Basslines too weak
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
Basslines too weak
Hi,
When I do a bassline It's typically all there, drums, bass and midrange. And yet it still sounds like a lot is missing. It often sounds powerless and feels slow and kind of boring compared to professional tracks.
I often find myself turning my tracks up to 180+ bpm to make it seem more powerfull, however classic 140 bpm dubstep just sounds plain boring when I do it, I can't get a good groove into it.
I feel like I'm stuck with my productions lately, I don't make much progress. Maybe someone can help me out with advice?
Example Bassline:
http://www34.zippyshare.com/v/85186245/file.html
Further examples can be listened to on my Soundcloud (signature).
If someone with more experience than me would like to give me some advice I would appreciate it.
When I do a bassline It's typically all there, drums, bass and midrange. And yet it still sounds like a lot is missing. It often sounds powerless and feels slow and kind of boring compared to professional tracks.
I often find myself turning my tracks up to 180+ bpm to make it seem more powerfull, however classic 140 bpm dubstep just sounds plain boring when I do it, I can't get a good groove into it.
I feel like I'm stuck with my productions lately, I don't make much progress. Maybe someone can help me out with advice?
Example Bassline:
http://www34.zippyshare.com/v/85186245/file.html
Further examples can be listened to on my Soundcloud (signature).
If someone with more experience than me would like to give me some advice I would appreciate it.
Last edited by Cyren on Thu May 23, 2013 6:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.

visit: http://www.cyren-music.com
follow on soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/cyrenmusic
follow on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CyrenMusic
Soundcloud
-
- Posts: 168
- Joined: Sun Jul 29, 2012 12:09 am
Re: Basslines too weak
On your example I think the reverb is making the bass weak.
Maybe have a go with unison and/or adding a delay (pingpong?) to around 20ms without feedback, and/or a dimension expander.
About the 140 feeling boring/slow I have this problem too. I can't manage to give enough energy to make it sound interesting, hence me doing for 170 instead (even tho I really like the 140 feel on professional tracks, just not on mine)
Maybe have a go with unison and/or adding a delay (pingpong?) to around 20ms without feedback, and/or a dimension expander.
About the 140 feeling boring/slow I have this problem too. I can't manage to give enough energy to make it sound interesting, hence me doing for 170 instead (even tho I really like the 140 feel on professional tracks, just not on mine)
some neurofunk :
Soundcloud
Soundcloud
Re: Basslines too weak
A good quote I read the other day from Zedd - treat bass as an instrument. Your basslines probably aren't weak, they're probably just a little boring both creatively and sonically. A faster tempo will make a simple bassline seem more interesting because it's faster.
To me your Zippyshare clip backs this up - it's so generic and the notes are just so bassic. Be more creative and delve deeper into your synths. Layering other sounds and a thick sine sub will also help.
To me your Zippyshare clip backs this up - it's so generic and the notes are just so bassic. Be more creative and delve deeper into your synths. Layering other sounds and a thick sine sub will also help.
Re: Basslines too weak
Layer more sounds into it.
Think of it like this. WHICH sound, at any given moment, is the most prominent in your trax? If it's bass, you would want it mix out the the frequency spectrum a little. Like I make drum & bass and my drums sounded really empty until I listened to them critically and tried to imagine the spots in the mix that I felt needed some frequencies and I added percussive bits there. Suddenly they started sounded much fuller.
Listen to exactly which parts of your bassline you like and which you like less (before in time and in the frequency spectrum) and then fill that up with frequencies.
Think of it like this. WHICH sound, at any given moment, is the most prominent in your trax? If it's bass, you would want it mix out the the frequency spectrum a little. Like I make drum & bass and my drums sounded really empty until I listened to them critically and tried to imagine the spots in the mix that I felt needed some frequencies and I added percussive bits there. Suddenly they started sounded much fuller.
Listen to exactly which parts of your bassline you like and which you like less (before in time and in the frequency spectrum) and then fill that up with frequencies.

namsayin
:'0
Re: Basslines too weak
Just through a compressor on the bus, set the ratio to 1:10 and pull the threshold down to -48 dbs.
Works every time.
Works every time.
NEW SONG
Soundcloud
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Soundcloud
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Re: Basslines too weak
Maybe this is a dumb/too simple an answer...but a more energetic bassline is probably playing quicker, short sustain notes closer together. You can make the bassline "faster" without upping the tempo of the whole tune. I'm not a theory expert so I don't really have the language to explain this properly.
SunkLo wrote: If ragging on the 'shortcut to the top' mentality makes me a hater then shower me in haterade.
Re: Basslines too weak
Theres not to much happening in top end, why don't you try using white noise and side chaining it. Also use pads/mallets quiet low in the mix.
- syrup
- Reigning Mini-Mix King
- Posts: 8351
- Joined: Mon May 25, 2009 2:18 pm
- Location: down in my heart
Re: Basslines too weak
Repeat 5 more times for extra punchoutdropt wrote:Just through a compressor on the bus, set the ratio to 1:10 and pull the threshold down to -48 dbs.
Works every time.
dubfordessert wrote:you can jizz on me if you want
Re: Basslines too weak
johney wrote:Repeat 5 more times for extra punchoutdropt wrote:Just through a compressor on the bus, set the ratio to 1:10 and pull the threshold down to -48 dbs.
Works every time.

