Compressing bass.
Forum rules
By using this "Production" sub-forum, you acknowledge that you have read, understood and agreed with our terms of use for this site. Click HERE to read them. If you do not agree to our terms of use, you must exit this site immediately. We do not accept any responsibility for the content, submissions, information or links contained herein. Users posting content here, do so completely at their own risk.
Quick Link to Feedback Forum
By using this "Production" sub-forum, you acknowledge that you have read, understood and agreed with our terms of use for this site. Click HERE to read them. If you do not agree to our terms of use, you must exit this site immediately. We do not accept any responsibility for the content, submissions, information or links contained herein. Users posting content here, do so completely at their own risk.
Quick Link to Feedback Forum
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!
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!
http://facebook.com/2000f
http://myspace.com/2000
OHOI! - founded in 2002
Copenhagen-based promoters, producers, DJs
http://www.ohoi.dk
RAW - founded in 2004
Scandinavia's biggest clubbing event
http://www.rawcph.com
KRAKEN RECORDINGS - founded in 2006
Copenhagen-based dubstep label
http://www.krakenrecordings.dk
http://myspace.com/2000
OHOI! - founded in 2002
Copenhagen-based promoters, producers, DJs
http://www.ohoi.dk
RAW - founded in 2004
Scandinavia's biggest clubbing event
http://www.rawcph.com
KRAKEN RECORDINGS - founded in 2006
Copenhagen-based dubstep label
http://www.krakenrecordings.dk
-
- Posts: 4688
- Joined: Fri Apr 07, 2006 1:58 pm
- Location: Manchester
- Contact:
-
- Posts: 24
- Joined: Wed May 03, 2006 8:48 am
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).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?
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
- Posts: 429
- Joined: Wed Mar 15, 2006 12:55 am
- Location: london
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.
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.
http://facebook.com/2000f
http://myspace.com/2000
OHOI! - founded in 2002
Copenhagen-based promoters, producers, DJs
http://www.ohoi.dk
RAW - founded in 2004
Scandinavia's biggest clubbing event
http://www.rawcph.com
KRAKEN RECORDINGS - founded in 2006
Copenhagen-based dubstep label
http://www.krakenrecordings.dk
http://myspace.com/2000
OHOI! - founded in 2002
Copenhagen-based promoters, producers, DJs
http://www.ohoi.dk
RAW - founded in 2004
Scandinavia's biggest clubbing event
http://www.rawcph.com
KRAKEN RECORDINGS - founded in 2006
Copenhagen-based dubstep label
http://www.krakenrecordings.dk
-
- Posts: 24
- Joined: Wed May 03, 2006 8:48 am
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.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.
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!)
Cool, please do. Sounds very interesting, mate. 

http://facebook.com/2000f
http://myspace.com/2000
OHOI! - founded in 2002
Copenhagen-based promoters, producers, DJs
http://www.ohoi.dk
RAW - founded in 2004
Scandinavia's biggest clubbing event
http://www.rawcph.com
KRAKEN RECORDINGS - founded in 2006
Copenhagen-based dubstep label
http://www.krakenrecordings.dk
http://myspace.com/2000
OHOI! - founded in 2002
Copenhagen-based promoters, producers, DJs
http://www.ohoi.dk
RAW - founded in 2004
Scandinavia's biggest clubbing event
http://www.rawcph.com
KRAKEN RECORDINGS - founded in 2006
Copenhagen-based dubstep label
http://www.krakenrecordings.dk
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
la2a or the fairchild on the master..i know its not that fancy or complicated but it just sounds good to my ears tho
whut!!
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.
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.
-
- Posts: 572
- Joined: Mon Feb 20, 2006 9:54 pm
i couldn't possibly agree more.Docwra wrote:Never have compressed any of my bass ever, takes the dynamics out of the bass if you over use it.
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.

-
- Posts: 48
- Joined: Fri Oct 06, 2006 10:00 pm
- Location: SAN FRANSISCO
- Contact:
-
- Posts: 217
- Joined: Mon Jul 10, 2006 4:34 pm
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests