Controlling Bass Frequencies

[Dowsed]

Hi guys,

this is my first post on here, but I have been a lurker for a few years.

I finally have a question that I cannot find answered in any thread that I can see!

Basically I have noticed a trend with my masters (by looking with PAZ analyser in RMS mode) that my bass response particularly between 64Hz and 160Hz is not as controlled as my favourite commercial masters.

I have been able to re-create this response with the use of L3's low frequency gains, Side-Chain Compression and EQ. However once I have done this I usually find that I either hear very slight pumping from the side-chained compressor kicking in and out (mainly hearing it release though) or that the master sounds a little thin usually with the bass guitar feeling weak (even though I have matched the frequency response from the commercial track).

Does anyone have any tips or groovy plugs to help with how to smooth out these low frequencies a little easier without these negative side-effects?

Would Parallel compression be useful to achieve this?

Also if anyone is interested I could show them a recent song that I have found this issue with and the raw mix too.

Cheers
Pete

[PBM]

Originally Posted by Dowsed

Hi guys,

this is my first post on here, but I have been a lurker for a few years.

I finally have a question that I cannot find answered in any thread that I can see!

Basically I have noticed a trend with my masters (by looking with PAZ analyser in RMS mode) that my bass response particularly between 64Hz and 160Hz is not as controlled as my favourite commercial masters.

I have been able to re-create this response with the use of L3's low frequency gains, Side-Chain Compression and EQ. However once I have done this I usually find that I either hear very slight pumping from the side-chained compressor kicking in and out (mainly hearing it release though) or that the master sounds a little thin usually with the bass guitar feeling weak (even though I have matched the frequency response from the commercial track).

Does anyone have any tips or groovy plugs to help with how to smooth out these low frequencies a little easier without these negative side-effects?

Would Parallel compression be useful to achieve this?

Also if anyone is interested I could show them a recent song that I have found this issue with and the raw mix too.

Cheers
Pete

I'm assuming you mean too much, or lumpy, or boomy bass?

What compressor are you using? Sometime a dab of that and a dip of EQ and you're all set.

If you need a plug-in recommendation the Flux with graphic sidechain EQ (not easy to make that pump) is very nice, and - a bit cheaper - I tried the Voxengo Polysquasher a few weeks ago and was amazed at how well it worked in this kind of situation.

(I'm sure someone will say use the low band of a multiband, which is fine, but I don't - not until Macc long-term lends me his MLA-3 anyway - so I can't comment on that).

I think a common mistake in the early stages is to cut too much bass when what is really required is simply better control.

All very much easier to do if your monitoring is letting you hear accurately all the way down to 60 and a fair bit beneath too.

Cheers,

Eric

[Dowsed]

Originally Posted by PBM

I'm assuming you mean too much, or lumpy, or boomy bass?

Yeah too much bass that that looks like a wide Q'd bell with it's peak at 64Hz. It doesn't sound particularly BAD however I can get a much cleaner and consistent master and a much higher RMS with the compression

Originally Posted by PBM

What compressor are you using? Sometime a dab of that and a dip of EQ and you're all set.

I have tried a few compressors, Digi's Compressor limiter 3 with side-chain between 60-180Hz and i've also tried the Waves C1-sc after tweaking the bass compressor pre-set. On the whole my setting have had a very low theshold and ratio with a fast attack and slow release (-30, 1.2:1)

I'll check out that plug. I have avoided doing much low shelving with EQ , I had been doing narrow Q'd stuff to get rid of some nasties.

Pete

[sadboy]

Originally Posted by Dowsed

I'll check out that plug. I have avoided doing much low shelving with EQ , I had been doing narrow Q'd stuff to get rid of some nasties.

Pete

dude try the Q Fab-filter, just move the knob here and there around the annoying range and you will have some remarkable solutions, it worked with me once in such the case of yours.

[macc]

Originally Posted by PBM

(I'm sure someone will say use the low band of a multiband, which is fine, but I don't - not until Macc long-term lends me his MLA-3 anyway - so I can't comment on that).

MLA-3 will do it... unfeasibly well.

But I can't believe that I have never actually tried Polysquasher.

Time for a demo I think.