NEW SONG
Soundcloud
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Soundcloud
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
- OfficialDAPT
- Posts: 1477
- Joined: Tue Nov 22, 2011 2:51 am
Re: Basslines too weak
NO, JUST NOrockonin wrote:why don't you try using white noise and side chaining it
7 year old BROstep/Trapstep/Chillstep producer from India. Young. Talented. 7 Years Old. Super skilled for age. Signed to NOW22. Biography written in 3rd person on soundcloud OBVI. The next Skrillex. Wait I don't even like him anymore LOL. Super talented. Only 6 years old.
Re: Basslines too weak
super secret tip, layer a poodle ontop and (poodle = subsonic secret frequency that blends in with others to make cool sounds) i mean how can you not know the poodle technique its all around the web.. google it man
Re: Basslines too weak
Almost everybody said it. Layering can key. Adding a simple sub and a higher end for some parts can really change a sound. Layering can be really effective
Re: Basslines too weak
Thanks for putting me in your sigjohney wrote:Repeat 5 more times for extra punchoutdropt wrote:Just through a compressor on the bus, set the ratio to 1:10 and pull the threshold down to -48 dbs.
Works every time.

And thanks for the all the other answers as well.

visit: http://www.cyren-music.com
follow on soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/cyrenmusic
follow on facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CyrenMusic
Soundcloud
Re: Basslines too weak
Cut the frequencies that mess it up (sometimes very few db is needed, sometimes more), boost the highs a little, saturate/distort, compress slightly, throw on a short and highpassed reverb + some fx too smoothen it out like flanger/chorus
Look on a spectrum analyzer to see where you need to fill in with other sounds!
Look on a spectrum analyzer to see where you need to fill in with other sounds!
-
- Posts: 7727
- Joined: Wed Feb 06, 2008 12:15 pm
- Location: ButtonMoon
Re: Basslines too weak
Do your basslines even lift?
Genevieve wrote:It's a universal law that the rich have to exploit the poor. Preferably violently.
Re: Basslines too weak
put a sharp 10db boost in the subbass frequencies, around 300hz should do it
Soundcloud
TopManLurka wrote:sycophants gon sycophant.
- Crimsonghost
- Posts: 1051
- Joined: Tue May 01, 2012 6:59 am
- Location: Belly of the beastmode
- Ben - Axonic
- Posts: 14
- Joined: Sat May 11, 2013 9:47 pm
Re: Basslines too weak
As all have said, layering will help a bunch. I'd also consider adding some more subtle ambiance/upper end in there - half of what makes almost any tune are the sounds you don't explicitly hear, if that makes sense.
Re: Basslines too weak
fast hi hat patterns, crashes and reverse cymbals do it for me. Drums should be powerful. Also paralleldistortion for your bass and short delays fill up your spectrum - but eqing is important
Re: Basslines too weak
Personally, I think it sounds pretty good! I think you're more than 60%-70% there
One thing that stands out at my is your bass and subs. I think a good boost in the 50 - 250 range would fill out your sound quite nicely.
This is probably horrible practice but I something get lazy and group all my bass to a single Bass group channel. I then send the group bass to another bus and cut everything over about 70 or 100 for my subs.
For my bass I'll simply use a sin wave, increase the attack a little so that it doesn't have that pluck sound and then cut everything under 50 and 250. Basically keep 150-200 range
Again, people will probably cringe at my shortcut but it seems to work for me when it's late, have no coffee left and want a quick 2 min fix.
One thing that stands out at my is your bass and subs. I think a good boost in the 50 - 250 range would fill out your sound quite nicely.
This is probably horrible practice but I something get lazy and group all my bass to a single Bass group channel. I then send the group bass to another bus and cut everything over about 70 or 100 for my subs.
For my bass I'll simply use a sin wave, increase the attack a little so that it doesn't have that pluck sound and then cut everything under 50 and 250. Basically keep 150-200 range
Again, people will probably cringe at my shortcut but it seems to work for me when it's late, have no coffee left and want a quick 2 min fix.
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 0 guests