audiobriefs
8:17in productionCh. 1 · What it is/ 8:17 · ceiling 15 min
Effects & pedals

MXR Dyna Comp

It doesn’t tame dynamics—it stamps them with a squishy, sustaining signature.

The MXR Dyna Comp is a guitar compressor pedal introduced in the 1970s. It has two controls: Sensitivity and Output. It produces a non-tone-neutral, colour-rich compression effect. It became a Nashville standard. It smooths out volume differences between notes, especially in chicken picking. It was one of the six original pedals in the MXR Series 2000 line.

Chapters & takeaways5
  1. 0:54
    What it is

    It is an MXR-built guitar effect, not a studio rack unit or bass-only tool.

  2. 1:57
    How it works

    Two knobs only: Sensitivity sets compression threshold; Output sets final level.

  3. 3:02
    What it does best

    It excels at smoothing chicken-picked runs and became a Nashville standard for that reason.

  4. 4:18
    What it gives up

    Its tone colouration is inseparable from its function—and it’s been copied endlessly because of it.

  5. 5:18
    Where it sits in MXR history

    It launched as one of six original Series 2000 pedals—with FET switching, dual LEDs, and a metal chassis.

Worth your time?

Yes. Use the whole thing.

4/ 5
What works
  • smoothing chicken-picked runs
  • extending note sustain
  • cutting through dense mixes
  • delivering instant, repeatable compression
What does not
  • offer attack or release control
  • provide transparent compression
  • allow ratio adjustment
  • include bypass tone preservation
Use it if
  • country guitarists
  • session players needing quick consistency
  • players who prefer character over control
Skip it if
  • mix engineers seeking clean dynamics tools
  • players requiring adjustable ratio or knee
The written brief1 min read

What it is and what it was built for

It is a guitar effects unit built to compress dynamic range. It was designed for electric guitar, though bass players use it too.

How it works, in terms a player would use

It compresses dynamic range using two knobs: Sensitivity sets how much signal triggers compression; Output sets the final volume. It does not offer attack, release, ratio or makeup gain controls.

What it does better than anything else

It smooths volume differences between fast, unevenly picked notes better than any pedal with only two knobs—and it does so with a distinctive squish and sustain that cuts through a Nashville mix.

What it does badly

It cannot deliver transparent, studio-grade compression. It does not let players shape transients or dial in subtle dynamics control. Its tone colouration is baked in and non-bypassable.

What people made with it

Players used it to lock in chicken-picked country licks, extend note decay, and create a consistent, punchy front-end tone—especially in Nashville studios and sessions.

Who should use it, and who should not

Guitarists who want immediate, characterful compression with zero setup should use it. Players needing surgical dynamics control or neutral tone should not.

Is it worth your time

Yes—if you want a fixed, colour-rich compression that glues chicken-picked lines and sustains notes without transparency or fine control.

Same bench · Effects & pedals4 of 18
9:46
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8:54
Electro-Harmonix Memory ManElectro-HarmonixThe Electro-Harmonix Deluxe Memory Man is an analog delay pedal introduced in 2008, offering up to 550ms of delay, selectable chorus or vibrato modulation, true bypass switching, and mono audio I/O.
10:42
MXR Phase 90MXR · 1972The MXR Phase 90 is a phaser effects pedal introduced in 1972, the first pedal sold by MXR. It features one knob (Speed), an orange enclosure, and evolved logo designs (script then block). Production ceased in 1984 when MXR went bankrupt. Dunlop resumed production with added features: an LED and optional AC power supply. Pre-1981 units lacked LEDs, A/C adaptor jacks, and true-bypass switching. It was used on the first two Van Halen albums.
9:51
Eventide SpaceEventideThe Eventide Space is a reverb-and-delay pedal offering 12 algorithmic spatial effects—including Hall, Plate, Blackhole®, and Shimmer—controlled via 10 knobs, MIDI, expression pedal, or HotSwitch. It features 100 presets (some artist-designed), true analog bypass, tap tempo/MIDI clock sync, and mono/stereo I/O in a rugged metal pedal format. Software tools FactorLib and H9 Control manage presets; the SpaceTime algorithm combines modulation, two delays, and reverb.
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Gibson EB-0

Gibson · 8:37

The EB-0 doesn’t play bass—it snarls through it.

8:37