Bass-ics

  • Thread starter Thread starter Ashura
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Ashura

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Just wanted to see how the rest of the world is doing this...


Is there an accurate way to get good bass levels from monitors? Currently, I am using a pair of brand new Events, and the final mix almost ALWAYS sounds too bass-heavy in my car. A regular commercial CD with heavy bass doesn't drown out in the car system, but most of my recordings seem too heavily plagued with bass, even if it sounds perfect in the studio. Trying to remedy this problem is hard since my monitors don't seem to come up with this heavy bass while in the studio.

Do most of you folks use another method, perhaps a subwoofer as part of your studio set up, or is there another method? Thanx...
 
Ashura,

> the final mix almost ALWAYS sounds too bass-heavy in my car. <

This is a common problem and it's caused by standing waves in your control room cancelling some bass frequencies as you listen. So you make the bass louder than it should be to compensate. All rooms have this problem unless they are acoustically treated and have real bass traps (not foam rubber). Small rooms generally have a severe mid-bass loss right in front of the speakers!

--Ethan
 
Ethan - do you know of anyway to remedy this problem? You're correct, I am in a relatively small room, the monitors are at standing eye level, mounted. I'm not sure, but do people use bass-specific speakers/monitors in studios, like a subwoofer? Would that help at all in getting this fixed?
 
Ethan - do you know of anyway to remedy this problem? You're correct, I am in a relatively small room, the monitors are at eye level, mounted. I'm not sure, but do people use bass-specific speakers/monitors in studios, like a subwoofer? Would that help at all in getting this fixed?
 
As Ethan said the problem could be your room. Subs won't help that.

You need bass traps or a bigger room.
 
what monitors are you using? the problem may be that your monitors can't replicate the bass, so you mix the bass to loud to compensate.

i have a small room also 13'x9' with the studio positioned lengthwise. i have primacoustic acoustic foam behind the mixer, on the side walls adjacent to the monitors, and back wall with bass trap foam in the corner behind the monitors (almost dave moulton style).

also, i prefer having my monitors at ear level while sitting in the mixer chair rather than at standing level.

once you get the room as good as it can get, then you just have to get use to how the room sounds in reference to the rest of the world.

also, are you doing a low cut on all of your instruments other than the bass and kick? that will prevent other instruments from over bassing your mix.

then, if necessary, put a multiband compressor on your mix to make sure that your bass frequencies thump but don't step over your other instruments.
 
I'm surprised how much of the actual room physics is involved. I thought having somewhat decent equipment was all that was necessary. My room is about the same dimensions, 13X9, however, I'm doing it width-wise. These pre-acoustic foams, how much do they run for? I have seen people using blankets on walls or hanging from the ceiling, is this for the same purpose?

As far as speakers, I'm using a pair of Events (TR5, I forget the exact model, but they are fairly new). Would you suggest an upgrade?
 
Ashura,

> do you know of anyway to remedy this problem? <

Yes, bass traps. If you're handy with tools you can build your own. Go to my Articles page:

www.ethanwiner.com/articles.html

Then look for "Build a better bass trap" partway down the list.

Also see my commercial site, which explains the issues clearly:

www.realtraps.com

--Ethan
 
Ethan, thanx for the articles, they are alot of help. I'm planning on building these traps sometime in the coming week. Thanx again!
 
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