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

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!

3923 comments

srthsrthrsth

https://datastudio.google.com/embed/s/ux-R9ziqxIc
https://datastudio.google.com/embed/s/t_jE7xq5C4U
https://datastudio.google.com/embed/s/r0rXog07lfY
https://datastudio.google.com/embed/s/vOAnsnUI3FI
https://datastudio.google.com/embed/s/rRSj9AoOWIw
https://datastudio.google.com/embed/s/rwQNH_Z1VYw
https://datastudio.google.com/embed/s/iLXi5PKehhk
https://datastudio.google.com/embed/s/qAvDyqIrT5s
https://datastudio.google.com/embed/s/n6Bp0DRw-q4
https://datastudio.google.com/embed/s/gci-Sdt_QEE
https://datastudio.google.com/embed/s/kbiV5S9fVS0
https://datastudio.google.com/embed/s/vLaAABbMlL0
https://datastudio.google.com/embed/s/uKDYnBV6Sd0
https://datastudio.google.com/embed/s/lCLTpilo6CI

srthsrthrsth

https://www.strava.com/athletes/147458860/posts/32275764
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147458860/posts/32275775
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147458860/posts/32275784
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147458860/posts/32275799
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147458860/posts/32275819
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147459276/posts/32275876
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147459276/posts/32275888
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147459276/posts/32275903
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147459276/posts/32275918
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147459276/posts/32275928
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147459276/posts/32275994
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147460178/posts/32276195
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147460178/posts/32276208
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147460178/posts/32276222
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147460178/posts/32276240
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147460484/posts/32276288
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147460484/posts/32276295
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147460484/posts/32276303
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147460484/posts/32276310
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147460720/posts/32276335

fgrtgd

https://www.strava.com/athletes/146382513/posts/32275702
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146382513/posts/32275719
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146382513/posts/32275729
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146382513/posts/32275737
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146382513/posts/32275746
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147459117/posts/32275811
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147459117/posts/32275823
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147459117/posts/32275844
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147459117/posts/32275854
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146384246/posts/32276124
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147459356/posts/32275911
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147459356/posts/32275921
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147459356/posts/32275930
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147459356/posts/32275944
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146560839/posts/32276027
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146560839/posts/32276037
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146560839/posts/32276045
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146560839/posts/32276053
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146560839/posts/32276086
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146384246/posts/32276118

fgrtgd

https://www.strava.com/athletes/146382513/posts/32275702
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146382513/posts/32275719
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146382513/posts/32275729
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146382513/posts/32275737
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146382513/posts/32275746
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147459117/posts/32275811
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147459117/posts/32275823
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147459117/posts/32275844
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147459117/posts/32275854
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146384246/posts/32276124
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147459356/posts/32275911
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147459356/posts/32275921
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147459356/posts/32275930
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147459356/posts/32275944
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146560839/posts/32276027
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146560839/posts/32276037
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146560839/posts/32276045
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146560839/posts/32276053
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146560839/posts/32276086
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146384246/posts/32276118

srthsrthrsth

https://www.facebook.com/events/443299558091886/
https://www.facebook.com/events/1261899055168626/
https://www.facebook.com/events/1731140084398891/
https://www.facebook.com/events/1678744276002865/
https://www.facebook.com/events/1678744276002865/
https://www.facebook.com/events/521915320530351/
https://www.facebook.com/events/1225365155286239/
https://www.facebook.com/events/1480172242644437/
https://www.facebook.com/events/856287492885425/
https://www.facebook.com/events/1788156592014575/
https://www.facebook.com/events/1026102588960894/
https://www.facebook.com/events/400897099704280/
https://www.facebook.com/events/470014152695660/
https://www.facebook.com/events/3774409989490399/
https://www.facebook.com/events/8598324873535519
https://www.facebook.com/events/441700388269645/
https://www.facebook.com/events/3952401205030046/
https://www.facebook.com/events/391828207080871/
https://www.facebook.com/events/1092872615532382/
https://www.facebook.com/events/1227763995077614/
https://www.facebook.com/events/859921106318741/
https://www.facebook.com/events/1241835167237161/
https://www.facebook.com/events/1721357375068339/
https://www.facebook.com/events/1218241296060714/
https://www.facebook.com/events/1289447955354969/

Leave a comment