What are Optical Compressors? | Too Afraid To Ask

[@ScienceofLoud]

Compressor pedals come in many different varieties, but perhaps the most musical are Optical Compressors. What makes them unique? We dig into how they operate in this Too Afraid To Ask video. Get your Kongpressor: Thomann - www.thomann.de/gb/orange_kong... Sweetwater - imp.i114863.net/6aPb3 Orange - orangeamps.com/products/fx-pe... Thanks to Orange Amplification for funding this video #optical #compressor #tata More from CSGuitars: Gain access to exclusive content at: www.patreon.com/csguitars Join CSGuitars Discord - discord.gg/d7b6MY8 Buy CSGuitars Merchandise - www.csguitars.co.uk/store Website - www.csguitars.co.uk Contact - [e-mail]

[@bourbon_sherbet1251]

I understand the likelihood of you reading this is slim... but premiers are really bad form and clutters up our feeds. It was one thing when we received emails about the videos, we could save the email as unread and wait for the video to drop. Now it just gets lumped in with everything else in our sub-feed and is just a big pain. IMHO =-(

[@ScienceofLoud]

I hear you, I do, but I'm fighting against KZbin's garbage algorithm which is hell bent on sinking my channel. Premieres tend to make the videos perform far better out of the gate which is a HUGE advantage. Also, the fact this video has so many comments already sort of proves why they work so well, it will go live with strong engagement statistics pushing it into suggested feeds from the get go. Just be thankful you're actually getting notifications from my channel. That's another thing KZbin haven't been providing to many of my subs

[@bourbon_sherbet1251]

@@ScienceofLoud I am thoroughly convinced KZbin hates us all... BTW, you need to get your Guitar building muscles up to par so you can join in on the "great guitar buildoff" next year. =-) Peace and Love Bro!

[@armax00]

@@bourbon_sherbet1251 I guess the whole point is to use what YT provides like reminders, watch later, playlists and what not.

[@Djent]

As a friend and professional audio engineer, I'm totality offended! How dare you educate the novice public on basic engineering science, you elitists engineer!

[@loganstrong5426]

Um, actually compressor pedals work by feeding your signal into a cage with a tiny creature, in this case a mini King Kong, which smashes the signal until it comes out the other side. I would've expected someone with your technical knowledge to know that!

[@sunofslavia]

That's something THEY don't want us to know.

[@boomerbassmeme]

Scotsplainin: the art of conveying highly technical engineering data into a digestible and entertaining form for the average person. Thank you for all you do! 😎👍

[@OGM_OriginalGameMusic]

I love how already there's a dislike. Someone was like "NO! I do not like this idea! 😤"

[@dalecastor8821]

Haha. “Optical Compressor!!?? How dare he??!!”

[@OGM_OriginalGameMusic]

@@dalecastor8821 Outrrrrrrageous

[@bourbon_sherbet1251]

personally I just hate premiers.

[@WojciechHandke]

A lot of people do not like yt premiers, as they serve no functional purpose and clutter your subscription feed.

[@OGM_OriginalGameMusic]

@@WojciechHandke maybe they should chill a lil bit then cause they gotta do scroll away 😂

[@misterkeithb]

"getting a lighting element to full brightness is a slow process, relatively speaking" I'm not a physics person, but that feels like I'm almost hearing an Einstein pun there

[@ebheron]

I work as an audio guy and I felt called out at the start... Also Colins explanation was spot on, I wonder how pedantic someone must have to be to have a problem with it.

[@markhammer643]

I've found that one of the more important uses for a compressor is to maintain overall average level when someone, whether oneself or another person, is singing. It is far too easy to be carried away and unintentionally slam on the strings momentarily drowning out the singer/s. That's also why funk players use compressors. Funk music requires one to strum in a manner that accentuates the rhythm, but at the same times not overshadow singers or other instruments on those beats with higher volume. Compression lets the player make use of the *timbral* differences between strumming/picking hard or soft, while not paying for it with volume differences.

[@jamesfrog]

Thank you Colin, again for the great advice about using the compressor to even out the difference between high gain and clean tones. That could be a video in itself. It has been something that has alluded me for years.

[@iochisono97]

"this video isn't for you" i didn't think i could love you more

[@alexcrouse]

You get a thumbs up for playing Goldfinger. And everything else.

