Recording

Compressing Bass

The Music Telegraph | Text 2020/03/02 [14:25]
Recording

Compressing Bass

The Music Telegraph| 입력 : 2020/03/02 [14:25]

 

▲ Figure 1: Parameter set up for the Bass compressor (Pro Tools Compressor / Limiter plug-in)    

© The Music Telegraph



Compressing Bass

 

The bass is quite whimpy and non-distinct. Try and give it some punch and definition. This is an issue of dynamic feel, so let's attempt to define the bass sound with a compressor:

 

1) Place a compressor in the Bass track insert.

(In this article, I am dealing with Compressor / Limiter in Pro Tools. See the Figure 1 above.)

 

2) Set it up as shown in Figure 1.

(The compressor's ratio is set at 20:1 making this a limiter. With its threshold set rather low and its attack time fast, this compressor is going to clamp down the sound quickly. The net effect  will be to give the bass more power or heft. | Gain: +24.0 dB, Threshold: -42.0 dB, Ratio: 20.0:1, Attack: 5.1 ms, Release: 44 ms, Knee: 8.0 dB)

 

3) Listen to the track with and without the compressor.

 

4) Fine-tune this plug-in as needed.

 

5) Get a good rough mix with what you have done so far.

 

 

 

*Why is there so much gain in the Compressor?

Notice that there is just about as much gain in the plug-in as the compressor is reducing (on average). As you manipulate the compressor parameters to get your sound, watch your compressor's Reduction meter and raise the Gain so that it offsets the reduction. Some devices do this automatically and call this function 'Automatic Gain Make-up'. You are making-up the gain manually which is a more traditional approach. There are many hardware devices out there today  that allow you to do this either manually or automatically. For learning purposes the manual approach is much better. 

 

 

 

 

 

< Copyright ⓒ The Music Telegraph :: Prohibit reprinting and redistribution >
The Music Telegraph Another articles
Comment
  • 도배방지 이미지

광고
Most Read
1
Grammy-winning Composer Penka Kouneva's Masterclass, Now Open for Winter 2025 Enrollment: A 12-week Intensive Course in Soundtrack Analysis and Media Scoring
2
Review #7 (Digital Audio)
3
Making Your Mix Sound Like The Original
4
Freqport 'FreqInOut FO1': Bridging High-quality Outboard and Digital Workflows
5
Gate Kick Drum
6
Basic Waveforms of Synthesizer: Pulse Wave
7
'Nuances Controller': A Professional-grade, Handmade MIDI CC Controller allowing Ultimate Expressiveness in Your Music Score
8
Artificial Reverb
9
Equalization - Peaking EQ, Shelving EQ
10
'Master The Score': High Quality Online Courses for Media Music Production offering Composition, Orchestration, Trailer Music, Mixing and Sound Design Lectures with Subtitles in 9 Languages
광고
Recording (popular articles)
1
Making Your Mix Sound Like The Original
광고
Most Recent
Grammy-winning Composer Penka Kouneva's Masterclass, Now Open for Winter 2025 Enrollment: A 12-week Intensive Course in Soundtrack Analysis and Media Scoring
Making Your Mix Sound Like The Original
Record Label Contacts (29)
Master The Score 'Black Weeks Sale': Up to 50% Off: Premium Online Courses in Media Music Production – Composition, Orchestration, Music Production, & Trailer Music with Subtitles in 9 Languages
Freqport 'FreqInOut FO1': Bridging High-quality Outboard and Digital Workflows
광고
광고
광고
광고
광고
광고
광고
광고
광고