Bass string "thwack"

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Zed10R

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Where is that frequency?? It's maddening!! I can't seem to zero in on it and I'm getting tired.....can anyone give any suggestions?

I've recorded direct, got THE sound I'm after except for that damn "thwack" sound. I like it in there, it NEEDS to be in there, but it's just too loud. I need to find a way to reduce JUST that portion of the sound. It is a by product of how I have to play in order to get the sound I want...so re-tracking while playing less aggressively won't work......maybe a slower attack on compression?? What do you think?? :confused:

ANY ideas will be greatly appreciated.

THANKS!! :cool:
 
find the trouble spot and lower the volume level a little bit in that section, kind of like compression but you doing it with an automated volume fader, Ive done this before for bass tracks to gfet rid of thwacks, sqeuaks, and "fret farts". if you change your copression it will change the sound of everythign else, doing it this way (with the volume sutomation) will only affect the part that you adjust it too.

-C$
 
are ya talking about the noise of the string hitting the pick up type thing?

try a frequency dependent compressor and start around 5 or 6 k.

i use a dbx 263 for this - it works well.

edit actually that is kinda like what was said in the above post... :eek: :D

Mike
 
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Mic the neck around where it comes into the body.
 
bigtoe said:
are ya talking about the noise of the string hitting the pick up type thing?

try a frequency dependent compressor and start around 5 or 6 k.

i use a dbx 263 for this - it works well.

edit actually that is kinda like what was said in the above post... :eek: :D

Mike
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not the pickups...the finger board....but I'll play with those frequencies...thanks....
 
chessrock said:
Multi-band compression is your friend.

.
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ez_willis said:
Next time mic the strings and blend to taste.
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:o D'oh!! :p

Dammit guys....

Thanks for pointing out the obvious things......that I never would have thought of....AGAIN..... :)
 
A good "de-esser" can work absolute wonders in that application... the de-esser in the Empirical Labs "Lil Freq" is probably my favorite [except for the one in the Pendulum Audio "Quartet"
 
Fletcher said:
A good "de-esser" can work absolute wonders in that application... the de-esser in the Empirical Labs "Lil Freq" is probably my favorite [except for the one in the Pendulum Audio "Quartet"
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Cool.....I never would have thought that. Great suggestion!!
 
heres how i do it.....i go direct into the board.....and i mic the cabnet with a lcd then lower the highs in the direct track and lower the lows in the mic'ed track and mix to taste...when you mic the strings on the bass you tend to get fret rattle wheres as when you mic the cab and get that tru twang that i think he's talking about
 
As a bass player and recording 'enthusiast' ive experienced some of the same problems.... definately mess around with a multi-band compressor.

If you tune down and have problems with fret noise/'thwacking' you might try heavy gaugue strings--however this considerably changes the feel of the bass and the tone. this helped me with my old bass for songs when my band would tune down.

good luck...
 
AGCurry said:
Work on your technique...
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I wondered who would mention the obvious. It's mostly in how you are playing. You need to work on that, and stop pulling your hair out trying to "fix it in the mix". Most of that "thwacking" is due to hammering or pulling on your strings instead of plucking them. You can switch to a felt pick to lesson it, or just work on playing softer and turning up your master volume...
 
that, and having a decent bass thats SETUP good doesnt hurt. (dont know what youve got)

:)
 
Rokket said:
I wondered who would mention the obvious. It's mostly in how you are playing. You need to work on that, and stop pulling your hair out trying to "fix it in the mix". Most of that "thwacking" is due to hammering or pulling on your strings instead of plucking them. You can switch to a felt pick to lesson it, or just work on playing softer and turning up your master volume...
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eh - i just do not subscribe to this point to the musician as a solution in my world.

if you are presented with a "problem" behind the glass - use your tools to fix it. this is an easy one...if yer pulling yer hair out - work on your technique behind the glass...as this is 101...

sure, it is something they as a musician could work on if they aren't happy with the sound - but this is a very common situation - particularly in certain genres - that has a very common solution...use it.

Mike
 
bigtoe said:
eh - i just do not subscribe to this point to the musician as a solution in my world.

if you are presented with a "problem" behind the glass - use your tools to fix it. this is an easy one...if yer pulling yer hair out - work on your technique behind the glass...as this is 101...

sure, it is something they as a musician could work on if they aren't happy with the sound - but this is a very common situation - particularly in certain genres - that has a very common solution...use it.

Mike
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It may be just too early in my day, but I don't understand what you mean. Hit me again, please.
 
don't blame the musician if there is an easily fixible problem is the short version.

i guess the goal is not relying on tools/crutches for someone's sound - and i'm down with that ideal. however, this isn't a hard fix most times. i would never ever ask a bass player to go home and practice if this cropped up...i'd take care of the problem. this is a part of the gig. i may point it out so they can work on it if they want, but i will fix it in no time...

if you don't have the chops to fix this situation - don't point at the bass players chops...(unless it's like - insane. :eek: :D) learn how to deal with this...it comes up a lot...i edit out string clicks all the time just by spot erasing...takes 2 seconds and saves an otherwise good take/ sound.

Mike
 
Would like to know how you do that. I have a small click on a 2 minute audio guitar track. I was a bitch to get down. Its all great except for string click at end- :mad: -aaargh :( - I have Sonar 5. They have a waveform editor, but it completly baffles me. What do you use?
 
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