[@grayaj23]

Um, well, *actually* I have no idea how they work, so TECHNICALLY your "oversimplification" is perfect for my level of understanding, i'll have you know.

[@PerpetuallyTiredMusician]

Algorithm ratio 1:2 NERD Comment ratio 2:1 Simple and to the point explanation with good graphics to go with it. Man your graphics game has become better and better.

[@Wizardax]

I just bought an optical compressor DIY kit with the argument "well, I guess I need this". This was perfect timing!

[@der_vur]

I’m a nerd but I wouldn’t correct, your explanation was amazing and I think explained very easy for people who didn’t know what a compressor was before! Well done!

[@blackmirror5559]

. Simply THE BEST compression video on KZbin.

[@ferdinandstrat]

I am a pedal builder and still I enjoy these vids, they are very informative and very no-nonsense

[@dalecastor8821]

Looking forward to seeing this one!

[@wolfsilver6304]

I love compressors because knowing how to use one is a skill in of its own; you can achieve so much and even (with a compressor like bass squeeze from DigiTech) change your sound completely!

[@EliseOfTheValley]

I see someone’s been playing the pro skater remake. Love me some goldfinger.

[@Coolbreeze72]

Excellent video with excellent visual examples. Thank you very much. I appreciate you.

[@SermonFapple]

9:13 "So here I am! Doin everything I can Holding on to what I have Pretending I'm a SUPERMAAAAAN!!!"

[@woosix7735]

Your explanation are quite good, in that you’re not afraid to get into details that other guitar YT channels shy away from. *ahem * jhs *ahem*

[@markhammer643]

Though I have, and have had, many different ones, my favourite guitar compressor is the first one I ever bought, in 1977 or so, a Univox Uni-Comp. Little grey box with a big foot graphic on the top. Loved it, but ended up having to sell it a few years later. More recently, I stumbled onto a schematic of it, and built a repro for myself, falling in love with it all over again. The Uni-Comp is about as simple an optical compressor as one can make/find. I was initially puzzled by the diode pair on the output, until the rationale was explained to me. Apparently, many broadcast studio compressors would use a similar trick. As you noted, photocells can be a little sluggish to respond. The diode pair on the output would "clamp" the maximum output level for that initial pick attack transient, essentially filling in until the photocell/s caught up. Since their substitute action was only needed for a few milliseconds, you wouldn't perceive it as clipping. Clever!

[@jamesstonehouse3448]

Honestly, as someone who has tried to design their own opto compressor, I feel like your explanation totally hit the mark. I intentionally built a few different detection elements for differing effects. A 6.3V incandescent bulb had long attack and release times, so transients still barreled on through.

[@mattburgess5697]

"Playing with a lot of distortion can sound better because the compression is evening out the inconsistencies in our bad playing technique." Play with more distortion. Got it.

[@plantagenant]

I don't have a lot of experience with compressors but I picked up an Orange Kongpressor and I'm was pretty impressed.

[@mathisto21]

Love it! Man I have been following your channel for years and always love your delivery and topic choice. Thanks heaps for all your hard work putting these videos together!

[@diodesDankessAndDives]

Dang! Props for rocking goldfinger in this demo, makes me wanna start my day by playing the Tony hawk pro skater vidjio game

[@JoeBaermann]

I started to use a Kongpressor as an always on pedal after my modulations and drive stack, used that way it keeps it tight and unifies level differences to some extend.

Professor Colin you explained the compressor pedal purpose in a very simple and effective way. You KICK ass! Thank you! Greetings from Hollywood California.

[@mortalitydoesstuff8965]

Was not expecting a Goldfinger cover to show up in a TATAs video but hey man I'll take it

[@SleepingLionsProductions]

this is an excellent explanation of optical compressors and why their tones are so sought after. The imperfections of using light with slowish imperfect decay times due to the nature of the electronics used is the reason why people still use them. I have a dream of getting an LA2A sometime

[@ant1sokolow]

The compressor is an effect you don't notice, until you switch it off. More seriously if it may make playing easier as it regulates the volumes of different strokes it also mercylessly highlights little errors (stray notes, fret noises, etc) that may otherwise not be noticed: A double edged weapon.

