The Bassline: Do you transpose? - TranceAddict Forums

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-- The Bassline: Do you transpose?

Posted by Raphie on Jul-12-2008 07:11:

The Bassline: Do you transpose?

I think we've all been there: the bassline sounds good in C1, but too thin/sharp on the high F1 and too low/out of bounds on the low F.

your pattern is cool, the arrangement is required to support the leads, you start too go through patches to find that one bass sound that fits better........ What do you do? do you transpose 1 octave up? do you try to EQ around it? do you choose other type of sound (square instead of saw, play with ADSR to mask or to glue it together..)

What are you tips to make the bassline fit? (not as much from a pattern perspective, but from a tone/pitch EQ, compression perspective.

- How do you EQ the kickdrum? (which freqs to boost/cut?)
- How do you EQ the Bassline?
- how many layers do you use? and which type of sound works best on what layer?
- Do you always sidechain?
- what is the typical peak volume (in -db)of both induvidually in a preprocessed mix?

Not trying to steal all the "tricks of the trade" but i think there is a lot more to bassline programming than just creating some patterns (or worse: Use Nexus arpergiator or Vanguard Trancegate
)

Posted by Zak McKracken on Jul-12-2008 12:34:

you could export the bass sound at C1 as wav and import it in a sampler and put the midi on that instead. saves cpu and u will have the apropiate filter and eq settings no mather what note u play. from there its the speakers fucking up. but at this point u could have interaction with the kick with bass but u could anyway

Posted by Vortex_SA on Jul-12-2008 14:42:

quote:
Originally posted by palm
you could export the bass sound at C1 as wav and import it in a sampler and put the midi on that instead. saves cpu and u will have the apropiate filter and eq settings no mather what note u play. from there its the speakers fucking up. but at this point u could have interaction with the kick with bass but u could anyway

i kinda feel if i do that the sound isn't "real", it sounds "sampled" to me that way...

i like it that the bass changes through the notes i usually keep it, if it really is bothering me then maybe ill go an octave higher or try a different note... try use re triggering on the oscs (some synths has that option) it resets the oscs and gives you a more static and predictable sound, but at the cost of it being "monotone" sounding

there is no typical equing on the kick, it depends on it and the same goes to the bass...

and yes i usually sidechain and my bass usually have two layers, one really low and the other just low...

and there is also no typical peak it depends on how you work and how you want the mix to sound...

Posted by Storyteller on Jul-12-2008 16:57:

waves rbass could be the answer to your problem. Good plugin to give a sound some quality low end where it is lacking...

/typed on ipod touch

I'm actually using a sampled bass in my latest project. It's all about picking the right sample and the right key. I would recommend to take a note thats somewhere in the middle of the used notes, if possible. Or sample all used notes... In my case it's a single note.

Example: http://www.storytellermusic.nl/010-nicechords.mp3

I normally never eq my kick and bass. Same with this project. No sidechain either.

Posted by mysticalninja on Jul-12-2008 19:32:

transpose all oscliattors -12 semitones or bring the midi notes down an octave.. same difference. Bass was the first thing that pushed me to make my own patches. Now i don't use any presets..

Posted by Lolo on Jul-12-2008 21:29:

Re: The Bassline: Do you transpose?

quote:
Originally posted by Raphie

- How do you EQ the kickdrum? (which freqs to boost/cut?)
- How do you EQ the Bassline?
- how many layers do you use? and which type of sound works best on what layer?
- Do you always sidechain?
- what is the typical peak volume (in -db)of both induvidually in a preprocessed mix?

Not trying to steal all the "tricks of the trade" but i think there is a lot more to bassline programming than just creating some patterns (or worse: Use Nexus arpergiator or Vanguard Trancegate
)

- good and well placed reference monitors will help you, there's no specific rule, just a context which a kick can be used in or not.
- Instead of finding impossible EQ settings for Basses, some double the bass channel, insert a huge preamp-sat in the mid freq on one channel and leave the other one dry, and then compress the output signal. Just as some do with rock bands, especially guitars. It might work for you as well.
- Sidechain? You mean duck the bassline when the kick comes in? Well, it really depends, sometimes a VERY slight ducking is enough to give a mix more air and more dynamics, which deosn't mean we should hear the pumping effect.
- as I said, there's no rule.

+1 about what you said at the end.

Posted by Lunar Phase 7 on Jul-13-2008 02:43:

quote:
Originally posted by Storyteller
waves rbass could be the answer to your problem. Good plugin to give a sound some quality low end where it is lacking...

