Here’s the two dry rhythm guitars @ColdRoomStudio and all the rest grouped on a separate track (treated). Excuse all the clicks, they’ve been comped and chopped a fair bit since the start of the project.
Ok, here’s a try at the guitars incorporated into the sound:
Here are the guitars solod out:
The left guitar processing - ReaEQ for some high passing and cutting followed by further processing in VMR
The right guitar processing - similar to above, slightly different settings:
There were both sent to a buss that had this processing on it - Virtual Tape for some saturation, smoothness & fatness into VMR for a little more “makeup” and into Pro MB for some low end control of the “chugs”:
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Probably a little brighter in the top end than I’d usually mix my guitars but really interesting all the same. Excuse my ignorance, I’m not really familiar with the vmr. Just trying to figure out what’s engaged and what isn’t, all those eq’s…mind boggling.
I’ve just been experimenting with the 3 tracks of DI bass trick, I couldn’t replicate your results exactly but it doesn’t sound awful either. I’ll put up what I ended up with.
Hey thanks a million for the help @ColdRoomStudio, faarking cool mate.
EDIT: Just looking back through your settings, it’s probably not that it’s any brighter in the top end, it’s probably just because I’ve got a tendency to boost the shit out of the mids which probably masks a lot of that top end info…idk.
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Yeah the midrange is where everybody has an opportunity to explore their own tastes, so within reasonable bounds there is definitely room for variation. Not that I was trying to duplicate its frequency response, but I kind of referenced Fuel’s “Jesus or a Gun”, as it had a similar sort of aggressive feel.
Nah, fricken awesome mate, you made it sound great. I don’t use as much multi band compression as I probably should but I love that little trick just to squash the chugs down past 200ish.
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This was what I ended up with after blending the 3 DI basses going off the fat/clean/distorted method and then into a buss for a light touch of compression. Not sure if I overcooked the bottom end or not, kinds feels like it.
This was the bass blend within the mix, ears are a bit worn out but it’s definitely there.
What do you think @ColdRoomStudio, Kind of or not really?
Sounding good - definitely an improvement. Perhaps a bit on the tubby side in the low mids - I imagine where the guitars and bass overlap around the 200 hz mark. A good starting point though.
I was really hoping Andrew would chime in here…I’m glad he did.
After everyone left yesterday I started fiddling with it but I wasn’t able to get it to where I was happy with it, but Andrew did some very similar things.
I used the UAD SVT Pro like he did, Multiband compressed right around using a C6 and reached for a distressor plugin also. I didn’t think to try a limiter at the end of the chain though. I think I used the SSL instead of the Neve. I fiddled with it for about an hour trying to get a distorted DI to blend with a cab, then realized I needed a 3rd track. I’m on a laptop in the lobby, I have an intern on my main rig again getting some files routed and transferred. I’ll post some stuff as soon as I can.
@ColdRoomStudio, thanks a ton for sharing what you did here! I’ll get my files uploaded later this evening.
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Yeah, he was a really big help and I think the track is much better for it. I’d still be really interested to see what you come up with @Jonathan . Can’t have too much input imo. Cheers man.
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I don’t understand any of it, but it sure was a fun read. The talent in this forum is scary
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Hehe, I know the feeling buddy. Writing it’s one thing, making it sound pretty is an entirely different prospect altogether.
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Yeah, I’ve got nothing to add here. I’m just enjoying the hell out of Jonathan and Andrew’s tips and hoping some of it sinks in! Unfortunately, what they can’t impart is the years and years of just doing this, and as a result knowing what each track needs. You guys are awesome - thanks!
@terryhesticles - nice playing, and how cool is it that you can build THIS from a “4 minute track of basslines”?? Cheers!
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Cheers for the kind words @miked, I appreciate the feedback man. If only the mixing side of it came as easily.
