Old 04-17-2017, 10:50 AM   #1
Lucian
Human being with feelings
 
Lucian's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Island of Misfit Toys
Posts: 649
Default Bass EQ : Close, but need advice

Bass is the hardest thing for me to get and I am never really happy. Here is something I am working on and is a perfect example of my struggle. I am happy with the lows (should I be?) but the low and high mids bother me. It is all about tone and I never get it right. Any advice is appreciated.

Updated, started adding drums but still not sure about the bass sound

https://soundcloud.com/actaeus/daisychain06
__________________
Give me back my Loc-Nar ! No, It's my Loc-Nar !

Last edited by Lucian; 04-22-2017 at 05:54 PM. Reason: Updated track
Lucian is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-17-2017, 12:14 PM   #2
grinder
Human being with feelings
 
grinder's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 2,905
Default

Real potential thanks for the listen Lucian
Is that keyboard Bass?
Then I will comment further


Grinder
grinder is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-17-2017, 03:17 PM   #3
Lucian
Human being with feelings
 
Lucian's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Island of Misfit Toys
Posts: 649
Default

Hi Grinder, no it is a real bass, finger picked direct. The chain is ReaXcomp with heavy low end squashing into light touch of Bass professor II, into sTilt centered at 80hz, into Brainworx MegaSingle amp sim, then Bombardier compressor ending with a touch of chorus.
__________________
Give me back my Loc-Nar ! No, It's my Loc-Nar !
Lucian is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-17-2017, 04:14 PM   #4
grinder
Human being with feelings
 
grinder's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 2,905
Default

No need to take me seriously Lucian only my observations.
This is only my opinion it
would be terrible if we all sounded the same.
On my Soundcloud music I have no recordings exactly similar to yours
that said there is one which may demonstrate what I am putting across.

have a listen to "Talita" first 12 bars. https://soundcloud.com/steve-maitland-1
I love a bit of your type of audio.
The thing is I think you may be trying a bit of too fancy a bass when you just need
the rhythm and pulse of a bass with the odd delicate touch if you see what I mean.
I, in the main use only my Fender Jazz Bass through a Groove Tubes Vipre pre.
Sometimes 1 or 2 bass notes per Bar is all it needs to not only provide depth to your production but makes it flow better too.
I would avoid the effects.... see what you can do with a low cut eq to see what the sound is like.
What make model of bass Lucian?

Grinder
grinder is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-22-2017, 06:01 PM   #5
Lucian
Human being with feelings
 
Lucian's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Island of Misfit Toys
Posts: 649
Default

Interesting...cool song. Yes, I see and know about less is more hehe. I removed some of the bass notes and sustained others. It is still in the composing phase but figured I would ask about the bass sound. The bass is an old Washburn bass with active pickups I used to play out with in the 90s. It is a fun bass to play but I do not think the tone suits this song. The problem is either I eq for the higher notes and loose the wonderful warm lows or keep the eq for the lows and the higher notes sound nasal, if that makes sense. I might freq split the track so I can eq/comp the lows and highs separately. I also have a few other basses I can re-record with.

I updated the first post with the latest version
__________________
Give me back my Loc-Nar ! No, It's my Loc-Nar !
Lucian is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-22-2017, 06:24 PM   #6
Judders
Human being with feelings
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Posts: 11,044
Default

I think it sounds good before the drums come in, but not enough bass once they do.

I'd think about bringing in a parallel DI bass with deep lows and less high end when the drums start.
Judders is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-22-2017, 06:28 PM   #7
grinder
Human being with feelings
 
grinder's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: New Zealand
Posts: 2,905
Default

ah ha ah ha
Much better sound just back off the volume (edit) those higher fret notes, try .5 of a db at a time and record the change.
I know you will not mind me suggesting something further.
Try placing one passing note to the start of the bar at about the three quarter mark and at the fourth bar from the finish put two passing notes before that start of the fourth bar to the start of the fourth last bar.
Then put a nice run down to the end perhaps 6 notes long!
This will raise the tension then release out down .
What you have done Lucian already is much better to my ear.

Grinder
grinder is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -7. The time now is 02:30 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.