Wheres The Bass?...bass took a walk when I mixed to Cd..!!!
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Posted on Apr 23, 2006 07:47 pm
Fender
Member Since: Mar 12, 2005
Hey.. When I mixed down some tracks to a cd to hear and play (hopefully enjoy ) in my car while going to and from work, The damm bass is gone. I have to really adujust for the bass sound. I hear the tracks perfect when I monitor on my headphones. eq's are adjusted for bass trim all highs off, its set to hear good low acusitc bass (upright bass), guitar and lead guitar are eq'ed middle to the high end. Based on the HR spectrum which I read many of times over and over, The bass is missing on most of my mixdown.
do I compress per track, or do I use an overall compression. Someone mention freq drop off? freq compition?
What, how and where can I fix this problem?
Is this a compression issue.
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cooloFrisco's Most UnderratedMember
Since: Jan 28, 2003
Apr 23, 2006 11:48 pm When you play the tracks after mixed down on your headphones, does the bass stay the same? Or is it gone already at that point. The easy answer is that your headphones are over emphasizing bass compared to the speakers in your car. But it could be something else...
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Apr 24, 2006 06:36 pm OR it is possible that if you are using an EQ pluggin in the mix it is not enabled to run during the mixdown. You should have check boxes to enable all pluggins in the mixdown depending on the application your running for recording.
Which I should ask, what application are you recording with?
But as coolo stated, your headphones may be missleading you to think there is more bass there then really is. That is common in most headphones unless they are studio referance specific headphones which are made to sound much flatter and not emphasize and frequancies.
And I guess I'll ask as well which headphones you are using as well. That will help us figure out what is going on.
Noize
WaltChief Cook and Bottle WasherMember
Since: May 10, 2002
Apr 25, 2006 12:01 am This may sound silly, but I have to do it. And it's in no way to negate what Noise and Coolo have written, definetly look into those comments first.
I often have to calibrate my ears, especially for upright. The large mouth is an odd fish. Take a cd that you like in the car ( Erykah Badu Baduizm comes to mind if you like loud and sloppy or Gettin to it by Christian McBride if you like articulate ) and listen to it via your system and of course headphones first and A/B durring mix. Compression will generaly just even out the loudness of the bass or add punch to it depending on how you set the compressor up. As far as eq, it's sounds as if your on top of things. Often a pretty steep notch at about 92hz does a nice job on most basses.
FenderMember
Since: Mar 12, 2005
Apr 25, 2006 12:08 am Thnkas for the info, I am using Panosonics HT-355. the bass is there prior to mixdown. All the sounds are there. I am using some VST on each of the tracks, (eq. and compress), However I am not using none on the general ouput lever in the main level, for both left and right. I am using Cakewalk Guitar Tracks Pro 2. With a delta 44 card. any ideas? Are the headhones bringing outmore of the bass sound that what is on my monitor?
I have a piorneer amp that I could use to and hear the last take prior to mixdown. what levels would I set the bass/presence/treble to. All the way down or at mid range?
Apr 25, 2006 12:28 am y'know, it could also be the settings on your soundcard. some have bass and trebble sliders in the volume control, or the specialized program that came with the card. perhaps it could be that? although I'm pretty sure that's more with the cheaper cards, especially soundblasters and such, which you don't use.
I'm thinking more along the lines of it being the headphones. I've got a few pairs of headphones, some cheap, and a half decent pair of infared ones (I don't use them for mixing though). but even when I am just listening to music, the bass in the good pair is a lot more prominent than in the other $30-$50 pairs I got.
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Apr 25, 2006 10:16 pm Walt does indeed make a good point. I have on occasion out of necesity (sp) had to mix in headphones. But it surely helps to know your headphones just like you would a good set of nearfields or any other speaker for that matter. I do own a couple pair of expensive headphones which are made just for this type of thing. They are not cheap by any means. But niether are a good pair of flat nearfileds.
But as Walt stated, surely find a CD that you are intamit with and know the soudn of it very well, and this will in turn help you learn to use the headphones a little better.
Noize
RobbueMember
Since: Feb 10, 2006
Apr 26, 2006 07:06 am Hey Noize...what kind of cans do you own. I have a pair of Beyer Dynamic DT990's. They sound great but the bass is a little under represented as well.
