Compressor Dynamics type.

That's just it I never said it was a problem for one ....now he singled me ot saying I'm killing my attack with these settings. Not true it would be like telling someone their mix setting on their reverb is not right. Maybe I overreacted but the principal still stands.
 
let's move on from this please. one person sets it one way, another sets it a different way. while it is a fact that fast attack settings will reduce the high-end from transients, it's also a fact that reducing the mix from 100% will bring some of it back as well.

both statements are correct, and at that point it is simply preference. i think the "argument" if there was one is over.

let's get back to the Original Post and question. thanks.
 
I'm glad all the attacking has cooled down (seems to be an issue with most forums, when we all have strong opinions). I've always felt all input is good input. And for sure we all have different ears. It took me a long while to accept the live sounds I've created, because I hate them by themselves. But after listening to many isolated tracks, I realized I was not alone. So I and followed other live user's advice and adjusted my EQ for guitar and not bass guitar (yea we all like the chunk).
To satisfy me I created 2 presets for each sound (1 for live and 1 for bedroom).
Now, I have a question about compression. My style is mostly classic rock and 80s, with some new retro in there as well. I want good sustain, but have not been able to achieve it. I know it's possible because I've seen way too many videos and know it's there. So with that said, what am I doing wrong? I'm using compression block with around -40 threshold, + or - 4:1 ratio, around 25ms attack and 100ms release. I've tried a few suggestions and it either muffles the tone or sucks the life right out of my guitar. I'm very happy with all my tone settings (created from scratch after trying to tweak the many available presets). But I just need some more resonance. I like pick attack (which I have) and want sustain. Thanks in advance - Tommy
 
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Tommy Tempest said:
I'm glad all the attacking has cooled down (seems to be an issue with most forums, when we all have strong opinions). I've always felt all input is good input. And for sure we all have different ears. It took me a long while to accept the live sounds I've created, because I hate them by themselves. But after listening to many isolated tracks, I realized I was not alone. So I and followed other live user's advice and adjusted my EQ for guitar and not bass guitar (yea we all like the chunk).
To satisfy me I created 2 presets for each sound (1 for live and 1 for bedroom).
Now, I have a question about compression. My style is mostly classic rock and 80s, with some new retro in there as well. I want good sustain, but have not been able to achieve it. I know it's possible because I've seen way too many videos and know it's there. So with that said, what am I doing wrong? I'm using compression block with around -40 threshold, + or - 4:1 ratio, around 25ms attack and 100ms release. I've tried a few suggestions and it either muffles the tone or sucks the life right out of my guitar. I'm very happy with all my tone settings (created from scratch after trying to tweak the many available presets). But I just need some more resonance. I like pick attack (which I have) and want sustain. Thanks in advance - Tommy
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I get the most sustain from using a drive block with a high amount of level, really pushing the amps to that singing lead tone. That gets me pretty far using a bolt on neck guitar. I can't do that Parisienne Walkways (Gary Moore) thing, but I get real close.
 
Thanks for the input. I like the drive blocks and use them occasionally (mostly TS808). But my distortion is more of a classic rock crunch. It's dirty enough for distortion, but cleaner than metal. I've tried the drive block with various settings and the only thing that works ok is when I use no or low level. But it doesn't help the sustain a lot. I could try lowering the amp gain and then feed the amp with a drive block. An example setting would be amp block using solo 100, gain 6.7 master full, which was the default, eq and graphic eq to taste. I like the tone of the Fractal Greenback cab, so I've been using it a lot.
 
Attack time is the really important parameter. I usually have it set quite slow so that the pick attack gets through - adding articulation, bring the guitar forward in a mix and generally making soloing easier. For 'comping' behind a singer or in a background situation it can be useful to speed up the compressor attack to sit the guitar back in the track more easily. There are loads of tricks to be done with compressors but the attack time is the parameter that tends to get adjusted a lot. I find the different compressors in the AFX really effective.
In my 'Purple Rain' patch I've both the pedal version on the beginning of the chain and the multi at the end - nice.
 