[@darrenschmeyz5358]

Came for the info - stayed for the Goldfinger

[@markhammer643]

Nice explanation. And yes, one of the more common comments from builders and users of compression is "Is this thing on? I can't tell." Okay, brief nerd-digression to explain why optical is "better". Anything that uses the "envelope" of the input signal to accomplish some other function, whether it is a compressor, noise-gate, or autowah, always faces the challenge of what is called "ripple". We might perceive the guitar as having a relatively smooth and consistent level, and decaying smoothly, but in reality it has lots of little ups and downs in level that we perceptually "smudge out". So, if one wants to follow the amplitude of the guitar and adjust the volume to get a more consistent/compressed output volume, you have to ignore those little blips and dips in the amplitude of the incoming signal, and create a smooth control signal out of a *much* wigglier one. BUT, what we often have to do in order to accomplish that with FETs or VCAs makes the overall circuit *less* responsive to sudden changes in the input signal. As you nicely explained, the "memory" effect of photocells, whether illuminated by this light source or that, is that it does the "dewiggling" for us, and effectively ignores momentary blips and dips even when we opt for more sensitive and responsive detection of the signal envelope. The result is a much smoother control over the signal, whether one is governing the level or filtering or some other function. I'll note in passing that when autowahs, noise-gates, and compressors use transistors and VCAs, controlled by an envelope, one often hears complaints from users about "distortion", particularly as notes decay. This isn't distortion in the usual sense. Rather, what they are hearing are the blips and dips in the control signal making the volume level or filter-frequency go up and down *very* quickly. Using *optical* control, instead of FETs or VCAs uses the quirks of photocells to smooth out the control signal, eliminating such seeming distortion. As with choice of op-amps for the Proco Rat, sometimes what can seem like a poorer choice of component, based on specsmanship, can be ideal for the purposes of rock. Optical rules.

[@etherlords88]

Have it, using it, love it.

[@saschaschneider6355]

Thanks for the explanation. Made me switch my virtual regular compressor to a virtual optical compressor on my favourite preset to see if that makes it even better

[@TheFarout69]

I hated guitar compressors until I tried an optical one. It's an old school DOD 280 clone that I added a blend knob to. Love it. Great video Colin!

[@BaldPerspective]

As a nerd with an audio-production background, I am completely fine with your descriptions. I used to use the DOD 280, but currently use the JHS 3 Series for compression, but, as a monster lover, I will probs have to get the Kongpressor sometime. Thanks Colin!

[@legoharry100]

I've been using my Kongpressor for about a year and a half now and it's perfect for leveling out my heavy palm muting in Drop B. Running it at 12v just adds the extra juice I need. I love it so much for than my Wampler Ego compressor (which I prefer for bass).

[@francoispretorius7208]

Was well worth the wait!! Great video👍

[@skealon76]

Best compression video ever your awesome dude !!!!

[@Noone-of-your-Business]

Oooh, I spot _Laphroaig 10_ in the left corner of the frame... This is truly the overdrive/fuzz/distortion version of Scotch Whiskey: coarse and rough and irritating 😂😘 ... very metal!

[@macsarcule]

Just discovered your channel this weekend and you are doing AMAZING work explaining these audio concepts! This really helps in managing my signal and my signal chain. I am totally binging this channel! Thank you!!! 🤘😌🎸

[@THEQueeferSutherland]

You have the most aesthetic guitar channel.

[@RedroomStudios]

"thermal inertia"... what a great term! brilliant job as usual explaining all the technical workings of this kind of compressor! you could easily have a career as a teacher or documentary presenter.

[@djencode]

This actually fixes a problem I've been having with the feel of my clean and edge of breakup tone. Nice!

[@sirjoshuapaul]

You're freak'n awesome! I love the side note to the "nerds." It was well done and comical. Thanks for branching out in new directions.

[@juanvaldez4043]

Man! I wish I had a teacher like you when I was learning all this stuff.you explain it way better.

[@gabrielrangel956]

I feel like optical compressors work better at the end of the chain, before the time-based effects. An optical compressor right before delay in a parallel chain just makes everything sound a thousand times better and more defined. I liked running a tube pedal (just gain and a filter) into an Optical Compressor into a Tape Delay (pedal) into a Spring Reverb, it works for single instruments but also for the whole band

[@LordValdomerol]

I have a some TATAs regarding Telecasters! Why are the old school barrel saddles considered bad for intonation, and what does it mean when they are "compensated"? Why do they have those ashtray bridges, what are their benefits? What are string trees for? Excellent video btw! You made me dance and sing with Superman, I was so happy to hear that one for some reason lol. Cheers from Mexico!