Sorry it took me so damn long to get back to this. Here’s what I came up with…again I’m really glad Andrew posted his. I certainly wouldn’t say mines any better, but I thought I’d share it anyway. I think Andrew has a much better handle on this style of music than I do. I haven’t mixed a rock track years.
Neve 1073 direct
I used a pair of SVT’s and blended them. This is the first SVT. The main one doing the heavy lifting.
The other SVT was an older model just to add some definition.
I grouped them together and ran them through an LA-2A.
I probably could have fiddled with the limiter some more and I probably would have used a bass rider or manually managed clip gain to get it from poking out too much in certain places, but I think this is the jist of the tone.
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Man that’s unreal @Jonathan. I love how the bass seems to completely fill up that bottom end without overpowering the mix or taking away any energy from the kick.
It’ll probably take me some time to figure out exactly what’s going on in regards to the screen caps but I’ll definitely pour over it and try and decipher as much as I can. Thanks again for taking the time out to impart some of your vast wisdom, I really appreciate it.
Here’s a little snippet of your bass mixed in with the drum stem and L/R rhythm gats, that bass sounds epic.
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I didn’t realize those screenshots maybe were a little geek heavy. Ya know, its funny that I sometimes forget not everyone on this site sits at a mixing console and stares at plugins all day long. Then I get reminded. Let me simplify this so you can try it yourself. Or if you want, I’ll just send you all 3 of those bass stems for the complete song and you can use them if you want.
First, you sent me the bass in stereo. So I removed the redundant left (or right) channel. Whichever one you prefer. Best to only use mono plugins on a mono source.
So. Then I duplicated the bass track 3 times (like Andrew did). Then I did something different with each of the 3 bass duplicates, then blended all 3 of them together.
Original (in the first picture):
The first plugin (With the big red knob). Adds saturation, a boost a 6db boost at 12k, 6db boost a 3200hz. The next EQ cuts at 335 and boosts at 800. The reason I stacked equalizers is because of ran out of bands on the 1073. The next plugin in the chain is 1073 style compressor with all buttons in and I’m hitting it hard. With 12-20db of gain reduction. Last plugin is adding a small bit of distortion and a lil bit of chorus for width. To make it even more simple:
Saturate -> EQ -> Compress -> Distort -> Widen
First duplicate (in the second picture):
First plugin - Modern Heavy SVT amp, simulating being run through a 4x10 cab. Then an EQ is boosting the sub bass and scooping 100 hz. Then a boost at 1K for a little more crunch. After that we have a multi band compressor. That’s the black thing that looks a little bit like an equalizer. What its doing is smashing the all the bass that the EQ unit just added. I did that for punch, and to control surges in the sub bass. The last plugin is a super aggressive and raunchy sounding compressor that is adding a bit of character but more importantly controlling the bass.
Simplified signal chain:
Amp Sim -> EQ -> Multiband compressor -> leveling compressor
3rd duplicate (in the third picture):
First an old retro Ampeg. Totally different sound than the first Ampeg running through a simulated 8x10 cab. Ironically I didn’t need much bottom from this one. So I used the EQ to remove it as you can see. Then I added an EXTREME 12db boost slightly under 1K. Next is my secret weapon. Its a multi band distortion plugin. This allows you to add a variety of amazing sounding distortions, but focus all of the distortion only on certain frequency ranges of an instrument.
Simplified signal chain
Amp Simulator -> EQ -> Multiband distortion
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Mate, I’m blown away that you’d take time out to sit here and type out all these little pearls of wisdom, it’s really is a rare thing these days that people take the time to go to the trouble of helping out basically a complete stranger.
That’s a massive help having it all spelled out in black and white like that.
Don’t worry about sending your tracks through, I think I’d much rather get my hands dirty and try and replicate your results (more or less).
Much respect and appreciation bro, cheers.
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Hey Andrew.
I’ve never used that Maxx Bass plugin before. I how often/frequently does this end up your bass tracks?
Just about every mix.