Recording Handbook - Hol.gr

good thing can be bad. Too much compression can leave your sound dull
and choppy.
pseo@mail2.sas.upenn.edu (Peter S Seo) writes:
[S]ay you're playing the guitar for instance, and for some reason, the
dynamics (loudness, volume, whatever) of each pluck is different maybe
because you're just really bad at playing guitar. (btw, i'm not
inferring that [only bad guitar players] use compression...)
[Compression will] "smooth" out the signals, the plucking, so that
each pluck will be of the same output level or volume.. it makes the
signal much "tighter" i suppose.. this helps out alot for vocals
too.. but it is something that you the musician have to decide to
use.. maybe you don't want it smooth..
you can also use a compressor to sustain a guitar signal.. though someone
else will have to explain how that works.. all i know is that it does.
benl@mojo.europe.dg.com (Ben Last) writes:
Same way as it sustains everything else: You pick the string. The
note starts, and as it goes on, it gets quieter. Without a
compressor, it'd die away. What the compressor does it to keep
'turning up the volume' so that the note appears to stay the same
level. Eventually, the volume (amplitude) of the note coming from the
guitar gets so quiet that the compressor gives up and turns the volume
92
92