Bass player not psyched with the mix...

http://stabilitynetwork.blob.core.windows.net/g-tunes/base8.htm
 
If you listen to some of these tunes, do you think the bass is mixed too low? I hear it just fine on my stereo.
 
Here is the note from the bass player...
 

What a professional sound you made!  Really impressed with the vocals.  
I am not sure I can hear my bass line at all. Could be my stereo system is not great for bass playback.   I heard the lows from keyboards and the bass drum.  
This was an issue that Craig had for over a year with our band during live gigs before he figured out how to raise my levels without getting too much low end with bass drum and keyboards.   I couldn't tell you what he did but I'm sure he would be willing to share.
Otherwise, I can't tell you how awesome you make our band sound!

He's playing an electric bass with a direct out from his bass amp to the interface.
I have a PC4K S-Type compressor reducing at most 8 dB and mixed wet/dry. attack at .2 ms. Releaes =.8.
I have a high pass filter set at 39 and a low pass filter at 4181. the low pass slope is 12 dB. I have an 8 dB cut around 200.
 
Thoughts? Am I going about this all wrong? Can you hear the bass? Do you guys like the mixes? How do I answer the bass player?

Thanks Craig. I'll compress a bit more and boost 3dB.
 
Now, I have increased the input gain on the compressor 9dB and reduced the output 3dB.
 
Opinions still welcome. The posted MP3s have been updated.

Thanks! I'll touch him up in the 2nd.

bapu


Don't be afraid to turn up the bas 2-3db in both tunes.

One way to get the bass to have more definition is put a send on the bass track to a bus. On the bus put a chorus and/or some distotion and blend the clean track and FX bus into it's own bus then set the level in the final mix using that blended bus.

This sounds very similar to parallel compression . 

bapu

Mooch4056

bapu


Don't be afraid to turn up the bas 2-3db in both tunes.

One way to get the bass to have more definition is put a send on the bass track to a bus. On the bus put a chorus and/or some distotion and blend the clean track and FX bus into it's own bus then set the level in the final mix using that blended bus.

This sounds very similar to parallel compression . 

Ya, but where it counts 

Funny that I just called you and you won't answer but here u are  playing in the fun house here ..




I am hurt and jealous 

I gave the additional 2 dB on the first and 3 on the second. I'm a little uncertain. Feels heavy to me, but I'll live with it for a while and see if it grows on me.

Ok. I did run it through the Th2 and added a chorus pedal to the array. I then mixed it back. It's subtle for sure. I've posted the result.

Soundblend


Great band, good vibe :) . Seems there something strange with the recording , sounds out of phase or lack something for true stereo ! Sounds like its half recorded mono, played back in stereo ! or maybe it is my ears :).Correlation meter show +1 at full. Try this plugins to see if you can figure out what it is. http://sleepytimerecords.com/audioplugins

I can't listen right now, but that can be a sign of phase issues.

I'll study the stereo I problem .a thanks for noticing. Bass player doesn't want to sit and guide the mix.

Here is an file to test your audio all the way into your DAW. Download the " LRmonoPhase4 " wavefile, put the file on an external device like your phone / mp3 player or other source. Play the sound all the way trough your recording chain and Check your DAW to see if it's ok, that way you can be sure your recording chain is ok :) http://www.kozco.com/tech/soundtests.html

I agree with the bass issue also, but it may have something to do with the overall sound, if there is a phase issue or just a left input and it's bleeding into right channel ( Faulty Sound-cards or other equipment in the chain ), Bad Cable's, can be loads of things, i am " JUST SUGGESTING " here ! I would start off by chk all all my cables / Units etc, all the way into the computer to eliminate any problem there. You can't possibly manage to mix a recording with issues. I have already tried :), About the music, i love it and want to hear more of them ;D . If the sound Chain ( Hardware ) was ok, i would strip all effects, Busse's, And just have the plain recorded tracks. Then i would chk every track for issues 1 by 1 and used Flux stereo tool on the main bus. After chking all the tracks 1 by 1, i would start to combine more tracks and monitor what happen's, up until all track's was ok, but that's just how i would do it ;D

" craigb " yeah it can just be as simple as you say.

yeah new strings is good to use, getting more tone out of it. And one more thing, don't over-compress stuff, that will probably give " bad strings " i guess !

A bass sound is good when there is a little percussive attack at the start of the note. (in a more up rhythmical type of tune that is) That is what is missing to a certain degree from the bass sound here. 

You can sort of put it back in using compressors but set with a much slower attack so what happens is you get the start of the note punching through nicely then the compressor kicks in and drops the signal level down creating the illusion your once smooth sound has a little percussive attack now attached to it. It is making use of the more sound shaping creative side to your compressor.

Side chaining to the kick is not a bad idea but keep that minimal so that it is only enhancing. There are two ways you can go here. One is where the bass drops down say 3 db every time the kick is present. This is using the kick to add the percussiveness to the start of the bass note now. Make sure it returns fast as well so the bass is back into the picture as quickly as it can. 

Another approach would be to use the kick to tell the bass level to jump up briefly ie the opposite to the compressor. More like a side chained upward expander. You might find this will also add a nice level transient at the start of the bass note.

The use of a compressor to create a more percussive transient at the start of the bass note combined with some light side chaining plus some tidy EQ (plus a little HPF to clear up any bottom end boom) to bring out the tones a bit more could be just the ticket to make that bass line really stand out and be heard much more clearly. Then you have the luxury of turning it down so it is back in balance with the music again.

Glad you have fun with mixing :), would be nice to hear a new mix of Cleanslate later on if possible ! I see you have a few new , will have a listen to those :)