Compression Pedals and Exporting for Mixing

[JohnnyWinter]

Hey there,

I'm new to the world of compression pedals, and I've got a query I can't seem to find anywhere else. When it comes time to send off my tracks for mixing, I usually export them dry so to speak, no EQ, no verb, no compression etc so the mixing engineer can do his thing. In the past the only pedals I've used have been choruses, wahs, phasers and the like, so I've never used compression pedals for recording. However I've got a few Amplitube-d guitar parts with compression pedals on my latest project, and I'm wondering if I turn off the compression pedals before I export them for mixing, or leave them as be?

Cheers
Ivor

[garfy]

Hello Ivor and welcome to the forums.

Best advice would be to speak to whoever mixes your tracks for you and ask them what they would like.

Personally however, using a compression pedal on a guitar inherently becomes part of that guitar track's sound. If you had recorded it with a guitar signal going through a compressor into a miked up amp you wouldn't be able to take the compression off, so why would you using an amp sim?

[datkings]

Generally compression on the pedal board is applied at the beginning of the signal chain to even out the guitar signal before it goes into the other pedals and the amp. This is part of your tone and affects what you hear when you play.

Compression during mixing is applied after the guitar is recorded and is used (if required) to even out the full guitar sound to help it fit in the mix with the other instruments.

[JohnnyWinter]

Thanks for the help, it's much appreciated! Think I'll leave 'em on