Isolated bass track shock

[john_g]

It's a soundfont midi track bass. Nikki Sixx is an animal on bass.

If you mean an animal without working digits, then yes =)

 

[AdamR]

There's always the possibility that you arre only hearing 1 bass track and the final mix has multiple tracks grouped together. It's not uncommon for the low-end to be on a separate track so it can be processed differently and mixed in as needed. The faster the part, the less low-end you want.

I will often group a low-end heavy kick, with a low-end heavy DI from the bass and automate the volume as needed.

 

[rymiraflores]

...you're using a high shelf cut at 1kHz?

How many dB?

You are totally correct in that higher frequencies can get hidden in the context of the mix, but that's a REALLY low frequency to set a shelf cut.

I usually don't set an LPF any lower than 5kHz when mixing, unless I'm going for a VERY dark bass tone.

I remove everything over 1000hz, completely.... well maximum cut depending on the amp. -12 to -15 db, it gets the sound I like and it isn´t so dark.mostly mids and low mids and plenty of "growl".

 

[cloudermilk]

Just curious... what type of speakers/headphones were you using when you listened to those thin-sounding bass tracks?

+1. I listened to Robert Deleo's isolation track in this post on my work computer with a JBL creature speaker system and it sounds awesome.

 

[Loring]

I agree about with the others about alot of them being ripped from files and not truly isolated master tracks, however, there have been a few Ive come across where the playing has been an eye opener. Sloppy and just not good, but it sounds fine in the mix. I wont name names but some bigger players have disappointed me. *cough* *cough*

sounds like midi... not bass

 

[JimmyM]

Why would you hand out money to a studio if you are the hired gun to lay down the bass-track?
Usually you'll get paid by the studio, which means they control the end-result of your sound.

By the studio or the artist hiring you? Yeah, in a hired gun situation, I would do what they want. That's happened maybe twice in my life.

 

[scotch]

Spoiler Alert:

In the context of studio recording your personal favorite/ideal tone may not be what is best for the song/mix/context of the music being recorded.

(By "may" I mean "usually isnt'".) ;-)

 

[jaymelewis]

My first question when hearing a YouTube isolated bass track is what was the source? I refuse to believe that all these people had access to the master tapes, and even if they did, older recordings were sometimes to four- or eight-track machines and giving the bass its own track wasn't always possible. This leads me to wonder if the tracks are created through some creative filtering which, if that's the case, I'm sure the result isn't exactly how the track originally sounded.

I've always suspected this.

 

[MDBass]

I remove everything over 1000hz, completely.... well maximum cut depending on the amp. -12 to -15 db, it gets the sound I like and it isn´t so dark.mostly mids and low mids and plenty of "growl".

Interesting how different sets of ears work differently.

"Mids" is everything from 250Hz to 4kHz, I can't imagine any source sound with a 15dB dB shelf cut at 1kHz not sounding "dark".

Do you have any links to recordings with that processing?

 

[mikewalker]

Maybe this has already been said, but the surprise for me is just how much fret buzz there is in these tracks. I can't speak to whether they are real or not, but that much fret buzz makes me crazy. I am currently on a 12 step program to learn to live with more fret buzz and thus faster action.
....

Ditto! I was STUNNED when I heard the "Roundabout" iso-bass-track for the first time. Rattle City!

 

[rtslinger]

This one sounds pretty phat to me. A little distortion on the busy chorus part also a couple of tiny flubs that I have never noticed in the mix.

Yes and recorded in 1969

 

[DukeCC]

Tone should not be esoteric. It should be basic. 80% how you play. 20% what you play.
If I get to choose between the most glorious tone-monger on this site with every high dollar gadget in full force, or James Jamerson on a rickety washtub bass I'll choose option B every time.
And always record full range and flat, or darn close to it.

 

[micguy]

There are times when you should flail away at the strings, and celebrate the "extraneous" noises, as they add to the vibe. Then again, there are times (I have one coming up this weekend) when it's just the singer, me and the drummer tapping his hats, and...it's good to play cleanly when you're sonically naked.

I used to worry more about my playing cleanliness, then I went to a concert (was in the venue hours before when the sound guys were playing isolated tracks from past nights to dial things in). When they iso'd the bass track for a couple minutes, I realized....no problem, I don't need to obsess quite as much about such things.

 

[Frank Tuesday]

Maybe this has already been said, but the surprise for me is just how much fret buzz there is in these tracks. I can't speak to whether they are real or not, but that much fret buzz makes me crazy. I am currently on a 12 step program to learn to live with more fret buzz and thus faster action.

All in all, the best thing about the isolated tracks I've heard, is that I feel much better about my abilities. At least from a playing perspective. There is nothing related to the creative aspect involved.

Since you don't have the snare rattling in response to bass, the fret buzz adds in some extra sparkle to make it sound less sterile. I sometimes reamp a bass track just to mic the snare to bring a little of that live feel back to a song that was tracked in isolation.

Buzzes, rattles and other extraneous noises can work to your advantage in the final mix.

 

[Lava]

IMO It's all subjective to the era. Pre-Mutt Lange-ish sessions weren't prepped with 2-3 weeks preproduction just to get a bass tone or months for drum tone. You went in plugged in a Jazz or P bass direct and if the engineer dug the sound, you started. Lay down the drum and bass tracks. An over dub here and an overdub there and Bob's your uncle. Nearly every session I've done, I was never asked if I liked the tone, unless I was paying for it. And my bass tone usually varies from one session to another. Of course, there were bands like Boston that were very meticulous about every detail of tone and execution.

 

[Bassbeater]

Tone Priorities Simplified

Your idea of good bass tone:
You->$$$$$$->>>>>Producer

Their idea of good bass tone:
You<<<<<-$$$$$$<-Producer

 

[smogg]

Tone Priorities Simplified

Your idea of good bass tone:
You->$$$$$$->>>>>Producer

Their idea of good bass tone:
You<<<<<-$$$$$$<-Producer

^^^^Exactly this^^^^ If someone else is writing the checks do your best give them what they want. If you are signing the checks give them what you want and work with your engineer to get there. I will say that I've had better luck communicating my wants and needs to studio engineers than live sound guys though. Not really sure why that is and of course ymmv.

 

[rodak]

Ok, so 'splain to me - how does someone take a recording and "isolate" the bass track - I mean, some of these are JUST bass, with hardly a hint of any of the original song - how do they do that? Is there some super accurate software that can find and pick out only a single instrument and filter out everything else? I've never heard of such a thing (but then, I don't get out much these days!)

 

[Frank Tuesday]

Ok, so 'splain to me - how does someone take a recording and "isolate" the bass track - I mean, some of these are JUST bass, with hardly a hint of any of the original song - how do they do that? Is there some super accurate software that can find and pick out only a single instrument and filter out everything else? I've never heard of such a thing (but then, I don't get out much these days!)

About multitrackmaster.com

 

[rodak]

About multitrackmaster.com

So then these come from the actual, original multitrack recordings? I would not have thought something like that would be so widespread. I wonder if some really aren't but are someone doing their own "cover" of a part and claiming it's the isolated track from the original.