Explained : Compressor should go before overdrive, or after overdrive?
Should compressor go before overdrive, or after overdrive? I saw many of this questions on Internet.
There is no correct answer for this, and many videos and forums explain the difference with excellent demos. In this article I will explain from more technical point of view by using some oscilloscope screenshots.
What is compressor, what is overdrive?
Before we check graphs, I want to explain what the compressor is and what the overdrive is. Basically compressor compresses the signal when input signal reaches threshold and more. Overdrive pedals do very similar thing. Actually, overdrive can be described as boost + high compression ratio compressor. So there is no wonder the fact that overdrive hides compressor result. If you give extreme gain to overdrive, there is no difference to add compressor (In perfect world. In real world, there are another factor like tone circuit gonna change the tone, so there is the difference).
1. Compressor AFTER overdrive
Here is real screenshot of oscilloscope. Blue is the result of big signal, and yellow is the result of small signal. All input signal is sine wave.
As you see, big signal is clipped by overdrive, and compressor doesn't do much for the big signal. For small signal, compressor enhance the volume. In result, this configuration keeps your picking nuance, but equalizes the volume. Other words, when you play weaker note, you will hear tone difference (less distortion), but volume will be kept.
2. Compressor BEFORE overdrive
Let's move on next. This graph shows the result of Compressor before overdrive configuration. Difference of big and small signal is much less than first configuration because compressor equalizes the volume to overdrive. This will hide signal size difference and the signal will be more equally clipped by overdrive section. Your playing will be more equalized and tone will be constant regardless how hard you pick the string. This configuration is suitable when you prefer more consistent tone and volume.
I hope this article helps to understand the difference!
2967 comments
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623839338889216/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623831369547777/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623662544617472/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623856795451392/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623871452446721/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623857690935296/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623871641255937/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623858613682176/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623872543096832/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623860320763904/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623860819951616/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623861052801024/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623872958332928/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623864833900545/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623841354088449/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623841893089280/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623848295661569/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623866217955328/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623862805856257/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623863219093504/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623863552606208/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623864523587584/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623865104367617/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623851825266689/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623868306718721/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623852358008833/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623868612870145/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623854729887745/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623868902440961/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623866989707264/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623867159543808/
https://www.facebook.com/a.substancia.filme.portugues/
https://www.facebook.com/a.substancia.filme.portugues/videos/1459081831472189
https://www.facebook.com/a.substancia.filme.portugues/videos/877276510786639
https://www.facebook.com/a.substancia.filme.portugues/videos/861791149265994
https://www.facebook.com/a.substancia.filme.portugues/videos/3906946762860583
https://www.facebook.com/a.substancia.filme.portugues/videos/8250273391758497
https://hackmd.io/@megacinemaxhd/SyeWGlaRR
https://penzu.com/p/ed2acedb970e1246
https://imgur.com/gallery/vzxgfs-gsadgvags-asduwqasas-tv4xHpe
https://kelex5.gumroad.com/l/cynaf
https://mssg.me/jlml0
https://app.daily.dev/posts/vsagdh-asdha-r51wcvbsd
https://profile.hatena.ne.jp/myshowflikxz/profile
https://pastebin.com/4zjqD7vn
https://bitbin.it/bhRYg2dc/
https://justpaste.it/enzrt
https://ideone.com/i5hs4A
https://paiza.io/projects/2Ns4Olba0mHob2icdWtufA
https://tempel.in/view/RJ0XW
https://pastelink.net/00d66abi
https://paste.myst.rs/jgb7oiyy
https://paste.feed-the-beast.com/view/902417ea
https://www.pastery.net/dfbbye/
https://yamcode.com/cjnvxjcv-xcvjxckjv-xcjv-xcvdfsd
https://telegra.ph/jctooorrr-10-04
https://rentry.co/mbeviyfc
https://groups.google.com/g/vision-uhd/c/j6rFZNg6q5s
https://herbalmeds-forum.biolife.com.my/d/178774-jctooorrr
https://sharetext.me/jgh0xhyyo6
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623952433971200/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623952643686400/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623952884924416/
https://www.honor.com/mea/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623949894385665/
https://www.honor.com/mea/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623950385119233/
https://www.honor.com/mea/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623950796062720/
https://www.honor.com/mea-ar/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623949894385665/
https://www.honor.com/mea-ar/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623950385119233/
