Compressing bass.

p.hilla · Post by **p.hilla** » Thu May 11, 2006 9:33 pm

i agree 100% with 2000f (as we live in the same city and hes known for a good left hook quick jab combination), but a part from that i sometimes use sidechain compression ie using the kick to comp the bass..

italics · Post by **italics** » Thu May 11, 2006 10:29 pm

p.hilla wrote:i sometimes use sidechain compression ie using the kick to comp the bass..

use it when its needed, and dont when its not.... just gotta learn which is which

2000f · Post by **2000f** » Fri May 12, 2006 10:02 am

HAHAHAHAHAHA! True. I don´t use it that often, but it can be a powerful compression tool.

at clarkycatDealer: Yes, use those on the stereo buss insert. Some tend to switch the compressor on before starting to mix. I don´t as it´s very seldom I will know the final overall level (VU mainly) of the mix. I tend to switch on the EQ, comp and limiter at the final point, and then adjust levels in the mix, that don´t fit at this point with the stereo insert activated.

I don´t think there is a right or wrong in the case of recording eg. beats with or without FX/outboard. I have done both, and it depends on the way you work. Some pro engineers tend to record eg. vocals straight to tape (or hard drive) - no eq, comp, filter etc. However, other (including myself) tend to add all of it (but in only in fair amounts). I like the idea of choosing your sound, and then that´s what you got.

EDIT: With regards to plugs or hardware: It doesn´t matter whether or not you use "pro" gear. Use what ever plug ins or hardware you´ve got. Experimenting is the key!

forensix (mcr) · Post by **forensix (mcr)** » Fri May 12, 2006 10:10 am

If i have a mid bass controlled with an lfo modulating the filter cutoff i usually compress it to make sure that the level doesn't fluctuate too much when the filter opens up

sub version · Post by **sub version** » Fri May 12, 2006 10:30 am

elgato wrote:Say if you're just working on a sub tho (for which less definition is necessary), is compression not useful to give a stronger, more even response across the frequency range, therefore giving a more even result when using multi-note patterns?

good point, though you could do the same thing with eq as subs usually peak in volume at only one frequency (before they stop being subs).

it's all very personal. me and cogent are what you'd probably call "musical sparring partners" and we both make tracks in a TOTALLY different way! joe meek said it best; if it sounds right, it is right.

i often wonder how much the mastering process affects this sort of thing. i have some friends who went to a mastering place in germany and apparrently they had equipment that could isolate individual instument parts (from a stereo mix!) and adjust the levels, eq, etc of each part. with that sort of gear you could tweak out some SERIOUS bass!

clarkycatdealer · Post by **clarkycatdealer** » Fri May 12, 2006 10:59 am

well i'll agree on the experimenting point 100% at least

2000f · Post by **2000f** » Fri May 12, 2006 11:00 am

I reckon what they used was more like this:

Lydkraft Tube-Tech SMC2B - a multiband compressor. With this, and it´s often used at mastering studios, you can apply compression at different threshold to bass, mid and top. I tried it when cutting a dub at Planet Phat in London way back in 2002, and it seemed to do the job very nicely. It´s rather expensive, however some plug ins will give you multi-band compression too.

italics · Post by **italics** » Fri May 12, 2006 10:24 pm

yeh multiband compression is great for controlling bass that modulates thru a large freq spectrum.... try the wavearts multiband, or even just the nuendo bog standard jobby ....

sub version · Post by **sub version** » Sat May 13, 2006 6:14 am

2000F wrote:I reckon what they used was more like this:

Lydkraft Tube-Tech SMC2B - a multiband compressor. With this, and it´s often used at mastering studios, you can apply compression at different threshold to bass, mid and top. I tried it when cutting a dub at Planet Phat in London way back in 2002, and it seemed to do the job very nicely. It´s rather expensive, however some plug ins will give you multi-band compression too.

nah, this was definitely more than multiband compression (which is very useful indeed!) more like some kind of intelligent note tracking/frequency recognition bizniz. i'll find out what it was.

the "fm radio" setting on the multiband compressor in cubase sx is quite good, and the L1 ultramaximiser seems to do nice things to bass (and everything else!)

2000f · Post by **2000f** » Sat May 13, 2006 9:09 am

Cool, please do. Sounds very interesting, mate.

p.hilla · Post by **p.hilla** » Sun May 14, 2006 4:58 am

multibands are fine.. but mostly i use them (i have several) to fix problems on individual sounds..you really have to know what yore doing using a multi..often i just throw a UAD-1
la2a or the fairchild on the master..i know its not that fancy or complicated but it just sounds good to my ears tho

deepsix · Post by **deepsix** » Sun May 14, 2006 5:52 pm

the thing that many people (myself included) forget about compression is that with the attack/release settings, you can get that pumping effect that is desirable in a driving track. If you sidechain your compressor to your kick drum, you can also then get the compression effect to activate in time with your drum patterns, making the bass tight to the kick.

However, as someone said above, it really all starts with getting the sound to sit properly in the mix prior to any outboard / fx being thrown on them. Garbage in, garbage out, as they say. A well placed sound will just sound better when properly compressed. A shitty sound will just sound like a shitty sound - with compression on it.

jackquinox · Post by **jackquinox** » Wed May 17, 2006 10:15 am

These are some good guidelinesespecially when dealing with sub bass you dont want that to sound all mud down the low end:

Punchier/Aggressive sound: slow 'attack', fast 'release'

Smoother/Gentler sound: fast 'attack', slow 'release'

rekall · Post by **rekall** » Thu Nov 09, 2006 10:49 pm

Docwra wrote:Never have compressed any of my bass ever, takes the dynamics out of the bass if you over use it.

i couldn't possibly agree more.
a good nasty filter w/ some tightly edited lfo will take you much further.

here's a pic of an 8 bar loop i worked out as of late...
it's all about the rise and fall... woooom wooooooooom.

albert joseph · Post by **albert joseph** » Thu Nov 09, 2006 11:39 pm

Scarecrow wrote:http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/dec00/a ... ession.htm

Food for thought..........

very useful... thankz

foamo · Post by **foamo** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 1:54 am

here's a pic of an 8 bar loop i worked out as of late...
it's all about the rise and fall... woooom wooooooooom.

nah you just took a picture of sum trick or treaters at your door on halloween

rekall · Post by **rekall** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 1:58 am

hahaha yes

lycaon_prod · Post by **lycaon_prod** » Fri Nov 10, 2006 12:26 pm

i dont bother with bass compression
but limit the fuck out of the sub...

Compressing bass.

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