Can't hear the bass is there something wrong with my ears?

Juggo · #1 07-05-2011, 12:54 PM

So guys I'm trying to tab out a particular song and I have Sennheiser hd-280 pro headphones and also Transcribe! where I boost the lows but the bass gets so god damn punchy I cant hear ****. It sounds like a rumble, so I was thinking if there is anyone of you great transcribers on this forum that could just confirm if the song is just "messed up in the mix". Not tab the song just take 5 minutes of your time and check this for me if the bass is messed up. I would appreciate it alot. I will send those who are up for it the audio file (its all legal so dont worry). I don't know what to do, it's so frustrating im about to go mad here.

Cheers guys!

**bassybill** · #2 07-05-2011, 12:58 PM

PM sent.

**bassybill** · #3 07-05-2011, 01:22 PM

Got it - what a GREAT track! The bass is kind of hard to hear as the tone is a bit scooped, which often makes the bass hard to pick out in a rockin' mix, and the rhythmic synth part (the 16th notes) sort of obscures it too. Try listening to it with all the EQ flat but your volume turned waaaay down, you'd be surprised how much easier it is to hear the bass when the whole thing is listened to really quietly.

YouTube - ‪Hard Corps: Uprising - Stage 1 Desert Theme‬&rlm;

Juggo · #4 07-05-2011, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassybill

Got it - what a GREAT track! The bass is kind of hard to hear as the tone is a bit scooped, which often makes the bass hard to pick out in a rockin' mix, and the rhythmic synth part (the 16th notes) sort of obscures it too. Try listening to it with all the EQ flat but your volume turned waaaay down, you'd be surprised how much easier it is to hear the bass when the whole thing is listened to really quietly.

YouTube - ‪Hard Corps: Uprising - Stage 1 Desert Theme‬&rlm;

Yeah its a cool instrumental, thanks for taking your time Bill. How do the EQ knobs look when they are "flat". What software do you use Bill? Could you send a picture of the settings because I really dont understand what flat is. Cheers Bill and thanks again I hope Im not asking for much.

Edit: By the way is that Zeus on your avatar?

**bassybill** · #5 07-05-2011, 01:37 PM

"Flat" just meands no boost or cut for bass, mids, treble - basically the EQ is off, all bands set to zero dB. In your software, that would mean all the blue dots in this pic in straight line on zero.

Start from there and experiment with small tweaks if you need to bring the bass line out better, but keep the overall volume way down (did you try that? did it help?).

I just use Winamp most of the time for playing mp3s when transcribing, but sometimes I'll import a file into Reaper if I need to change key, slow it down or keep looping a really tricky section.

The avatar is a picture of God from a Michelangelo painting. Don't read anything into that, though.

Juggo · #6 07-05-2011, 01:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassybill

"Flat" just meands no boost or cut for bass, mids, treble - basically the EQ is off, all bands set to zero dB. In your software, that would mean all the blue dots in this pic in straight line on zero.

Start from there and experiment with small tweaks if you need to bring the bass line out better, but keep the overall volume way down (did you try that? did it help?).

I just use Winamp most of the time for playing mp3s when transcribing, but sometimes I'll import a file into Reaper if I need to change key, slow it down or keep looping a really tricky section.

The avatar is a picture of God from a Michelangelo painting. Don't read anything into that, though.

Ah yeah its the finger guy, now I remember. Thanks alot Bill I am gonna try this when I come back, right now I have to go and help my father move some heavy lumber. Thanks again! Cheers! I am gonna write you back after I have tried it.

Juggo · #7 07-05-2011, 04:39 PM

Hmm... still can't hear it clearly that bass drum at 2:30 is too strong I cant hear the bass, maybe there is none? I hear most of the other time though when I raise it by one octave. Maybe a good soundcard will help, the one I have now is pretty much crap, like 30 bucks soundcard. Perhaps its my system. I will keep on tweaking around to see if I can come up with something. Cheers Bill. Someone also said that Sennhesier 280 HD pro need time to burn in or something like that. I got them today, I read it needs 200 hours to burn in? What in the name of god does that mean.

**bassybill** · #8 07-05-2011, 06:17 PM

I don't think there's much wrong with your setup. it's just difficult to make out the bass clearly in places as there's so much going on (and the mix does mask it a bit).

Anyway, here ya go. This is about as close as I'm going to get right now - it's not far off, though. I didn't write out the solo between bars 87 and 102, just left it as the riff 'cos I got bored. I might go back and have another go later in the week to put that right. If you don't read, now is a great time to start to learn!

http://www.billygreen.pwp.blueyonder...ric%20Bass.pdf

Juggo · #9 07-05-2011, 06:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassybill

I don't think there's much wrong with your setup. it's just difficult to make out the bass clearly in places as there's so much going on (and the mix does mask it a bit).

Anyway, here ya go. This is about as close as I'm going to get right now - it's not far off, though. I didn't write out the solo between bars 87 and 102, just left it as the riff 'cos I got bored. I might go back and have another go later in the week to put that right. If you don't read, now is a great time to start to learn!

http://www.billygreen.pwp.blueyonder...ric%20Bass.pdf

Damn Bill thanks alot but you really shouldn't have done it, so time consuming.

**bassybill** · #10 07-05-2011, 06:36 PM

Transcribing is fun!

**bassybill** · #11 07-05-2011, 07:45 PM

Here's a version with tab (for drop D four string, DADG) in case you don't read. I didn't mess around checking the fingering, so that may need thinking about.

N.F.A. · #12 07-05-2011, 07:49 PM

That was class bassybill! Well done.

**bassybill** · #13 07-06-2011, 01:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by N.F.A.

That was class bassybill! Well done.

Cheers mate! Always nice to get a positive comment or two.

Juggo · #14 07-06-2011, 05:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassybill

Here's a version with tab (for drop D four string, DADG) in case you don't read. I didn't mess around checking the fingering, so that may need thinking about.

Great stuff Bill, you are too kind.

Depth_Charge · #15 07-06-2011, 09:07 PM

Bassybill thats excellent you are so helpful!

Are you familiar with Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons at all??

Help with audition piece

Nalte · #16 07-06-2011, 09:20 PM

Sometimes I change the pitch of the song up by an octave if I'm having a hard time hearing the bass. It sounds funny but it can help.

gmahoog · #17 07-06-2011, 09:27 PM

Listening in the morning helps me. I guess my ears are rested so I can hear much better.

**bassybill** · #18 07-07-2011, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Depth_Charge

Bassybill thats excellent you are so helpful!

Are you familiar with Jo Jo Zep and the Falcons at all??

Help with audition piece

Sorry, man. Not my thing really.

Depth_Charge · #19 07-07-2011, 10:18 PM

Haha! Thanks anyway

I fumbled my way through learning it using Best Practice to slow down and loop sections.

Its not 100% right, but I'm hitting all the rythms and changes and adding some fills so its all good. I should be able to post a transcription soon haha!