too much base

G

godzillamike

New member
hey guys ... i have a tascam us-1641 and a set of yorkville 5 inch sub active monitors, when i mix everything in cubase it sounds great, even when i run it through a quick master program ... sounds great, great seperation and breathing room ... nothing overpowering anything ... i export it ... play it on any other player, car stereo, home stereo .. ipod .. and its super base heavy, almost unbearable, to get it to a decent level i have to remix the song and take the majority of base out ... now it sounds like crap in the mix from cubase ... but bearable on any other player, do i need better monitors ? or a better interface ? ... would a sub help ?

HELP !!!
 
Try plugging headphones into the tascam and listening to it from there and comparing it to the same sound through the monitors. Also, play a random professional track through the monitors and again though your stereo and see if there is any difference to the bass. This should help you work out where all your bass is going.
 
The likelihood is that your monitors are not giving you enough bass, so you are leaving more of it in the mix. When you play it back on other systems that deliver more bass, they're getting a kind of double dose.
 
I had pretty much the same problem with my KRK RP 5's. Had to get the subwoofer to go with them to get around the problem. Translation to other systems is way easier now. On the cheap, I would add a sub to your speakers. You will still not get accurate monitoring, but you may get closer.

Monitors should be your next big purchase. My KRK setup is barely getting me by and that is $700 worth. Our interface is fine. :)
 
I agree with AndyDenyer...play professionally recorded tunes, which are similar to the bass sound you're after, through your monitors to compare the sound. Then mix your music to that. Then, as you have done, listen to the mix in many different environments (good speakers, boom-box, cars speakers etc.) because you don't know in what environment people will be listening to your music.
 
Yeah I've used 5" monitors for years and just had to get used to the way the bass sounds. In the monitors if it sounds fine, it's going to be way to bassy on other systems. Even after 8 years with the same monitors I still have to adjust a lot when I hear it on other systems. I want some 8" speakers when finances allow.
 
I run into the same problem. Some room treatment can help a lot, but I'm still doing a bunch of rearranging, and putting up bookshelves so the treatment will have to wait until I'm done with that. Sub-woofers can be tricky to set up properly.

Meanwhile, it took a lot of listening to the mixes on the monitors, home stereo (really nice stuff), and in the car (cheap) to get a handle on it. I learned what frequencies are the killers for what I'm doing and a frequency analyzer plug-in can help a lot. I don't need much of anything below 55 Hz where the mud exists so I kill that with a HP filter, but someone doing Hip Hop will have different needs.

NOTE: if you're using a VI for bass, they tend to put out more in the sub 55 Hz range than an actual bass.
 
Not to be critical of your terms, but....In my personal definition: below 55 Hz is usually considered rumble, crud, or wasted headroom. Mud IMO, is usually caused by over abundance of instruments using the space between 80 and 500 HZ. Though I am just a troll trying to create controversy to make myself feel as powerful as Dave. lol.

Jimmy
 
I was wondering if anyone would catch the reference to the pH scale... good word play on my word play, dude. I'd give it about a 11 on a scale of 14, but maybe I am just bowing to my more base instincts.
 
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