Hey guys, I'm wondering if you can all share with me how you get a good sound out of the bass guitar when you are mixing. I do know a lot depends on how you track the bass but, it still may need some processing. I'm currently struggling with getting the 'mud" out of the bass and getting it to punch thru the mix as well as sounding big and warm on the low end. I also realize every recording, style, etc. is different, just looking for some basic, golden, standard go-to things you all do when processing the bass. For the record, I'm mixing a classic rock style of music.
thanx a bunch for any tips!
processing bass gtr in the mix
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 175 posts since 30 Jun, 2006
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- KVRian
- 1100 posts since 9 Jan, 2015 from NY, NY
Using a filter can help. If you want a lot of low end, use a low pass (or band pass) filter, and if you have a particularly resonant frequency that you don't want, use a notch filter to tame that. Some compression might help, but don't overdo it.
The other thing to do is high pass other instruments so that their low end mid doesn't overlap with the bass too much.
Use the mute button to punch out instruments and see if they're contributing to the mud - it's an easy way to see what is messing with your mix.
It's a good idea to work on the mix of your bass and drums with everything else muted to see if you can get that right before you work on the rest.
The other thing to do is high pass other instruments so that their low end mid doesn't overlap with the bass too much.
Use the mute button to punch out instruments and see if they're contributing to the mud - it's an easy way to see what is messing with your mix.
It's a good idea to work on the mix of your bass and drums with everything else muted to see if you can get that right before you work on the rest.
Sweet child in time...
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- KVRer
- 22 posts since 14 Dec, 2013 from FL
I like to have a DI or relatively clean channel for low end and a channel for overdrive to get the top end. Kind of like an amp with tone blend. I'll high pass somewhere between 60-100 depending on where the kick and guitars sit, sometimes up to 120. I usually cut somewhere around 200 for mud. For more low I'd rather compress than boost, for more bright I'd rather saturate than boost the high mids. That's usually the template I start with before going deeper into the EQ. For rock and metal I don't like whole lot of editing or compression except with bass because I prefer it tight and consistent. The amount of distortion depends on how much of the overall guitar tones do I want to actually be the bass tone or if I want to feel the bass more than definably hear it. This process is pretty much my same rundown for like rap style sub-bass.
Hope that gives you some ideas to mess with.
Hope that gives you some ideas to mess with.
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- KVRAF
- 2141 posts since 20 Sep, 2013 from Poland
Record totally clean and direct, lowpass filter, compress, done. Though it might not get you a very classic rock sound.
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 175 posts since 30 Jun, 2006
thanks for the tips guys, I'm trying all these things to get a good low end. I just can't seem to get rid of the muddy sound on a bass i recorded direct.
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- KVRAF
- 6426 posts since 22 Jan, 2005 from Sweden
Fresh strings maybe?
I had a cheapo Washburn bass once - and it made wonders changing pickups to quarterpounder and strings.
And using proper load, not using regular line inputs from mixer. HiZ input for instrument.
But a good bass itself always matter obviously.
If not getting lined input sounding good - I use a Line6 Lowdown studio amp that gives a number of amp emulations, good settings for eq and compressor as well as outs with speaker emulation for direct input on soundcard line level inputs.
As of plugins I find Waves VEQ4 really good for bass. You can distort it too.
I had a cheapo Washburn bass once - and it made wonders changing pickups to quarterpounder and strings.
And using proper load, not using regular line inputs from mixer. HiZ input for instrument.
But a good bass itself always matter obviously.
If not getting lined input sounding good - I use a Line6 Lowdown studio amp that gives a number of amp emulations, good settings for eq and compressor as well as outs with speaker emulation for direct input on soundcard line level inputs.
As of plugins I find Waves VEQ4 really good for bass. You can distort it too.
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- KVRAF
- 14977 posts since 13 Nov, 2012
Back in the days of analog recording, tape compression really enhanced the sound and dynamics of bass.
But tape compression differs from software plugin compression.
The advantage of tape compression is that it is super fast and transparent.
You can also use an EQ in front of it to help shape the bass.
Some of the tape emulations do a good job of reproducing this behavior.
So far, I would say that the UAD tape emulations get the closest to analog tape.
Waves is not bad also.
But tape compression differs from software plugin compression.
The advantage of tape compression is that it is super fast and transparent.
You can also use an EQ in front of it to help shape the bass.
Some of the tape emulations do a good job of reproducing this behavior.
So far, I would say that the UAD tape emulations get the closest to analog tape.
Waves is not bad also.
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 175 posts since 30 Jun, 2006
You know, I love the sound of analog tape so i am always trying to get my DAW to sound like an analog recording. I'm gonna try a 'console emulation plugin" that i just got and the Toneboosters tape emulation plugin, maybe that will help the bass to break thru the mix. Highpassing the guitars helped a bit, just can't seem to eq the mud out of the bass.PatchAdamz wrote:Back in the days of analog recording, tape compression really enhanced the sound and dynamics of bass.
