4 compressor
a compressor gives muted notes a distinctive rhythmic attack
Compression is among the most misunderstood of guitar effects: rather than transform your tone, it subtly enhances it. A compressor monitors your signal and evens out the dynamics – so low-volume signals get louder and high-volume signals get squashed. As a result, the effect tends to be used in genres where clean signals dominate, such as funk and fingerpickin’ country. Nile Rodgers won’t leave the house without a compressor, because it gives muted notes a distinctive rhythmic attack that adds to his syncopated grooves. And, of course, because compressors are boosting your signal, they can also increase your sustain – handy for Knopfler or Gilmour-ing up your solos.
Pedals usually feature knobs for sustain, which tweaks the amount of compression, while an attack knob adjusts how quickly the compressor kicks in – faster rates give that pop to a note we talked about earlier, while slower rates are better for letting notes ‘bloom’ and sustain, without influencing the front end of your playing. Some compressors also feature a blend control to balance your clean signal with the compressed sound, ideal for balancing individual notes within a chord.