Bass sounds good in mix, not so good when solo'd (by its self

[dudeonthebass]

One of the factors is probably that im using my bog standard laptop sound card :L but when its going with the guitar is sound real nice, when solo'd, it sounds weak


Helllppp?

New strings, thicker pick lol ?

[facethebass]

Stop listening to it solo'd then.
It's that forest for the trees thing...

[CertifiedLurker]

You don't need help, that's the nature of the beast.

What sounds good by itself doesn't usually translate well amongst other instruments and vice versa. That fact applies to all instruments. Each instrument is part of a song. Worry about how they sound together and not when they are solo'd.

[TheInsane]

I play in a death metal band and got the advice of the former Meshiggah bass player when I spoke to him about bass sound. He said that oftentimes in metal the bass by itself should sound like a "fart" (his words - illustrates the sound pretty well) because if it does it sounds better in the mix rather than if the basssound big and full by itself.

The basic thing is to reduce alot of the bass frequencies and also add some distortion. Soemtimes the distortion wont be audible in the mix but it will bring forth other frequencies that cuts though.

[jaywa]

Is this a problem? Unless it's a bass solo, sounds like you're OK.

It's the opposite that's more usually the problem. Bass sounds great on its own but disappears in the full band mix.