Tutorial: Making my guitar tracks sound huge

[ahjteam]

Step 1: buy a bass guitar
Step 2: done

Listen to the difference in the sound.

no bass: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1338211/ahjteam/ahjteam_water_v02_nobass.mp3
with bass: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1338211/ahjteam/ahjteam_water_v02.mp3

 

[cloy26]

amazing. I really just grasped this concept on a project I just finished, but so true.

 

[Laneismusic]

Dang, it's crazy what the bass can do. Thanks for this!

 

[arvoitus]

Wow, highpass at 150hz ... is that what you always do? I normally do 75/100hz

 

[punkinnit]

I highpass at 250hz. 6db/oct.
I give the whole 40 - 250 to the bass and chisel a bit out for the kick.

 

[MarcusGHedwig]

250 is ridiculous for guitars, and IMO so is 150; the above example still sounds like there's a hole between guitar and bass in the lower freq's, and dropping the cutoff to 100 or even lower shouldn't be an issue with a well-balanced tone

 

[punkinnit]

Cutting at 250 will turn mud into sparkle. Just remember to cut 250/6 and not 250/48. Let the Bass take all that bottom end.

 

[-Loco-]

I think the cut-offs at 100/110 for the rhythms, i will sometimes cut up to 250 for the 'fiddly' mids to get rid of unwanted noise. I think that clip sounds pretty awful in general, the guitars and bass don't sound 'glued' together and that snare is god damn weak.

 

[ahjteam]

250 is ridiculous for guitars, and IMO so is 150; the above example still sounds like there's a hole between guitar and bass in the lower freq's, and dropping the cutoff to 100 or even lower shouldn't be an issue with a well-balanced tone

I think the cut-offs at 100/110 for the rhythms, i will sometimes cut up to 250 for the 'fiddly' mids to get rid of unwanted noise. I think that clip sounds pretty awful in general, the guitars and bass don't sound 'glued' together and that snare is god damn weak.

I rechecked and two were highpassed at 150hz and two were highpassed at 100hz. I'm using a 12dB/oct filter, so it is equivalent to highpassing at 50hz and 75hz at 24dB/oct. I have cut at 300hz on the bass. And the point was not to make a perfect sounding clip but just a quick example, I think I spent something like 20 minutes to do that clip.

orange is bass, pink is guitars

 

[Nuno Filipe]

I dont think your example is a good example. Of course you have good intentions and that´s great. But the bass is not giving hugeness because the guitars are not well equalized and the bass and the guitars are not glued as they should be. And a highpass at 150hz is not also the better option.

 

[Harry Hughes]

Part of the hugeness comes from tight playing........or good editing
So nope, your sloppy clip doesn't sound very huge, sorry
I think for step 2 you should state "Play virgin tight" and then step 3 " Done"

 

[Pablo333]

i think this is a great example - bass is part of the "whole" of the gtr sound , just listen to Faith no more 's "Diggin the grave" - the Bass just drives the entire track, with the gtr's sitting on top nicely.

 

[Sixstringmayhem]

Step 1: buy a bass guitar
Step 2: done

]

lmao wish everything were this simply stated ha

 

[drope934]

...just listen to Faith no more 's "Diggin the grave" - the Bass just drives the entire track, with the gtr's sitting on top nicely.

nice example, indeed.