Stop me if this sounds stupid, but I'm thinking of recording live instruments with a pair of C414s and I just realized that I don't have a dual channel preamp. Should I get something with a built in compressor/limiter, or keep those things separate?

Hi, this question is for a live performance. I play a mandolin and am interested in a high-endmountable condensor such as a DPA 4099. Planning to use a wireless body pack, which I'd plug into a stage mixer. Here's my question - I'd like a foot switch to attenuate the signal depending when I'm not taking a lead. I guess I can buy stuff and patch it together, is that what I should do?