Volume disparity: Picking vs. Strumming

Playing Technique
#1

I’ve been focusing on single-note lines for a long time. Now that I’m playing some chords, I’m noticing that the single notes are too quiet relative to the chords. So the question is: How should I balance this out?

  1. Learn to strum in a quieter, more controlled way.
  2. Use a booster pedal when playing single-notes
  3. Put a compressor at the start of my board.
    Or some combination?

This is in the context of playing stuff like Rush/Floyd.
I also play some cleaner stuff: I’d guess someone like Al Di Meola wouldn’t rely on technology for that consistency.

#2

Probably 1 - maybe picking a little harder or working on dynamics on the single-note stuff too, but developing better dynamic control on your strumming is a good idea anyway.

#3

Six strings should be much louder than one; indeed, isn’t this why there are rhythm and lead settings? Or is a volume pedal possibly useful? (I’m not sure.)

#4

I say a combination of 1 and 3. With 3 being used on things like clean rhythm chords/strumming as to soften the volume spikes.