• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

More sustain?

M

Mandavel

Guest
Oct 1, 2014
44
28
36
#1
No idea where to post this, so I'll post it here.

How is it possible to get more sustain? I'm rolling with a 5 string, flatwound strings, into an MXR bass compressor, into my DAW, where I also slightly compress to fit into a mix, but my bass has little sustain. Even when I strike the note as cleanly and strongly as I can, there is still not enough to cover a 4 second space in a couple songs.

I have a feeling the flatwounds are part of the equation, perhaps my bass isn't set up correctly, maybe my compressor is also not set up correctly, but I feel these are the only things it could be.

Another option is that I'm also running through an OC-2 octaver, but when it's not engaged it could be tone sucking.

Anyone have any insight into this?
 
#2
Are you using headphones, cheap monitors in a live room without a sub...

How are you monitoring your mix?

I used to be using hp's and was constantly overdoing the comp on the bass just to hear more than a "dun dunng". Mixing with a rig that includes a sub is really helpful. Also, now that I've half-figured out how to use multiband comp and limiter on the master track I find that I can let the bass settle even lower in the pre-mix and it has even more space filled.
 
Last edited:
#3
Right now I've got it passing through a sansamp RBI, my pedalboard consisting of an MXR compressor, Korg Pitch Black tuner, Boss OC2, Source Audio Bass Distortion, and Source Audio BEFpro, into my Scarlett 18i20, through my DAW and out of my Rokkit 5 monitors, in my home studio, in that order.

But even with my amp, I can tell that there just isn't enough.
 
#5
3-4 seconds should be within the capability of any reasonable instrument that is well set up - after all it is only 1 bar at 60BPM. Light compression should be able to get most others there. I would look to your strings first. Is it just one or two notes or a general characteristic of the bass? Dead spots that are a niggle under normal circumstances can really become a PITA when recording.
Another possibility is that your pickups are set too close to the string which, while not affecting tone too much could be attenuating sustain.
What type of instrument is it?
 
#6
I'll do that, systematically figure out if anything is tone-sucking. The main concern I have is that I will be solo-recording a demo soon (not at my studio) and on one particular song, the bass notes sustaining are incredibly important. So it's not the overall mix here that I'm concerned about, because it's not the final mix. Even so, when I test this phenomenon of no sustain, I'm just playing bass by itself, so no masking is occurring because there are no other sounds.

I'll try reverting to roundwounds as well, and I'll screw with the axe and see if anything is too high or too low.

SteveCS- I agree, it should be able to sustain just fine at 4 seconds. It seems to be a general characteristic of the bass. Just can't find a spot that really rings out loud and true. I'll attempt to lower the pickups (which are passive, if that changes the game at all) and see what happens.

It's a Specter Performer, low end series (300 bucks or so.) But besides the sustain issue, I like it.
 
#9
There is one more thing to check. Looking at pictures on the web, the neck joint does not appear to have a base-plate under the screws and the body thickness in the neck pocket looks a little thin for my liking. Just make sure that all screws are tight, the support inserts are properly seated and that the neck is properly fitted in the pocket - a poor fit in the neck joint can sometimes cause sustain-related issues. At the same time you might look for, but hopefully not find, cracks in the body at or through the neck pocket, esp. around or between the screws/inserts.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Rio Haride and MattZilla
#10
Add more gain and a little OD before your main volume, also an EQ pedal as well, and boost bass and low mids. By adding more gain and boosting certain frequencies you can get more sustain. If you boost gain then you have to cut volume to balance it out. Also round wound strings help. Newer strings sustain more.
 
#12
My first suggestion would be to plug bass direct to DI, any sustain there? From there i woukd also check through out the fretboard, is it everywhere? If not it can be a dead spot. My last assumption is maybe youre not too familiar with your compressor and are cutting off the ends of the notes. But start with bass straight to DI and see if its not a bass issue first
 
  • Like
Reactions: jamro217
#13
Any halfway decent software compressor should be able to give you practically infinite sustain.

Increase your ratio, lower your threshold, increase your attack and release times, and give it more output gain. Should be Squash City, USA, Population: infinite sustain.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MattZilla
#14
Try running straight through your amp and see what kind of sustain the bass has. If it seems to be okay, the problem is in the effects chain. If the bass is dead, step one should be to ditch the flats and get roundwounds. Check the neck bolts, if equipped. Make sure they are tight. Check the bridge. Is it firmly fastened down? If the signal is weak, check the batteries (if it's active). Next move on to the effects, make sure the threshold of the compressor, as well as attack, decay and "sustain" are set right. Especially the decay, this is where notes disappear into oblivion. If the effects are battery operated, check those, too. Hope this helps. It's time consuming and aggravating to do this type of detective work, but it pays off in the long run, even if it only serves to familiarize yourself with your gear.
 
#16
I have flats on all my basses and aside from my fretless (for obvious reasons) I get good sustain. I know they sustain a lot better than others I've had (even a neck through) but I couldn't tell you why (I think it's a combination of a lot of little things). But don't jump to blame the flats, if you get good ones they'll ring out plenty long.
 
#17
Anybody ever try one of those "fat finger" things? It's supposed to increase sustain.

upload_2015-5-14_16-19-36.png
 
#18
If you're using software with a time-stretching algorithm (Logic's FlexTime is what I have in mind), you could find the section with notes that need additional sustain and add it manually/artificially/digitally. That would keep your less lengthy notes from sounding mangled by massive compression and overdrive, but would likely make the long notes from sound a little funky.

I would recommend this for any serious recording endeavor, but if its' just for demos it could be worth a shot.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Dima B
#20
Did you get the bass from a brick and mortar store to which you can bring it back to have them check it out? I've played those and they're as fine as anything else in the pricepoint, shouldn't be lacking sustain unless it has a crap neck.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back