But tape compression differs from software plugin compression.
The advantage of tape compression is that it is super fast and transparent.
You can also use an EQ in front of it to help shape the bass.
Some of the tape emulations do a good job of reproducing this behavior.
So far, I would say that the UAD tape emulations get the closest to analog tape.
Waves is not bad also.
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- KVRian
- 1100 posts since 9 Jan, 2015 from NY, NY
What do you mean by mud though? It could be that you have cut out too much of the higher frequencies and it sounds dull. You can always apply more than one filter though - maybe try playing around with leaving some high end mid in there to brighten it up.damonvargas wrote:thanks for the tips guys, I'm trying all these things to get a good low end. I just can't seem to get rid of the muddy sound on a bass i recorded direct.
You could also run it through a frequency analyzer and see if it looks like a weird shape in any way, and try to flatten it out somewhat.
Usually you can get the result you're looking for if you experiment a bit. Too much compression can also make it sound dull too.
Sweet child in time...
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- KVRian
- 570 posts since 21 Feb, 2015
Maybe you could try passing the bass signal through a high-pass filter before it is recorded, so you don't record any low frequency "mud"in the first place. Might be interesting to try at least.
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- KVRAF
- 2279 posts since 20 Dec, 2002 from The Benighted States of Trumpistan
Cut the bottom on everything except bass and kick. EQ the bass. Sidechain the bass to the kick. Then EQ again if necessary. (You can also ruthlessly EQ everything including the bass and kick.)
Why? Because the bottom end is a tiny, hotly-contested territory (there are only so many frequencies there), and the only solution is ruthless elimination of competition. "That's not opinion. That's science and science is one cold-hearted bitch with a 14-inch strap-on," quoth Vince Masuka in Dexter. If other instruments/voices/parts/whatevs aren't there, they can cause neither masking not muddiness. This lets you have a deep, warm bottom end without mud.
Seriously, EQ and sidechained compression is all you need.
You can also take the lazy way out -- cut the bottom on everything except bass and kick, then add a ridiculous amount of mids to the bass. Most people won't notice the difference between doing this and doing the right thing, but we will, and we'll probably laugh a bit, 'cause we've all been there.
Why? Because the bottom end is a tiny, hotly-contested territory (there are only so many frequencies there), and the only solution is ruthless elimination of competition. "That's not opinion. That's science and science is one cold-hearted bitch with a 14-inch strap-on," quoth Vince Masuka in Dexter. If other instruments/voices/parts/whatevs aren't there, they can cause neither masking not muddiness. This lets you have a deep, warm bottom end without mud.
Seriously, EQ and sidechained compression is all you need.
You can also take the lazy way out -- cut the bottom on everything except bass and kick, then add a ridiculous amount of mids to the bass. Most people won't notice the difference between doing this and doing the right thing, but we will, and we'll probably laugh a bit, 'cause we've all been there.
Wait... loot _then_ burn? D'oh!
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- KVRian
- 1325 posts since 17 Aug, 2012 from Old Zealand
I often find it helps to cut with an EQ around the 450hz area.
It makes the bass less "roomy" and it sits better in the mix.
And as others have said: Removing some of the lowend
from other instruments.
It makes the bass less "roomy" and it sits better in the mix.
And as others have said: Removing some of the lowend
from other instruments.
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Raz_klinghoffer Raz_klinghoffer https://www.kvraudio.com/forum/memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=352251 - KVRer
- 8 posts since 24 Feb, 2015 from Los Angele
Try putting distortion on the bass, you can do out it on a send channel and mix it with your clean signal
Distorting the bass the right way give it tightness and control the low frequencies pretty good
Experiment with different distortion and mix % ...
Distorting the bass the right way give it tightness and control the low frequencies pretty good
Experiment with different distortion and mix % ...
Music Producer & Mix Engineer - Los Angeles
http://www.razklinghoffer.com/
http://www.razklinghoffer.com/
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- KVRist
- 52 posts since 24 May, 2014
I've written a detailed tutorial about mixing a bass guitar from scratch.damonvargas wrote:Hey guys, I'm wondering if you can all share with me how you get a good sound out of the bass guitar when you are mixing. I do know a lot depends on how you track the bass but, it still may need some processing. I'm currently struggling with getting the 'mud" out of the bass and getting it to punch thru the mix as well as sounding big and warm on the low end. I also realize every recording, style, etc. is different, just looking for some basic, golden, standard go-to things you all do when processing the bass. For the record, I'm mixing a classic rock style of music.
thanx a bunch for any tips!
This is mostly for metal basses but still you can get lots of ideas from it (you don't need t use
everything that has been said in it)
I am sure you'll like it
http://musicproductiontips.net/how-to-m ... ss-guitar/
