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!

4581 comments

dfyh

https://www.strava.com/athletes/146383082/posts/32183124
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146383082/posts/32183192
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146383082/posts/32183195
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146383082/posts/32183197
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146383082/posts/32183199
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146383526/posts/32183259
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146383526/posts/32183261
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146383526/posts/32183262
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146383526/posts/32183265
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146383526/posts/32183267
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146384123/posts/32183347
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146384123/posts/32183349
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146384123/posts/32183350
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146384123/posts/32183352
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146384123/posts/32183354
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146384336/posts/32183380
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146384336/posts/32183382
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146384336/posts/32183383
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146384336/posts/32183386
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146384336/posts/32183387
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146384525/posts/32183453
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146384525/posts/32183454
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146384525/posts/32183456
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146384525/posts/32183457
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146384525/posts/32183458
https://pastelink.net/uiosajub
https://wokwi.com/projects/408652029104178177
https://authors-old.curseforge.com/paste/6e1c22ee
https://dev.bukkit.org/paste/3ba72191
https://authors-old.curseforge.com/paste/7ce9ac0b
https://paiza.io/projects/AgD8P0Y-0s-dQmyYPMWtMA?language=php
https://hackmd.io/Ff5MSg2pQxq-b2f0qhoSLg
https://jsfiddle.net/b6ctv4wf/
https://telegra.ph/WAETED-09-10
https://p.ip.fi/dKiq
https://paste.myst.rs/bmtjw7no
https://rift.curseforge.com/paste/5fe27e87
https://glot.io/snippets/gzt46v4wca
https://paste.kodi.tv/fekukejico

dfyh

https://www.strava.com/athletes/147134488/posts/32183515
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147134488/posts/32183517
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147134488/posts/32183518
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147134488/posts/32183519
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147134488/posts/32183520
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147134693/posts/32183572
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147134693/posts/32183573
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147134693/posts/32183576
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147134693/posts/32183578
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147134693/posts/32183579
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147134856/posts/32183618
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147134856/posts/32183620
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147134856/posts/32183622
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147134856/posts/32183625
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147134856/posts/32183627
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147135015/posts/32183676
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147135015/posts/32183677
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147135015/posts/32183678
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147135015/posts/32183680
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147135015/posts/32183681
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147135248/posts/32183741
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147135248/posts/32183742
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147135248/posts/32183743
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147135248/posts/32183744
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147135248/posts/32183747
https://pastelink.net/xxnjyhlt
https://wokwi.com/projects/408651392296498177
https://authors-old.curseforge.com/paste/6f350e4e
https://dev.bukkit.org/paste/896add7b
https://authors-old.curseforge.com/paste/b1b9a679
https://paiza.io/projects/GZ2Ay56Pos77wieeEKVjiA?language=php
https://hackmd.io/9E0TfHg9TqepqL8qJPciLw
https://jsfiddle.net/5bm1jyc3/
https://telegra.ph/aweter-09-10
https://p.ip.fi/4o52
https://paste.myst.rs/mnk894h8
https://rift.curseforge.com/paste/fc8c28d2
https://glot.io/snippets/gzt3xrfomc
https://paste.kodi.tv/ojevepahuw

sdfyhfju

https://www.strava.com/athletes/145723234/posts/32183817
https://www.strava.com/athletes/145723234/posts/32183825
https://www.strava.com/athletes/145723234/posts/32183831
https://www.strava.com/athletes/145723234/posts/32183836
https://www.strava.com/athletes/145723234/posts/32183844
https://www.strava.com/athletes/145723234/posts/32183860
https://www.strava.com/athletes/145723234/posts/32183865
https://www.strava.com/athletes/145723234/posts/32183867
https://www.strava.com/athletes/145723234/posts/32183870
https://www.strava.com/athletes/145723234/posts/32183874
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146867292/posts/32183889
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146867292/posts/32183895
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146867292/posts/32183901
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146867292/posts/32183909
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146867292/posts/32183913
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146383029/posts/32183961
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146383029/posts/32183966
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146383029/posts/32183975
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146383029/posts/32184001
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146383029/posts/32184042
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146383029/posts/32183975
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146636133/posts/32184121
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146636133/posts/32184134
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146636133/posts/32184140
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146636133/posts/32184182
https://pastelink.net/ypvhtg9s
https://wokwi.com/projects/408650568574857217
https://authors-old.curseforge.com/paste/20fe9cbc
https://dev.bukkit.org/paste/ae3f4714
https://authors-old.curseforge.com/paste/766e27a4
https://paiza.io/projects/_Ep9K9qCH5Nrj3NZH3m5kA?language=php
https://hackmd.io/7ahnUVVOQaWU-3q0ZHyrfw
https://jsfiddle.net/164q2evt/
https://telegra.ph/awerte-09-10
https://p.ip.fi/b5Lg
https://paste.myst.rs/yv4bx24e
https://rift.curseforge.com/paste/1ee2a1e9
https://glot.io/snippets/gzt3l8k6n9
https://paste.kodi.tv/satuhizazu

