Mixing Bass

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wordizbon

New member
Question. I have decided to jump into recording bass into my tracks.

I have a Fender P bass that I record directly into my Mackie 1604 into Cubase SX via a MOTU 2408. I record dry.

I want to start experimenting with plug ins, eq, dynamic processing, etc. Are there any tricks that I could try out being I have no experience in doing such. Anything I should know (how will this affect the drums.) I would like to make the bass come alive instead of this dead sound I have now. Where do I start?

Experts where are you, show some skills for me will you!!!
 
I'm not sure on the Mackie but is it really an instrument input? I've got a Behringer and it's always a dull sound plugging straight in but sound right when put through a DI.
 
Brand new strings are a must for killer bass tones - Especially with passive electronics. In the studio, no more than an hour or two on a set. Once they lose that "piano harp" sound, they're gone.

John Scrip - www.massivemastering.com
 
Well, it's just like anything else though. It depends on what you're looking for. Electric string instruments (especially bass) generally sound better with brand new strings.

For regular play, I've been using Elixir's - They don't have the *best* tone, but they keep their tone for a long time. For most home & demo recording, they'd be fine 90% of the time if you're using active electronics. A P-Bass though... Trying to get it to cut through tune after tune as the strings get older... That's rough.

Listening to most "non-big-time" albums, one thing you notice on most of them is that the bass guitar tone varies widely - Especially if the player started the session with brand new strings. It's a bee-otch in mixdown, too...

That's why I don't play bass for a living!
 
But new bass strings has more buzzing sound... how do you overcome that?

(or is it the case of cheap basses only)
 
I'm gonna disagree on the new strings. I like them after a couple days of play. Get to where they are consistent and use them there. New strings on any instrument are too bright to me.

This also depends on who's playing it. I have a friend that it seems like 10 minutes after he plays new strings they are dead but mine stay pretty clear for a long time.
 
i'm gonna have to say i'm against changing strings all the time. in fact, i like the sound of my bass after the strings are worn in for about a month or two. (my strings are 3 months old now) my bass is SO bright and punchy, that new strings just makes it ridiculous. i also record mic'd to my amp. i love the tone of my amp, it's definitely a must for my sound.
 
All we're saying is it's easier, better, faster, and sounds worlds better to try and get your sound before you even begin tracking.

And you mentioned the bass sounding dull -- well, if that's the case, then track it brighter and more livelier; use newer strings, mess with your dials, change pickups if you have to.

Once it's tracked, you'll usually want to compress it to enhance the punch and sustain. You can also try the 'ol standby 800 hz boost, which seems to bring out some nice presence. If it's too boomy, you might try cutting some of the lows. Maybe just do a low-shelf and cut 2-3 dbs or so below 100 hz . . . maybe a highpass filter at 40 hz.

This kind of stuff can help out, but it's not going to do a lot of good if your bass sounds dead to begin with. Good-sounding basses make for good bass tracks, and in my humblest of opinions, the strings, pickups, and the position of your tone dials when you track are going to make the greatest impact.
 
Ok, I guess maybe the wording I use seem to have a specific meaning to the professionals. For all I know it wasn't dull at all, I just meant to make it fit better with the other instruments that are already sampled and have been processed. Since this is my first live recording instrument I used EVER. So maybe it was my mistake on the wording I used. My mistake.
 
wordizbon said:
I would like to make the bass come alive instead of this dead sound I have now. Where do I start?
Click to expand...

Hmmm. That sounds like a pretty simple and straight-forward question to me.

Unless I'm missing something, here.
 
spankenstein said:
I'm gonna disagree on the new strings. I like them after a couple days of play. Get to where they are consistent and use them there. New strings on any instrument are too bright to me.

This also depends on who's playing it. I have a friend that it seems like 10 minutes after he plays new strings they are dead but mine stay pretty clear for a long time.
Click to expand...

I agree with "spanky". I forget which bass player it was (some session dude), but they had mentioned that they keep rotating sets of strings, one set is about a month or so old, 3 weeks, 2 weeks, etc. Depending on the tone needed he would use that set. For example if your shooting for an older Motown sound you might want to go with the older strings. If you want to sound like John Entwhistle the new ones, etc ...

In regards to a "dead" sound can you be a bit more specific? P-Basses aren't really known for their presence more for warmth and roundness. Whose sound are you trying to acheive? What gear do they use?

Would the question be reversed for a bassist who had a Rickenbacker, and would he be asking how he can get a warm tone from his rig with the same recording chain?
 
I don't know exactly what you are looking for. I think new strings as well as old strings have their useful sounds, but when I want my bass to "come alive!" I always reach for new strings. so I'd have to agree with the people suggesting new strings. For me, that's the only way to get a bass to "come alive!" Dead strings=thump, thump. New strings=Alive! Alive! Alive!

If you are into that "Alive!" sort of thing.

>>>What happen to effects and other processing info!!?

Effects processing? On bass guitar? All the effects you need are in the tips of your fingers.

On a side note, if you are too poor to repalce the strings on your bass then just take them off, scrub them with a toothbrush in dishsoapy water, throw them in a pot of boiling water for an hour, let them dry and put them back on your guitar. Yes, it works. This is no joke; I do it all of the time. It will make your string sound almost like new. Just don't tell anyone. It's an old bass player's secret. Too bad it doesn't work as well with guitar strings.
 
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WOW FOLKS. ASKING PROFESSIONALS IS SOMETHING ELSE. I LACK KNOWLEDGE ON THE BASS. AGAIN, MAYBE DEAD SOUND MEANS SOMETHING DIFFERENT TO YOU FOLKS WHO BEEN PLAYING BASS FOR YEARS. TO ME ALL I MEANT IS, WHEN I ADD BASS, IT SOUNDS LIKE A SONG WITH SOMEONE PLAYING THE BASS ALONG SIDE. I'M PRETTY NEW TO MIXING AND NEED TO KNOW HOW TO MAKE IT SIT IN THE MIX. THATS IT!!!
 
Well, the strings are the first place to look. New strings will generally cut through better, making the bass more defined, meaning that you won't have to turn it up as much to get it to fit in. Post a clip if you can and you might get more suggestions, if you can refrain from being snotty and YELLING. You've already have some excellant suggestions. What answer are you looking for, Just slap a Maximizer on it and the world will be wonderful?
 
Get you an RNP and a decent compressor, maybe a Really Nice One...plug that P-bass into the RNP...find a nice comp setting. Go balanced into your interface.
<< Bypass the Mackie. >>
Ok, get some new strings.
Come alive!
 
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