Some ideas on squishing the bottom...
By Justin Peacock
Life has many unanswered questions. Why do we exist? What is our purpose? What is the meaning of life? What was Mona Lisa thinking? And, of course, how do I get a tight low end in my mix? I probably hear this question more often than any other in the world of recording music. And, to be honest, it’s something that I myself often ponder and even struggle with, like a well-matched arm-wrestling opponent: I know I can win, but it doesn’t always prove easy.Tweaking the low end in a mix often revolves around listening on many different sources like car stereos, “boom boxes”, and yet smaller computer speakers. Different systems will attenuate or boost different frequency ranges, perhaps re-shaping your mix for the better but usually for the worse. Whatever happens, keep making comparisons until you find an average sound spectrum that works for everything.
While in the midst of this process remember that a mix’s low end isn’t just the bass guitar, or even the kick drum. It’s the sum of the whole. Acoustic guitars, electric guitars, vocals, and many other instruments can have a lot of low frequency content, all playing a role in the mix. Here, however, we’re going to specifically look at the bass guitar and how compression can be used to perfect a mix. Let me begin by pointing out that bass compression isn’t always needed. There are two typical reasons for compressing a bass (and most things in general): getting the notes to “sit” in the track and not poke out, i.e. limiting dynamic range, and/or because you like the sound of the compression.
Full Article Source:
- Bass Compression : Recording Magazine -
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