Getting the bass audible: how?

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Ferry123

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Hello,

I hope you can help me with this:

I experienced a tiny little problem with a recorded bass guitar.

In the mix, just for a second or two, it isn't audible enough.

It didn't help to get it louder, so I turned the guitars down . That is one rythm guitar, one lead. Both are doubled. Moreover I panned guitar1 & guitar 2 extemely, its copies I panned only halfway.


Turning down the guitars had the effect that they (the guitars) just did not sound loud enough..

It's also the snare that has to be hear loud in this part.

I would appreciate some help on this problem.
 
Can you not punch in at the 2-3 second bass part and play that part again?
 
Ferry123 said:
I experienced a tiny little problem with a recorded bass guitar. In the mix, just for a second or two, it isn't audible enough.
Click to expand...
Are you listening through monitors, headphones, or both? If both, is the bass fade-out more noticable using one than the other? Also, have you tried squeezing the bass track with compression?
 
I'm a newb, so this is probably wrong, but I hope to learn from the conversation.

Could it be phase cancellation? But if it were phase cancellation it would probably be longer than 2 - 3 seconds, I guess.
 
D-string vs A-string

HapiCmpur said:
Are you listening through monitors, headphones, or both? If both, is the bass fade-out more noticable using one than the other? Also, have you tried squeezing the bass track with compression?
Click to expand...

I use monitors as a reference (I do not have headphones). And YES, I use compression. I drawed a line (for the bass its amplitude that is) but I found out that track automation is not always the answer.

I experienced a little yesterday. I found out that the bass part I was talking about -a g#- sounds clearer when I play it on the D-string, instead of the A-string. Especially in this case in which beside bass, guitars en drums struggle for their place in the audio spectrum.

I guess the A-string causes more boominess than the D-string. I am sure the g#-note sounds MUCH clearer when played on the D-string.
 
gr8teful said:
I'm a newb, so this is probably wrong, but I hope to learn from the conversation.

Could it be phase cancellation? But if it were phase cancellation it would probably be longer than 2 - 3 seconds, I guess.
Click to expand...

It couldn't be phase cancellation. For I have not amped the bass, I have led it directly to my soundcard (Delta 1010LT).

By the way, I am quite pleased recording the bass guitar this way. I mean you can process its sound by software compression/distortion/a little reverb. I am kind of a distortion freak, so that's why.
 
Sounds strange to me... The part where its quieter, are you playing anything different on the bass? Or is it the same range of notes?
 
Tifstorey said:
Sounds strange to me... The part where its quieter, are you playing anything different on the bass? Or is it the same range of notes?
Click to expand...


The short part of bass playing was really just one note (g#), striked about 16 times. Played on the A-string you only heard BOOOOOOOOMMMM (well, almost only). That same note, played on the D-string sounded very clear in the mix, so I left it that way.

And, it's in the part where its quiter(right after the busy part), I am playing different (lower) notes ON THE A-String, which DO have power AND clearness, and do NOT have that BOOMINESS at all (which is surprising).
 
Ferry123 said:
It couldn't be phase cancellation. For I have not amped the bass, I have led it directly to my soundcard (Delta 1010LT).
Click to expand...

That's not the only potential source of phase problems. For example, double a direct insert track and delay one track a few msec, and pan both tracks center. You'll have phase cancellation, I assure you!

In fact, since you said the problem only appears in the mix, I assume that means the soloed instrument doesn't vary in level. If that is the case, add or remove the other tracks one by one until you discover the interfering track. Post back if you make any discoveries (you may or may not).

Also based on your description of your instrument, you may have a dead spot or what a string player would call a 'wolf' note. Try borrowing a different instrument.
 
mshilarious said:
In fact, since you said the problem only appears in the mix, I assume that means the soloed instrument doesn't vary in level. If that is the case, add or remove the other tracks one by one until you discover the interfering track. Post back if you make any discoveries (you may or may not).
Click to expand...

Well, the point is: it sounded great WITHOUT BASS.
Compression on the bass had already been applied. And I just did NOT want to compromise by putting anything else DOWN, to let the bass come through, for that resulted in a lack of dynamics. So no, nothing was interfering, just the bass guitar.

I also had some eq-ing on the guitars, so eq-ing was not the solution either (I think).


mshilarious said:
Also based on your description of your instrument, you may have a dead spot or what a string player would call a 'wolf' note.
Click to expand...

I think THAT must have been the case. I'll check on that, thanks!
 
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