[@eduardonunomarques]

The vintage style bridges have one saddle piece for every two strings, while you need to intonate each string individually (in general, the thicker a string is the longer it needs to be, or the farther the saddle needs to be from the nut, to intonate correctly). So the position of the shared saddle is either going to be a compromise between the compensation needed for each string, or you can intonate one string perfectly and have the other be farther off what it should be. Compensated saddles have the contact point with the string offset from the barrel centre point so you can get closer to correct intonation on all strings. I don't know why Leo Fender designed the ashtray bridge, but given his usual design ethos, "it was cheaper to make them that way" probably played a part. :) The 6-a-side headstock means the strings on one side (usually the treble side) of the neck extend farther from the nut to the tuning machine. With a flat headstock, this means those longer strings would have a very shallow break angle over the nut, and less downward force applied there, making those strings more likely to pop out of the nut slot when bent or strummed hard. So they put string trees on those ones to force them down, getting a greater break angle.

[@Inflames131]

You make things so much easier to understand!! Thanks for the videos!!

[@RiffHarvester]

Great video! Thumbs up for the Goldfinger riff!

[@midi510]

Good explanation. I have a Joe Meek FloorQ optical compressor I like on acoustic guitar for a consistent volume between chords and leads/fingerpicking. The Fishman Planimum Pro EQ has an optical compressor, too, which I use more often because it's more stuff in one box.

[@SatanicDoge]

You played "Superman"!!!!!!!

[@webwar57]

5:04 'Relatively speaking' -- I see what you did there. 😎

[@outdatedgear5036]

That intro, I’m dying of laughter 😂

[@PocketUnv]

Top class as always! I'd love to learn a bit about other forms of compression if you ever feel like doing a follow up video.

[@mekore]

liked for the laphroig spotted!! lol

[@kickblake]

surprise goldfinger. Nice!

[@TRiToX91]

May the algorithm be ever in your favour.

[@adamdagosto570]

This is a great video. I really enjoyed it. I might try this one out!

[@dianacooper8414]

Thanks Colin !

[@johnmcdonagh1607]

Thanks Colin 👍.

[@Pumpkin_Fart]

FINALLY, a reviewer admits that compressors cannot be subjectively demoed. YOU hear the difference in YOUR playing, not someone else's. I own this pedal, BTW.

[@kobalt_ren01]

Sweet, Superman!

[@thefoxfamily341]

Thumps up..Thanks for the rich Information..Grüße aus Wien ✌🇦🇹

[@kenodysseys]

I got one and love it. Hope to learn more about it. 👍

[@Furiora]

bit of a tata from me; does string length beyond the nut and/or bridge (in the case of stop-tails) effect string tension? I know it doesn't effect the "speaking length" of the string in terms of note played, but I do wonder if it effects the overall feel of the instrument.

[@underdogg0]

Hey Colin, I've got a TATA question. The Joyo mini hybrid amp series has a tube preamp and a solid state power amp. Since the power amp is solid state, is it safe to play them with no speaker load?

[@CastToVoid]

Not Colin, but yes: It is safe to play through them without a speakerload. Some solid-state power amps require a load, but usually you don't find them in guitar amps, unless they are from the 70s

[@underdogg0]

@@CastToVoid thanks! Now can you say it again with a Scottish accent?

[@jonne.public9587]

Back in 2018 when I first started a pedalboard the second pedal I bought was a Pigtronix Philosophers Tone Micro. It’s an optical Compressor pedal with four control knobs. Volume, Tone, Sustain and Blend give me plenty of control of my tone as it is the first of eleven pedals. I often ask myself why not try a different compressor as I’ve tried many different Overdrive, Delay, Echo & Muff style and more in my everlasting search for tone nirvana. But why not, it just Works simple and easy as that. If anything has my attention it is the Kongpressor you demoed here. It looks to offer what I have and more with the additional control knob functions. Time will tell if a new compressor is my the future. Colin, Any experience with the Pigtronix unit I described? TY for all you do...😷

[@thaigo972]

Heeey, that's the skateboard song!!

