Bass peak - automate or compress?

TelePaul

A note in a continuing bass motiffe is peaking. It's in tune and everything but the volume increase does make it stand out somewhat. I'm already running a comp plug-in, should I adjust the ratio to take the peak or use a volume envelope?

PaulBrewer

TelePaul wrote: »

A note in a continuing bass motiffe is peaking. It's in tune and everything but the volume increase does make it stand out somewhat. I'm already running a comp plug-in, should I adjust the ratio to take the peak or use a volume envelope?

From what TP, bass guitar or keys?

If it's a bass and it's recorded then automate a fader movement.

Check the pickups on the bass to ensure that the output level on the instrument is constant.

That usually means that the pickup height on the E string will be lower than the G to match.

TelePaul

PaulBrewer wrote: »

From what TP, bass guitar or keys?

If it's a bass and it's recorded then automate a fader movement.

Check the pickups on the bass to ensure that the output level on the instrument is constant.

That usually means that the pickup height on the E string will be lower than the G to match.

Hi Paul. Yep, bass guitar. Don't think it's pickup height, more the fact that I'm terrible at bass

trackmixstudio

It is very possible that the note in question is the resonant frequency of your room. Check it on headphones.
If it is still jumping out try a multiband compressor.
First put an analyzer on the track to find the frequency peak and just compress that frequency with a really fast attack and release set to about the length of the note. That should work better than over compressing the whole track.

kfoltman

TelePaul wrote: »

more the fact that I'm terrible at bass

Isn't everyone? (especially wrt dynamics)

"I promise I won't tell anyone I autotuned the vocals, put the drums in time and played the guitar solo"

...and leveled the bass line, eh?

TelePaul

Thanks guys, have taken 3.5dbs off the peak with a cut. Not too worried about multi-band compression but will check the frequency in cans.

RealEstateKing

http://www.focalpress.com/Content.aspx?id=4002

Heres a little trick from Bob Katz for dealing with renegade bass notes - can be applied at mixing stage too.

PaulBrewer

Or you could just turn it down? Eqing as a volume control is daft as a first plan. Remember, you're also eqing all the notes that aren't too loud.

dav nagle

PaulBrewer wrote: »

Or you could just turn it down? Eqing as a volume control is daft as a first plan. Remember, you're also eqing all the notes that aren't too loud.

You could always automate the EQ on that one note or automate a limiter on that one note.

TelePaul

dav nagle wrote: »

You could always automate the EQ on that one note or automate a limiter on that one note.

Waaay to much hastle, it's one stupid note lads. Have adjusted the volume a little and now I'll bury it with some layered guitars.

dav nagle

TelePaul wrote: »

Waaay to much hastle, it's one stupid note lads. Have adjusted the volume a little and now I'll bury it with some layered guitars.

It takes one minute!

ogy

Or you could just turn it down? Eqing as a volume control is daft as a first plan. Remember, you're also eqing all the notes that aren't too loud.

yeh but Bob Katz is talking about mastering, i.e. hes trying to take boomy bass out of the bounced stereo file,

if i were you tp i'd just cut the note out, reduce the gain or eq out the boomy frequency (if you want to preserve the rest of the bass sound) and paste it back in.

trackmixstudio

trackmixstudio wrote: »

It is very possible that the note in question is the resonant frequency of your room. Check it on headphones.
If it is still jumping out try a multiband compressor.

What he said...could well just be the room you're in..

PaulBrewer

TelePaul wrote: »

Waaay to much hastle, it's one stupid note lads. Have adjusted the volume a little and now I'll bury it with some layered guitars.

A balanced, sensible, useful, practical and ungeeky response ...

Some of you guys are just nuts

Ronan Murphy

One more voice chiming in to say check the mix out in a different room to see if the not really is sticking out in the mix. If you are mixing in a small room then certain frequencies could easily be getting boosted as much as 25 dB or more at your listening position.

TelePaul

Ronan Murphy wrote: »

One more voice chiming in to say check the mix out in a different room to see if the not really is sticking out in the mix. If you are mixing in a small room then certain frequencies could easily be getting boosted as much as 25 dB or more at your listening position.

Really? Crazy!

TelePaul

PaulBrewer wrote: »

A balanced, sensible, useful, practical and ungeeky response ...

Some of you guys are just nuts

Can't tell if you're taking the p1ss but my post was slightly tongue in cheek. But I do think it's something that should be fixable with 'minimally invasive' editing or processing. The simplest thing to do would be to re-track but I think sometimes you have to let the imperfections stay.

Ronan Murphy

TelePaul wrote: »

Really? Crazy!

Yes. Virtually all rooms have low end problems, but anyone that is mixing music in a spare bedroom sized studio is virtually guaranteed to huge peaks and dips in low frequency response. To make matters worse, is that you can move your chair back one meter and have a completely different set of problems (different notes being boosted or cut)

Did the OP give it a spin in cans...is the note still popping out?..

TelePaul

Deleted User wrote: »

Did the OP give it a spin in cans...is the note still popping out?..

Yep!!!!!!!!!!