EQing when resampling/processing

[Shy Owl]

I'm quite new to this whole production thing so please excuse my ignorance if this is a simple question, but is it correct to be EQing the bassline each time I process it? That meaning, is there a down side to cutting notches into the bassline through each layer of processing or is this good practice? I assume doing this that each time I reprocess the bassline the notch will get bigger and bigger; so say we cut 100Hz by 2dB 3 times, would that then end up as a 6dB cut? Or is it better to stick to just rolling certain frequencies off during processing and tackle the notches at the end?

Also, when dealing with a Reese (I'm aware not all tracks follow the same EQing rules etc. etc.) I'm finding that it tends to be lacking in one way or another; I've had a look around but can't find much in the way of a breakdown of bass sound (for example, boost x-y to achieve this, cut to achieve this) and was wondering if someone could give me a tip or 2. I usually end up boosting all the lows with notches for kicks etc. but when it comes to 300Hz-1.5kHz I'm lost. I would just play around and find out what works, but I currently only have a pair of ATH M50s to mix on and the only other speakers I currently own are SONOS (which operate via wi-fi so you have to send the audio file to the speaker, meaning I'd have to export every time I wanted to hear my track on them). Long story short, my kick can sound almost as if it's being overpowered at 100Hz on my headphones, then when I play the track on SONOS I find it's punchier than Tyson and the bass is cowering in the background, like it did on this one:

https://soundcloud.com/no_gp%2F170-dnb-wip

I do realise the bassline in this WIP isn't very well processed at all, but it was really just to get a feel for the variance in the lows between speakers and my headphones.

Like I said, I'm pretty much brand new to this so sorry if this is a stupid question. Thanks for your time.

 

[smoothassilk]

There are a few different reasons why you might decide to eq when making a reece.
The simplest one is the traditional use of eq to get more high end, make the mids less muddy etc, boosting and cutting. This is what you do right near the very end of the processing chain, because if you eq this way near the beginning, the eq will be changed by the effects you use.

Another way is to use the eq to make filters of some kind and then automate the frequencies to make movements in your sound. Then apply distortion and (multiband?) compression to 'bring back' the frequencies you lost when applying the automated eq. Then you repeat this process over and over to make a reece which gets more and more movement in it. Seamlessr does some nice how to bass tutorials on this kind of process, number 92 is a standout.

Another slightly more subtle thing is to eq out frequencies before an effect (e.g. distortion) then bring them back again after the effect, which subtly changes the way the effect affects the reece. Kinda hard to explain but if you just normally distort, it sounds different to if you boost the highs by 6db, distort and then cut the highs 6db post distortion.

Hope that helps. EQ is hard, I still can't completely use it the way I want to.

 

[-agu-]

There's no right or wrong and this is purely just my opinion: To me, it sounds that reese is way too wide, and there's not enough midrange. Just some high end sizzle and the sub. Speaking of which, there's too much bass/low end rumble and too much low end content on side channel. Kick feels too subby/long.

I've had a look around but can't find much in the way of a breakdown of bass sound (for example, boost x-y to achieve this, cut to achieve this) and was wondering if someone could give me a tip or 2.

Are we really talking about the bass or just midrange synths? Yea I know people say bass even when they mean some gnarly midrange sound, no big deal really. Reeses and growls really just do what electric guitars do in rock music (fill the midrange). Sub bass is what makes the ground shake.

 

[Innovine]

Many eq plugins introduce a phase change around the cutoff, so if you have lots of eq your bass sample may start to sound phasy, unfocused, smeared, or muddy, depending. Only use it when necessarye. For instance, if you're making a notch for the kick, you probably only need to do that once, at the end, when you are mixing the finished bass and the kick together.