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!

4675 comments

fasdacaw

https://forum.its-egner.de/topic/3773/gasdasdaww
https://forum.realdigital.org/d/84057-gasdawwwd
https://herbalmeds-forum.biolife.com.my/d/133335-gasdaerfa
http://opensource.platon.org/forum/projects/posting.php
https://forum.gamestategames.com/d/5763-gasdaerf
https://graph.org/gasdsdasd-09-06
https://dangtinvantai.com/threads/gasdasd.48049/
https://www.lifesshortlivefree.com/community/off-topic/adacfafa/
http://www.limesucks.com/thread/dasdasd/
https://forum.freeflarum.com/d/123117-dasdasd
https://www.phyconomy.org/community/main-forum/gasdascasd/
https://wandering.flarum.cloud/d/104804-gasdasdaw
https://forum.instube.com/d/132898-gasdascvas
https://claraaamarry.copiny.com/question/details/id/882996
https://dictanote.co/n/1062934/
https://web3devcommunity.com/topic/5589/hasdasdad
https://www.wowace.com/paste/8db6b194
https://rift.curseforge.com/paste/a5a8ac89
https://matters.town/a/o3zl0spogxlx
https://www.tadalive.com/forum/thread/54432/gasdasdawwhttps-colab-research-google-com-drive-1r0dnjagkf4_metw983jsivmrdb/
https://pastelink.net/j8maabs7
https://paste.toolforge.org/view/bc149239
https://foro.ribbon.es/topic/17571/adasasdasd
https://forum.its-egner.de/topic/3858/gasdasdfva
https://forum.realdigital.org/d/85054-gasdasdaaw
https://herbalmeds-forum.biolife.com.my/d/133591-gasdacvas
http://opensource.platon.org/forum/projects/viewtopic.php?p=12651264#12651264
https://forum.gamestategames.com/d/5816-gasdasd
https://graph.org/fsdfsdfsdf-09-07
https://dangtinvantai.com/threads/dasdcvasda.48098/
https://www.lifesshortlivefree.com/community/vetted-member-instructions/gasdcasd/
http://www.limesucks.com/thread/asdacvasd/
https://forum.freeflarum.com/d/123378-gasdcvasd
https://www.phyconomy.org/community/main-forum/gasdcvasd/
https://wandering.flarum.cloud/d/104940-fasdcasda
https://forum.instube.com/d/133118-adasdcasd
https://ultrafighteronline.com/topic/4697/asdcavadfa
https://claraaamarry.copiny.com/question/details/id/883216
https://dictanote.co/n/1063108/
https://web3devcommunity.com/topic/5717/gasdaearfva
https://www.wowace.com/paste/dfd8aacf
https://rift.curseforge.com/paste/bf9a6024
https://matters.town/a/usw5msqr3jex
https://www.tadalive.com/forum/thread/54484/dascvabfas/
https://pastelink.net/k5h8t8mz
https://paste.toolforge.org/view/35f0bdc5
https://foro.ribbon.es/topic/17675/asdfavbasdas
https://forum.its-egner.de/topic/3860/gasdacvas
https://forum.realdigital.org/d/85067-asdascvas
https://herbalmeds-forum.biolife.com.my/d/133602-fasdfgas
http://opensource.platon.org/forum/projects/viewtopic.php?p=12651278#12651278
https://forum.gamestategames.com/d/5818-gasdacvasd
https://dangtinvantai.com/threads/asdasdcvab.48105/
https://www.lifesshortlivefree.com/community/vetted-member-instructions/davvfaga/
http://www.limesucks.com/thread/sdasdvvvaf/
https://forum.freeflarum.com/d/123388-adgggvas
https://www.phyconomy.org/community/main-forum/dadsfvffas/
https://wandering.flarum.cloud/d/104949-ggasa
https://forum.instube.com/d/133127-gasdgasda
https://ultrafighteronline.com/topic/4700/gasdaggasd/1?=1725690050912
https://claraaamarry.copiny.com/question/details/id/883230
https://dictanote.co/n/1063112/
https://web3devcommunity.com/topic/5721/gasvvvas
https://www.wowace.com/paste/97ba0af2
https://rift.curseforge.com/paste/702ac979
https://matters.town/a/d2ko02tnncj9