/typed on ipod touch

I'm actually using a sampled bass in my latest project. It's all about picking the right sample and the right key. I would recommend to take a note thats somewhere in the middle of the used notes, if possible. Or sample all used notes... In my case it's a single note.

Example: http://www.storytellermusic.nl/010-nicechords.mp3

I normally never eq my kick and bass. Same with this project. No sidechain either.

Sounding pretty good.

Weirdly I always feel like I am cheating when I use samples for things other than percussion. Even if I use presets in synths, I feel like I aint doing everything myself so it's not "my song".

Anyone else ever get that, or do you just feel like it's means to an end?

Posted by cryophonik on Jul-13-2008 05:02:

quote:
Originally posted by Lunar Phase 7

Weirdly I always feel like I am cheating when I use samples for things other than percussion. Even if I use presets in synths, I feel like I aint doing everything myself so it's not "my song".

Anyone else ever get that, or do you just feel like it's means to an end?

No. First of all, I didn't build any of my basses, or my guitar, or my piano, my trumpet, or any of my hardware synths either. I also didn't write the code for any of my soft synths. Does that make me less of a musician? Does it make my compositions not "my songs"? I'll answer that for you: no, it doesn't.

Second, and I don't mean this to sound insulting, but I seriously doubt that you are creating original sounds that have never been heard or are much different than the presets on most of the decent VAs on the market, so what's the point? You reinvented the wheel just for the sake of being able to say that your unoriginal sound is original and therefore, the song is now yours?

Don't get me wrong - I'm not saying that you shouldn't program your own sounds for your own enjoyment or to save yourself hours of searching for the right sound. But, I find this attitude that a song isn't truly yours if you use an existing sound a little ridiculous and naive. I've been programming synths since the early 80s and I love to program/tweak my own sounds as much as the next guy, but that doesn't stop me from using a straightup preset when that's what fits the song. And it certainly doesn't mean that the song isn't mine.

edit: clarification

Posted by Vortex_SA on Jul-13-2008 06:52:

quote:
Originally posted by cryophonik
No. First of all, I didn't build any of my basses, or my guitar, or my piano, my trumpet, or any of my hardware synths either. I also didn't write the code for any of my soft synths. Does that make me less of a musician? Does it make my compositions not "my songs"? I'll answer that for you: no, it doesn't.

Second, and I don't mean this to sound insulting, but I seriously doubt that you are creating original sounds that have never been heard or are much different than the presets on most of the decent VAs on the market, so what's the point? You reinvented the wheel just for the sake of being able to say that your unoriginal sound is original and therefore, the song is now yours?

Don't get me wrong - I'm not saying that you shouldn't program your own sounds for your own enjoyment or to save yourself hours of searching for the right sound. But, I find this attitude that a song isn't truly yours if you use an existing sound a little ridiculous and naive. I've been programming synths since the early 80s and I love to program/tweak my own sounds as much as the next guy, but that doesn't stop me from using a straightup preset when that's what fits the song. And it certainly doesn't mean that the song isn't mine.

edit: clarification

I have this feeling too, I just can't seem to make myself work with presets, i got so used to programming soft synths over the years that i just start out with the blank sound

i don't think the song won't be "yours" but I just don't like presets... i like everything under perfect control and know what its doing...

and one last thing, you may have not built your guitars (I customized one tho, wanna see?) , basses and pianos, but you are the one playing them and only you can play the way you play, cos thats your finger and stuff... just my thoughts on that case...

Posted by Lunar Phase 7 on Jul-13-2008 12:29:

quote:
Originally posted by cryophonik
edit: clarification

Sorry dude, I came across as a bit of an ass there. That wasn't my intention.

I certainly never made to insult you. I just feel kinda cheap in myself using samples for a track. Dunno why and I have no problem again others doing it either.

As mentioned I mearly wanted to see if others ever had the same hang ups or if they saw using samples as a means to get the sound they need.

Friends?

Posted by Zak McKracken on Jul-13-2008 12:53:

Posted by cryophonik on Jul-13-2008 17:20:

quote:
Originally posted by Lunar Phase 7
Sorry dude, I came across as a bit of an ass there.
Friends?

No, you didn't. Re-reading my post, I probably did though. It really wasn't meant to sound harsh, nor was it really meant to be directed at you, LP, when I used the words "you", "your", etc. - it was meant to be generally directed at the reader. Sorry for the misunderstanding.