Max_H said:
I get the most sustain from using a drive block with a high amount of level, really pushing the amps to that singing lead tone. That gets me pretty far using a bolt on neck guitar. I can't do that Parisienne Walkways (Gary Moore) thing, but I get real close.
Click to expand...
Try disabling the Drive block and simply turning up the Input Trim - similar effect, without the EQ change.
 
Wolfenstein98k said:
Try disabling the Drive block and simply turning up the Input Trim - similar effect, without the EQ change.
Click to expand...

I haven't experimented a lot with the input trim. I'll give that a go.

Tommy Tempest said:
Thanks for the input. I like the drive blocks and use them occasionally (mostly TS808). But my distortion is more of a classic rock crunch. It's dirty enough for distortion, but cleaner than metal. I've tried the drive block with various settings and the only thing that works ok is when I use no or low level. But it doesn't help the sustain a lot. I could try lowering the amp gain and then feed the amp with a drive block. An example setting would be amp block using solo 100, gain 6.7 master full, which was the default, eq and graphic eq to taste. I like the tone of the Fractal Greenback cab, so I've been using it a lot.
Click to expand...

Im not saying you're wrong about your settings with the Solo 100, but for me at least, a gain of setting of 6.7 is too high. I don't know what kind of guitars you have but for me, I can't turn the gain up past 3 without it becoming a flubby bass-y mess. I personally like to get my drive from a drive pedal and not the input drive on the amp block. Although, that changes by the amp and what sort of tone im going for. Solo tone, hell yeah, drive pedal all the way. Rhythm tone, I'll probably stick with the amp block. Then again, this is all simply my own preference considering my own guitars and setup, haha.
 
Max_H said:
Im not saying you're wrong about your settings with the Solo 100, but for me at least, a gain of setting of 6.7 is too high. I don't know what kind of guitars you have but for me, I can't turn the gain up past 3 without it becoming a flubby bass-y mess. I personally like to get my drive from a drive pedal and not the input drive on the amp block.
Click to expand...

Try the Cut switch on the amp in tandem with higher Input Drive. Also consider turning down the bass itself, and compensating with the amp EQ, post preamp. :)
 
Wolfenstein98k said:
Try the Cut switch on the amp in tandem with higher Input Drive. Also consider turning down the bass itself, and compensating with the amp EQ, post preamp. :)
Click to expand...

Haha this is basically my routine for most amps in the axe fx and I believe that I just hate Bass. I don't know if many other people are like that but if im NOT turning bass down AND using the cut switch, it must be a full moon or something haha.
 
Tommy Tempest said:
I'm glad all the attacking has cooled down (seems to be an issue with most forums, when we all have strong opinions). I've always felt all input is good input. And for sure we all have different ears. It took me a long while to accept the live sounds I've created, because I hate them by themselves. But after listening to many isolated tracks, I realized I was not alone. So I and followed other live user's advice and adjusted my EQ for guitar and not bass guitar (yea we all like the chunk).
To satisfy me I created 2 presets for each sound (1 for live and 1 for bedroom).
Now, I have a question about compression. My style is mostly classic rock and 80s, with some new retro in there as well. I want good sustain, but have not been able to achieve it. I know it's possible because I've seen way too many videos and know it's there. So with that said, what am I doing wrong? I'm using compression block with around -40 threshold, + or - 4:1 ratio, around 25ms attack and 100ms release. I've tried a few suggestions and it either muffles the tone or sucks the life right out of my guitar. I'm very happy with all my tone settings (created from scratch after trying to tweak the many available presets). But I just need some more resonance. I like pick attack (which I have) and want sustain. Thanks in advance - Tommy
Click to expand...
You can also try to turn up motor drive in the cab block
 
Max_H said:
Will that increase sustain?
Click to expand...
It depends, on high gain sounds it doesn't add that much since the amount of gain already compresses a lot, on clean and crunchy/bluesy sounds it works wonders (at least for me)
Max_H said:
How does that work? (serious question)
Click to expand...
It simulates the thermal compression introduced by the speaker, something we probably experience when playing with real amps at high volumes. Basically it works similar to a compressor placed after the cab.
You can also try the output comp in the amp block set to feedback if motor drive doesn't work
 
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