To much bass guitar on certain notes

S

Stubby03

New member
I got a good mix going, but my F and A note on the bass are a little loud, can I use a parametric eq and get those two notes a little more in check.
 
What else have you done to the track re. processing?

My start point would be to automate the volume on individual notes, but that depends upon the style being played. A little carefully applied compression can be useful. I wouldn't reach for the EQ for this problem.
 
Armistice said:
What else have you done to the track re. processing?

My start point would be to automate the volume on individual notes, but that depends upon the style being played. A little carefully applied compression can be useful. I wouldn't reach for the EQ for this problem.
Click to expand...

A parametric eq tackling those two notes will work. I've used that technique to get wayward notes under control. I've also, at a times, gone through the track and manually adjusted those notes.
 
To add to the excellent aboves.. For bass along with amplitude, there's also duration. Some times it's a combo of both that makes some notes 'too much. That applies right off to kicks here as well.
The duration portions of both of them can become particularly relevant (audible) getting those two things to fit and behave well together.
.. I.e, transient designer type tool (reduce sustain for example independent of level), down ward expander or upward comp - but dependant on level.
 
Are we sure this isn't a room issue? The fact that it's only and always those two notes really sounds like a room mode. Try listening from another spot in the room and see if it is better, or maybe if different notes stick out.
 
Great points above.

I am with ashcat in wondering if the issue is the environment you are mixing in.

I have had one time where an active bass has been out of control on some notes, but that was a crap bass.

The usual culprit I have found to be the room itself.

By this I mean the room you are listening/mixing in. Have you listened outside of your studio?

Also, you could be building up those notes if you add compression before eq of the ones that are pushing out. Try the eq notch before you compress.
 
Greg_L said:
What if he's recording direct and listening through headphones?

Room don't matter then.
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Then either shit bass, shit phones, or shit something is the cause.

I myself have a favorite crappy Ibanez $200 bass. I have $300 EMG P/J pups in it. Never an issue with certain notes louder than others.

Maybe a pickup issue? IDFK.
 
I don't know what this guy's problem is, but some basses just suck. I've heard basses where if you play a fretted A on the E string, and then an open A string, they sound totally different. Same note, same frequency, the fretted A on the E sounds pluckier and boomier while the open A might sound more hollow and not cut as well. It's just some stupid shit that happens.
 
I should add that I always listen to bass via headphones before making individual volume note decisions... my room ain't great.

Thanks for the para EQ tip gecko

There's also the "play it again" option, if possible. Be useful to know if it's sucky bass, sucky strings, sucky technique... going forward.... even if you fix it this time around.
 
Listened in car stereo after mixing. Smooth picking style. Not crap equip. Think i will look for freq with parametric. Thanks.
 
The other thing to look at is the waveform.

If the notes in question are higher than all the rest, then you can spot them easily and deal with them (however you choose). I recorded a violin part once where all the A notes were sticking out like crazy. I normally don't have that problem, but this time it just wasn't working right. In the end I just went through the track, found them all and manually lowered them.

If all the notes look to be about the same height on the waveform, you may be trying to fix a problem that doesn't exist within the recorded track. For example, wayward notes may be the result of room nodes or maybe peaky monitors. If you try and fix the wave, you may be screwing it up for other listeners.
 
If you are recording via direct and the room is OK for playback:

Bass guitar quality? how are the strings? Playing technique?

EQ the note frequencies down a bit, compression is your friend when it comes to bass.

Cheers
Alan.
 
Also, depending on how bad the actual louder notes are, sometimes the odd notes that are a touch louder here and there add to the dynamics of the performance.

If they're ridiculously louder though, I would automate them before compression.
 
Mr Clean said:
... I would automate them before compression.
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Yeah...either automate or just manually run through the track, slice as needed, and drop the levels down of the offending notes.
I wouldn't reach for compression or EQ to solve a level problem when working in a DAW where precise editing is so easy.
 
miroslav said:
Yeah...either automate or just manually run through the track, slice as needed, and drop the levels down of the offending notes.
I wouldn't reach for compression or EQ to solve a level problem whenj working in a DAW where precise editing is so easy.
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That's.. interesting. But I'm sitting here thinking, a typical bass track that could easily be dozens of edits?
 
Automation, how much time do you guys spend on mixing LOL, the offending notes may be in every bar of the song?

Most bass in commercial recordings has some compression on it, you don't have to slam the bass track but a little subtle compression will help bring the loud notes under control. If you want to get really technical try some frequency concuss compression.

Personally I usually side chain a limiter (parallel compression) on the bass track and set it up so that the loud notes are grabbed a little and the softer notes are not touched, this sounds like invisible compression.

Forms of compression explained here.


Cheers
Alan.
 
mixsit said:
That's.. interesting. But I'm sitting here thinking, a typical bass track that could easily be dozens of edits?
Click to expand...

Yup....a few dozen or more edits. :eek:

OMG....I could cut up a bass track in like 15-20 minutes, select the offending notes as a group if they are all about equally too loud, and then pull down their level. :D
If I had to do individual notes...add another 15 minutes. ;)

I just don't buy the EQ/Comp approach because it's going to affect more than just the level of specific notes.
I know some folks want that one-click easy way to solve problems...but I prefer the more surgical approach, and that's what the strong point of a DAW is.....the ability to make precise edits/FX/processing...unlike working with say, a multitrack tape mixdown, where you are more forced to apply broad-stroke solutions....like EQ/Comps/etc across the entire track.

After you do it a few times, it's actually pretty fast slicing up an audio track and making individual edits
 
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