Bass compression

[Cacoph0ny]

what settings, compressor do you guys use for bass? I can't ever seem to get the bass to stay consistent in a mix, the volume is always up and down.

if I'm using a PODxt should I use the comp on there as well (i usually do)?

 

[ahjteam]

CamelCrusher! Otherwise use the default settings except turn the Phat mode off

 

[Ermz]

1176 style compression and simple limiting. 50 to 100ms release, 0.5 to 0.8ms attack. Ratio 4 or 8. Sometimes in parallel.

 

[Erlend_]

1176 style compression and simple limiting. 50 to 100ms release, 0.5 to 0.8ms attack. Ratio 4 or 8. Sometimes in parallel.

+1

Using extreme parallel compression can really work wonders on a bassguitar.

Lately I have duplicated the original bass track, used a highpass to remove anything below about 200Hz, nuking it with the UAD 1176LN and then adding some distortion with DaTube in Cubase.
Mixing this in with the original signal can really give you a crushing tone.

 

[CraigTNelson]

If it's the playing, not the instrument itself, that's inconsistent you'll get the best results tracking to tape. But if you don't have a Studer kickin around, get your hands on a Distressor.

If the problem is the way the bass is set up, open up your favourite EQ. Each bass note will have a fundamental frequency. Find the notes that are sticking out and notch 'em down a few dB until it's all nice and smooth.

Here's a handy chart to have bookmarked:

http://www.phy.mtu.edu/~suits/notefreqs.html

 

[mephisto_loh]

If it's the playing, not the instrument itself, that's inconsistent you'll get the best results tracking to tape. But if you don't have a Studer kickin around, get your hands on a Distressor.

If the problem is the way the bass is set up, open up your favourite EQ. Each bass note will have a fundamental frequency. Find the notes that are sticking out and notch 'em down a few dB until it's all nice and smooth.

Here's a handy chart to have bookmarked:

http://www.phy.mtu.edu/~suits/notefreqs.html

I know this is a Compression Bass topic, but that technique that Craig told us about is very useful on Mastering. i.e. if a song is on E notch up very gently all the E frequencies over the spectrum and it will give you a very good colored and tuned sound all over the mix

 

[AEL89]

loving opto style compressors on bass. Smack! in opto mode is awesome. I use the bomb factory 1176 a lot too. Digirack compressor will do a job. Sans amp plug and lo-fi get used a fair bit and i'll usually go for another opto plug on the bass bus with the kick sidechained to it, knocing off another 2 or 3 dBs. Massey tape-head can sometimes smooth things out but other times does weird stuff to the bottom end. Whatevers needed really!

 

[AEL89]

I know this is a Compression Bass topic, but that technique that Craig told us about is very useful on Mastering. i.e. if a song is on E notch up very gently all the E frequencies over the spectrum and it will give you a very good colored and tuned sound all over the mix

that's awesome, definitely going to try that out! You don't know the frequencies and harmonics of some notes do you..? Cheers anyway!

 

[mephisto_loh]

that's awesome, definitely going to try that out! You don't know the frequencies and harmonics of some notes do you..? Cheers anyway!

you can calculate that. when i mean a song tuned on E you search in the table all the frequencies that correspond to the Octaves of E i.e.
E0 = 20.60 (Hz)
E1 41.20
E2 82.41
E3 164.81
E4 329.63
E5 659.26
E6 1318.51
E7 2637.02
and so on.

I't might be a little messy and will take a lot of time but doing this "EQ" dinamically on the whole song might sound better i.e. a song with Am, G, F, Em chords you can play to EQ the frequencies of the chord (1st,3rd & 5th) or just the Tonic (A, G, F or E) i haven't try that but it might sound great. If you make some tests i would love to hear them plz!!!

Hope i answered your question and sorry if this is not a Mastering thread but i was Ad-hoc
Cheers!

 

[Jormyn]

I'm really enjoying Blockfish's bass preset, usually one before and one after any amp/cab plugins.