• 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.

Too "busy" on the bass?!?

#86
RiZzBot said:
That's what I have been saying since day one. :p
Click to expand...
RiZzBot said:
Please bare in mind that I am a novice at best. Keep the harsh criticism to a minimum. jkjk I'm pretty thick skinned, let me have it. :D

Carolyn | the Skunk Brothers
i smoke | the Skunk Brothers
Click to expand...


I don't think your playing is busy. I like it. I don't want to hear 4 minutes of guitar whack-whaka-whack.

The mix places the bass right in the listeners face while the singer and the rhythm guitar are in the back. A keyboard would sit nicely on top of the heavily reverbed sparsely played rhythm guitar and fill his spot when he does a solo.

Most people will want to hear a more up front and detailed vocal. So, fix that first then see where that leaves the rest of the instruments. Drums tend to be more up front too.

Then, maybe bounce the bass into a second channel and give it a fatter sound, then compare and maybe blend the two?

I can see why the bass is so upfront, that rhythm guitar would drive me crazy if there were not something else over it. The massive amount of reverb makes it feel like it's in the back. But, it's not in the back. It's loud and clear.
 
  • Like
Reactions: mcnach, ianuaditis and RiZzBot
#90
From listening to the first track - Carolyn, it doesn't sound busy, but it sounds like a band that's not very tight and all playing in different pockets. The reason he thinks it sounds too busy is the track is just not grooving enough. That's on him too and your drummer. Everyone needs to lock it down a little more, because this type of music has to groove hard.

Also I'd spend some more time on the vocals. The singer could benefit from some studio magic - harmonizer, some very light tuning, some creative long delays in the right spots..etc.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Whousedtoplay, Will_White and RiZzBot
#91
RiZzBot said:
Thanks man. Let us know what you really think. :help:
Click to expand...
I'm not sure why a hard core southern metal bassist has stopped by to dump on things he doesn't like.
Oh wait—I guess I DO know why, LOL! :roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: BBox Bass and RiZzBot
#92
I listened to the whole list of songs on your site and really thought your bass lines were well thought out for the most part. I didn't find any of them really too busy, but perhaps a bit too forward in the mix (even for reggae, which should be a bit forward) The envelope filter in I Smoke is a bit distracting. One thing I noticed is that the tempo tends to speed up over the course of a song; a click track might help that. The other really disturbing thing that made a good bit of the songs hard to listen to is the flanger on the guitar (and really too many effects on the guitar overall). If you've got a large sledgehammer, it would not be unkind to smash the everloving crap out of that flanger until all that remains is a flat piece of metal and small bits of electronic parts laying around it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 40Hz
#93
RiZzBot said:
Please bare in mind that I am a novice at best. Keep the harsh criticism to a minimum. jkjk I'm pretty thick skinned, let me have it. :D

Carolyn | the Skunk Brothers
i smoke | the Skunk Brothers
Click to expand...
:) No harsh criticism. It does sound (to me) a little busy ... I think the bass would have more effect if you played more in the lower registers to get that fundamental thump. I could be wrong. (It's happened before!)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Whousedtoplay, Will_White and RiZzBot
#94
RiZzBot said:
That's exactly what he tells me. "dude stick to root and fifths". Thanks again buddy.
Click to expand...


Yeah. I saw that same YTube video too. It's not a rule. Just a suggestion.

FWIW I have yet to work on some small recording project where the guitarist or keyboard player doesn't suddenly (at some point) decide he's channeling Alan Parsons and try to act like he's the "real pro" and defacto producer on the project. Maybe that's some rule I never heard of. I certainly didn't get copied on the memo if it is.

Re: the two clips you pointed to....um...the pocket/timing/groove is kinda off...and yeah...I think you're overplaying a bit. Not to side with your guitarist, but I think he may be more right than wrong on those two.

If you're going to play lots of notes, the entire band has to be super tight. If it's even slightly loose (like yours is) you might want to boil down the bass line a little and save the flashier stuff for live. Or save it until your group tightens things up a little more.

Just my tuppence so feel free to ignore.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: ianuaditis
#96
TigerInATrance said:
I listened to the whole list of songs on your site and really thought your bass lines were well thought out for the most part. I didn't find any of them really too busy, but perhaps a bit too forward in the mix (even for reggae, which should be a bit forward) The envelope filter in I Smoke is a bit distracting. One thing I noticed is that the tempo tends to speed up over the course of a song; a click track might help that. The other really disturbing thing that made a good bit of the songs hard to listen to is the flanger on the guitar (and really too many effects on the guitar overall). If you've got a large sledgehammer, it would not be unkind to smash the everloving crap out of that flanger until all that remains is a flat piece of metal and small bits of electronic parts laying around it.
Click to expand...
Lol!! Done deal friend.
 
#98
  • Like
Reactions: Lobster11 and RiZzBot
#99
TigerInATrance said:
The other really disturbing thing that made a good bit of the songs hard to listen to is the flanger on the guitar (and really too many effects on the guitar overall). If you've got a large sledgehammer, it would not be unkind to smash the everloving crap out of that flanger until all that remains is a flat piece of metal and small bits of electronic parts laying around it.
Click to expand...

Yeah. That flanger definitely has to go. Listening to that is like trying to eat a pastry made entirely out of cinnamon. Way too much of an otherwise good thing.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back