[@DMSProduktions]

Ye cannae change tha laws o' physics Col!

[@jacksybicki7330]

i prefer the noise gate , but there is a time and a place for everything, playing live i would never use it

[@L.C.Sweeney]

As an audio engineer and fucking nerd I found that hilarious

[@a1s1pinky]

Tony Hawk Pro skater flashback! 😃

[@jjrusy7438]

tata: how do i adjust pickup height to produce various effects like cleaner or louder or quieter. are there sweet spots that have certain effects etc. thx ta...

[@ScienceofLoud]

Simple answer: Output of the pickup is determined (in part) by how close it is to the strings. If you want louder signal move the pickup closer, if you want a quieter signal move it further away. I recently reduced the height of the pickups in my Flying V to give them more dynamic range. The pickups themselves were too compressed, but moving them further from the strings lessened the compression making the signal clearer. This you do by ear, get them to where they sound right for your application.

[@JoeBaermann]

@@ScienceofLoud One thing to remember when lowering pickup height is finding the sweet spot that keeps pinch harmonics come easy, since they can get pretty hard to make when the pickup height gets to low.

[@infinidominion]

The term "optical compressor" sounds a lot more advanced than seeing how they actually work😅

[@RenaGDE]

Neato, had no idea what the optical bit meant. Wonder if those plasma pedals work similarly

[@lorez6063]

Brilliant!!!!

[@myeyesarewaiting]

Another TATA... Are the terms headroom and power effectively interchangeable when talking about guitar amps?

[@JuveriSetila]

Dropping a comment to fight the Algorythm. DISCOOOOORD

[@ScienceofLoud]

FIGHT THE ALGORITHM might make a good t-shirt

[@JasonLorelei]

So here I am, doing everything I can. Holding on to what I am, pretending I'm a Superman

[@AvaToccoRodriguez]

the level of snark is off the charts

[@EL34]

AWESOME GOLDFINGER REFERENCE

[@stephanematis]

Excellent information as always. I wonder if the high-end optical parts used in network routing gear could be adapted to compressors, or even if it would be counter-productive.

[@ryanricks]

interesting video, thanks!

[@samuelxavier2473]

Not a fan of this particular pedal, based on this one video but, as always, well written and presented. Ta for the TATAs.

[@kamen.rider.decade]

"Bunch of f**king nerds" said the Electrical Engineer

[@PooNinja]

So they see the sound like a Robo engineer!

[@PooNinja]

I’m not afraid I’m not afraid Nothing touches me I’m a walking razorblade... Cept spiders creepy lil monsters, what else threatens something 10 to 20 fold it’s own mass ???

[@threndor9017]

Actually sometimes obvious compression is cool. Optical compressor can add awesome character to a bass guitar.

[@trentkraemer7109]

I was thinking about getting this, but would this have a slower attack time than other compressors? I got the orange cr60c and I get clipping from my Les Paul if I play hard. I was hoping a compressor could solve the issue, but I guess it would have to act as a limiter with a really fast attack time.

[@wodddj]

seeing my research topic in a guitar video

[@bpabustan]

Hi Colin, it dawned on me that inaccurate or slower reproduction of the signal is more musical. This reminds of tubes vs. solid state. SS amps has a more accurate reproduction of the original signal while tubes has not but they sound more musical and alive. Like vinyl records perhaps over CD or mp3? Hehehehehe I have a question though: I probably missed it on the video if it is not mentioned but is the photocell shown in the illustration the same as an LDR (Light Dependent Resistor)?

[@armax00]

Oh well actually.... this was always very fun and interesting :)

[@gvrbvge420]

dat goldfinger tho

[@myeyesarewaiting]

wonder what other pedals could utilise the led/photocell set up... can't think if an envelope filter would sound good or terrible with that bit of "lag"... Personally, I prefer a normal compressor. I want to hear it really work... Oh, and fantastic video btw.

[@jat5am]

Rainger FX Reverb-X, gated reverb.

[@eberronbruce1328]

I have a TATA. What is a professional guitar setup and how do you do it?

[@jasonpocorus2338]

1:30 Fuck what Colin said, *I* need to see your technically correct essays bc I'm getting into audio production in the home studio. Or, as Colin would say "schtyewdeo"

[@Livelaughlimpbizkit]

Was that superman by gold finger I heard? 🤔