https://www.tadalive.com/forum/thread/54486/hhadasdasd/
https://pastelink.net/eqfbpvp4
https://paste.toolforge.org/view/65a381a9
https://foro.ribbon.es/topic/17680/asdasdasd
https://forum.its-egner.de/topic/4109/caavsa
https://forum.realdigital.org/d/85934-gasdadascas
https://herbalmeds-forum.biolife.com.my/d/134470-gasdacasda
http://opensource.platon.org/forum/projects/viewtopic.php?p=12651973#12651973
https://forum.gamestategames.com/d/6025-gasdacavas
https://graph.org/gasdasd-09-08
https://dangtinvantai.com/threads/gasdaca.48178/
https://www.lifesshortlivefree.com/community/vetted-member-instructions/hasdaaddd/
http://www.limesucks.com/thread_category/general/
https://forum.freeflarum.com/d/124234-adsdasd
https://www.phyconomy.org/community/main-forum/fasdasd/
https://wandering.flarum.cloud/d/105620-gasdcasda
https://forum.instube.com/d/133745-gasdasda\]
https://ultrafighteronline.com/topic/4912/gagsda
https://claraaamarry.copiny.com/question/details/id/883889
https://dictanote.co/n/1063477/
https://web3devcommunity.com/topic/6077/gasdasda?_=1725810694663
https://matters.town/a/bqfhs2swzhlx
https://www.tadalive.com/forum/thread/54574/gasdawwss/
https://pastelink.net/j10i3a15
https://paste.toolforge.org/view/535c4330
https://forum.its-egner.de/topic/4220/gasdccas
https://forum.realdigital.org/d/86307-gasdcava
https://herbalmeds-forum.biolife.com.my/d/134729-gasdcvvas
http://opensource.platon.org/forum/projects/viewtopic.php?p=12652078#12652078
https://forum.gamestategames.com/d/6090-gasdaccasd
https://graph.org/aasdagagag-09-09
https://www.lifesshortlivefree.com/community/vetted-member-instructions/fadasca/
http://www.limesucks.com/thread/gasdagag/
https://forum.freeflarum.com/d/124512-gasdasd
https://www.phyconomy.org/community/main-forum/gasdasdasd/
https://wandering.flarum.cloud/d/105805-gasdcvasd
https://forum.instube.com/d/133930-gvvadssa
https://ultrafighteronline.com/topic/5013/dasdva
https://claraaamarry.copiny.com/question/details/id/884061
https://web3devcommunity.com/topic/6290/gasdggas
https://www.wowace.com/paste/58baafa1
https://rift.curseforge.com/paste/76e44e00
https://matters.town/a/ffmg02y43b5q
https://www.tadalive.com/forum/thread/54603/gasdasd/
https://pastelink.net/jmbu9q2m
https://paste.toolforge.org/view/2f093180
https://foro.ribbon.es/topic/18007/gasdagggas
https://forum.its-egner.de/topic/4223/gasdaca?=1725856345118
https://forum.realdigital.org/d/86341-gasdaagag
https://herbalmeds-forum.biolife.com.my/d/134740-gasdasda
http://opensource.platon.org/forum/projects/viewtopic.php?p=12652088#12652088
https://forum.gamestategames.com/d/6092-gasdasdasd
https://www.lifesshortlivefree.com/community/vetted-member-instructions/gasdaffas/
http://www.limesucks.com/thread/fasdasdasda/
https://forum.freeflarum.com/d/124798-gasdaddas
https://www.phyconomy.org/community/main-forum/vasdadasda/
https://wandering.flarum.cloud/d/106056-fasdaccas
https://forum.instube.com/d/134195-gaddcas
https://ultrafighteronline.com/topic/5045/gggadca
https://claraaamarry.copiny.com/question/details/id/884448
https://web3devcommunity.com/topic/6342/gasdcccasa
https://www.wowace.com/paste/c4648cd5
https://rift.curseforge.com/paste/9c843f96
https://matters.town/a/sdwf797iojxf
https://www.tadalive.com/forum/thread/54629/gasas/
https://pastelink.net/9w0jsnls
https://paste.toolforge.org/view/aa641830
https://foro.ribbon.es/topic/18043/gsdfsdfsdf

