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Resurrecting tone from poorly recorded bass tracks

Killspringer

Killspringer

Mar 24, 2011
114
0
#1
I've got a doozie of a problem to fix on Tuesday...

Got a guy who recorded his album in Nashville with a session bassist. He's doing a few days of touchups at my studio in San Fran this week before mixing it at the Hangar in Sacramento.

Anyway, the album sounds amazing, but we don't like the way the bass is sounding; not enough presence in the mix. We're gonna try to reamp it, but basically the session bassist rolled off most of the tone on the bass, so there's not even anything there above 1k-1.5k. I feel like we really need to get some presence in the highs, the 4k-10k area, but it's just not there in the DI track! We were listening to the Pixies and Radiohead to reference bass tones, and he's definitely feeling like we're missing the finger noise and high-end from wound rounds. The basses were vintage Fender J's and P's, but obviously with the tone rolled down almost all the way.

My hope is to get some air off the amp (ampeg and eden WT550 heads with an eden 4x10), exagerate the highs on the head, and put a mic further back to catch some room. We're also hoping that the compressor attack/release settings might help give the bass more bite in the mix.

Curious if anybody has any wisdom from this repairing bass tone type of situation. :help:
 
#3
I posted a link in the "recording 101" sticky thread to a list of EQ frequencies and how they can be tweaked to effect various instruments (bass included). It may be helpful.

You might also consider subtractively eqing the other instruments where you feel the bass is "missing".

That said, if it's not on the track to begin with, there is only so much to be done. Maybe doubling or re tracking iis an option?
 
#4
Another "I'm never going to change my flats...." bass player.... :hiding:

You might also consider subtractively eqing the other instruments where you feel the bass is "missing"
Click to expand...
Good one.

However, the old adage of 'poop in/poop out' will apply to some extent. It's hard to add 'zing' to 'thump.'
Re-amping with some kind of 'presence' might coax those frequencies out, but it will add a lot of noise.
You may have to cut your losses, and go for a slightly different vibe to the one in your head. Perhaps record a 'ghost' track with a treble heavy bass just to add into the mix? Maybe add a track with a mic pointed at the fretboard on a non-plugged in, non-recorded bass with rounds. Of course, you have to play note-for-note.
 
#6
Hmmm... thanks for the replies but none of this is what I'm looking for...

reverb not gonna happen on the bass track, re-recording ain't gonna happen, and this is an analog record being mixed to tape, so guitar amp sim is a big no-no.

i was thinking i might try an octaver pedal and mix that back in just as an experiement, otherwise just try boosting as much of the "zing" range (as Thud put it) when re-amping.

thanks guys, keep em coming!
 
#9
projectMalamute said:
Post an example of what you are dealing with.
Click to expand...

wish i could, that might not be kosher with the client. maybe i can link something on soundcloud...

uhdinator said:
Try running thru an aphex aural exciter using just the highend harmonic enhancement. It is used sometimes to restore old tape recordings to add some air and clarity. Couldn't hurt to try.
Click to expand...

hm... that's actually a pretty good idea... might try something like that, maybe even in conjunction with an octaver, then mix it back in with the other bass tracks. although now that I'm thinking and typing, I did just for kicks try a BBE sonic maximizer plugin when I was listening on LE, and turning up the high's knob, there was just nothing there

i think it might just be a lost cause :eyebrow:
 
#11
pasta4lnch said:
then really EQ is your best bet . . . some are more "surgical" than others (API comes to mind). is getting the part replayed an option?

btw - nice to see people still using tape! :bassist:
Click to expand...

yes, that was actually my first plan of action on tues... run it through the API eq, boost a bunch of highs, reamp through SVT head on Eden 4x10, RE20 up close, U47 back 15 ft or so. gonna try with and without compression before reamping, paying special attention to the attack
 
#14
Killspringer said:
yes, that was actually my first plan of action on tues... run it through the API eq, boost a bunch of highs, reamp through SVT head on Eden 4x10, RE20 up close, U47 back 15 ft or so. gonna try with and without compression before reamping, paying special attention to the attack
Click to expand...

That sounds good, I'd try going absolutely ballistic with the highs on the API, with a machine as good as that its not going to have a lot of self noise and hopefully the DI was good enough that its also pretty clean. Any hiss that is inevitably there will hopefully be hidden by the re-amping amps voicing. Or just go with it, crank the treble all over and try and get rid of it with a plug like waves x-noise or similar.

Either way, sounds like its needs a heavy hand! Yeah I'd avoid compression, keep that for when the tone is good I reckon as signal to noise is going to be your enemy with doing this and the comp wont help one bit!

Also, maybe try some distortion on the way to the amp, it'll create upper end harmonics from the fundamental that were not there before, something an eq can't do. Won't be the same as the basses but will certainly fill a space. With the right distortion you could do well. Ideally a culture vulture or similar but if not I reckon you may get away with a rat or sansamp or the like.

Good luck!

O
 

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