Don’t Be Afraid of Bass
Posted on | January 31, 2009 | 2 Comments
Having well-represented low-end frequencies in a mix is one of the true secrets to getting that phat, analog sound. But I find that two things keep this element from making it into a lot of mixes:
- Inaccurate studio monitoring
- Poor drum and bass tracking/mixing
Too much bass leads to a muddy, undefined mix. Too little bass makes mixes sound un-compelling.
But when you hit the right amount, it’s magic.
Category: General Information
Comments
2 Responses to “Don’t Be Afraid of Bass”
Leave a Reply
About This Blog
From Ohm to Om reflects the opinions of mastering engineer Paul Abbott, owner of San Diego's ZenMastering.
We welcome comments from readers...pro or con!
February 1st, 2009 @ 12:05 pm
From a mastering viewpoint, lets say the mix you receive is not in the ‘bass sweet-spot’!
Do you think it’s easier (or will lead to a better master) for a mastering engineer to deal with ‘bass heavy’ mixes rather than ‘bass light’?
February 1st, 2009 @ 2:29 pm
IMO, it’s more common to receive bass heavy mixes as most people don’t have full-range monitors. So they add too much bass not knowing they’ve already got some.
It’s probably a bit easier to add some bass rather than remove it, but mastering is such a case-by-case basis it’s hard to generalize.
What’s easy on one mix can be difficult (or not work) on another. It all depends on how things were tracked and how the mix responds to the mastering process.