Compressor (with a compression limit?)

[lopsided]

Hello everyone,

I have a questions about compressors. I try my best to make clear, what interests me:
I am pretty new to compressors, I have never owned a compressor, but a couple of months ago I have build a DynaComp.
I really like to play around with it at home, but when I want to put it in use in "serious" playing with the band i have this problem:

I really like how it evens out when i play lightly, picking arpeggios kind of stuff.
But I don't like how it limits when I strum hard. - when it compresses the most. It's a little"muddy" and almost loses a little volume as I perceive it.


I tried adding a booster after the compressor when I play hard, it wasn't very satisfactory (boosting an already muddy signal...)
and I have tried to turn the compressor off in the harder parts (after carefully adjusting the volume),  then the sound has its hard strumming dynamic but losses the nice colour of the compressor I like.

My ideal effect would boost and level out the signal, but at some (adjustable) input signal level (when I strum hard) it would break through the compression.

My question is: is there a compressor (or something) with this function or is it an odd idea?
I somehow feel like wanting to eat the cake and have it at the same time.(have the compression to some dynamic level of input signal and then brake through it)

Alternatively would you recommend another compressor, which would even out and add the little something to the lighter picking stuff, but still sound nice when I strum really hard?

Thank you for all comments on the topic

Jakub

[Mark Hammer]

First, compressors have the burden of not being very obvious.  A distortion or a graphic EQ or a tremolo is very easy to hear.  Compressors, to the unfamiliar, usually evoke the response "Is this thing on?".

The tendency is to increase the compression to the point where the effect IS audible...and usually that is just too much compression.   So the first piece of advice is: turn down the compression - the compression may not be obvious to you, but it's there.

The other thing is that the compression action takes time to accomplish.  When you pick a string, the loudest part is at the very beginning.  So, in an attempt to make sure it is not too loud, if there is no variable control, most compressors are designed to have a very fast attack and rein in that peak as quickly as possible so the speakers don't blow, or so the tape doesn't overload, or so the amp doesn't distort, or whatever.

IF you can arrange for the gain reduction to take place just a little bit more slowly (this would be considered a slower attack time), then more of that initial peak is allowed to come through without alteration, and the notes will appear to have more "bite".

Many stompbox compressors have a control labelled "attack", and it is generally not what I am talking about.   These controls regulate has quickly the gain is restored after you have picked, and not how quickly gain is reduced when you pick.  To a very limited degree, the effect of having a slow attack and the effect of having a quick recovery (gain restoration) are relatively indistinguishable at times.  Because of that, many manufacturers feel comfortable calling the control "Attack", even though it isn't.  What you likely want, if simply reducing amount of compression doesn't do it, is a slightly longer attack time for the compression to kick in.

[Tony Forestiere]

Hello.

I really like how it evens out when i play lightly, picking arpeggios kind of stuff.
But I don't like how it limits when I strum hard. - when it compresses the most. It's a little"muddy" and almost loses a little volume as I perceive it.

Unfortunately, this is what compressors do. They bring the dynamics up on softly played pieces, and "turn it down" on the hard digging by how the compression pot is set. I prefer using mine on the more quiet interludes to bring out nuances that would be lost without compression. A compressor is not touch sensitive.
You could always turn it off when you want you want more dynamic response.

edit: Mr. Hammer has expressed a much more detailed explanation than I possibly could. Heed his advice.

I am the slowest typist on this planet!

[Processaurus]

The Dynacomp has a high ratio of compression, closer to a limiter than normal compression, hence it doesn't get any louder when you strum hard.  There is a mod in my gallery for a clean blend for the dynacomp, which amounts to being able to fake subtler compression ratios, by blending the squished compressed sound with the dry guitar.

http://www.aronnelson.com/gallery/main.php/v/Processaurus/album141/ross_dyna_clean_blend.jpg.html?g2_imageViewsIndex=1

[Gurner]

If I'm understanding the original requirements... lopsided  wants a guitar signal level below a given threshold to be brought up in level, but signal level above the same threshold to be let through uncompressed?

[Mark Hammer]

Setting aside my usual whining about how what gets labelled as an "attack" control on most stompbox compressors is really a recovery/release control, the OP is encouraged to do the standard mod to his/her Dynacomp, and shorten the recovery time.  This would involve identifying the particular 150k resistor (the one the goes between V+, a 10uf cap, and the three transistors) and making the value lower.  You can experiment by simply soldering on another resistor in parallel on the copper side.  I would suggest 15k-22k.

This will reduce the recovery/release time substantially.  The effect of this is that when you play more notes within a short period of time, the gain will have been restored between the end of note N and note N+1, such that the initial attack of that note will be more audible.  A longer recovery/release time is good for those who want a note to appear to sustain awhile, but those who wish to keep an almost-constant level, with peaks intact, tend to prefer a faster recovery/release time.

The compressed/uncompressed blend that processaurus described achieves the same overall outcome too.  The advantage that approach has is that one can squish the bejeezus out of the signal and have the unit function much like the inverse of a limiter.  Normally, a true limiter leaves all the dynamics intact below some threshold, and converts everything above that threshold value to the same level.  In this case, a clean/processed blend lets everything be held at more or less the same value unless it is a peak.

[lopsided]

First of all thank you all for your comments. They are very appreciated.

Gurner:
lopsided  wants a guitar signal level below a given threshold to be brought up in level, but signal level above the same threshold to be let through uncompressed?

yes this sums my original idea nicely

Mark Hammer:
So the first piece of advice is: turn down the compression.

And it's a good advice. I seem to really  turn the sustain pot too hard. Actually I tried it again today and found out that by keeping the Level pot up and the Sustain pot down (in first fifth of its rotation) I am getting closer to the sound and operation I want. Obviously the lighter notes are a little less compressory but the harder strums still feel ok.

Mark Hammer:
Setting aside my usual whining about how what gets labelled as an "attack" control on most stompbox compressors is really a recovery...

I was aware of the release mod and actually incorporated it in to my build (and I do not call it an attack switch I swear). To my ears switching the 150K resistor to +/-10K makes it sound a little lively and brighter and I like it.

Processaurus:
There is a mod in my gallery for a clean blend for the dynacomp, which amounts to being able to fake subtler compression ratios, by blending the squished compressed sound with the dry guitar.

Thanks. I was not aware of this mod and it looks very promising I will investigate it.

A big thank you to all of you!