Constructing perfect bass tone with 2.8 - thoughts?

[saarik]

Hey lovely people,

 

With 2.80 I've been trying to build a huge low-end driving, slightly rasping bass tone. Basically the audio equivalent of a cold punch in the chest.

 

 

My reference is:

 

Animals by... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DLYwwtPA49w

Sorry. I promise I make music more interesting that this, this tone is just amazing!

 

 

About 6 hours on and the closest I've gotten (without buying a Spector bass) is by splitting the path: Channel 1 an SVT 4 Pro with about 3 EQs scooping mids, and Channel 2 a clean Fender Dimension blended with the Obsidian 7000. However, I'm compromising the volume consistency across my fretboard by scooping too much, and I still can't get the right balance of thunderous low end and high end clarity heard in the song.

 

Has anyone got any ideas on amps, amp combinations, EQs, effects etc. etc.? Literally any thoughts on the EQ of the song, ideas or advice really appreciated!

 

Have a good one.

[bassbene]

A few thoughts about the sound/the song in question:
- Note that the bass plays mostly unisono with the kickdrum. So the real "thunder" might come from the drums - check the bridge section where the bass is solo.

- Mr. Kroeger is playing only in the first position. So we don't know if his sound would be consistent over the fretboard (guess: no)

- The sound has a really broad mid scoop. 250Hz - 800Hz at least...

 

My tipps for a good bass tone with the helix:

- For consistent low end: try to compress the sh*t out of everything below ~100Hz. (Split path, X-Over...)
- For clarity: Try the Mic Preamp Block for a Tube DI'ish sound in parallel. (you can use the Aguilar as well, but it costs more DSP)

- For growl: Really crank up a bass amp (like the normal SVT) and cut the treble on amp and cab.

None of these tipps sounds extraordinary standalone. But in combination they can do the trick ;)

Which bass are you using for this sound?

[saarik]

Your reply absolutely made my day, thank you! A couple observations and questions if you don't mind:

 

- Note that the bass plays mostly unison with the kickdrum. So the real "thunder" might come from the drums - check the bridge section where the bass is solo.

Very true, but I'm certain he changes his tone for the bridge - there's much more mid present which isn't there for the rest of the song.

 

- Mr. Kroeger is playing only in the first position. So we don't know if his sound would be consistent over the fretboard (guess: no)

Also very true! It is likely that this tone is impossible to play with? Or that I would have to further split frequencies and boost those that I lose...?

 

- For consistent low end: try to compress the sh*t out of everything below ~100Hz. (Split path, X-Over...)

Makes sense!

- For clarity: Try the Mic Preamp Block for a Tube DI'ish sound in parallel. (you can use the Aguilar as well, but it costs more DSP)

The clarity is really coming through the split clean channel, but can't tell the difference using the Mic Preamp I have to say... I may leave it out to conserve DSP

 

- For growl: Really crank up a bass amp (like the normal SVT) and cut the treble on amp and cab.

This doesn't sound quite right when I try - do you mean create another channel without mid scoops and just cut treble?

 

 

Thanks! I'm using a Fender Dimension, it's like the love-child of a Jazz and a StingRay and can produce a pretty satisfyingly cold and smooth sound.

[bassbene]

4 hours ago, saarik said:

 

- Mr. Kroeger is playing only in the first position. So we don't know if his sound would be consistent over the fretboard (guess: no)

Also very true! It is likely that this tone is impossible to play with? Or that I would have to further split frequencies and boost those that I lose...?

If you add the frequencies again, you will change the character of the sound again. This sound will never work fine on higher registers since the foundation for higher root notes is simply carved out. A hard compressed low end eases the pain a little, but in general that is simply the downside of such scooped sounds.

 

4 hours ago, saarik said:

- For clarity: Try the Mic Preamp Block for a Tube DI'ish sound in parallel. (you can use the Aguilar as well, but it costs more DSP)

The clarity is really coming through the split clean channel, but can't tell the difference using the Mic Preamp I have to say... I may leave it out to conserve DSP

Try to drive the Mic Preamp hard, just before "obvious" distortion. The tube character will bring up the highs by adding some overtones. 

 

4 hours ago, saarik said:

- For growl: Really crank up a bass amp (like the normal SVT) and cut the treble on amp and cab.

This doesn't sound quite right when I try - do you mean create another channel without mid scoops and just cut treble?

That was more of a general advise. If your sound lacks growl, you can add another channel to force lowend growl. You might have to apply a mid scoop here too, because the midrange of a driven SVT is very dominant. Another general tipp for growl: Do not boost lows. Cutting the midrange instead often brings out a more "raw", growly lowend.