Tutorial: Making my guitar tracks sound huge

ahjteam · April 21st, 2010, 01:32 PM

Step 1: buy a bass guitar
Step 2: done

Listen to the difference in the sound.

no bass: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1338211/ahjt...v02_nobass.mp3
with bass: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1338211/ahjt..._water_v02.mp3

cloy26 · April 21st, 2010, 01:36 PM

amazing. I really just grasped this concept on a project I just finished, but so true.

Laneismusic · April 21st, 2010, 03:32 PM

Dang, it's crazy what the bass can do. Thanks for this!

arvoitus · April 21st, 2010, 03:53 PM

Wow, highpass at 150hz ... is that what you always do? I normally do 75/100hz

punkinnit · April 21st, 2010, 04:58 PM

I highpass at 250hz. 6db/oct.
I give the whole 40 - 250 to the bass and chisel a bit out for the kick.

MarcusGHedwig · April 21st, 2010, 05:10 PM

250 is ridiculous for guitars, and IMO so is 150; the above example still sounds like there's a hole between guitar and bass in the lower freq's, and dropping the cutoff to 100 or even lower shouldn't be an issue with a well-balanced tone

punkinnit · April 21st, 2010, 05:23 PM

Cutting at 250 will turn mud into sparkle. Just remember to cut 250/6 and not 250/48. Let the Bass take all that bottom end.

-Loco- · April 21st, 2010, 05:27 PM

I think the cut-offs at 100/110 for the rhythms, i will sometimes cut up to 250 for the 'fiddly' mids to get rid of unwanted noise. I think that clip sounds pretty awful in general, the guitars and bass don't sound 'glued' together and that snare is god damn weak.

ahjteam · April 21st, 2010, 08:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MarcusGHedwig

250 is ridiculous for guitars, and IMO so is 150; the above example still sounds like there's a hole between guitar and bass in the lower freq's, and dropping the cutoff to 100 or even lower shouldn't be an issue with a well-balanced tone

Quote:

Originally Posted by -Loco-

I think the cut-offs at 100/110 for the rhythms, i will sometimes cut up to 250 for the 'fiddly' mids to get rid of unwanted noise. I think that clip sounds pretty awful in general, the guitars and bass don't sound 'glued' together and that snare is god damn weak.

I rechecked and two were highpassed at 150hz and two were highpassed at 100hz. I'm using a 12dB/oct filter, so it is equivalent to highpassing at 50hz and 75hz at 24dB/oct. I have cut at 300hz on the bass. And the point was not to make a perfect sounding clip but just a quick example, I think I spent something like 20 minutes to do that clip.

orange is bass, pink is guitars

Nuno Filipe · April 22nd, 2010, 05:21 AM

I dont think your example is a good example. Of course you have good intentions and that´s great. But the bass is not giving hugeness because the guitars are not well equalized and the bass and the guitars are not glued as they should be. And a highpass at 150hz is not also the better option.

Harry Hughes · April 22nd, 2010, 06:25 AM

Part of the hugeness comes from tight playing........or good editing

So nope, your sloppy clip doesn't sound very huge, sorry
I think for step 2 you should state "Play virgin tight" and then step 3 " Done"

Pablo333 · April 22nd, 2010, 07:36 PM

i think this is a great example - bass is part of the "whole" of the gtr sound , just listen to Faith no more 's "Diggin the grave" - the Bass just drives the entire track, with the gtr's sitting on top nicely.

Sixstringmayhem · March 21st, 2011, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahjteam

Step 1: buy a bass guitar
Step 2: done

]

lmao wish everything were this simply stated ha

drope934 · March 21st, 2011, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pablo333

...just listen to Faith no more 's "Diggin the grave" - the Bass just drives the entire track, with the gtr's sitting on top nicely.

nice example, indeed.

