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#1
07-08-2002
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Take the "boom" outta my bass!
I just mixed (and had mastered) some bass guitar tracks (which started out boomy and loud) and guess what? The tracks STAYED boomy and loud! I thought the mastering and compression, etc. would even it all out (don't get me wrong; the mastering did a WORLD of good to the recording), but I need suggestions as I re-mix, create new plug-ins and get it re-mastered...
Any frequencies you can recommend I add/change with my FilterBank E6 e.q.? I recorded the bass to two separate tracks with a POD (one for the bass "amp", one for the "direct" line). So I have some flexibility there. I know I've got to "tweak" and "use my ears", but any head starts or general tips would help me jump start. Thanks! Pastorob 
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#2
07-08-2002
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OK... Try a -4db gain with a medium Q. Now set the frequencie between 80hz and 400hz.
Beathoven http://www.nowhereradio.com/beathoven/singles
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#3
07-08-2002
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try what Beathoven says first.
Also, unless you have done ear-training (like Dave Moulton's Golden Ears) or have a lot of experience, it would be hard to pick out "where" your boominess is. Do you have a sample we could hear? Maybe as .mp3? You could put one of those in the clinic, and one of the experts there could instantly tell you what to try and cut. Alternatively, if you have (preferrably) sweepable EQ, even more preferrably parametric EQ: Start where Beathoven says (right near the middle of that 80 ~ 400 Hz) and narrow the Q to about 1/2 octave. Play the track. Now, sweep the EQ up the spectrum, and down -- boosting about 6db. When you hit the BOOMY notes, they should get terribly louder. THAT is where to cut or rolloff your frequencies. You should probably also roll off any energy below 60 to 80 Hz, since you'll want that for the kick drum. Just some suggestions, but the better minds will come in and help more  Chad
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#4
07-08-2002
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also!
Certain bass guitars (as recently mentioned in the guitars & basses forum) just have certain strings that are LOUDER. The E string on many basses seems to just BOOOOM right out of there (like my Ibanez ATK) and on some others, the upper strings do that. Compression could be your friend, here. (assuming you have a compressor). Experiment with lower compression ratios first, then work your way up till you find that tightened bass sound. This might be what you need in place of EQ after all. Others would be better suited to tell you what the threshold and attack settings should be. Chad Oops. Never mind. The question was about EQ anyway.
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#6
07-08-2002
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Quote:
 Chad Last edited by participant; 07-08-2002 at 01:32..
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#7
07-08-2002
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Well, the advice was so good I couldn't add anything to it! Now lets see:
If I listen to Participant, then i should do what Crawdad says, which is to listen to what Participant says which.....oh no! I'm so confused! To clarify, do what Crawdad says, not what Crawdad does! And listen to Participant!
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#9
07-10-2002
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the bass "boom" is gone, but so isda TONE and PUNCH
OK, friends. Remember my "boomy" bass tracks? I compressed them and they sounded "eh", so I compressed 'em more and they were "pumping" (bad). So I attempted Beathoven's and Chad's advice about e.q. I cut and "Q'd" and swept and found some loud ringing notes and all that... I worked with it for a while, but now the bass just sounds mushy and not tight.
Is it difficult to get a tight, clear, punchy bass sound using a $700 Yamaha bass with a POD on Pro Tools LE w/Digi 001 on 16-bit (not 24-bit - Newbie error) with lots of instruments and vocals in there? I didn't think so before... When I solo the bass track, it actually sounds pretty good. You can tell the POD "effected" the tone on the way in and it's pretty warm and punchy (2 tracks, remember - one "direct" and one "amp"). But when I bring up all the other tracks, the punch and tone of the bass are lost. My rig is at work (church), so I'm still working on getting an mp3 out to you guys. Beathoven, Chad, or anybody else out there, can you give me a little more detail walking me through gentle bass guitar compression and/or the FilterBank E6 e.q. step by step? I wasn't quite up to speed with the meaning of your terminology: "narrow the Q to 1/2 octave" "roll off any energy between 60-80 hz; you'll need that for the kick drum." "-4db gain with a medium Q. Now set the frequency between 80hz and 400hz" (I don't understand this since the E6 has six points goin') So there's your new challenge! Thanks! rob
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#10
07-11-2002
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BOOM lives at 315 Hz
__________________
Igor
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#11
07-11-2002
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Also look to other instruments that may be fighting with the bass for space. You may want to do some EQ cutting on them as well to make room for the bass. You say it sounds OK solo'd but when the other faders come up the bass dissapears. That would make me look to other instruments.
