Heavy Bass, total newb question!

[Bill9000]

Hey all, my first post here... I am VERY new to bass... but I've got a question... I'm here and in love with bass in general, becuase of a love for the music, and I have a very good subwoofer setup in my car, etc. and I've been really paying attention to different music and what sounds good and all... and as an example here, Eric Church "Smoke a little Smoke" has absolutely incredible deep punchy powerful bass... and other things that I would think would hit hard, don't hit as hard....

so here's my question... with the bass... is there something done by the player as far as how it's "picked" etc. to make it heavier and deeper bass in the final recording, or... is it how it's mixed and such in the computer?

Very sorry for being such a newb, I will do everything to get better... but Just hoping for a headstart on the "direction of this"

[Phalex]

A pick tends to sound "brighter" and fingers sound "warmer". Playing close to the bridge also makes a "brighter" sound than playing close to the neck.

Then there are strings (Rounds vs Flats) and tone shaping controls.

Deep fundamental bass? I'd go with finger style near the neck with flatwound strings and the tone control turned down. Eq as needed,

YMMV........

[mambo4]

An amateur EQ mistake: Cranking the bass knob to get more bass tone!

Usually cranking your bass knob gives you nothing but mud. Even though the fundamental of a low E is around 41 hz and a low B around 30hz, the actual 'musical information' of the note -the stuff that is easier for the ear to hear, especially in the mix of a full band, comes from overtones that are produced, and rides a little higher than 100 hz.

think about Reggae or Hip Hop on an average car stereo: Those little speakers can't reproduce the fundamental notes with any power, but the bass still sounds fat and deep.

it took me a few years of gigging to realize that the proper EQ range for a deep, fat, articulate and recognizable bass tone that cuts the mix is between 250-500 hz, the Low Mids. Players who like a more aggressive growl (some call it punchy) sound seem to prefer boosting 500-1000 hz.

[Bill9000]

this is good info about the frequencies... part of what I am looking to do is stuff that will sound good on non-average radios (i.e. a nice subwoofer setup) something that does play in sub-100 frequencies....