Mixing Bass - need help

I am having a hard time getting a good bass guitar sound in the mix. A few things to mention:
 
1) I have great monitors, KRK Rokit 8
2) I have treated the room a bit with foam, however it is the spare bedroom in my house so I can only do so much. (I understand room treatment is important, I'm not a pro, I have to use what I have. Don't want to get into that discussion again. Hoping for a work around)
3) Using an Avalon U5 preamp / Direct
4) P-Bass with SD Quater Pounders pickups
 
As indicated above, I think I have very good quality gear. I am just having a hard time getting the bass guitar to sound right and sit in the mix correctly. And also lack good "seperation" of the guitars and bass. I have referenced other recordings, for example AC/DC Back in Black album and I'm just not getting close. Either way too much or way to little. Have the guitars shelved at about 360 HZ and they sound fantastic Drums sound really good, vocals are cutting thru well.  I have read a few recording books and searched online and viewed a few videos on the subject. And I am still struggling with it.
 
Does anyone have any tips or tricks they have picked up? Would love to learn them if you are willing to share them!
 
 
 

There may be two separate issues here: getting the bass to sit in the mix well, and getting it to sound that way no matter where it's played back. Two different problems, with different solutions. Which one would you like to address first?

Tracy-Im an ameture at all this but I agree with Bit and Danny.
One thing I have found in Sonar to help is the Analyzer AN-870  (or something like that)

Drop it in your Master buss then solo the each guitar and the bass seperately one at a time and which will help you see the conflicting freqs which you can then EQ as required

Sure havent Dave, 
Thats gotta be one of the best having the ability to have multiple tracks up at once to work and finesse 'em as needed.
Id imagine being able to see and hear the difference in real time will be great.
Thanks, Im gonna check it out

Alloy has some great bass presets.

I also like Voxengo's MaxPunch;

http://www.voxengo.com/product/lfmaxpunch/

And coincidently? From the September 2012 issue...
 
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep12/articles/mixing-bass.htm
 

When I get high and attempt to pass filters across things? It never ends well...

Sorry I am late to the party with your solution.  The following 'solution' is compliments of all the Bass players I've ever played with.

The solution - Make sure the bass is the loudest instrument on stage.  I assume this translates well to the mixing enviornment.  (Atleast according to Bass players)  Also, don't be shy about giving yourself some chorus to really fill out the stereo field.  Remember, when your Bass sounds awesome by itself, it will surely sound awesome in the mix!

Anyhow, problem solved, your welcome

LpMike75


Sorry I am late to the party with your solution.  The following 'solution' is compliments of all the Bass players I've ever played with.

The solution - Make sure the bass is the loudest instrument on stage.  I assume this translates well to the mixing enviornment.  (Atleast according to Bass players)  Also, don't be shy about giving yourself some chorus to really fill out the stereo field.  Remember, when your Bass sounds awesome by itself, it will surely sound awesome in the mix!

Anyhow, problem solved, your welcome

LMAO! Ummm at least I hope "LMAO" is appropriate as a reponse because you were joking with this, right? You never know on here...too easy to offend someone and you know you're my bro so it's not meant to be offensive.
 
But you didn't add any smileys Mike, so maybe you were being serious? LOL I need to go back to bed.
 
-Danny

"LMAO! Ummm at least I hope "LMAO" is appropriate as a reponse because you were joking with this, right? You never know on here...too easy to offend someone and you know you're my bro so it's not meant to be offensive." 
 
People get offended on this forum? I've never seen that. Well... Except maybe when I pulled Reece's man card? But other than that, "never."
 
That anal-izer looks pretty cool, thanks for posting that, I may check out out. I need something.

LpMike75

Danny Danzi

LpMike75


Sorry I am late to the party with your solution.  The following 'solution' is compliments of all the Bass players I've ever played with.

The solution - Make sure the bass is the loudest instrument on stage.  I assume this translates well to the mixing enviornment.  (Atleast according to Bass players)  Also, don't be shy about giving yourself some chorus to really fill out the stereo field.  Remember, when your Bass sounds awesome by itself, it will surely sound awesome in the mix!

Anyhow, problem solved, your welcome

LMAO! Ummm at least I hope "LMAO" is appropriate as a reponse because you were joking with this, right? You never know on here...too easy to offend someone and you know you're my bro so it's not meant to be offensive.
 
But you didn't add any smileys Mike, so maybe you were being serious? LOL I need to go back to bed.
 
-Danny

Weird thing happened after this post Danny.  Of course it was meant to be funny, but several hours after I posted this, I had 1,023 new friend requests on Facebook.  Even weirder, they were all Bass players!

LMAO!!!!!!!!!!!!! You're too much man! I figured you were kidding, but I just HAD to ask hahaha...where ya been? Keeping busy? Hope all is going well. :)
 
-Danny

LpMike75


Doing good Danny, thanks.  Life is always busy, learning as I go :)

Hows business with you?  I just bought my VDrums and thought of you, remembering how you said you played your Vdrums as well.  Man, it's tough to do everything yourself! 

Ah right on glad things are good. I often think about you out there keeping the streets safe for everyone. :) A good bud of mine is a Sheriff around here and takes me on drive-by's once in a while. They cut down the police forces around here so now the Sheriff's are literally out on the streets. They used to just do warrants and pick up criminals, but now...they help out all the county police. Man, what a job. I'm hoping nothing happens to him while I'm there because I'm not allowed to get out of the car for any reason. You know I'd have to run out and do something if I had to. LOL!
 
Business is good thanks. Keeping me busy as always. Never a dull moment around here thank God. Ah you got V Drums? Awesome! Yeah it is tough doing everything yourself. It's even worse if you do it for a source of income, I gotta admit. After doing two albums (one was totally me alone) I don't think I could ever do it again. Not even for insane money. Too much stress, I get too close to the material, I'm never on my game for anything other than guitar and vocals since I do those the most...and it's just a nightmare for me anymore. I've been playing drums for over 40 years, but I only play like once a month or so.
 
Then I try to play one of my tunes and it's like "pff...I'll have to play for 3-5 days just to get some chops back for this...I think I'll just pick up the phone and call a drummer friend." Then bass....and you HAVE to think like a bassist and not play the thing like a guitar....and keys...man, I barely play my piano anymore unless I have to. So I think the frustration for me is ME not being able to just pick something up and play it for my songs without a few days of practice first. I feel blessed to have the gifts to play those instruments and am glad I don't have to program anything...but man, by the time I blow off the rust, I probably could have programmed something. LOL!
 
What V drums kit did you get? What brain? You'll like the brain at first until you run a drum module like BFD or Superior. Hahaha...then it gets totally fun and sounds so much more realistic. Unless of course you got that new brain...TD-30 I think it is or something? That thing sounded pretty realistic in the vids I saw. Check it out on the Roland site sometime. I don't think it's as good as BFD or some of the other drum modules....but it can do some pretty cool stuff and I'll bet the new pad to midi interface in the brain obliterates what I have with the TD 10 and TD-20. Did ya hook it up to Sonar yet and print midi? Send me a pm if you have any problems making it work with Sonar and I'll help ya sort it out. Should be easy though. Good luck with your new toy....I hope you enjoy it and stay safe man. :)
 
-Danny