Distorting bass notes

  • Thread starter Thread starter daanh2
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daanh2

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Hi, I have a clipping bass tone below 0 dB. I use a Sansamp DI or an Art MPA Gold as DI, and take care not to let the signal clip anywhere in the path. This is recorded using an E-mu 1212m into Cubase. As you can hear from the sample, the lowest notes have some sort of clipping to them, they're not clear and tight. The sample is without any effect. The distortion is subtle, but it is there on the lowest note.

Can anyone take a guess at what the problem is here? Thanks, Daan

View attachment bass_clip.mp3
 

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Yeah, fret buzz. Sounds like you aren't pushing hard enough/close enough to the fret.
 
daanh2 said:
Nope, the last note is an open E.
Click to expand...

It can still be fret buzz, even though it's an open string, and it sounds like it. It's just not caused by not holding the string firmly enough. If it is fret buzz on the open E you need your instrument properly setup. You might need your frets dressed, or the bridge raised, or even a truss rod adjustment. Take it to a good luthier if you can't do it yourself.
 
Yeah, I could hear a bit of fret and/or finger sliding type noise. Try recording a few notes more slowly, more spaced apart, then we'd be able to hear better.
 
An aside: Maybe it's just me, but I think a bit of buzz is not necessarily a bad thing, as it can add a bit of aggression or bite to the bass's sound. Really depends on the musical style and/or individual song I suppose.
 
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