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Bassline Tips
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Mike A
Subra
Started Topics :
185
Posts :
3954
Posted : Mar 11, 2004 01:10
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Ok I've started this thread so we would have one thread where we'll have tips for this frequently asked question 
(if anyone needs a place to upload screenshots or anything - pm me)
I'll start with some tips from my own experience.
A very good way to make a bassline sound more interesting and more dynamic is by adding velocity changes to the notes, and modulating cutoff, drive or other parameters by it.
A high velocity note can sound brighter, while a low velocity note can be felt instead of heard. You can make nice grooves this way.
Here's an example of velocity changes in one of my tracks:
http://www.psygarden.be/~mike/bass1.png
This bass is Albino with the velocity controlling one of the filters. A higher velocity makes the note more bright, more audible, giving the entire line a bit of groove.
Another example is this:
http://www.psygarden.be/~mike/bass2.png
This is the Tau Pro with the velocity affecting the drive. I also used different note lengths for a nice groove
Lets hope this thread will be useful and educational for everyone!
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Triptocoma
Inactive User
Started Topics :
5
Posts :
296
Posted : Mar 11, 2004 04:27
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Hehe nice move Mike, this should have happend a long time ago 
i might drop by some day with some tips  (ill edit this post then)
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katam
Abomination
Started Topics :
17
Posts :
557
Posted : Mar 11, 2004 05:27
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ok that was a nie post now can you tell me more about how i should compress a bassline? |
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Input
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
24
Posts :
456
Posted : Mar 11, 2004 10:20
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I think we can also upload some snapshots of the EQ and Compression settings,
I will when i'll get home- also if we are in such a good mood, we can share presets
 Space is the place
http://www.megabit.co.il |
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EYB
Noized
Started Topics :
111
Posts :
2849
Posted : Mar 11, 2004 14:37
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That is a good idea. I am going to prepare some pictures of my settings and perhaps some presets.
Signature |
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fuzzikitten
Annunaki
Started Topics :
40
Posts :
603
Posted : Mar 11, 2004 14:45
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Wow, a bassline thread that provides answers before the questions - what an idea!
My biggest lessons about bass have been about proper EQing. What I offer below is probably not 100% correct, however it's definitely a step closer to my ideal bass sound and so I offer it to anyone that might find it useful. I welcome any corrections/additions.
Whether live bass or synthed bass, the EQing is crucial as your bass should live in it's own distinct band of EQ and not have the kick drum stepping on it. Go too low and the bass will sound muddy, go too high and it will take away from your leads and pads. But you also have to have a little bit of the highs with your bass to give it a voice to compete with the mid to high frequencies.
My goal (and this is subject to your personal taste) is to have the bass live somewhere in the 80-250Hz range with maybe a little bit in the 500-1000Hz range to give a LITTLE bite to the bass sound (depends if I'm doing a 1/16th bassline or a slower 1/8th bassline).
Generally I start by rolling everything below 200Hz off with a steep HPF and then lowering the passed frequency until my bass has just enough "chest" feel to it. Then I use a steep LPF starting at about 200Hz and up it until I have the tone I want. Lastly I'll add a teeny boost around 500Hz (more at first so I can find the sweet spot, then I reduce the boost once I've found it) and adjust the frequency until the bass sound gets 'crispy' and distinct.
All of this will depend on the type of bass sound you're going for as well as what synth you're using. For example, sawtooth basses have a lot of great harmonics in the mid-high range that can really give your bass notes bite. But a bass sound starting with a sine-wave (or something similar) will have very few. And it all really depends on what sound you're trying to acheive.
Hope this helps.
-Alex
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jon
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
17
Posts :
441
Posted : Mar 11, 2004 15:36
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nice tip alex! I like the idea of slowly moving the low cut down in frequency....