Apr 26, 2006 07:34 am Have you listened to those recordings in other places...outside on a portable radio, in your living room hifi system, at a friends house, in your studio, etc...how do they sound in all those places? The environment your are listening in can make LOADS of difference in the sound sometimes.
HuePinnipedal Czar (: 3= Member
Since: Apr 11, 2004
Apr 26, 2006 08:55 am As someone who once suffered from overcompensating the end of the chain profusly, I'd have to agree with dB . If y'a have a sub set too high, or your speakers are just bass-heavy by design... it'll throw your perception off on the actual mix . The room has much to do with how you hear as well . Reflections, and low-frequency-multiplication all play a part of what your ears percieve to have on the media .
Apr 26, 2006 12:12 pm This has always been a problem for me as well, but no as much since I started using Har-Bal on everything. My CDs are a lot more balanced no matter where I play them.
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Apr 26, 2006 09:09 pm Robbue, I use a couple differant pair's but the normal go to set are the AKG K 271 Studio or the older K 270 Studio. I often switch to the older K 240 Moniter as well as at times it just seems flater on some material. But the 270 and 271 are very good for most everything. The 270 is the older semi-open design and the 271 are now a closed type. Very quiet inside them, and pretty much n othing coming out either, even at higher listening levels.
A lot of the reason for the AKG models was comfort as well as a realistic response without having an EQ range boosted. I keep couple pair of the 240 Moniter and the 240 Studio as well for recording as they dont bleed to awfully bad, and are extremely comortable for longer wearing.
The 271 kind of surprised me as most closed type have an over exagerated midrange and these didn't have that problem.
Noize2uCzar of MidiAdministrator
Since: Apr 04, 2002
Apr 26, 2006 10:10 pm Fender, the problem is the headphones. I just looked up the spec for them. They have a feature that boosts the bass response to an unrealistic level. So your mixes are sounding as though they have plenty of bass, but in reality the headphones are emphasizing it and it isnt really there. That is a very common thing in headphones in that kind of price range. And as well they are meant for use with things like CD players and portable devices which dont drive a real heavy bottom end to begin with.
I would definately try and up the bass on a mix you have that is lacking and see how it comes out.
As for using the Pioner, you should set all the levels at flat. Which hopefully will be in the center of its setting range. But again, depending on the quality of the unit, it may not be a cut and boost set up on the tone controls, it may only be boost. So try it with them at the center first and see how that sounds.
FenderMember
Since: Mar 12, 2005
Apr 27, 2006 02:53 am thnaks, it does seem to be the head phones which brings out more of the bass. Nice sound though, but it really doesnt help me out as far as mixing down. What is Har-Bal? and hows do i apply it to my mix down.
thnks again guys, this site really helps !!!!
WaltChief Cook and Bottle WasherMember
Since: May 10, 2002
Apr 27, 2006 08:04 am Fender,
Harbal is (IMHO) a must app, especially for folks like myself who have less than a kabillian buck mega-studio with perfect: speakers, accoustics, etc. Harbal will graph your final mix or master in terms of total frequency spectrum. It will do automatic adjustements or let you graphicly compare your piece to any other you choose and make manual adjustements to the entire frequency range. It's not a blender. You can't just throw everything into a mix, mash it down and expect Harbal to fix it, however it will point you in the right direction as well as help take a good mix and help you tweek it. For me it has also been a great ear trainer. When I first started using it, Harbal would point out some pretty sizable differences between my mixes and it's suggested frequency spectrum. After using it for awhile, I am finding that Harbal's 'suggestions' are more in terms of minor tweeks. Of course it's all optioal. Some suggestions I take, some I decline.
FenderMember
Since: Mar 12, 2005
May 07, 2006 01:40 am Thnks.. I just downloaded a trial version of HalBal..however im not sure what im doing with it.. the line spectrum is pretty even on most of my mixes. there is one drop.or dip in the graph which I notice. but the problems is im not sure how to adjust using HalBal. The intire line goes up with the small pointer. Maybe I just use my ears and set the mix with what I have.. But I do belive its the headphones which do highligh the low bass sounds.
Thnaks
