Do you mind sharing the attack and release settings?
Helpful setting tips from my notes:
Compressor settings
Note:
The compressor will cause some distortion if the release rate is set too high along with a high attack rate. The compressor has been optimized for attack speed as this is what guitar players like. If you set the release rate too high, though, you can get distortion. The proper way to set the release rate is to observe the natural decay of your instrument and set the release rate just slightly faster than that. For the typical electric guitar this is around 3.0.
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Ringy
▪ THRSH: -17.8dB
▪ RATIO: 10:1
▪ ATT: 9.6 = (150ms)
▪ REL: 1.7-1.8 = (987ms)
This setting is heavily compressed, making chords and single notes thick and even, and sustain like, forever. The medium attack allows the guitar strings to ring, and the long release holds on to produce a massive, Neil Young-like sustain.
Chunky
▪ THRSH: -15.5dB
▪ RATIO: 5.1
▪ ATT: 9.98 = (11 ms)
▪ REL: 9.71 = (102 ms)
This is the fat, ballsy sound that drives many of the guitar-heavy bands of the late ’70s and early ’80s. It’s mildly compressed with a fast attack and a medium release, which allows all the strings - from low to high - to sound evenly for a massive punch. Think "Barracuda" by Heart.
Chicken Pickin’
▪ THRSH: -31.4dB
▪ RATIO: 6:1
▪ ATT: 10.0 = (1 ms)
▪ REL: 9.94 = (25 ms)
Play this sucker on a Telecaster and ride it all the way to Nashville. The fast attack nails the initial string impact, and the fast release lets it go pronto to minimize sustain. The result is a clean, snappy pluck that works great for those blazing cowboy cascades.
Smooth
▪ THRSH: -27.5dB
▪ RATIO: 10:1
▪ ATT: 9.88 = (50 ms)
▪ REL: 9.91 = (38 ms)
This setting is squashed pretty hard with a high threshold that pretty much grabs the entire signal to produce a sound with no sharp edges. The resultant velvety texture is wonderful for smooth jazz tracks and other sophisticated guitar tones.
Dramatic
▪ THRSH: -30dB
▪ RATIO: 7:1
▪ ATT: 9.2 = (250 ms)
▪ REL: 9.2 = (250 ms)
Clean notes that float in languid, ethereal sustain - think Ry Cooder’s brilliantly sparse lines on the Thelma & Louise soundtrack - are provided here. The slow attack allows the note attack to retain punch and impact, and the long release keeps the sound ringing. This expansive and evocative setting works great for slide parts, as well.
Funky
▪ THRSH: -21.6dB
▪ RATIO: 7:1
▪ ATT: 9.83 = (61 ms)
▪ REL: 9.84-9.86 = (84 ms)
To accentuate those funky, biting pick attacks - as heard on classic Sly Stone and Earth, Wind & Fire tracks - this medium attack and fast release does the trick.
Cool info, but this post is about the MBC not the Compressor...
Also, maybe just me, but your threshold values seem pretty low for standard guitars. Are these settings based on using high gain or active pickups?
I set my threshold at about -45db and that is still pretty mild for my guitars.
Maybe this is for compression after the amp?
which comp are you using for these??Helpful setting tips from my notes:
Compressor settings
Note:
The compressor will cause some distortion if the release rate is set too high along with a high attack rate. The compressor has been optimized for attack speed as this is what guitar players like. If you set the release rate too high, though, you can get distortion. The proper way to set the release rate is to observe the natural decay of your instrument and set the release rate just slightly faster than that. For the typical electric guitar this is around 3.0.
–––––––––––––––––––
Ringy
▪ THRSH: -17.8dB
▪ RATIO: 10:1
▪ ATT: 9.6 = (150ms)
▪ REL: 1.7-1.8 = (987ms)
This setting is heavily compressed, making chords and single notes thick and even, and sustain like, forever. The medium attack allows the guitar strings to ring, and the long release holds on to produce a massive, Neil Young-like sustain.
Chunky
▪ THRSH: -15.5dB
▪ RATIO: 5.1
▪ ATT: 9.98 = (11 ms)
▪ REL: 9.71 = (102 ms)
This is the fat, ballsy sound that drives many of the guitar-heavy bands of the late ’70s and early ’80s. It’s mildly compressed with a fast attack and a medium release, which allows all the strings - from low to high - to sound evenly for a massive punch. Think "Barracuda" by Heart.
Chicken Pickin’
▪ THRSH: -31.4dB
▪ RATIO: 6:1
▪ ATT: 10.0 = (1 ms)
▪ REL: 9.94 = (25 ms)
Play this sucker on a Telecaster and ride it all the way to Nashville. The fast attack nails the initial string impact, and the fast release lets it go pronto to minimize sustain. The result is a clean, snappy pluck that works great for those blazing cowboy cascades.
Smooth
▪ THRSH: -27.5dB
▪ RATIO: 10:1
▪ ATT: 9.88 = (50 ms)
▪ REL: 9.91 = (38 ms)
This setting is squashed pretty hard with a high threshold that pretty much grabs the entire signal to produce a sound with no sharp edges. The resultant velvety texture is wonderful for smooth jazz tracks and other sophisticated guitar tones.
Dramatic
▪ THRSH: -30dB
▪ RATIO: 7:1
▪ ATT: 9.2 = (250 ms)
▪ REL: 9.2 = (250 ms)
Clean notes that float in languid, ethereal sustain - think Ry Cooder’s brilliantly sparse lines on the Thelma & Louise soundtrack - are provided here. The slow attack allows the note attack to retain punch and impact, and the long release keeps the sound ringing. This expansive and evocative setting works great for slide parts, as well.
Funky
▪ THRSH: -21.6dB
▪ RATIO: 7:1
▪ ATT: 9.83 = (61 ms)
▪ REL: 9.84-9.86 = (84 ms)
To accentuate those funky, biting pick attacks - as heard on classic Sly Stone and Earth, Wind & Fire tracks - this medium attack and fast release does the trick.
which comp are you using for these??
,Cool info, but this post is about the MBC not the Compressor...
Also, maybe just me, but your threshold values seem pretty low for standard guitars. Are these settings based on using high gain or active pickups?
I set my threshold at about -45db and that is still pretty mild for my guitars.
Maybe this is for compression after the amp?
Those posted settings are not for the multiband compression...
I find that 'Threshold' settings can vary depending on the guitar, the amp 'type' used, and how much the master cranked up. I'm no expert.....
the settings in the first post sound like bass reduction to me; the settings are very mild. a similar result might have been reached by just reducing the bass knob or something similar?
Yes, I reach a similar result by lowering the bass knob, but some frequencies are too problematic (btw 110-140 Hz), and they are extremely resonant during the palm mutes. To reduce that extremity, I'm having to lower the bass very much, and the result is thin sounding.
@JOHNNYROCKIT, thanks for the settings by the way.
the overall result though is that the bass is "controlled" which also happens by just reducing those frequencies. MBC takes a lot of CPU, and just using that 1 band might be a bit of a CPU waste for some presets just for that result.By compressing the bass you reduce its dynamic, not the same as lowering the bass knob.
the settings in the first post sound like bass reduction to me; the settings are very mild. a similar result might have been reached by just reducing the bass knob or something similar?
Definitely. I'm just saying those compressor settings seem pretty mild and some may not have CPU room to use what's suggested here, and that some bass reduction via EQ might get a similar result.The tone stack can affect amp gain and therefore be non-linear, but a compressor in general is always non-linear and different than EQ.