https://www.honor.com/mea-ar/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623950796062720/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623900969926656/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623901429104641/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623901745938433/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623902203052032/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623902798577664/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623903197003776/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623903885033473/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623904197345280/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623904455393280/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623905034141697/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623905331937280/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623905753595905/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623908125409280/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623908450467841/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623908702060544/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623911403159552/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623911642267649/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623911862468608/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623912428765184/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623912659517440/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623912883847169/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623923990429696/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623924223082496/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623924445511680/
https://open.kattis.com/contests/gcf3yf
https://open.kattis.com/contests/oem9j3
https://open.kattis.com/contests/iuuvtt
https://open.kattis.com/contests/w4trda
https://hackmd.io/@nQ4qrStbQR2wEB2QRwjK-Q/BybIkXpCA
https://jsitor.com/iVZVyzaNAC
https://jsfiddle.net/cinemahdplayfilm/ew47kLro/
https://jsbin.com/bukubuwita/edit?html,output
https://paste.ee/p/GJnXY
https://snippet.host/qtoykz
https://pastebin.com/YC9YiXZZ
https://pastelink.net/hcmudvli
https://www.etextpad.com/ulq4yv5be5
https://justpaste.it/elajt
https://yamcode.com/box-office
https://paiza.io/projects/V1o9dB27yXcMv8BXd0SW9Q
https://bitbin.it/jGAYwb7l/
https://paste.intergen.online/view/6227104c
https://rentry.co/ye28pfgb
https://paste.feed-the-beast.com/view/08f36d73
https://dictanote.co/n/1079440/
https://rextester.com/NGLX78483
https://www.onlinegdb.com/fork/_KWx624M9
https://justpaste.me/wdUo2
https://rom.curseforge.com/paste/b6014ee8
https://dev.bukkit.org/paste/f8b82c79
https://www.wowace.com/paste/603f11f0
https://rift.curseforge.com/paste/3f57adb3
https://wow.curseforge.com/paste/05df6d43
https://authors-old.curseforge.com/paste/ad232e15
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623916063195137/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623916119687169/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623916459556865/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623926221668353/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623926255353856/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623927576494080/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623928191025152/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623928234901504/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623928310562817/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623928566415360/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623928805425152/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623929006751744/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623929363333121/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623929413664768/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623929447088128/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623929992413185/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623930023772161/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623930059587584/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623930850082817/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623930728513537/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623893478899712/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623893518680064/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623893959147521/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623894720413696/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623894781231105/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623894821076992/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623895169138689/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623896073076737/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623896639373313/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623898734264320/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623898778468352/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623899835269121/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623899868921856/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623899906605057/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623900389081089/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623900424732672/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623900456189953/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623900865069056/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623900900655105/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623900930015232/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623901284499456/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623901317988352/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623901355737088/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623901620043777/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623901653598208/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623901823533057/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623902884691968/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623902934859777/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623902769217537/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623904352567296/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623904373669888/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623904379961345/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623905138999297/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623905382268929/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623905415790593/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623905956855809/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623905990410240/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623906022031361/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623906831368193/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623906982461440/
https://www.honor.com/globalgm/club/topicdetail/topicid-3623906934292481/
https://github.com/bintang-malam/-2024-HD-BD
https://github.com/bintang-malam/—-NEW_2024.16K-
https://github.com/bintang-malam/-2024-korean-Seoul
https://github.com/bintang-malam/-2024-4K-
https://github.com/bintang-malam/-2024—-KOREAN
https://github.com/bintang-malam/-Love-in-the-Big-City-.2024I-
https://github.com/bintang-malam/-Full—KOREA-2024.4K-
https://github.com/bintang-malam/-KOREA.HD-
https://github.com/bintang-malam/—-NEW_Full_-.2024-
https://github.com/bintang-malam/-2024-KOREAN-HD-