Bass : to make it tight but big

[Sly]

I just read somewhere that Andy uses a multiband comp on the bass in his mixes. I sometimes do it and it sounds good, but you have to take care about the amount of comp and where you compress to, else it can sound flat.
I use the Waves C4 these days and I only compress the 40-250 Hz area.
How do you guys do to get great, big but tight bass sound ? (I know it's the tracking etc, but once you have a great tracked sound ?)
EQ-wise I always highpass the bass around 50-100 Hz depending on the sound, then cut a few dbs around 80 Hz to make room for the kick, and sometimes a little cut in the low mids too.
I'm particularely impressed by Daniel Bergstrand bass sounds, sometimes the bass sound sooo big it's incredible, and that without eating the kick drum, guitars etc., insane amount of low end there but still tight !!

 

[AntonioPetrole]

Great bass and pups, playing, amp and comp. Attack, release, GR, etc. all has to be set perfect so that first transient pops out and then its compressed to carry out the fatness.

First transient = Punchy
Compression = Big

Just dont over do it. Someone correct me on this if im wrong

 

[NSGUITAR]

TWSS

 

[pipaguapique]

 

[Pedro Teixeira]

I never highpass that high :O

I always hipass at about 30hz-50hz (MAXIMUM), depends on the material. Never use multiband comp on anything either, if something needs to be brought down just cut it until you get a good compromise.
But the main thing here is a GOOD player, a good bass, if you don't have a good amp and cab, then try to get a good DI through a nice pre. Compressing it to fuckery too. The bass has to drive everything, so it can't jump around, I compress it a lot and limit it as well. If you need or want some mid grit then process in a seperate track with no low-end and blend to taste. The key is to make it fit with the guitars, doesn't matter if it sounds like shit solo'ed (mainly the grit etc) but if it sounds good in the mix, then you know its good

 

[Emdprodukt]

I don't highpass my bass at all anymore. I cut a bit of 60hz for the kick and a lot of 500hz-700hz depending on the style.

 

[acappa]

I wonder how you mike the bass cabs, which mikes you use to use....¿? I usually record the dry signal from the DI, the pre out, and one mike in front of the cab, my D6, but my tones are not the greatest....any input???thanks

 

[Encaved]

Depending on amp, I may choose the DI for the lo/sub frequencies and the amp for the tone in the mid and higher or get all the tone from the amp if it's a good amp in a good room (without notes that disappear and other that jump).

In the mix, as said, I mult the bass one or two times to split the spectrum of the bass across tracks and mix them in the song (lo/sub compressed, med distorded, hi clipped, for example).

If the bassist is really good, you can also have two tracks of bass (two different takes) and pan them to get a stereo sound

 

[ze kink]

The way I do it isn't anything special. Duplicate the DI track; one for subs, one for the rest. The latter goes through a surgical eq (most times I end up getting something annoying and clicky in the DI), an ampsim, eq, two compressors and another eq. I would really really like to reamp the bass too, but I haven't had a chance to really do it with anything proper yet.

 

[amarshism]

Like the D6 on bass cabs. Play around with the position, usually hovering around edge of the cap up to 6 inches back. Also been taking a line out of the head and a di too lately. On the session I was mixing today the lineout already had some nice treble and upper mid attack happening so I made that my grit track with a sansamp and hi passed around 350. Bit of multi band on the mic controlling some rumble and low mid flub. Di just a bit of eq and ridden in low to kinda bring it all together. Everything got eqd, limited and compd to hell and back together. Was really stoked with it.

 

[Seizure.]

I split lowend and throw it threw ampeg svx, limit to hell and back, and then take out all the highs/mids and only use it for subs.

I also use one medium distortion track for body (in the pic case the ampeg track)
And one thats distorted as fuck (in this case the Sunn track) i high pass at around 2/3 khz, and high pass at around 400.
And that also gets some slightly high and lowpassed chorus for some stereo widening.

I like my bass tones most of the time.

The main thing is getting a good amp signal with the right mids and not too much stupid highend.

 

[Ermz]

Good source tone is EVERYTHING here.

• Brand new strings (only a few minutes old, any more than 4 hours of solid play and you're fucked with regular ones).
• A bass that's made of bright body wood is pivotal. If you're using something dark like Mahogany, you're fighting an uphill battle from the get-go. Ash is a decent compromise between mid snarl and tightness, but is still generally muddier than you want for something that's both tight and huge. I've had good experiences with Maple, Chesswood and Ironwood (yes! ironwood). My best bass tone came from a cheap NJ Beast that had a Chesswood body.
• Dig in to those strings. Pound the bass good and make sure it sounds clanky as hell.
• Edit it good so that it sits in a pocket right behind the kick transients.
• Melodyne it if possible.

In the mix:

• Staged compression. Fast-attack 1176 style and general limiter style limiting works well. But you need to be letting the transient through somewhere as well, so stage slower attack with faster attack comps to get the right balance of punch and tightness.
• Multi-band compression. What you can't control with simple EQ, do with multi-band. It can sometimes be that extra 10% of finishing tightness. Just bear in mind not to compress the entire bass range if you can avoid it... that's self-defeating, because you're just doing normal compression, but without affecting the mids and highs.
• Find the grit pedal/amp/unit that works for you.
• Always leave a space for the kick (usually means cut somewhere between 60 and 80hz).
• And most importantly..... TAKE THE LOWS OUT OF YOUR GUITAR TRACK!

 

[Sly]

I do it exactly how it's said here, and I get good results. How much do you cut in the 60-80 Hz area to leave room for the kick ?

 

[Seizure.]

i side chain my subs to the kick, so dont really have to in general...

 

[Jaymz]

I recorded/mixed this bass tone recently, came out pretty well considering it wasn't with brand new strings and was a finger player. Big factor was it was my bass I told him to use, IE Sledge with a EMG MMCS5. The bass itself makes an insane difference on how the final product comes out.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/451140/Pink_Bass.mp3

 

[D20]

I recorded/mixed this bass tone recently, came out pretty well considering it wasn't with brand new strings and was a finger player. Big factor was it was my bass I told him to use, IE Sledge with a EMG MMCS5. The bass itself makes an insane difference on how the final product comes out.

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/451140/Pink_Bass.mp3

That sounded pretty freakin' nice!

What was the signal chain if you don't mind me asking?

 

[acappa]

Tomorrow I´m starting the bass sessions for a new album. Gear is ampeg
svt-3 head + ampeg cab 4x10 + 1x15 neck thru 5 strings warwick. I´m using my sansamp to give more character. I will record 3 signals:
- Audix d6 in front of the 10" speaker into API into Distressor
- Preamp out of the head into API into DBX 160
- Bass Di into API

You think it´s a good idea compressing in the way in??? If so, how much reduction, ratio, attack and release will you aim for???

Cheers

 

[Seizure.]

I still dont get how you could want a kick and bass guitar to work in the mix.
And then put a kickmic infront of you basscab.
Its asking for trouble and alot of post recording eqing no?

I tried d6 on bass though, did exactly what i thought, to many highs, to many lows, and no cool mids that you really need in a mix from bass.

 

[acappa]

I still dont get how you could want a kick and bass guitar to work in the mix. And then put a kickmic infront of you basscab.

What kind of Mic do you suggest sir??
In my signature you can see all I have

 

[Zombietakeover]

ERMZ can you explain this statement more "Edit it good so that it sits in a pocket right behind the kick transients."