GarageBand has a pretty great graphic EQ built-in. You can notch the bass track right around the clank frequencies.
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I need some help guys
- Thread starter trenken311
- Start date
If you can, it's only 199 for Logic and you own it and updates for life and can install it multiple Macs. The compressors and modeled amps that come with Logic are just better, plus you have tons more options for recording.
They also have it on sale once a year for 99.
They also have it on sale once a year for 99.
Yeah i probably should. Garage band is ok considering its free but yeah of course its not on the level of something like logic. Is there a typical time when its on sale?
Having said that, there are 2 plugins that work really great -- I think they all have AI engines behind them, Izotope Ozone and Eventide Split EQ. What these guys do is they split the tone/timbre and transient information and apply the filter on the transient to get rid of squeaks and fret noise and waht not. SplitEQ just does one thing but it does it really good. So it costs more and steep at 179. I do not have one yet but I just send my stem/track to my friend and he get's rid of some stuff. It has really good mastering also and I may get it one of these days. Ozone came to me free because I have Native Instrument Komplete .
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"These days with these amazing pedals there's no need to jump through hoops like that to get a good sound."
The 2112 pedal has deep out and drive out but ok, it's possible it's a gimmick to sell more.
Seems like you well on your way to finding that good sound. Rock on
It could be a gimmick. But honestly I think running parallel paths still sounds better than just a single pedal doing the job. I was convinced for years I didn't need to split paths or anything like that. But once I used a couple pedals that did just that and or tried in a studio setting and once or twice in a live one, it really can make quite the difference.
Again, not trying to crap on any pedals at all. There are a ton of great options out there now that still keep your low end in tact for the most part (also not saying anyone was crapping on any pedals). But I have heard the differences between splitting paths and not. Nowadays I'll split paths in the multi-effect (Quad Cortex/Helix stuff) units or I'll use a high passed blend.
FullumMusic
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A compressor will probably bring out more of the hand, string, and fret noises, not hide them. (If you want an explanation why, ask and i'll gladly reply.)
First i'd listen to some of Geddy's isolated bass tracks and see if they're actually as noisy as yours or not. Great mixes hide a lot of instrument noise. So you'd be surprised what you hear in isolated tracks. His playing isn't pristine and silent, but there's not a TON of noise neither. If you're not hearing noise on Geddy's track, it most likely never was there in the first place, not recorded & removed or hidden.
Then get a proper setup from a professional. It's a cliche suggestion on TB, i know, but i'd say start with a proper setup from a tech/luthier who can set your bass up for your playing style, to make less playing noises. It'll probably include raising the action a touch. They should be able to get the action higher without making feel too high. Higher action = cleaner, especially if you play aggressively.
After the setup, controlling non-musical hand, string, and fret noises is a technique thing. Start experimenting with modifications to your aggressive style. Plucking angles, muting techniques, etc etc. Find ways to play aggressively without also causing noise. And maybe pull back on how aggressive you're playing just a touch and let a kiss more overdrive and high-mids "aggressive-up" the track.
Last on the list would be to try to remove the noise using audio processing.
- Unwanted noise in the transients of notes can be tamed a bit with compression, especially if it's making the transients too hot: fast release, fast attack, 4:1 ratio. Just kiss the compressor for the transient but not the rest of the note. You're basically just compressing out any noise that's louder than the note before the body of the note starts.
- Noises in the notes may be addressed a bit with EQ if it's happening in a certain frequency range, but be careful that you're not also EQing usefull bass information. EQing can also be tricky because sometimes noise is broad-spectrum so you can't just negative-EQ a frequency because it's across all of them.
- Noises in between notes can be reduced or removed with a gate or expander. But, make the gate/expander transparent. We shouldn't hear it engaging and releasing between notes and it shouldn't be cutting off your notes at all. Getting a transparent gate/expander in a mix is tricky.
- Plugins like the iZotope RX can do noise removal. It could also very well change the tone of your bass. So use it carefully.
- None of this will actually remove the noise, only hopefully get them down to a manageable level. Once it's in there, you can't really get it out. So, it's best to put as little of it on there.
First i'd listen to some of Geddy's isolated bass tracks and see if they're actually as noisy as yours or not. Great mixes hide a lot of instrument noise. So you'd be surprised what you hear in isolated tracks. His playing isn't pristine and silent, but there's not a TON of noise neither. If you're not hearing noise on Geddy's track, it most likely never was there in the first place, not recorded & removed or hidden.
Then get a proper setup from a professional. It's a cliche suggestion on TB, i know, but i'd say start with a proper setup from a tech/luthier who can set your bass up for your playing style, to make less playing noises. It'll probably include raising the action a touch. They should be able to get the action higher without making feel too high. Higher action = cleaner, especially if you play aggressively.
After the setup, controlling non-musical hand, string, and fret noises is a technique thing. Start experimenting with modifications to your aggressive style. Plucking angles, muting techniques, etc etc. Find ways to play aggressively without also causing noise. And maybe pull back on how aggressive you're playing just a touch and let a kiss more overdrive and high-mids "aggressive-up" the track.
Last on the list would be to try to remove the noise using audio processing.
- Unwanted noise in the transients of notes can be tamed a bit with compression, especially if it's making the transients too hot: fast release, fast attack, 4:1 ratio. Just kiss the compressor for the transient but not the rest of the note. You're basically just compressing out any noise that's louder than the note before the body of the note starts.
- Noises in the notes may be addressed a bit with EQ if it's happening in a certain frequency range, but be careful that you're not also EQing usefull bass information. EQing can also be tricky because sometimes noise is broad-spectrum so you can't just negative-EQ a frequency because it's across all of them.
