Bass Enhancers for whole mixes

[kylen]

The LFMax/LFPunch combo is much more controllable and cleaner sounding than PSP MixBass, I don't have the other ones to compare. Whoever does could mention a few differences or similarities...

[kevvvvv]

I've used MixBass - but only really liked it once on a whole mix.

It tends to colour the sound the wrong way (v artificial) to be safe on whole mixes.

IMO it's more of a synth track fixer.

[AKJ]

AKJ, Transmodder is not necessarily a bass enhancer. For example, it does not create harmonic distortion nor it creates sub harmonics. Of course, Transmodder can be used for bass frequency adjustments as well (EQ will do, too).

Hi Aleksey, I did not say that it is primarily or only a bass enhancer but for sure it can be used for this purpose. Even you seemed to have had that in mind. I quote from the product page:

"The most evident purpose of this plug-in is to make the bass and high frequency content stand out in the mix or make it less noticable."

so if you make the bass part of a mix stand out, isn't thta bass enhancement?

cheers, akj

[Aleksey Vaneev]

I thought 'enhancement' is more of 'quality' than of 'quantity'. Boosting/cutting is quantity, adding new content/harmonics is quality. Anyway, Transmodder can be used for bass adjustments as well.

[AKJ]

I actually spot Transmoder right in the middle between quantity and quality, since it is possible to add fake harmonics by boosting eg upper frequencies every time a bass transient occurs. This is exactly why I find it so useful (and consider it a much underrated plugin). but then, it's good that it is not hyped so much since it thus stays my private secret weappon

[grillo]

I'm kind of down with Chagzuki on this, imo using those plugins on whole mixes is a little bit too much, would only try if my bass really was nowhere to be heard.

But i have a question, when the low end is not right, and you want to pump it a little bit more, you probably want your bass to sound stronger and your kickdrum as well. now if i enhance my whole mix i also get bassy tone from the rhodes and whatever i have on, and that's just mud to my ears. So why don't just use these fx on single channels in the mix?

[Aleksey Vaneev]

grillo, usually it is possible to tune the plug-in so that it does not affect the rhodes as much as it affects the bassdrum or bass. Anyway, adjusting the whole mix sometimes may yield more 'consistent' sound - doing this on a separate track may leave some other bass-heavy track sound different to the one which was 'effected'.

[kevvvvv]

grillo

I'm kind of down with Chagzuki on this, imo using those plugins on whole mixes is a little bit too much, would only try if my bass really was nowhere to be heard.

But i have a question, when the low end is not right, and you want to pump it a little bit more, you probably want your bass to sound stronger and your kickdrum as well. now if i enhance my whole mix i also get bassy tone from the rhodes and whatever i have on, and that's just mud to my ears. So why don't just use these fx on single channels in the mix?

What you're saying is logical so one level I agree with you. Things should be fixed at track level.

But when I had the opportunity to use Ren Bass I was impressed by the overall tone (and lack of mud)

A sound is a funny thing to put your finger on. What exactly makes a great sound?

It's just something you like, that you think sounds great.

Ren Bas did it for me but, as I say, it's pricey.

This weekend I hope to get the time to try Aleksey's new plug and give it a good going over.

[scam_artist]

i find a little EQ on the master is all I need in most cases
a boost in the 50 - 100 Hz region, a cut in 300 - 800Hz... as a rough guide anyway. The cut really takes away the mud of the bass across the mix and helps to accentuate the meat of the bass