Elektron Musical Instruments

How do you use the compressor in "dance" patterns?
I have just started routing the kick on individual output, and 
compressing everything else in the main outputs.
Is this the right way?

I've played a lot with the compressor, because I was really 
unexperienced.
I've noticed that setting release at around 70, high pass filter at 
high value, heavy compression and hard knee (is hard=low values?), 
often gives a really tight kick; it's something I  like, but it's 
really not gradual: I mean, setting release from 0 to 70 changes almost 
nothing, and then after 70 the kick suddenly changes and becomes tight, 
loud and aggressive.
Can someone explain me this behaviour of the compressor?

Is an external compressor (like joemeek ones) a good addiction?
Sometimes I'd like snares and hi-hats to be more "snappy", more 
present, but can't obtain that.

Thanks