Question: How do you get the bass to sit properly?

equilibrium

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How do you use compression/limiting/eq'ing/busing/sidechaining/etc... to get the bass to sit well with the drums?

Just looking for some help...

Best,

R
 
It's specific to each project.

You might not necessary need to use any of that stuff, you only use what is needed for the job.

For example; if you the low frequencies in your kick is clashing with your bass then you would need to use EQ to aviod it sounding muddy, or, you could side chain the kick to the bass so that the kick comes through every time it hits.
 
this exactly - some songs bass sounds so tight in the mix and I'm beginning to try to figure out how

Your frequencies ranges may be clashing. Try EQ'ing more (equalizer/equalization) and cut your sub bass off as a low pass in the EQ. Cut some, as most as you can in the kick out of the low end, atleast until it stops messing with the low end frequencies, if it's too clicky, try layering it with another kick and do the same. Until you get a nice kick. That's if that happens. Now, with the snare, you want to compress it and get it hitting nice and fairly hard, atleast at a comfortable level where it's not over powering, but it's not flooding. With the hats, you want 0 low end, I think. And if that makes them to uncomfortabley tacky, then cut down some of the treble, the high end, and giving it a dull, but soft hitting hat. Reverb will help this too, but not too much or it can get annoying. That's on your preference, though.

Tell me if this helps, if not, i'll be back :cool:
 
How do you use compression/limiting/eq'ing/busing/sidechaining/etc... to get the bass to sit well with the drums?

Just looking for some help...

Best,

R
Hate to sound like a cunt but you need to read and research all of these terms, there is a lot to them!! Someones interpretation off a forum wont get you anywhere imo.
 
One technique that might seem pretty obvious to you but I myself have only been experimenting with in the last few weeks (I think I saw it on a computer music masterclass..) is to completely narrowly cut the bass around 100 and 200, or where ever your kick and snare are hitting.. the difference it makes is pretty noticeable at times. Also a lot of people tend to low pass their mid range bass around 200 to leave room for the kick/sub bass, otherwise you have a mid range bass and sub bass conflicting, which can sound pretty shit. Also remember to high pass everything which you think might have zero low end, like percussion.. there might still be a few rumbling bassy sounds in those samples.

The problem could also lie with the drums simply not being punchy enough.. parallel compression always helps with this of course.
 
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EQ and Mix-downs will get you started on your quest for harmony, young wizard
 
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