dfyh

https://www.honor.com/uk/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619633286348801/
https://www.honor.com/uk/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619633339170816/
https://www.honor.com/uk/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619633393696769/
https://www.honor.com/uk/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619633460445184/
https://www.honor.com/uk/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619633532141568/
https://www.honor.com/uk/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619633597120512/
https://www.honor.com/uk/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619633647091713/
https://www.honor.com/uk/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619633699487744/
https://www.honor.com/uk/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619633806475264/
https://www.honor.com/uk/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619633865555968/
https://flexclassifiedads.com/services/other-services/awrtedt_i242351
https://flexclassifiedads.com/services/other-services/wetrsertgydr_i242353
https://flexclassifiedads.com/services/other-services/qwrtwesd_i242355
https://flexclassifiedads.com/services/other-services/aertweyqw_i242359
https://flexclassifiedads.com/services/other-services/awrw3_i242368
https://flexclassifiedads.com/services/other-services/qwer4qwsrt_i242371
https://flexclassifiedads.com/services/other-services/qwre4w_i242375
https://flexclassifiedads.com/services/other-services/qawrset_i242380
https://flexclassifiedads.com/services/other-services/qwrwe4t5_i242382
https://flexclassifiedads.com/services/other-services/qwrwertg_i242396
https://pastelink.net/9e455y8d
https://wokwi.com/projects/376455861429986305
https://authors-old.curseforge.com/paste/532b8fc6
https://dev.bukkit.org/paste/70e65d32
https://authors-old.curseforge.com/paste/1cadc403
https://paiza.io/projects/jQIQt7wKYS7EealzTyNTcw?language=php
https://hackmd.io/qHY7eYMsRnmAMVRiPEpUcw
https://jsfiddle.net/g3xmuc62/
https://telegra.ph/AWRTED-09-10
https://p.ip.fi/0dcA
https://paste.myst.rs/nzwp214j
https://rift.curseforge.com/paste/b6a3a36d
https://glot.io/snippets/gzt2qaf024
https://paste.kodi.tv/amabakugav

gvt erte

https://www.strava.com/athletes/147133677/posts/32183243
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147133677/posts/32183257
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147133902/posts/32183303
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147133902/posts/32183310
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147133902/posts/32183316
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147133902/posts/32183335
https://www.strava.com/athletes/147133902/posts/32183348
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146548056/posts/32183379
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146548056/posts/32183391
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146548056/posts/32183394
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146548056/posts/32183406
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146548056/posts/32183412
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146548056/posts/32183422
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146548056/posts/32183434
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146548056/posts/32183440
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146548056/posts/32183445
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146548056/posts/32183449
https://www.strava.com/athletes/145728116/posts/32183470
https://www.strava.com/athletes/145728116/posts/32183481
https://www.strava.com/athletes/145728116/posts/32183487
https://www.strava.com/athletes/145728116/posts/32183496
https://www.strava.com/athletes/145728116/posts/32183502
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146549106/posts/32183512
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146549106/posts/32183521
https://www.strava.com/athletes/146549106/posts/32183529
https://pastelink.net/j8tux5i7
https://wokwi.com/projects/408643969679659009
https://authors-old.curseforge.com/paste/d9e9c8c5
https://dev.bukkit.org/paste/edc79ce1
https://authors-old.curseforge.com/paste/e0c5d2f7
https://paiza.io/projects/NivE1eq55e-l8xq352PZAg?language=php
https://hackmd.io/Y5zNgr0HT4KszbnJzuJnTg
https://telegra.ph/aswrs-09-10
https://p.ip.fi/cUNQ
https://paste.myst.rs/ya6ittof
https://rift.curseforge.com/paste/32df88b9
https://glot.io/snippets/gzt0ntuton
https://paste.kodi.tv/epekebodig

Leave a comment