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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Recording Corner »

Permalink Compressors on Bass

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surfer
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Joined: Apr 12, 2007
Posts: 428
South Florida
Link Posted on Jun 30 2009 11:17 AM

Just curious about how you recording engineers compress / limit Bass guitars in your recordings. Do you just compress the master bus, mix to a guitar group, and compress the group, compress the track, or before the mixer, at the input?

—

www.cutbacksurfband.com

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dp
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Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 3546
mojave desert, california
United States
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Link Posted on Jun 30 2009 01:32 PM

I usually do two individual tracks for each bass one direct input and one off of a speaker microphone. Depending on what it sounds like, I might mildly compress one of the two tracks. Rarely do I compress both tracks. If I need too much compression, to me it indicates a bad take or a bum performance. I almost never use limiting on the bass, unless I am trying for some sort of weird special effect.

So to answer your question: no compression on amp or footpedal...maybe some mild compression on a track.

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Mel
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Joined: Feb 25, 2008
Posts: 321
Canada's Wet Coast
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Link Posted on Jun 30 2009 01:35 PM

Bass when we record is DI'd, compressed before the mixer, ratio 3.5:1 to 5:1 and I almost always have to fiddle with the release time to keep the notes within a decent db range. For attack time I start around the 10ms range.

I also use a limiter to control the peaks in some cases.

Depending on the bass guitar and key we're playing in, I may need to have an EQ inserted into the compressor chain to "contain" some of the bass energy levels.

I found there is no hard and fast setting I find I can just set up and go with. Each case is slightly different.

Where we record and don't use a compressor, I find it much harder to get the EQ/Compressor/Limiter settings. In that case, I either use the plugins in the DAW, or send it to external rack gear and then compare the two to see which works better. It's definitely more time consuming.

One thing we're going to experiment with in the future is a Barber Tone Press. We've used it on guitar with good success but never on bass. Since the Barber is a compressor of a different ilk, we're curious as to how it might work with both active and passive bass signals.

I should qualify that I am NOT a recording engineer. The info is based on my own personal experience over the last few years.

Recording/mixing/mastering is an art and it doesn't come easy.

—

Mel

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dp
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Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 3546
mojave desert, california
United States
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Link Posted on Jun 30 2009 01:41 PM

...now, I DO use EQ on bass tracks...again depends upon where the bass is sitting in the mix ...

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dboomer
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Joined: Jan 05, 2009
Posts: 262
Port Hueneme, CA
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Link Posted on Jul 30 2009 03:55 PM

So compression/limiting is a natural occurrence when you play into an amp ... especially a tube amp. There are generally two reasons to apply it, either to manage dynamic range (avoid clipping, distortion or to maintain a strong signal) and the other for tonal effect.

Generally when I record I have a limiter engaged that barely ever comes on. It's mainly just accidental overload protection. I regularly apply some compression during mixdown but I usually wouldn't want to print that on a track.

I would start with "attack" in the range of 50ms so you don't kill the transients. The two track method that dp talks about is an example of "new york compression" where you blend a compressed track with a bit of a non compressed track. That lets the transients pass totally unaffected but with dynamics controlled. YMMV

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speediejohn
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Joined: Jul 29, 2009
Posts: 7
Los Angeles
Link Posted on Jul 30 2009 05:10 PM

Recording bass and playing bass live is completely different. I play live with a very aggressive right hand attack. In the studio however, I play with an even, steady attack. I almost always record with flat wound strings., and I let my fretting hand do most of the work. I find I need much less compression if I alter my technique as such. I have a few basses set up strictly for recording. My live basses are set up completely different. I'm not an engineer, so I can not tell you numerical settings. But what I generally want to hear & see on the VU meters is a steady signal. The less peaks & valleys, the better.

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dboomer
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Joined: Jan 05, 2009
Posts: 262
Port Hueneme, CA
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Link Posted on Jul 30 2009 07:28 PM

There's a lot to say for technique ... or lack of it.

Just remember as you are looking for steady meters that the ballistics have time constants and are averaging what you see while peaks that are too fast to register are occurring at the same time. Peaks that go over (especially when digital gear is used) cause peoblems.

As always ... there are no rules. If you like it, do it!

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