Mark Scrivener
Inspired
Awesome thread! I've only had my III a short time but starting to play with the compressor models at the end of the signal chain - since I often compress on mix down in the studio. I am fortunate to have the actual hardware for many of the classic compressors.....will have to do more experimenting with the models in the III to see how they compare but here are some of my go to setups for mixdown with the real hardware -
And while all of that is hardware, I often use tape emulation software - as kind of a mild eq and compression. So that is another type of "compression" to consider when molding your tone.
BTW - I find mic choice just as important as compressor settings to get the sound I want when recording. Mics don't just shape tone, but they can react to dynamics in non linear ways too - and therefore "compress" the signal. The cab models with the Fractal products are joy to use in this regard as the mic is usually specified in the cab model - which makes getting the sound I want supper easy. And while I mic up acoustic instruments and vocalists, I haven't mic'd up a guitar amp in quite some time now thanks to the Fractals! (Come to think of it - I mic'd up an acoustic today with an R44 to create a IR off the DI with the Axe Fx III for live use! Sounded awesome - esp compared to the piezo).
For clean guitars (electric or acoustic) I like to use an LA3A and just shave a few DB off the top then boost the gain stage - just sounds nice. The LA3A is an opto, but not as colored as the LA2A (I have one of those too). 3:1 is the ratio I like best with this box...no attack or release controls on these. Makes it quick to dial in a great sound.
Guitars with lots of drive tend to already be highly compressed so I seldom compress them unless I really need the color of a compressor.
My go to for both upright and electric bass is the EL-8 Distressor. Just shave a few db off the top at 3:1 or so...around mid way on both attack and release. Very little tweaking required and always seems to just make the bass sound better.
My 1176's mainly get used for vocals, same with the LA2A, but occasionally I use them on guitars - though I almost always prefer the LA3A.
The API2500 lives on my drum buss. It is great on just about everything, but I only have one and nothing else comes close to what it does on drums. The Drawmer 1968 MKII is pretty cool on drums as well, and come to think of it does great with guitars too.
SSL (really a TK Audio BC-1, but same circuit) sits on the stereo bus - beautifully transparent. So I guess the guitars are always going through it as well.
Guitars with lots of drive tend to already be highly compressed so I seldom compress them unless I really need the color of a compressor.
My go to for both upright and electric bass is the EL-8 Distressor. Just shave a few db off the top at 3:1 or so...around mid way on both attack and release. Very little tweaking required and always seems to just make the bass sound better.
My 1176's mainly get used for vocals, same with the LA2A, but occasionally I use them on guitars - though I almost always prefer the LA3A.
The API2500 lives on my drum buss. It is great on just about everything, but I only have one and nothing else comes close to what it does on drums. The Drawmer 1968 MKII is pretty cool on drums as well, and come to think of it does great with guitars too.
SSL (really a TK Audio BC-1, but same circuit) sits on the stereo bus - beautifully transparent. So I guess the guitars are always going through it as well.
And while all of that is hardware, I often use tape emulation software - as kind of a mild eq and compression. So that is another type of "compression" to consider when molding your tone.
BTW - I find mic choice just as important as compressor settings to get the sound I want when recording. Mics don't just shape tone, but they can react to dynamics in non linear ways too - and therefore "compress" the signal. The cab models with the Fractal products are joy to use in this regard as the mic is usually specified in the cab model - which makes getting the sound I want supper easy. And while I mic up acoustic instruments and vocalists, I haven't mic'd up a guitar amp in quite some time now thanks to the Fractals! (Come to think of it - I mic'd up an acoustic today with an R44 to create a IR off the DI with the Axe Fx III for live use! Sounded awesome - esp compared to the piezo).