BASS LEVEL??

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nogimmikz
Posts: 7
Joined: Fri Jun 02, 2006 10:09 pm

BASS LEVEL??

Post by nogimmikz »

wassup everyone, does anyone know a resonable DB level for Bass in the mix process? a sine wave bass for example .
zumbido
Posts: 123
Joined: Mon Oct 18, 2004 11:52 am
Location: Los Angeles
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Post by zumbido »

You need to be more specific in what you are asking.

Mixing bass is purely subjective and dependent on the bass part (i.e., a featured aspect of the song - such as the Beatles' 'Rain').

As far as mixing in a 'sine' wave/tone... be careful and use less than you think.

I usually mix in a smidgen with the kick drum to phatten it up.
Hitmaker
Posts: 45
Joined: Sat Apr 22, 2006 8:36 am
Location: Christchurch , New Zealand
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Post by Hitmaker »

Hi ,

In the good old days of VU meters ... a bass soloing up at ~ -6dB would usually be about right .... Full mix would be ~ 0dB ....

Cheerzz....
" I hate compression with a vengeance . I avoid it . I'm a great believer in the dynamic range being preserved " Alan Parsons
AntonyR
Posts: 13
Joined: Tue Mar 29, 2005 4:14 pm

Post by AntonyR »

In general terms the bass should be about the same level as the Kick Drum. You either do this by ear or you can use a spectrum analyser to solo the kick - get it to the level you intend to mix to - ie. the kick is normally same level as the vocals.....and then unmute the bass so you have both and ensure they are about the same. I pretty much try and make all key instruments, drums, bass, rythm guitars and vocals about the same level in the mix. The trick is separation with eq. Other accompanying instruments I do to taste - ie. backing guitars/vocals, etc

Here is a link to my songs that I have done in this way as examples. If this is not the end result you are looking for then don't follow my advice. :D

http://www.artistlaunch.com/antonyrichards

First song in the list below my mug shot is called Give and Take - this is a good example, but all the other tracks, excluding Sniper have been mixed the same way.

Having gone through this process Harbal is only used for loudness matching to the tracks, as the spectrum is pretty flat as you have controlled each instruments level and eq at the mixing stage well, removing the need for eq fixes at the end for the whole track.

Antony
Antony Richards

My Music: http://www.artistlaunch.com/AntonyRichards

Cubase SX v3.1 - Halion 3.1 - VG (Electric)
Waves Platinum - RMIV - Autotune 3 - HarBal - Jamstix - dfhSuperior - NI Guitar Rig - Trilogy
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