- Noises in between notes can be reduced or removed with a gate or expander. But, make the gate/expander transparent. We shouldn't hear it engaging and releasing between notes and it shouldn't be cutting off your notes at all. Getting a transparent gate/expander in a mix is tricky.
- Plugins like the iZotope RX can do noise removal. It could also very well change the tone of your bass. So use it carefully.
- None of this will actually remove the noise, only hopefully get them down to a manageable level. Once it's in there, you can't really get it out. So, it's best to put as little of it on there.
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I totally get it. I've been playing for over 50 years, but recording is just a completely different animal as far as hearing your tone/sound. Can be quite an eye opener re your technique.
good luck
Something that should be noted about recording any instrument, it sounds completely different in a mix. When you listen to some isolated tracks of bass players, you'd be surprised by how much buzzing, clanking, and other noise is in there. Most of that vanishes when you add drums, guitars, and a shrieking singer.
When you want to record good bass, you have to make sure that the meat of the note is audible and doesn't get chocked. But if you really are a good bass player, then you probably already do that automatically, as it's just part of good playing.
It would really help if you upload some tracks so we can take a listen. Most of the time that noise isn't an issue in the final product anymore.
When you want to record good bass, you have to make sure that the meat of the note is audible and doesn't get chocked. But if you really are a good bass player, then you probably already do that automatically, as it's just part of good playing.
It would really help if you upload some tracks so we can take a listen. Most of the time that noise isn't an issue in the final product anymore.
Also, since others have mentioned other DAWs, reaper is essentially free (60 bucks, but it has an infinite trial period. Kinda like WinRAR), and very very capable and customizable.
Oh trust me i know. Ive heard isolated tracks from guys like geddy and john myung for example and they are very sloppy sounding. All of it gets lost in the mix. Its much worse when recording for youtube for example because you want the bass to sit above the mix more so the flaws become much more apparent. Im just trying to get this to a point where it sounds good and whatever noise is there is at a somewhat acceptable level.
An aggressive player is never gonna have a perfect sound. I accepted that a long time ago but i cant bring myself to pluck lighter on hard rocking stuff. It doesnt feel or sound right to me. Lighter music i do pluck lighter, but the hard stuff im out here trying to hurt these frets LOL.
As someone with zero expertise in recording engineering, my experience has been that focusrite scarletts are great tools for basic home recording but can only approximate the recording quality of a professional engineer with pro-grade equipment (at least in my hands).
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MDBass
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A compressor is a dynamic control tool, not an audio cleanup tool: it will make any fret/string noise that is present louder rather than the opposite.
Geddy’s sound has a lot of fret clank in it as well, and a lot of what you would be able to hear clearly in the isolated bass track will get masked by other things in a full band mix that live in the same frequency range.
A simple solution to excess string noise and high range content is to use a low pass filter. Most stuff north of 6khz is gonna be strong noise and clack. You can add one of those to either your chain, as a physical pedal, or via the graphic EQ in GarageBand. You can just bring down all that excess clack you don’t want.
That said, Geddy’s isolated tracks aren’t pristine; there is naturally gonna be some clack and string noise. It’s just a matter of deciding how much is acceptable to you
That said, Geddy’s isolated tracks aren’t pristine; there is naturally gonna be some clack and string noise. It’s just a matter of deciding how much is acceptable to you
Yeah of course. Im just recording some stuff for youtube. The focusrite is a budget range device for so
Yeah i know what you mean. Ive listened to lots of isolated bass and geddy for example you can hear him playing sloppy, even hitting wrong notes here and there and its all lost in the mix.
When you talk about a low pass filter, is that the same as an envelope filter? Im not like a pedal connoisseur. Basically always just had a few basic ones and a preamp. Im googling and i dont see a lot of low pass filter pedals.
Steep lpf around 5k, a bit more overdrive on the upper mids could probably clean that up a bit for starters, but great playing! Maybe save any compression for post-production to get the best performance going in.
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLsXJmmXYr9BEWEOE96Hzuzu7sRhiHRHYZ&feature=shared
Tons of good stuff here, in a clear step by step.
There’s a learning curve with any DAW.
You might try going bass to Scarlett interface and use the GarageBand amps and effects. I’ve had great results when I go this way. Using the GB presets lets you find sounds you like, and then reverse engineer what they have to put together your own sounds.
The loops and artist sounds are super fun. Easy drag and drop parts to put into jams.
It’s like learning any new skill, just lots of practice.
Tons of good stuff here, in a clear step by step.
There’s a learning curve with any DAW.
You might try going bass to Scarlett interface and use the GarageBand amps and effects. I’ve had great results when I go this way. Using the GB presets lets you find sounds you like, and then reverse engineer what they have to put together your own sounds.
The loops and artist sounds are super fun. Easy drag and drop parts to put into jams.
It’s like learning any new skill, just lots of practice.
Brandon Shea
Commercial User
Well played, and great tone! I wouldn't sweat a little clack if that's all it is; that's really part of Geddy's sound, and it fits in the context of Rush.
I still remember when I realized how to recreate that type of tone for myself, jamming along with stuff like Cygnus X-1 and 2112. I've never done it as well as you did on that recording, but soooo much of that tone comes from the way he beats the crap out of the strings.
Some envelope filters are indeed low-pass filters, but with resonance, and the ability to sweep through frequencies for that classic funky (or synthy) thing. I'm talking about a static one which just shaves off the ultra-hi frequencies you are looking to get a bit more control of. This is a great example of a simple and effective one, but there are others out there.
Historically, the low-pass function was achieved by tweeter-less cabs which naturally have a steep roll-off. But with tweeter, full-range PA, and DI applications, there is a need for an electronic solution. Some preamps include an lpf, notably Sansamp VT bass. Good stand-alone ones are available such as from Broughton. I don't think the Darkglass has one but I could be wrong.