fyhikyulo

https://github.com/abdil-tobrut-eng/tobrut-tv/discussions/1
https://github.com/abdil-tobrut-eng/tobrut-tv/discussions/2
https://github.com/abdil-tobrut-01/abdiltobrut/discussions/1
https://github.com/abdil-tobrut-01/abdiltobrut/discussions/2
https://github.com/abdil-galbut/abdiltobrut/discussions/1
https://github.com/abdil-galbut/abdiltobrut/discussions/2
https://github.com/ulti-gua-tuh/gua-ketika-pakai-bened-disekolah/discussions/1
https://github.com/ulti-gua-tuh/gua-ketika-pakai-bened-disekolah/discussions/2
https://flexclassifiedads.com/services/other-services/setedr4w_i235713
https://flexclassifiedads.com/services/other-services/awertew_i235714
https://flexclassifiedads.com/services/other-services/waerted_i235715
https://flexclassifiedads.com/services/other-services/w3e5ter4_i235717
https://flexclassifiedads.com/services/other-services/awrwes_i235718
https://flexclassifiedads.com/services/other-services/aswdetgerd_i235719
https://flexclassifiedads.com/services/other-services/awserte_i235720
https://flexclassifiedads.com/services/other-services/awrte_i235722
https://pastelink.net/0lui3pv7
https://wokwi.com/projects/408488953761714177
https://authors-old.curseforge.com/paste/95a39b12
https://dev.bukkit.org/paste/45c8a4b1
https://authors-old.curseforge.com/paste/c4df592c
https://paiza.io/projects/hVHFQmff7PSz7AN-WR_xsA?language=php
https://hackmd.io/CVENmebmSMygcIDnzzVNwA
https://jsfiddle.net/jbvdkqye/
https://telegra.ph/awste-09-08
https://p.ip.fi/aLPx
https://paste.myst.rs/ixspp739
https://rift.curseforge.com/paste/df8787b6
https://glot.io/snippets/gzr4qvcige
https://paste.kodi.tv/wuvibidici

sdfyhfju

https://www.honor.com/it/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619265768882176/
https://www.honor.com/it/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619265907654656/
https://www.honor.com/it/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619266079621121/
https://www.honor.com/it/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619266200862721/
https://www.honor.com/it/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619266324987905/
https://www.honor.com/it/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619266435776513/
https://www.honor.com/it/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619266567864320/
https://www.honor.com/it/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619266706669568/
https://www.honor.com/it/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619266872344577/
https://www.honor.com/it/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619266985590784/
https://flexclassifiedads.com/services/other-services/qwrwe_i234321
https://flexclassifiedads.com/services/other-services/wasertsrtg_i234326
https://flexclassifiedads.com/services/other-services/wr4we_i234327
https://flexclassifiedads.com/services/other-services/qwrtwes_i234330
https://flexclassifiedads.com/services/other-services/ertgerdyh_i234335
https://flexclassifiedads.com/services/other-services/wetrd_i234345
https://flexclassifiedads.com/services/other-services/weterd_i234348
https://flexclassifiedads.com/services/other-services/qaweterd_i234352
https://flexclassifiedads.com/services/other-services/warwes_i234353
https://flexclassifiedads.com/services/other-services/q35te4rd_i234356
https://pastelink.net/s8sbmznd
https://wokwi.com/projects/408465889247587329
https://paiza.io/projects/6GFuEXKbj_gzjzUpHBsMQQ?language=php
https://hackmd.io/TxavaBHeQJGVr16ZtyQYCA
https://jsfiddle.net/L4zr3mev/
https://telegra.ph/azdtg-09-08
https://p.ip.fi/EXY5
https://paste.myst.rs/8s2wdiv0
https://glot.io/snippets/gzqunm3egq
https://paste.kodi.tv/zolaguqejo

srthsrthrsth

https://lu.ma/as5l8ryk
https://lu.ma/rkkys5m0
https://lu.ma/1ab24lv4
https://lu.ma/i59bpy36
https://lu.ma/488xnm01
https://lu.ma/zgha7ywq
https://lu.ma/a73qxiiy
https://lu.ma/0ui5qx25
https://lu.ma/4igshitt
https://lu.ma/jz0g0m5c

srthsrthrsth

https://www.honor.com/it/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619190770925568/
https://www.honor.com/it/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619191083401217/
https://www.honor.com/it/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619191270014976/
https://www.honor.com/it/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619191494410241/
https://www.honor.com/it/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619191699570688/
https://www.honor.com/it/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619192450318337/
https://www.honor.com/it/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619192916312065/
https://www.honor.com/it/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619193402425344/
https://www.honor.com/it/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619193591562241/
https://www.honor.com/it/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619194411548672/
https://www.honor.com/it/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619194794934273/
https://www.honor.com/it/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619195038236672/
https://www.honor.com/it/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619227418656769/
https://www.honor.com/it/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619228001271809/
https://www.honor.com/it/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619228211347456/
https://www.honor.com/it/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619228502458368/
https://www.honor.com/it/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619228796059649/
https://www.honor.com/it/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619229039755264/
https://www.honor.com/it/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619229265854465/
https://www.honor.com/it/club/topicdetail/topicid-3619229557719040/

Leave a comment