In this free video tutorial brought to you in with the support of Plugin Alliance, Pro Tools Expert team member Julian Rodgers demonstrates the bx_opto compressor pedal plug-in from Brainworx.

Compression To Even Out An Arpeggio

Many guitarists are unclear about how to use compressor pedals and while they can be used to add attack or sustain to guitar sounds, they are very useful for evening out the relationship between notes rather than the shape of those notes.

Opto, As In Optical

When I first found out how optical compressors worked it really helped me understand what compression is. Using a light bulb installed next to a light sensitive resistor is the perfect way to understand the negative feedback which underpins all compression. Louder equals brighter equals more resistance which equals less loud which equals less bright which equals less resistance which equals louder... I could go on.

Guitar Arpeggio

Hear how the bx_opto pedal can be used to even out the notes in a repeating, four note arpeggio, by bringing the level of the top two strings up to match the level of the thicker lower strings the shape of the phrase changes resulting in a musical as well as technical change.