Techniques for getting your bass sounding "full"

[shinra]

First off, I've been hovering around these parts for about a year and a half now, dsf is gold....

To get my basses sounding weighty i've been freq splitting and processing each band individually, big emphasis on top band being stereo spread all the way. I was pretty happy with this for a while, but a friend of mine stopped doing this and has been getting a lot of success actually without splitting, but kind of EQing the sound into a full spectrum aside from the normal notches removed for kicks etc..

When he ups the trebles a lot on a bass sound and it doesn't just sound like a shit load of white noise it makes me do this for not understanding

Anyway, just wondered what everybody else has been playing with? if there's one thing i've gathered so far it's that there's never just one way to achieve something!

Peace and if this is an existing thread elsewhere feel free to troll the shit out of me

[ehbes]

http://www.vescofx.com/vfxFreeHaas

[NinjaEdit]

Try multiband compression, an exciter and limiting.

[JTMMusicuk]

midown and EQ, when its early days its best not to focus too much time into freq splitting as it might distract you from the more important aspects but if it works for you then go for it i guess. When i first started out i always thought there was some secrect software or sample pack that the pros used that i couldnt afford but it just turns out they basically do exactly the same stuff just better.

[jrisreal]

Frequency splitting is just something you CAN do, not necessarily something you SHOULD do. Especially don't get in the habit of frequency splitting every sound or "bass" sound you have. Like any other technique, you should only do this if you explicitly hear a need for it. Personally, I've never used frequency splitting in a tune.

[dublerium]

Like any other technique, you should only do this if you explicitly hear a need for it.

That's just bollocks. Play around until you like something. Experiment and then you'll find your own way of doing things. Why bother saying stuff like this it instantly makes people feel restricted if they arn't reading it with a pinch of salt, OP might frequency split something randomly and like the results.

[JTMMusicuk]

Like any other technique, you should only do this if you explicitly hear a need for it.

That's just bollocks. Play around until you like something. Experiment and then you'll find your own way of doing things. Why bother saying stuff like this it instantly makes people feel restricted if they arn't reading it with a pinch of salt, OP might frequency split something randomly and like the results.

Its very easy to get a mix sounding very nice without frequency splitting, the mids and highs dont always need to be treated differently and its just making more work for yourself. Yeah sure you should eq out the lows in your bassline to use a sine wave but most of the time thats all you need to do.

[dublerium]

Like any other technique, you should only do this if you explicitly hear a need for it.

That's just bollocks. Play around until you like something. Experiment and then you'll find your own way of doing things. Why bother saying stuff like this it instantly makes people feel restricted if they arn't reading it with a pinch of salt, OP might frequency split something randomly and like the results.

Its very easy to get a mix sounding very nice without frequency splitting, the mids and highs dont always need to be treated differently and its just making more work for yourself. Yeah sure you should eq out the lows in your bassline to use a sine wave but most of the time thats all you need to do.

Think your missing my point. I know it's more than possible to get a mix sounding full without frequency splitting.

My point was about the only do things if you explicitly hear a need for it comment. It's comments like those that make beginners feel restricted.

[JTMMusicuk]

Its not restricting at all, theres so many more things to get to grips with when your starting out in production than stuff like that. Learning compression, EQ, how to mixdown etc is way more important IMO; theres no point in frequency splitting all your synths because you'l just get stuck adjusting the levels and the split points for hours and hours which is just a mood killer. We're not saying dont freq split but just giving advice that you should only use it when you think the sound needs different treatment in the mids to the highs

[dublerium]

Its not restricting at all, theres so many more things to get to grips with when your starting out in production than stuff like that. Learning compression, EQ, how to mixdown etc is way more important IMO; theres no point in frequency splitting all your synths because you'l just get stuck adjusting the levels and the split points for hours and hours which is just a mood killer. We're not saying dont freq split but just giving advice that you should only use it when you think the sound needs different treatment in the mids to the highs

I'm not talking about frequency splitting. I'm aware there is many things that goes without saying... my point was don't feel like you can't try things just because you haven't thought it needs to be done.

[JTMMusicuk]

We never said that, again i'll say that you should only use techniques or effects if they suit the song..you should try everything but that doesnt mean you have to use it all in every song on every sound..that is all

[Samuel_L_Damnson]

Op. Have you tried messing with the mid range bass stereo field? Use a stereo imager or automatic double tracking to make it sound wider which can some times make it appear more "full". Only alter the stereo image of a sound when you have it sounding good on its own though otherwise you have wide sounding shite.

[x ParaTroXic]

My advice is to not over eq when layering - I've only just learnt that recently. Get a spectrum analyser too - could prove helpful, Although i do not use it as often as i shud do.

- listen to ears. Don't eq soemthing because you feel like you have too. Same goes for automation and other things.

[dublerium]

We never said that, again i'll say that you should only use techniques or effects if they suit the song..you should try everything but that doesnt mean you have to use it all in every song on every sound..that is all

Yes I quoted it. The other guy said it. Your totally missing my point, can't even be bothered to explain it's very simple and wasn't even in response to you in the first place.

[JTMMusicuk]

Doesnt matter, im not going to repeat myself

[dublerium]

Doesnt matter, im not going to repeat myself

You didn't need to say anything in the first place fucking hell.

Edit. This is long, why is the majority of people on here just not very interested in making this a decent community. You totally missed my point thinking I was talking about frequency splitting. I quoted one sentence from someone else. Was just trying to help the OP not feel restricted with anything (not just freq splitting). Leave it at that...

[JTMMusicuk]

If im not mistaken it was you that called someone elses post absolute bollocks when all he said is that you dont have to use the technique on everything, all i did was defend his statement and you started an argument with me and somehow im in the wrong..ok then

[dublerium]

If im not mistaken it was you that called someone elses post absolute bollocks when all he said is that you dont have to use the technique on everything, all i did was defend his statement and you started an argument with me and somehow im in the wrong..ok then

I was not talking about this one technique. This is the point your missing. He said any technique. Read the post, I'm not starting an argument with anyone, was just trying to outline to the OP to take everything with a pinch of salt and try random techniques just because experimenting is healthy. With all realms of production, not just frequency splitting which wasn't what I was talking about, long...

[shinra]

EVERYBODY LOVE EVERYBODY! replies coming now....

[shinra]

Op. Have you tried messing with the mid range bass stereo field? Use a stereo imager or automatic double tracking to make it sound wider which can some times make it appear more "full". Only alter the stereo image of a sound when you have it sounding good on its own though otherwise you have wide sounding shite.

this is interesting. normally i use my freq split to fully widen the top end, i've had it in my head that spreading the low and mid ends is not a good idea? can you explain automatic double tracking? if it's duplicating i've heard that's also not good!

if only i knew how much there was to know when i got into this