EQ on a recorded bass track?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Big Cadillac
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Big Cadillac

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I just started recorded bass practice using a new method which I feel has improved sound quality. I'm running the bass through a DI into one of the tracks and would like to improve how it cuts through the mix. I've added some boost at around 170Hz and 2kHz which has helped. Anyone have any helpful suggestions? Thanks....
 
Try cutting whatever makes it not cut through before you try boosting (though boosting the frequencies you mentioned sounds reasonable too). Alot of times, cutting in the 200-400hz region could help it cut through as much as, if not more than, boosting.
 
I find that rolling off the excessively low frequencies helps clean it up a bit. I normally roll off down around the bottom end of the human hearing range.


Simon
 
2lim said:
I find that rolling off the excessively low frequencies helps clean it up a bit. I normally roll off down around the bottom end of the human hearing range.


Simon
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Is there a kick in the mix? Live ? Machine? Those can cause problems on the low end of the bass (the parts you need). If there is try rolling off @ 60-80hz on the kick if needed you can push up @ 40-60hz on the bass. Be careful though. That is where a lot of the "Mud" is at. Those are just starting points. Experement. :D :cool:
 
I and a lot of others ive come across find rolling off the extreame low - 30ish downwards, boosting at around 240 (as this is where a lot of the 'meat' is, plus cheap speakers will be able to reproduce this better than the sub bands) and a small peak to bring out the percussive sounds work well in almost all situations. I also find that faily heavy compression with a slightly slow attack will accent the percussive sounds well if the player maybe lacked a little clarity.
 
Be careful what you say in this thread....Big Cadillac, the spineless coward, might give you anonomous neg rep...But with all his 13 posts, he doesn't realise how easy it is to find out who it comes from...And also that it has no effect since he has no rep power. Losers like this are a dime a dozen.

Phht.
 
Big Cadillac said:
I just started recorded bass practice using a new method which I feel has improved sound quality. I'm running the bass through a DI into one of the tracks and would like to improve how it cuts through the mix. I've added some boost at around 170Hz and 2kHz which has helped. Anyone have any helpful suggestions? Thanks....
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In all seriousness, this question is like saying "I drew a portrait of my dad. What should I add or remove to help it?". And then we'd say something like "Well, generally erasing some around the hair brings out the forehead a bit. I like to just cut everything below the neck of the shirt when doing a portrait."

There is no possible way to answer a question like this. The same bass recorded with the same equipment in the same band might have wildly different eq settings from one song to the next. The only advise to give is listen to it, try stuff, and you'll know when you hear it because that's what soundmen do.
 
Chibi nailed it.

You cannot tell someone to dial in setting. Too many variables.

You have to use your brain and your ears and do what sounds good on YOUR equipment!
 
EQing is a 4 step process.
1. Listen to what you have
2. Imagine what you want it to sound like
3. figure out the difference between what you have and what you want
4. Set the EQ for the difference

That's all there is to it.
 
Farview said:
EQing is a 4 step process.
1. Listen to what you have
2. Imagine what you want it to sound like
3. figure out the difference between what you have and what you want
4. Set the EQ for the difference

That's all there is to it.
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It may be implied there, but don't forget ...
3a. figure out if the difference is due to other things in the mix.. Maybe that's where the eq or levels go.
Carry on. :D
 
RAMI said:
Be careful what you say in this thread....Big Cadillac, the spineless coward, might give you anonomous neg rep...But with all his 13 posts, he doesn't realise how easy it is to find out who it comes from...And also that it has no effect since he has no rep power. Losers like this are a dime a dozen.

Phht.
Click to expand...

Thanks RAMI,

I was just looking for a little help and advice. Sounds like what I need to do is experiment a little and determine what sounds best. I will try a few things suggested also. I'll be recording some more on Saturday and give it a go. Thanks all for your help. Yes, it is easy to find out who the spineless coward was!

