Filtering the bass

BTStudio

BTStudio

Active member
Hello, I’m wondering how everyone uses high or low pass filters on they’re bass recordings, and why.
Guy
 
I installed a set of EMG-GZR PJ passive pickups and electronics in an inexpensive Yamaha bass. They sound great, but the low end was a little muddy (wooly..?) with Fender roundwounds and especially with La Bella Flats. I used a HP filter to eliminate most of that - IIRC, I set it somewhere between 40Hz-60Hz on the last song with that particular bass. I had to be careful not to move it much higher because it can quickly go from just right to OOPS! no low end at all.

Currently, I'm using a USA Jazz with original Fender roundwound strings - DI to interface totally dry and it doesn't need any EQ.. sounds great as is.
 
Use a crossover. Compress the low side. Eq and overdrive the hi side....or was it the other way around..?

yeah, fer sure..use a crossover.
 
It all depends - on the song, the bass's tone and what that song calls for.
I DI the bass and use either an Ampeg (for clean bass) or Fender-bassman-type (for rock bass) plug in. I'll scoop some mids out in a guitar-heavy track, and might add an octave pitch shift (up 1 or down 1) in the mix, depending on whether its a low or higher bass part.
 
i never have to use a HPF or LPF on my bass tracks,
but i always have to use a parametric and scoop out bits that poke out the top.
then i run it thru a DBX 160 style compressor, and maybe re-eq again.

you want to have rich lows, almost subs, but NOT have muddy or boomy frequencies.

of course, the place to start, is right at the bass. if you are recording, run your practice bass tracks thru a spectrum analyzer, and look at what's poking out...
see if you can find volume and tone knob changes, even pickup changes, that favor getting rid of those frequencies first..
then use you ears, and start dialing it in with the amp settings...
then you have your very best attempt at the bass tones BEFORE mixing.

the idea is, don't fix it in the mix, if you can fix it during tracking.
 
I generally high pass around 40 because I really don't want to hear anything below that in my songs. Plus if music is played on a system with a sub woofer you could be in for an unpleasant surprise and also will affect you peak volume. I adjust the other frequencies to fit the song.
 
I'm with Mike, depends on the song. And especially on the type of kick sound wanted in a particular genre.

Sometimes the kick carries the sub energy and sometimes the bass.

I prefer the kick to handle the sub in most cases on modern non metal type rock and pop. Plus, with bass there can be a LOT of low freq info that just is not translating while simultaneously taking up large swaths of dynamic range.
 
spantini said:
I installed a set of EMG-GZR PJ passive pickups and electronics in an inexpensive Yamaha bass. They sound great, but the low end was a little muddy (wooly..?) with Fender roundwounds and especially with La Bella Flats. I used a HP filter to eliminate most of that - IIRC, I set it somewhere between 40Hz-60Hz on the last song with that particular bass. I had to be careful not to move it much higher because it can quickly go from just right to OOPS! no low end at all.

Currently, I'm using a USA Jazz with original Fender roundwound strings - DI to interface totally dry and it doesn't need any EQ.. sounds great as is.
Click to expand...
Thanks Spantini
 
mjbphotos said:
It all depends - on the song, the bass's tone and what that song calls for.
I DI the bass and use either an Ampeg (for clean bass) or Fender-bassman-type (for rock bass) plug in. I'll scoop some mids out in a guitar-heavy track, and might add an octave pitch shift (up 1 or down 1) in the mix, depending on whether its a low or higher bass part.
Click to expand...
I’m assuming you scoop some mids to leave room in the mix for the guitars and vocals. How much scooping are you doing and do you allow the bass to sound thin in those frequencies, focussing more on the greater good? Is this done to reduce accumulating mud or to just make space.
Thanks. Guy
 
GONZO-X said:
i never have to use a HPF or LPF on my bass tracks,
but i always have to use a parametric and scoop out bits that poke out the top.
then i run it thru a DBX 160 style compressor, and maybe re-eq again.

you want to have rich lows, almost subs, but NOT have muddy or boomy frequencies.

of course, the place to start, is right at the bass. if you are recording, run your practice bass tracks thru a spectrum analyzer, and look at what's poking out...
see if you can find volume and tone knob changes, even pickup changes, that favor getting rid of those frequencies first..
then use you ears, and start dialing it in with the amp settings...
then you have your very best attempt at the bass tones BEFORE mixing.

the idea is, don't fix it in the mix, if you can fix it during tracking.
Click to expand...
I like the idea of getting it right first. Thanks. Guy
 
markmann said:
I generally high pass around 40 because I really don't want to hear anything below that in my songs. Plus if music is played on a system with a sub woofer you could be in for an unpleasant surprise and also will affect you peak volume. I adjust the other frequencies to fit the song.
Click to expand...
Very good point made
Guy
 
Gtoboy said:
I'm with Mike, depends on the song. And especially on the type of kick sound wanted in a particular genre.

