EQ Bass Fundamental. or harmonic freq. ?

Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 6:11 pm

Is it a good idea to boost fundamental (lowest) frequencie of the bass. So you can hear it more clearly. Or it is better to boost harmonic (higher related) frequencies. Or maybe cutting of some frequencies between harmonic ones? That is the question that bothers me most.

And for example, if I played four notes E;C;G;B; what ever.., each of those notes have different fundamental frequencie, so if I added Eq on my bass channel, and boosted lets say 330 hz (which is the fundamental freq. of E) it would effect my other notes (C;G;B), so how can i go about that ?

Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 7:11 pm

Don't EQ it unless it needs it. But what is the difference in hz between half notes and whole notes? Because most EQ's won't just effect that exact frequency, but all the ones around it aswell. On parametric EQ, you can adjust how much of the surrounding frequencies you want to adjust, but on a graphic EQ, it all depends on how many sliders you have. Each slider in a 31 band EQ will effect as many surrounding frequencies as a 15 band EQ would.

So depending on how big of a jump the fundamental frequencies are for each note, you might not really need to worry too much, because they might all be covered.

Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 9:19 pm

Edvin, you've just laid out a great argument for why any EQ can be a dangerous thing in the wrong hands. If you're talking about narrow EQ'ing JUST the bass on a separate track, thats' one thing. If you're talking about EQ'ing a complete/composit track - where drums, vocals and other low-end components are affected, hoo-boy.....you can see what a potential can of worms this sort of thing can be.

As they always say: it's best to get the sound right in the first place - good playing, good instrument, good mic'ing and perhaps a little overall limiting on the bass, at least enough to smooth it all out. I hate to use any EQ in a case like that unless it's absolutely necessary. Indirectly, you've just made a good case for NOT using EQ in a situation like that.

Not what you were looking to hear, perhaps, but that's how it goes sometimes. You find one thing while looking for another?

Posted: Thu Oct 26, 2006 10:19 pm

Edvin, the problem with trying to answer a question like that would be easy if all basses sounded the same. They don't, so you can never make a broad EQ decision without hearing them first. Some basses sounds so good, you won't need/want to do anything to them except record them. Some sound like they are playing under 10 feet of mud and nothing, nothing can make those kind sound good regardless of what kind of equipment, experience, technique you have.

Like the other posters have indicated, how does it sound when it is mixed with the rest of the instruments? From there, you will know whether you want to increase the equalization near the fundamental or even decrease it! That's right! Sometimes to make the bass sound better, you turn down the bass. Then you will hear it cut through the mix like a hot knife through butter. Sometimes cutting some midbass frequencies can increase its presence and lower fundamentals with a single adjustment. So there are many different recipes to try and all are based upon how it sounds to begin with.

I actually like the sound of cheap Ibenez basses. I have always had good results with them in the studio and live. People seem to be embarrassed or make excuses about them but I think they rock.

I have a very large bass and so it wouldn't be a bad idea for me to lose 40 pounds? Spreading things around at 51.
Ms. Remy Ann David

Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2006 3:11 am

if you were unlucky enough to be subjected tosome of my posts reguarding EQ"s you'll probably find it suroising to find i agree with what's been said.....

Nirvalica wrote:

Each slider in a 31 band EQ will effect as many surrounding frequencies as a 15 band EQ would.
.

props for being aware of the fact that graphics overlap and can cause some phase issuses consequently.... however ... rethink this part of it... the shape of the filter or "Q" covers if you will 1/2 the area...

Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2006 12:47 pm

dementedchord wrote:

if you were unlucky enough to be subjected tosome of my posts reguarding EQ"s you'll probably find it suroising to find i agree with what's been said.....

Nirvalica wrote:

Each slider in a 31 band EQ will effect as many surrounding frequencies as a 15 band EQ would.
.

props for being aware of the fact that graphics overlap and can cause some phase issuses consequently.... however ... rethink this part of it... the shape of the filter or "Q" covers if you will 1/2 the area...

typo, I meant to say each slider in a 31 band EQ won't effect as many surrounding frequencies as a 15 band EQ. I had it worded different, then decided to change it so it would make more sense. Obviously I missed that word.

Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2006 9:54 pm

Nirvalica, understandability not at issue when smoked with other herbal equipment standards. Notwithstanding, not withholding, not exhaling but inhaling later when the synapses synopsis since the late hour cannot be forwarded without confusion.

64-bit?
Ms. Remy Ann David

Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2006 10:05 pm

RemyRAD wrote:

Nirvalica, understandability not at issue when smoked with other herbal equipment standards. Notwithstanding, not withholding, not exhaling but inhaling later when the synapses synopsis since the late hour cannot be forwarded without confusion.

64-bit?
Ms. Remy Ann David

Ok, so I can't explain it clearly. My bad.

But, no non-remedy herbal "suppliments" of the non-definite shape or volume type needed for post of mine to make confusing.

Posted: Fri Oct 27, 2006 11:14 pm

Xactly!

Where am I?

Posted: Sat Dec 30, 2006 8:15 am

Try to compress the bass alone before mixing it with the other tracks and see if there's a diffference!

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