How to EQ Bass

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[quiggycarboncat]

Joe - I don't know if you've heard this before but you have THE PERFECT VOICE to be a famous radio

[PastorSteveOkeke_KKCI]

You changed my mixing life with your down to earth, easy to understand approach. I finished a mix yesterday and sent to two different Mix Engineers after watching you for some days now and they shouted wow. I have never had it this way for some times now. Thanks Joe

[jeffreydhill]

Someone needs to make one of those 10 hour videos of Joe wobbling his hands and saying "WOAHWOAHWOAHWOAH" lmao

[YourFavouriteColor]

since the bass is monophonic, one word of caution. You don't want your EQ cuts or boosts too narrow or too extreme because you begin to make individual notes, or a small range of notes, quieter or louder than other notes. A C# that JUMPS out or a D that ducks out. I have a similar approach to mixing bass, but I generally keep the EQ shape much broader and try not to cut or boost beyond a couple DB.

[CLELDKFKEJ]

I love this channel because everything you're doing is in a DAW I actually use and have experience with. Thank you for such
useful videos!

[swaftbelic]

To add to this, keep in mind that problem frequencies in the bass may not occur consistently on every note so when you A/B your EQ edits, you may only notice a difference on some notes and nothing on others. At 10:10 you can hear when the EQ difference became much more pronounced on the higher notes in the scale.

Thanks for your great videos! Your approach to teaching audio is very effective and absorbing!

[JoelLangley]

I love the clear and concise directions for this. None of that mumbo jumbo and “oh I used this super expensive preamp that’s $10k and blah blah blah”. Makes it easy for us 9-5 folks to follow and not have to worry that we don’t have a million dollar studio equipment setup 😀

[doknox]

Everytime I watch a video like this thinking I'll learn something new I find out it's the same stuff I've already been doing for years! Thnx though.

[OdinOfficialEmcee]

Great tip, something I do also. I have also learned that high passing can really help clean bass up. For example, I ussually sit my kick at 60 Htz and bass at 80 Htz and so I high pass up to around 70 Htz (on the buss). When using DI's and amps I ussually let the DI provide my lows and the Amp give the cutting highs, works really well (thanks PLAP!). Also, I use really heavy compression and remove a good majority of the bass' dynamics to keep everything even and steady when coming through subs to prevent the "wobbly" or "flabby" bass sound.

[gcoudert]

Great advice!
Suggestions for further videos (if not already covered):
- Panning and using send effects on drums (Which type of reverb on which drum kit instrument? Same type of reverb on all drums or different ones? Using EQ on reverb? Drum panning - how wide?)
- Should we automate volume changes on a track before reaching for the compressor?

[francescoricci]

Don't care about stupid comments, this is the right way to cleanup the bass in the mix; this method helps also to avoid unnecessary resonance vibration of loudspeakers caused by some frequencies (between 100 and 600/800 hz) without losing power, indeed we gain clarity and a deep punch bass. Keep it up.

[peterosipov]

This is pretty much the opposite to what I usually do to my bass in the mix. I usually make a small dip around 50-60Hz, so the kick could be better heard in the mix. Sometimes I even highpass the bass (and I would highpass this part also a bit). I also raise a little in the area 300-400Hz, so the bass could be heard in the mix on small speakers.
Maybe this song asked for this, but this is not the way I'd mix the bass to begin with. The bass by itself definitely sounds better, but I think in the mix it adds more rumble, than actual low note.
Anyway, I don't know this project, maybe this song asked for this approach.

[OphilliaBalls]

amazing, i'm just starting to teach myself how to mix my tracks, thank you for sharing !

[dreambeliever]

Joe.... just fantastic bro! Bass can be such a difficult instrument to get to slide right in the mix like butter.

[SoJesusChristMusic]

You're an awesome Teacher... unlike the ones that promise you things they don't really give...but we never notice until we've watched hours and hours of their garbage. This what you give is more like groceries!

[lavalizard]

Great explanation as always Joe! I can imagine how those changes would help the bass sit in the mix (thats the only thing I was missing)... Cheers

[TheMertoman]

Joe do you teach a class on mixing ?.. man I learn so much from your videos.

[oswald]

Some really useful information especially the 50Hz for the bass.

[walterearl]

Thanks for sharing this really helped will be watching more of your videos

[heavymetalmixer]

i never thought a cut around 100Hz and 200Hz could do so much for my mix (a Metal mix), thanks a lot!