Hey everyone,
Was looking to hear from some seasoned engineers on their approach, tricks, tips on the all important Eq'ing.
Things like their opinions on eq do's and donts..
Here are some of the things I've learned, my approach..
Criticism greatly appreciated!
1. Dont try to fix something with EQ, example: make a vintage, open, round, kick drum try to sound like a modern kick tight, attack heavy drum.
2. Cut frequencies that you want less of instead of boosting ones you want more of.
3. No huge cuts or boosts unless its absolutely necessary.
3. Try to keep cuts/boosts within a 6db range.
4. Always cut first before boost.
5. Minimalist
6. Eq while listening to the combining tracks.
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That was a tremendous help, Dave. I'm the one playing the track
That was a tremendous help, Dave. I'm the one playing the track, and I'll be working on it tonight. I have some gobos laying around with various densities of absorption, and I have a small "cube" cabinet - a home made little piece with a 15" speaker in it.
I have the Peavey SS amp head, so I think I'm gonna set that up with the RE20 and U89, with an active DI to another discreet track, and see what I can come up with. I'm definitely after that low, round end to support a solid, steady quarter/ double 8th note pattern on the kick.
I'll let you know how it works out. Thanks again, pal. I really appreciate you taking the time. ;)
Hi Donny.When you say jangle I get the guitar picture from that.
Hi Donny.When you say jangle I get the guitar picture from that...Strats and Teles with Fender amps....So bass in that context would have to be warm and solid to compliment the guits..I can't stress enough the importance of having transformers in the signal path for bass. The last sessions involved the stock Jazz Bass which I ran through the DI on an ADK AP2 pre. This preamp allows you to change the chracteristics at will. The op-amp and the transformer are socketed. I have several choices of each and have in recent months, settled on an op-amp that has a Neve-like voicing and a Cinemag transformer with it. Its warm and a little slow in how it processes bass. Not distorted, just round and full of the harmonic content of the strings. I have been running this through a channel of Symetrix 525 compression. Any of you old PA guys will know this unit. Really simple VCA circuit no attack or release...simply transparent thud. I will still use one on basses that have a lot of sustain to tighten up the track going in.....But, a recent addition was a 500 rack and I bought an 1176 clone as one of the compressors going in this rack. Its dedicated to compression only btw...This particular 1176 clone is made by IGS and is a very nice useful tool. On the backside of the AP2 setup its really really good.
Now for your needs...I would say if you're going to take a bass track with an amp to use a small amp with not much volume and build it a box...gobo it off and use a couple of mics...Your RE20 close and the 89 a couple of feet back. But damp the hell out of the amps environment...no flutters or echos banging around...tight and quiet is the key here...Then take a DI through a transformer'd pre with a comp behind it like I described...I was using fast attack-slow release and about 4:1. The IGS has a Carnhill transformer on the output.
Of course all of this changes as the bass players attack and style differ. I have had times when the bass player was very accomplished and playing entirely the wrong style of the music . Of course this could be my inner 45 year bass player talking....