Compression

Compression is probably the hardest effect type to describe, since most of the time it’s used so subtle that you hardly hear it. But to put it in laymen terms, a compressor makes your loud sounds quieter and quiet sounds louder, in order to give you a more balanced and uniform sound. It’s great for making your tone feel more produced, since it’ll make arpeggios, clean chords and swells bloom and stand out with punch and clarity. When compression is used heavily, it’s awesome for making tapping and harmonics pop out of the mix, and for giving your melodies that really aggressive, squishy country pluck.