Very true that 315Hz is the center of muddville.
__________________
Mike
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#12
07-11-2002
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if u have money to spare get the waves renaissance package and use ren bass...this is a program that controls strictly bass at ur specified frequency u can lower it make it louder add more harmonics...i love it
__________________
"...if the opposite of pro is a con lets go beyond this, the opposite of CONgress must be PROgress..." Cage
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#14
07-12-2002
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This is acoustic phenomenon, it depends on room size, wall distance and ceiling height ( standing waves build-up and room
resonant freq ) I have experimented with open field playback, and effect of 315 Hz region is not so drastic. If you just open window in the studio, BOOM effect will decrease. If monitoring with headphones, there is no BOOM. This depends on playback room, and it looks that average room resonate at 315 Hz.
__________________
Igor
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#15
07-12-2002
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Rob, What are you monitoring on? One thing to make sure is that it actually is boomy and not just your monitors or room.
Bring up the bass track by itself and one by one bring up the other tracks. Try to notice what tracks start to kill your bass tone. Do some bass cuts on those tracks and you may find that your bass will have more room to thump.
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#16
07-12-2002
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good point, Tex.
Chad
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#18
07-15-2002
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 hell yeah !
__________________
Igor
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#19
07-16-2002
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reduce but don't totally do away with the low-mids that you've been playing with, and only compress the bass as needed not just because you've been told to do so.
also, what kind of music are you doing? is it bass intensive music where the bass has to thump or the type of music where bass just needs to be present? i typically low cut all bass frequencies below 60hz. i also find the fundamental frequency of the kick drum and notch (-3db) that using a narrow Q. then, i sweep the low-mids to find the offending mud and tame it but i don't throw it away, because it does contribute... i just don't want for it to over-contribute. lately, if i cut the low-mids more dramatically, i also go searching for the upper harmonic (anywhere from 800hz to 1.5khz or so) and boost it.
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#20
07-17-2002
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How the....
How can people work with so much EQ??? Like 30 band EQ's on computers. I have 3 band with sweepable mid, and I play with it for along time. I sure do wish that I have more, when I am fighting with something like the boom, but man mixing would take along long time with 30 band EQ's. Sorry I just bitched and didn't help.
These guys are giving you all the right things to do....good work
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#21
07-17-2002
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gregwar
We're talking about parametric EQ -- not 30-band graphic EQ Cubase VST/32 has 4 bands of parametric EQ per channel, for instance. You can move the bands (sweepable) and change their width (Q).crossstudio Sorry, should have explained that the OP didn't have to cut everything that was offensive -- just some of it  Thanks for clarifying. You go on assumptions when you explain things sometimes, and... things get messed up -- like nice, tight bass tracks Chad
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#22
07-18-2002
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Quote:
The first harmonic of the low E rests at about 329Hz. 293Hz for D. And the most common room dimension in the USA is an 8 ft (2.44m) ceiling. One resonance that could be excited for this dimension is at 279Hz, which corresponds to about C#4. So yeah, if you’re exciting the room resonance and the song is in D or the ubiquitous key of E, you’re liable to hear some mud and boom because it like playing C#4 simultaneously with your root note. The ½ frequencies would likely also be a problem. You don’t happen to have any of these combinations happening there do you Pastorob? barefoot
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#23
07-18-2002
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How about the potential obvious? Perhaps his playing is the problem? Try a pick instead of fingered, is he playing the strings to soft or too hard, etc. Ok, probably worthless drivel but I wanted to contribute.
__________________
Nevermind, I'm too st-st-st-stupid anyway...
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#24
07-19-2002
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__________________
Igor
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#25
07-19-2002
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actually misterx you are on to something.
seems that my bass has a natural resonance (i haven't figured out exactly where, because when i think i know, i dont) when i finger the strings too hard, and i'm playing high up the bridge it sounds awefully boomy. when i finger the strings too hard, and i'm playing low on the bridge it buzzes (not a fret buzz, but a growly buzz) i'm learning to play the strings with authority, but not like i'm attacking them and the recordings are coming out less boomy. btw, i get the best results for my style (r&b, hip-hop, reggae) by resting my thumb on the low-B and playing spider-style (4 fingers) between the 2 soapbar pickups.
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