Bass Compressor Pedals
What does a guitar compressor do?
A bass compressor is totally essential for your sound, since the bass guitar is an instrument with great variations in dynamic. That is to say, variations on the volumen while playing. A compressor is an electronic processor that reduces the dynamic range of the signal. That is, the difference between the weakest sound and the loudest, generating a more constant and, therefore, defined signal.
Typically a compressor usually has the following parameters:
- Threshold: It is the parameter that indicates to the compressor from which signal level it is going to act, and is measured in decibels. The lower the threshold, the more of the signal will be processed.
- Ratio: Indicates the amount of signal reduction and is usually expressed as two numbers. For example, a 4: 1 ratio indicates the compressor that once the signal level exceeds the amount set in the threshold, the signal level is allowed to decrease 1 dB for every 4 dB of increase in signal.
- Attack: This is the time it takes for the compressor to compress the signal once it exceeds the threshold level and is measured in microseconds and miliseconds.
- Decay (Release): It is the time it takes for the compressor to stop compressing and is measured in microseconds and miliseconds.
- Gain: Increases or decreases the signal level. Normally is used to compensate for the level that is lost when compressing.