April 21st, 2010, 01:32 PM	#1 (permalink)
ahjteam Anssi Tenhunen Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Virrat/Helsinki, Finland Posts: 9,399	Tutorial: Making my guitar tracks sound huge Step 1: buy a bass guitar Step 2: done Listen to the difference in the sound. no bass: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1338211/ahjt...v02_nobass.mp3 with bass: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1338211/ahjt..._water_v02.mp3 __________________ Check out my youtube channel for audio production tutorials http://www.youtube.com/ahjteam http://soundcloud.com/ahjteam/sets/debut-album Last edited by ahjteam : January 29th, 2011 at 10:38 AM.

April 21st, 2010, 03:32 PM	#3 (permalink)
Laneismusic Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Arlington, Tx. Posts: 181	Dang, it's crazy what the bass can do. Thanks for this! __________________ http://www.facebook.com/laneduskin

April 21st, 2010, 05:10 PM	#6 (permalink)
MarcusGHedwig Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: New York Posts: 3,335	250 is ridiculous for guitars, and IMO so is 150; the above example still sounds like there's a hole between guitar and bass in the lower freq's, and dropping the cutoff to 100 or even lower shouldn't be an issue with a well-balanced tone __________________ The Hudson Horror - Bandcamp \| Facebook Guitars: Schecter C-7 Blackjack (SH-6); ESP LTD H-207; Jackson DK2; SX Jazz Bass (EMG PJ set) Amps: Krank Rev Jr. Pro 50w; Mesa Rectifier Std. 4x12; TS7 Recording: RAIN Livebook A2; REAPER; Steinberg UR824; LL Redeye 3D Phantom; Tannoy Reveal 5A's; Audio Tech. ATH-M50's Apex Predator

April 21st, 2010, 05:27 PM	#8 (permalink)
-Loco- Knives. Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 960	I think the cut-offs at 100/110 for the rhythms, i will sometimes cut up to 250 for the 'fiddly' mids to get rid of unwanted noise. I think that clip sounds pretty awful in general, the guitars and bass don't sound 'glued' together and that snare is god damn weak. __________________ Gear: Axe-Fx, S2.0 + MF, Tannoy 6D, Ibanez J RG8527, Washburn WM-7.

April 22nd, 2010, 06:25 AM	#11 (permalink)
Harry Hughes ‬‬ Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: Greater Melbourne metropolitan area, Australia Posts: 4,355	Part of the hugeness comes from tight playing........or good editing So nope, your sloppy clip doesn't sound very huge, sorry I think for step 2 you should state "Play virgin tight" and then step 3 " Done" __________________

April 21st, 2010, 01:36 PM	#2 (permalink)
cloy26 d00d Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Port St. Lucie, FL Posts: 1,165	amazing. I really just grasped this concept on a project I just finished, but so true.

April 21st, 2010, 03:53 PM	#4 (permalink)
arvoitus Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: The Netherlands Posts: 1,107	Wow, highpass at 150hz ... is that what you always do? I normally do 75/100hz

April 21st, 2010, 04:58 PM	#5 (permalink)
punkinnit Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 15	I highpass at 250hz. 6db/oct. I give the whole 40 - 250 to the bass and chisel a bit out for the kick.

April 21st, 2010, 05:23 PM	#7 (permalink)
punkinnit Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Posts: 15	Cutting at 250 will turn mud into sparkle. Just remember to cut 250/6 and not 250/48. Let the Bass take all that bottom end.

April 22nd, 2010, 05:21 AM	#10 (permalink)
Nuno Filipe You talkin' to me? Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Portugal Posts: 2,007	I dont think your example is a good example. Of course you have good intentions and that´s great. But the bass is not giving hugeness because the guitars are not well equalized and the bass and the guitars are not glued as they should be. And a highpass at 150hz is not also the better option.

April 22nd, 2010, 07:36 PM	#12 (permalink)
Pablo333 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2009 Posts: 355	i think this is a great example - bass is part of the "whole" of the gtr sound , just listen to Faith no more 's "Diggin the grave" - the Bass just drives the entire track, with the gtr's sitting on top nicely. __________________ My metal tracks GEAR> IBANEZ PGM 301 >EMG 81/85> Boss NS2 > VOX Tonelab ST> Cubase SX