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Super-muddy bass

Discussion in 'Recording Gear and Equipment [BG]' started by Davidoc, Oct 6, 2001.

  1. Oct 6, 2001 #1
    Davidoc

    Davidoc

    Sep 2, 2000
    Northern VA and JMU
    My bass sounds super-muddy and unclear in our recordings (in my signature), and it messes with the low overtones of other instruments. Is it my bass? What looks like the prob?
     
  2. Oct 6, 2001 #2
    JMX

    JMX Vorsprung durch Technik

    Sep 4, 2000
    Cologne, Germany
    We need much more info, and even then it's hard to diagnose over the net.

    What kind of bass (active/passive)?

    How did you record (mic/DI)?

    Your recording gear/software?

    etc.
     
  3. Oct 6, 2001 #3
    Angus

    Angus Supporting Member

    Apr 16, 2000
    Palo Alto, CA
    Your EQ, pure and simple.
     
  4. Oct 6, 2001 #4
    Davidoc

    Davidoc

    Sep 2, 2000
    Northern VA and JMU
    Thanks for the help!

    I have a Yamaha rbx260 passive bass (actually now it's active, but when the I recorded what's in the signature, it didn't have an onboard preamp)with a bartolini pickup. (about as crappy as you can get).

    I recorded from a line from my amp into a direct box.

    We ran everything into a Yamaha mixer, then to a minidisk recorder.

    Can you decifer anything from that?
     
  5. Oct 6, 2001 #5
    Angus

    Angus Supporting Member

    Apr 16, 2000
    Palo Alto, CA
    It's your EQ. Quit the mid scooping, it sounds horrible. If you boost your mids, especially low mids, you'll cut through a lot more, and you won't have so much mud. And, cut the bass a little.
     
  6. Oct 6, 2001 #6
    Davidoc

    Davidoc

    Sep 2, 2000
    Northern VA and JMU
    thanks for the help Angus!

    I'll try that. The only problem with boosting the mids is that it sounds alittle harsh (my gear is bad)
     
  7. Oct 6, 2001 #7
    embellisher

    embellisher Holy Ghost filled Bass Player Supporting Member

    Apr 18, 2000
    Heber Springs, Arkansas
    Davy0, boosted mids may sound harsh when playing alone, but on recordings or live it will really bring you out in the mix, and will not sound as harsh as it does solo.
     
  8. Oct 26, 2001 #8
    Zonplayer

    Zonplayer

    Nov 24, 2000
    Madison / Milwaukee
    Also keep in mind that if the mid boost sounds harsh to you, you can cut the highs back a little. Also new strings help.
     
  9. Oct 28, 2001 #9
    Steve

    Steve

    Aug 10, 2001
    yea, I concur. If you're playing with a guitar player that's as crunchy as yours, you need some low mid boost. You could also ask him (good luck) to thin his sound out a little. You're not in his space, he's in yours.