, helping every note ring with equal authority—great for funk rhythms, arpeggiated picking, and those bell-like Strat runs that just need a little more shimmer and staying power. Compression reins in dynamics, unifying your sound and gluing it together.Country players have stuck with compression for decades. And not just any compression—often high ratios and fast attacks with liberal makeup gain to keep those percussive chicken-pickin’ runs present without being overwhelming.Tightening Dirty TonesYou might think compressors are only for clean tones, but they can actually bring order to the chaos of an overdriven rig. Place a compressor before a dirt pedal or amp and it can tame uneven pick attack, keeping the signal more consistent. While compression can help make up for a slightly undisciplined right hand, don’t stop those picking exercises cold turkey. Too much compression into distortion can flatten your dynamics.Some players also run compressors after overdrive. It can be a more surgical application, less about sustain and more about volume consistency. Think like a mastering engineer, and subtly control the chirps and squawks that fast, articulate playing sometimes produces.Sustained Leads Without SaturationWant sustain for days without drowning in distortion? Try compression. By squashing the initial transient and boosting the tail of the note, a compressor can keep a solo singing even at lower gain settings. Add in some delay and reverb and you’ve just entered the realm of David Gilmour. Origin Effects’ SlideRIG stacks two compressors in series to add obscene amounts of sustain without getting into Soldano levels of distortion.“One of the keys to understanding compression is experimentation.”Want a cheat code for expressive lead playing? Try a lower ratio with a low threshold and longer attack. The lower threshold will mask the compression effect. You’ll retain articulation while getting more sustain than your amp can usually muster on its own.Rhythm PrecisionIn the world of rhythm guitar, especially in funk, pop, or modern gospel, compression is your timing assistant. It helps keep chord stabs consistent in volume, enhancing the sense of groove. Fast attack and release times tighten up the transients, making you sound more locked-in. Don’t dismiss this use as a crutch for the weak. Instead, think of it as a finesse tool that allows the player to further clarify what good technique has created.One of the keys to understanding compression is experimentation. Don’t be afraid to twist knobs. In fact, get used to over-twisting knobs, turning them past the useful setting and to the extremes where the effect is overdone and beyond good taste. Note the timbre changes at that extreme setting, lock into them, and try to stay locked in as you roll the control down to a more reasonable level. This type of ear training can help you identify what the compressor can do for you and how each knob can be manipulated to arrive at subtle squish while avoiding the super squashed.Compression is one of those effects that, when dialed in just right, makes everything feel easier at your fingertips and more polished in your ear. The trick is knowing what you want before you start turning knobs. A compressor affords you so much control, it’s easy to get in the weeds if you rush headlong into adjustments. Need more sustain? Tame a spiky tone? Control volume swings? Add some glue? A compressor can do all that and more, but only if you take a moment to move from seeing it as a mystery box and start using it like the tool it is. Get comfortable experimenting, and remember: If you’re not sure it’s on, but everything just sounds better, it’s probably working.