Big Caddy
 
RAMI said:
Try cutting whatever makes it not cut through before you try boosting (though boosting the frequencies you mentioned sounds reasonable too). Alot of times, cutting in the 200-400hz region could help it cut through as much as, if not more than, boosting.
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how could that post possibly constitute neg rep?
 
take this lightly, but it works for me........

usually a kick drum, the bass guitar, and the snare drum are most of the time panned in the center of the audio field. So.......what ill usually do id roll of around 80 hz of the bass guitar to allow the kick drumm to 'thump a bit more. Then ill notch out around 250-300hz of the bass guitar too to allow the kick drum have some "body/meat".

after that...ill listen to where most of the "smack" of the snare drum is.....and ill sometimes notch out around 900-1k of the bass guitar to allow the snare to come through.

listen to these 3 instruments, and find thier best points/frequencies.....and notch aruond trying to emphisize them a bit more so not one instrument will step on its best points
 
giraffe said:
how could that post possibly constitute neg rep?
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I have no idea, but there was a red square, un-signed, and when I used the method that is used to find out who gave it to me, sure enough, it was BC, the original poster.
 
If was me BC, it was an accident. I started playing around with the system and may have inadvertly pushed a button not realizing what I did. My apologies...
 
Big Cadillac said:
If was me BC, it was an accident. I started playing around with the system and may have inadvertly pushed a button not realizing what I did. My apologies...
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Fair enough, man. I'm sorry too in that case, but you can see why I would call you out on it. Hope you got some useful info in this thread.
 
RAMI said:
Fair enough, man. I'm sorry too in that case, but you can see why I would call you out on it. Hope you got some useful info in this thread.
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I appreciate it, otherwise I would have never known I screwed up. I guess 13 was truly my unlucky number. Novice mistake. Thanks for your help. Yes. I definitely got a few things to try out. I also learned a valuable lesson!

Regards,

Big Caddy
 
bryank said:
take this lightly, but it works for me........

usually a kick drum, the bass guitar, and the snare drum are most of the time panned in the center of the audio field. So.......what ill usually do id roll of around 80 hz of the bass guitar to allow the kick drumm to 'thump a bit more. Then ill notch out around 250-300hz of the bass guitar too to allow the kick drum have some "body/meat".

after that...ill listen to where most of the "smack" of the snare drum is.....and ill sometimes notch out around 900-1k of the bass guitar to allow the snare to come through.

listen to these 3 instruments, and find thier best points/frequencies.....and notch aruond trying to emphisize them a bit more so not one instrument will step on its best points
Click to expand...

Devil's advocate here so dont be mad.

Where's the bass (BEEF)?! Thump from the kick generally starts @ 70-80hz to around 100hz (give or take), under that is low freq rumble. Audiable bass guitar starts around 40-60hz (give or take) deep feeling bass. 80hz (give or take) is where they start to share with distinct seperation. "smack" of the snare is somewhere between 2.5k-5k which does not effect the bass at all. Continually cutting and notching the bass? Is it still there? Once again i'm not being an ass it just sounded like you are taking too much of the bass out.
 
DrJones said:
Devil's advocate here so dont be mad.

Where's the bass (BEEF)?! Thump from the kick generally starts @ 70-80hz to around 100hz (give or take), under that is low freq rumble. Audiable bass guitar starts around 40-60hz (give or take) deep feeling bass. 80hz (give or take) is where they start to share with distinct seperation. "smack" of the snare is somewhere between 2.5k-5k which does not effect the bass at all. Continually cutting and notching the bass? Is it still there? Once again i'm not being an ass it just sounded like you are taking too much of the bass out.
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i hear ya on that......its jut a generlization of one way to approach it. You wouldnt want to cut or notch out what you dont need to. i was making a general frequency "what if" scenario. it really depends on how the kick drum was recorded, and how the bass was recorded. For my tracks...it seems the body and meat of a bass guitar always fell around 100-125 htz, but it was how i recorded it that way. sometimes someone elses bass sound might have alot going on in the 300-400htz.........but its a case by case basis.

i didnt want him to use it as a cookie cutter approach........but for him to understand how notching and instrument separation works. usually, when i roll of requencies, i whave to ask myself....what instrument do i want to have the LOW LOW rumble...the kick, or the bass guitar? whichever sounds best, ill then roll off on of those instruments. But when i notch out on the other instruments i try to use a very narrow "q" so i dont take out too much of the specific instrument like its going to take away any actuall volume from it,

but every day is still a new learning experience when it come to mixing....cause a new track(s) will show diffent dominant frequencies of specific instruments.......its all a case-by-case basis.......
 
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