Panning bass guitar in the mix...

Drummerbones

New member
Okay, this probably belongs in the mixing forum, but what the heck. I've been struggling getting our bassist's parts to have their own space in the mix. My bassist is one of those arrogant players who is more concerned with hearing himself in all his "glory" rather than leave well enough alone. We've had the "just trust me, I know what I'm doing" talk, but you know how it goes. Although I do understand why he wants what he's playing to be heard. After using every compression and eq trick I know (and I know a bunch), I finally panned the bass and guitars away from eachother a touch for some separation and what do you know? I've always used the tride and true theory of kick and bass right down the middle. I've never panned the bass before. But...It sound good right now, though I'm concerned with surround sound issues etc. Could be a problem down the road, or is what sounds good the only approach I should be aiming for? Thanks.
 
What sounds good is always the right answer.

As for surround issues...

Most surround decoders (both analog and digital), use some sort of bass management to derive the sub-woofer's input. So, in essence, the bass will be heard wherever you've panned it, and felt through the sub.

Doesn't sound like a problem to me. :)
 
I am recording a band here in Mpls Mn called Autonomy
they use clean and distorted Bass and lots of distorted guitar
I still Pan the clean Bass in the center But I have been Panning
the distorted Back at about 3 to 4 oclock and the heavy guitar
at about 8 to 9 oclock, it has been sounding great there CD will be coming out in Sept.
Solos and certain places in the songs change where I pan things
theres always movement.
 
Well, my mixing sucks, but I usually hang the bass out onone side. I tried gtetting it close to center after reading some posts here for a while and then said fuck it. I usally only have one main rhythm guitar tho.
 
I would still put your bass center unless your doing some kind of
ultra differant kind of thaangg.
also depending on your setup ie amount of tracks/real drums/
Put the kick center and the snare center, if you have any overheads, 2 would be panned hard left and hard right 1 should then be center.
about that one guitar try putting it at 1 or 2 oclock or 10 or 11 oclock goodluck

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Well, my mixing sucks, but I usually hang the bass out onone side. I tried gtetting it close to center after reading some posts here for a while and then said fuck it. I usally only have one main rhythm guitar tho
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Unless the listener is in his car, wearing headphones or sitting right in the sweet spot most of your panning decisions will be pretty blurred.

When you listen to the stereo at home or a party and are moving around you are not going to be getting the proper stereo image. If you rely on panning for frequency seperation you are just kidding yourself into thinking you've solved the problem.
 
If you want to roll bass off center then split the frequencies like if you were going to biamp it, keep the lows center and pan the highs.
 
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