Do I need a compressor pedal

[Thisisme]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi TIM

Chances are you ARE strumming louder than you finger pick. So if you are going to get that to match through an amp/PA, you will likely need to either soften your strumming or use some compression to limit how loud the strumming gets.

Having recorded a lot of guitarists, strumming is almost always louder than finger picking.

Acoustics are strange becuase if I’m in my bedroom when I fingerpick it’s not that much quieter than when I strum but if I’m in a loudish environment or plugged in out busking there is a huge difference in volume between strumming and fingerpicking. Buy looking at the Fred I think I need a volume pedal. Although I’ve seen guitarists not use them and they switch between strumming and fingerpicking absolutely fine which makes me feel I don’t need a volume pedal and need something else. Or maybe I should just learn to eq my guitar better and the problem arises from not equalising my guitar better. I’m not shure

[varmonter]

Originally Posted by Thisisme

Acoustics are strange becuase if I’m in my bedroom when I fingerpick it’s not that much quieter than when I strum but if I’m in a loudish environment or plugged in out busking there is a huge difference in volume between strumming and fingerpicking. Buy looking at the Fred I think I need a volume pedal. Although I’ve seen guitarists not use them and they switch between strumming and fingerpicking absolutely fine which makes me feel I don’t need a volume pedal and need something else. Or maybe I should just learn to eq my guitar better and the problem arises from not equalising my guitar better. I’m not shure

This is why i use compression . Again its not a matter
of on or off its a matter if setting it at the right point where you cut out all the
overtones while strumming yet there is little or no comp in your
soft parts. If you creep your volume like the person
described above you also have to change your comp or you will squash
your fingerstyle. I dont play live without it anymore. most folks dont know im
using it at all.

[lkingston]

Originally Posted by ljguitar

Hi TIM



Chances are you ARE strumming louder than you finger pick. So if you are going to get that to match through an amp/PA, you will likely need to either soften your strumming or use some compression to limit how loud the strumming gets.



Having recorded a lot of guitarists, strumming is almost always louder than finger picking.

My vote is for the “soften your strumming” option. Yes it takes some practice to be able to match your strumming and fingerpicking volumes. It is well worth the effort though as it opens up being able to mix picking and strumming within the same song (which I now use all the time).

I’m a real believer in being able to control your dynamics with your fingers and your vocals with mic distance, especially for small gigs without a sound person.

I did live sound for a little over 25 years. One of the main things with live sound is making singing guitarists sound good. Typically, the talent will strum at one volume, and sing louder or softer depending upon the pitch and intensity of the vocal part.

I would bring their guitar up a bit between vocals, duck it under their voice when they sang, boost the heck out of the guitar when they finger picked, bring the vocal mic up during soft breathy parts, and cut it way back when they were screaming. Yes, I would also use compressors, but just barely. Otherwise it would kill the dynamics.

When you sing and play guitar through a simple amp or PA, you don’t have someone making these adjustments for you, so you have to do it yourself. I’ve seen people who can do wonders with a volume pedal (Mark Knopfler and Tuck Andress), but I have chosen to control my guitar volume with finger technique and my vocal volume with mic distance. Both take practice.

On guitar, you lower your average level so that you can dig in a little to have fills between phrases have equal weight to the vocals. You match your strumming and finger style volumes. You duck your guitar under the vocals (both in volume and complexity) while singing.

On vocals I keep my Audix OM5 (or 3) in my guitar case so I can always use it, even at open mics. I sing average volume parts an inch or two away from the mic. For soft sensitive parts I eat the mic. If I’m driving or trying to reach really high notes full voice I pull back ten or 15 inches. If I’m holding out a long note, I’ll gradually move into the mic.

I just bought an Audix OM7. It sounds about the same as the OM5 but that whole mic distance thing is compressed into about a three inch range. I don’t like it yet but I’m trying to get used to it.

I try to be my own soundman and do a decent job at it. Otherwise I have have to buy my own drinks during breaks... ;-)

[lkingston]

I just want to add here that control of dynamics is one of the things magnetic and mag/mic combo pickups excel at. Body sensing pickups made from materials that generate voltage when they flex always exaggerate the dynamics. It’s just the nature of the physics behind the design. The other day I accidentally stumbled into an open mic and played a set with the house guitar with piezo pickup. I did some uptempo jazz and it was fine, but there is no way I could do my more dynamic material. For that I would need a mic or a better pickup.

[lkingston]

One more thing:

I just moved to Asheville N.C. and the other night I saw one of the many bluegrass band that play here. There wasn’t a pickup on stage and everyone was doing what mic amplified bluegrass musicians always do: controlling their dynamics by their distance from the microphone. That wouldn’t work with my soft no-nails fingerstyle, but boy does it work well with the louder flatpicked bluegrass style of singing and playing! When it is your turn to shine, you just take a step towards the mic. When your moment in the sun is over, you just step back and go back to blending in. Brilliant!

[varmonter]

Originally Posted by lkingston

One more thing:

I just moved to Asheville N.C. and the other night I saw one of the many bluegrass band that play here. There wasn’t a pickup on stage and everyone was doing what mic amplified bluegrass musicians always do: controlling their dynamics by their distance from the microphone. That wouldn’t work with my soft no-nails fingerstyle, but boy does it work well with the louder flatpicked bluegrass style of singing and playing! When it is your turn to shine, you just take a step towards the mic. When your moment in the sun is over, you just step back and go back to blending in. Brilliant!

I like watching them dance in and out from
a single large condensor mic. It adds alot to the show.
I generally think they have greater distance from mic to
speaker than I usually get at the venues i play. Helps with volume before feedback.
My wife and i enjoyed our trip to asheville. We saw Mark Oconner one night and billy strings
another. Both excellent shows. We thought of retireing there. But a bit too big city
for our tastes. But the music is great.

[Thisisme]

Originally Posted by lkingston

I just want to add here that control of dynamics is one of the things magnetic and mag/mic combo pickups excel at. Body sensing pickups made from materials that generate voltage when they flex always exaggerate the dynamics. It’s just the nature of the physics behind the design. The other day I accidentally stumbled into an open mic and played a set with the house guitar with piezo pickup. I did some uptempo jazz and it was fine, but there is no way I could do my more dynamic material. For that I would need a mic or a better pickup.

Sorry I don’t understand. I have literally just ordered an lr Baggs active m1 soundhole pick up for my second weissenborn. I may try it with my acoustic guitar when I recieve it. Are you saying a soundhole pickup works better for evening out the volume between strumming and fingerpicking? If so is that due to it being more compressed than other kind of pickups. Ps I use a k&k which isn’t compressed at all?

[varmonter]

Originally Posted by Thisisme

Sorry I don’t understand. I have literally just ordered an lr Baggs active m1 soundhole pick up for my second weissenborn. I may try it with my acoustic guitar when I recieve it. Are you saying a soundhole pickup works better for evening out the volume between strumming and fingerpicking? If so is that due to it being more compressed than other kind of pickups. Ps I use a k&k which isn’t compressed at all?

I dont think its compressed as much as its a difference
between a piezo and a mag. I think a piezo reacts
differently in that the harder the attack the more the disc flexes exponentially.
Where as the magnetic responds in a more linear fasion.
If that makes any sense...

[lkingston]

Originally Posted by varmonter

I dont think its compressed as much as its a difference

between a piezo and a mag. I think a piezo reacts

differently in that the harder the attack the more the disc flexes exponentially.

Where as the magnetic responds in a more linear fasion.

If that makes any sense...

Yes that's it exactly.