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what are you doing?

Ive read some posts recently about off beat bass being dated and uncool. So how and what are people doing as alternatives. Im relatively new to making tunes compared to lots of people on this forum and am interested to improve my production skills.

Number one rule of cheese production:

Always do what everyone else is doing. If you can't do it yourself, use samples.

imo the offbeat bass is back! it makes it all so groooooovey

im asking so i can improve. New techniques and that... then I will be more likely to be original eventually.

just stick to a good simple off beat bass then build stuff around it that way you can make things more ineresting and not get to fed up along the way.

try using 2 bass patches, one offbeat sub bass to to help drive the kick drum and then add a more melodic/rythmic bass on top, eq carefully so they gel together and dont clash. then route all 3 to a group and compress to taste

Re: what are you doing?

quote:

Originally posted by blowa Ive read some posts recently about off beat bass being dated and uncool. So how and what are people doing as alternatives.

As alternatives, people are using different bass rhythms/patterns. Are you looking for a list of all the possible rhythms that can be put into a four bar loop, plus all the variations in note length etc?

Try out some different patterns, do what's right for your song. You haven't specified what style of trance you're into, which artists you like. Maybe offbeat basslines are all you need.

I could ask a similar question - "I've read that talking about guns and women and bling in rap songs is dated and uncool now. What should I rap about?"

Sorry if this sounds a bit harsh. I'd say grab an arpeggiator/ trance gate and try out different rhythms, see what you personally like. Listen to bass rhythms in songs you like and try those out.

quote:

Originally posted by studiobob try using 2 bass patches, one offbeat sub bass to to help drive the kick drum and then add a more melodic/rythmic bass on top, eq carefully so they gel together and dont clash. then route all 3 to a group and compress to taste

why not just get one bass that sounds good?

quote:

Originally posted by floyd741 why not just get one bass that sounds good?

There are many options, both in choice of notes as in choice of bass layers - sometimes a single bass works well, sometimes two or three basses operating in different spaces and frequency ranges sound fantastic. Whatever works for a particular song.

my current track has 3 bass section 1 sub 1 mid and a high sound to it.

thanks for the tips. Will try some new options.

my current track has one subbass that's pretty much a couple of detuned sine waves at the same octave in a 3xOSC. i use it as a rhythmic stab during certain segments of the phrase instead of trying to make it into a big, overdone melodic deal.

quote:

Originally posted by palm imo the offbeat bass is back! it makes it all so groooooovey

Totally, i'm right into my tech house atm and an offbeat bassline just makes the track

I usually work with at least two basslines but more often 3.

I will have a sub bass to fill the low end content and will apply sidechain to duck on the kick. This helps to provide clarity to the low end mix. I will roll off everything above 200hz on this sound so it litterally just is a low rumble.

Then I will place a bass with a mid section that I like, I tend to look for the 'body' of the bass here i.e. what is going to fill some of the mid freqs and will provide the drive to my track. I will roll off this sound below around 200hz so that it doesn't interfere with the sub and both remain audiable. Choice of patch is important as it does have to work with the character of the sub. I will also roll off this sound so that freqs above lets say 800hz are not messing with the higher end stuff. I might also cut a section between 400 to 800hz if I have a pad or lead that needs room. This would be characterised by a dip in those freqs that are shared but still making sure that my sounds are well chosen and keep there characteristics regardless of eq cuts.

I will then choose a higher bass sound that has a little bite to it so the patch itself has quite a lot of characteristics in the 1k region. This patch will either be playing the same as the mid or a complementing question and answer type arrangement.
I don't compress this sound as it may reduce the 'bite' in this sound. I might also route this sound to a bus where I compress high end sounds rather than route this to my bass and kick bus. This sound is usually rolled off at about 800 so that all below is not used. I may roll off higher freqs if the mix needed it.

Compression is a given on most bass sounds so I haven't discussed it.

Sub - The only effect I would apply if it was needed is delay, but for the most part I tend to keep this clean. With the exception of sidechain.

Mid - Will apply delay as required, bit crushing and anything else that I feel inclined to do, but will avoid reverb as to not muddy up the mix. Sidechain if the track calls for it for artistic purposes or gentle if the kick isn't punching through enough.

High - Will apply reverb to avoid that dry feeling in order to give this a place in the space so to speak, and and delay. Would only ever apply sidechain to create that pumping effect.


I will route my mid and sub to the same channel as my kick to make it nice and tight bit would probably refrain from sending my high bass there as I want it to give a feeling of space. Not a hard rule but often the case.

I generally don't use the off beat bass and actually enjoy putting bass on the same step as my kick. Just sidechaining out the shared freqs in favour of the kick. Gives a nice effect sometimes.

Cheers
Nem

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