Sometimes the kick carries the sub energy and sometimes the bass.

I prefer the kick to handle the sub in most cases on modern non metal type rock and pop. Plus, with bass there can be a LOT of low freq info that just is not translating while simultaneously taking up large swaths of dynamic range.
Click to expand...
With the kick basically taking the lower frequencies would you hi pass the bass to leave the lower areas for the kick?
Guy
 
I hate rules. Especially EQ rules. I record flat, and then, when it’s mix stage, I do what is necessary for the song. If the bass is a 5 string and the player uses the bottom end extensively, then the top might be unnecessary. If on the other hand the player is a chorder or higher fret frustrated guitarist, then that cannot be removed. Worse it might need enhancing for the twiddly bits and removed at other times. Some players like me, change bass for tone changes but other wise turn up every knob, and DI that, for honing in the mix. Others will have pedals and tube amps and mics.

this is why the only real rule is there are no rules, and you listen to what is being played, work out what it’s for, and then make it fit.

the idea that components cannot sit is the same space is normally solid, unless they’re designed to interact. Muddy bass can often come from the pianists left hand. Especially when (in C) the bass plays the low C, but the piano plays a low E. these sound a mess together, so sometimes you cannot roll off either of them because they’re important, so you might pan bass left and piano bottom end apart. Pan the bass? The rule book says bass stays in the middle, surely? Well, yes, but it can’t if it fights with the piano left hand. So pan the piano a bit right, that’s fine. Then take your central bass, pan it just a bit the other way, but then duplicate it. You can then high pass one, low pass the other, and pan the low one a bit further to the side. You have the option of movement throughout, or just when that strange chord happens. Break the rules when they fail you.

For me, rules are simply guidelines to break. In many songs, general filters don’t feature at all for me. Maybe high pass on cymbals and hats? Maybe low pass on a bass, but if I do that, it’s set quite high where there’s no energy anyway, but bass tracks for me probably have a bit of cut or boost somewhere, but rarely in the same place.

Lazer use compression automatically, he likes that, and I don’t. He might take it off if it doesn’t work, and I put on if it will help. Two extreme rules for compression or not. Both can be correct. All down to what your music is.
 
BTStudio said:
I’m assuming you scoop some mids to leave room in the mix for the guitars and vocals. How much scooping are you doing and do you allow the bass to sound thin in those frequencies, focussing more on the greater good? Is this done to reduce accumulating mud or to just make space.
Thanks. Guy
Click to expand...
Just a a couple dB centered around 300-400Hz. Doesn't leave the bass sounding thin, but its only when there are a couple of electric guitars in the mix, and I may scoop those a little too. Depends on the song and the mix.
 
rob aylestone said:
I hate rules. Especially EQ rules. I record flat, and then, when it’s mix stage, I do what is necessary for the song. If the bass is a 5 string and the player uses the bottom end extensively, then the top might be unnecessary. If on the other hand the player is a chorder or higher fret frustrated guitarist, then that cannot be removed. Worse it might need enhancing for the twiddly bits and removed at other times. Some players like me, change bass for tone changes but other wise turn up every knob, and DI that, for honing in the mix. Others will have pedals and tube amps and mics.

this is why the only real rule is there are no rules, and you listen to what is being played, work out what it’s for, and then make it fit.

the idea that components cannot sit is the same space is normally solid, unless they’re designed to interact. Muddy bass can often come from the pianists left hand. Especially when (in C) the bass plays the low C, but the piano plays a low E. these sound a mess together, so sometimes you cannot roll off either of them because they’re important, so you might pan bass left and piano bottom end apart. Pan the bass? The rule book says bass stays in the middle, surely? Well, yes, but it can’t if it fights with the piano left hand. So pan the piano a bit right, that’s fine. Then take your central bass, pan it just a bit the other way, but then duplicate it. You can then high pass one, low pass the other, and pan the low one a bit further to the side. You have the option of movement throughout, or just when that strange chord happens. Break the rules when they fail you.

For me, rules are simply guidelines to break. In many songs, general filters don’t feature at all for me. Maybe high pass on cymbals and hats? Maybe low pass on a bass, but if I do that, it’s set quite high where there’s no energy anyway, but bass tracks for me probably have a bit of cut or boost somewhere, but rarely in the same place.

Lazer use compression automatically, he likes that, and I don’t. He might take it off if it doesn’t work, and I put on if it will help. Two extreme rules for compression or not. Both can be correct. All down to what your music is.
Click to expand...
Thanks for this Rob, I think I have a long way to go 😁
Guy
 
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