Thick bass tips?

[Das Poop]

What UA plugs do you guys use to get a nice, thick bass sound?

I've been recording my bass direct. Some tracks it sounds great on, some times it sounds really weak...it seems to be hit and miss, and I'd like to know what others use on their bass tracks. I'd like to make it have that big, rich subsonic sound where you don't really notice the plucked note as much as you do just a low tone.

For the one that's giving me problems, I'm using the 88RS for both compression and EQ.

Any ideas / tips?

 

[harrison]

I just mixed a song using Pultec on the bass track. Back off the highs and set the bass at 50% and attenuation at about 80%. It depends on the bass track but I keep moving between the Pultec and the Helios. The 1073 does a nice job too. It just depends on what sound you are after.

Oh ya, the bass line was a hit you in the chest track after adding the Pultec.

 

[lhama]

I would start with this: http://www.ebs.bass.se/2007/octabass.htm

 

[Stomper]

I like to use helios on bass (and kick).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AiA116Tjf5E
http://websrvr82il.audiovideoweb.com/ca ... Helios.wmv

 

[TheEastGateMS]

Second thread that I've mentioned this in for this purpose... try the UAD Preflex. You can add some crazy subs with the right cab selection. Obviously, the amp section can be used to color/distort/eq, but, specifically, there are a few cabinets that add major sub frequencies.

 

[boody]

I recently used the free airwindows cab bassamp simulation. Loved it!

 

[DRAGONTHEORY]

First I run into a pre amp.... I have tried a a few in the mid price range.... And without a doubt.... LA-610...... Then I run dirrectly into LOGIC pro... At that point I eq with an 88rs.... And I eq out the freq. Around 180 to 250 .... Slightly..... That let's the kick punch through a bit more giving the bass a thicker tone..... Its weird.... Most times I find less is more.... So then I run a BUS channel and stick a plug called AMPEG.... Modeled after the famous vintage amps..... If I put it on the direct Chanel it sucks all the power right out of the UAD.... So I buss it.... Wile in the ampeg plug I put an octave pedal on.... Eq it to be totally thick and wet...... Fuzzy.... And under that I stick a LA2A on for compression.... And squash the shit out of it.... Then I mix in the squashed ampeg effected signal with the true tone ...... Faaaak..... Blow your head right off...... Having a good tone to start with is most important.... I record with a GRETCH hollow body... Nasty tones!!!


E

 

[Guest]

I like to use helios on bass (and kick).

Yeah, Helios will be making really phat sound for the bass.

 

[dubphizix]

Second thread that I've mentioned this in for this purpose... try the UAD Preflex. You can add some crazy subs with the right cab selection. Obviously, the amp section can be used to color/distort/eq, but, specifically, there are a few cabinets that add major sub frequencies.

gonna have to try this.....cheers!

 

[neil wilkes]

I recently used the free airwindows cab bassamp simulation. Loved it!

These are all Mac only though, right?
I am finding I really like the IK Multimedia Ampeg SVX (but you really gotta be careful to put an HPF in, or else things can get very muddy, very quickly)
EQ will be the Helios or the Neve 1081.
Compression? Depends on the track. Sometimes the DBX 160, sometimes the Millennia Tube, sometimes a FairChild (The first 2 are both in the LiquidMix) and occasionally - if doing something that needs it - a 1176LN using just the I/O for level, and a second one in series for controlling the envelope. (Incidentally, 2 1176LN in series works wonderfully for metal guitars similar to Jimmy Page).
We are not looking for much compression here - just 2 or 3dB to smooth the peaks out a little, as the main compression will be as described below - parallel mode - so that the mix buss gets a blend of compressed/uncompressed.

The output of this will also take a send into a Parallel Compression buss, at around -9dB send level, so that it gets locked down solidly with the Kick/Snare running into the same Compression buss.
This should be at least 10dB of compression, more if you like, with a shelving boost of 6-10dB at around 10KHz and another at around 100Hz.
The return faders for this should be sitting just underneath the uncompressed version.
Result will be a seriously big rhythm section but without sounding overcompressed & lifeless.

 

[Guest]

I am finding I really like the IK Multimedia Ampeg SVX (but you really gotta be careful to put an HPF in, or else things can get very muddy, very quickly)

yeah! Ampeg SVX is really nice amp sim.
I can't live without it.

 

[bob1760]

As a bass player I have spent a lot of time getting what I think is good sound and i do it as follows.

I plug into my ampeg svt-3 pro and then use the XLR direct out. make sure to use the post-pre setting so that you are getting the all tube pre-amp. I also stick an sm-57 in front of a 15\" cab - no tweeter.

Both lines go into a UA 2 - 610 then into a DBX compressor limiter and finally into the computer.

now the part you are most interested in.

I pan each channel hard to opposie sides. I mix it so one side is a little dominant and I'll usually pan the electric guitar the other way. Sometime I EQ each channel seprately or sometimes I EQ once after I group the channels together. Likewise with the compressor, which sometimes I leave out altogether.

I use either the poltec pro or Helios. And generaly LA2A but sometimes the LN. When I EQ the channels separately I'll use different EQs on them.

I love the lowest band on both EQ's. The helios sounds great at a 100hz even if you don't add any boost.

If you were to use this set up you get a big wide sound and a lot of flexability to fine tune the sound. Defintely not what you would use if you like to keep the bass down in the track.