Another thing some people do, especially with the dreaded vb1, is apply a very sharp notch (I mean like band reject filter) in the eq in the main bass area, like at around 100 Hz.... I think the correct spot is the frequency of the root note (but maybe up a couple of octaves to put it at about 100Hz).... to find it you put a big upward spike in the eq then slowly move it till you get a nasty resonant rumble in your speakers. Then make it a dip instead of spike. Just a few dB.
what do people think about using the L2 on the bassline? I think it sometimes works well, although if you have a lot of dynamic change in the bassline (I mean if the notes have different volume) then this may get destroyed....
Oh that tip about moving the eq spike around, then making it a dip, is good for mixing all parts, not just for making basslines.... good way to get rid of overly resonant frequencies....
Anyway basslines are pretty much all in the eq
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billy ambulance
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
43
Posts :
560
Posted : Mar 11, 2004 18:28
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Quote:
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On 2004-03-11 10:20, Input wrote:
I think we can also upload some snapshots of the EQ and Compression settings,
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I dont like this idea!
EQ and compression are uniqe for every kind of bass. copy parameters is the worst thing a producer can do. setup your eq by the note (pitch) it plays, referenced to the kick. also by the sound of the machine you use.
check out! www.soundclick.com/spasm |
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billy ambulance
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
43
Posts :
560
Posted : Mar 11, 2004 18:31
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[quote]
On 2004-03-11 01:10, Mike A wrote:
A very good way to make a bassline sound more interesting and more dynamic is by adding velocity changes to the notes, and modulating cutoff, drive or other parameters by it.
[quote]
I like my basses less dynamic and more compressed, works better on the dance floor!!
check out! www.soundclick.com/spasm |
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Colin OOOD
Moderator
Started Topics :
95
Posts :
5380
Posted : Mar 11, 2004 19:35
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billy ambulance
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
43
Posts :
560
Posted : Mar 11, 2004 19:49
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z1P^
Megalopsy
Started Topics :
28
Posts :
535
Posted : Mar 11, 2004 20:16
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a very good tip is not to write bassnotes over the kick (1/4), i mean when the kick sounds... if the kick&bass are well mixed and balanced you wont notice the difference.
also try this cubase native vsti called 'Vb', its an old bass synth with not very common parameters, still rules... try it.
another good tip as fuzzikitten said is to eq your basslines, a very use full eq for basslines is the cubase's quadrafuzz distortion, this way if you click on the 'edit' button and a four band eq will appear on the right. try killing the midhigh and high frequencies, and adjusting the low and midlow frequencies to your taste, i always get great results .
peace
b00m
respect ;D
(www) DarkPrisma.com.ar/ ~ FranticNoise.com.ar/ ~ Megalopsy.com.ar/ ~
providing shamanic euphoria until the end of the days! |
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solipt1c
Soliptic
Started Topics :
9
Posts :
349
Posted : Mar 11, 2004 21:24
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personally
1. i agree with billy - 'presets' are a bad idea. no 2 basses are alike - even if they are , they're in different tracks. learn to actually do it, dont just get a preset, otherwise you're not gonna get far.
2. i generally dont eq my basslines much. in fact idont eq stuff much. like i keep saying (*sigh*) and even wrote a whole tutorial about - so long as think eq, u dont need to use eq very much. just get sounds which fit in the first place.
3. i never apply L1/L2 to bass. its much harder to get 'invisible' gain from the plugin on basses, especially verydeep subby sine wave stuff. (there's a technical reason - to do with wave shapes - cant be bothered to explain - basically it means you hear something like clipping much easier than on hf stuff)
here's one actual tip from me to balance all that negativity
if your speakers arent very bass heavy (like my absolute 2s) try using your finger instead. hell, even if they are bass heavy (like my mates hr824s) then the finger can help - just by using a different sense (touch not hearing) u can free your mind a little bit and make a more objective comparison.
just very gently rest your fingertip on the outside of the subwoofer cone and feel the low frequency vibrations. remember - they're there to be felt, not heard, when its played in the club, so it makes sense really. if u do this with "pro" tracks and then do it with yours its sometimes really easy to tell that yours has much less / much more
http://www.dartrecordings.co.uk/ |
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thockin
Started Topics :
1
Posts :
114
Posted : Mar 11, 2004 22:00
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Mike A: how about posting mp3s of those same two bass lines?
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