Layering bassline over kick

[rudn]

Hey sp-friends,
i was having some fun with the sp404sx and some samples and putting some kicks and snares on the samples. it was all good until i added a sampled bassline in to it, the bassline kind of swallows the kick so its nearly unhearable. So my question is, how can i put the bassline with the kick together that the kick still sounds clear and loud? i tried to turn the volume of the bassline down but im not satisfied with that. sry for bad english

[Sharris]

Yeah, that's one of the things that frustrates me when using just the 404sx to make beats......especially when resampling, bass gets distorted fast. The only things I can think of are:
Use eq, maybe eq both the bass & the kick to find a happy medium.
Or a hand made side chain........lower the volume of the bass line right when the kick hits.
The isolator could help with removing / enhancing frequencies as well.
Or maybe try out a different kick? Or a different bassline? If you really like the bassline, try using a different kick.
Just some ideas........

[THEGREAT]

.. as suggested . use isolator to shape the bass ( remove some of the subsonics ( i think youre doing right to lower the volume . it all counts on how you process the beats after youve completed ( to bring the bass back into prominance without drowning the other sounds

. and you could also do the same with the drum sounds . look up the suggested frequency ranges of the diff drum sounds .. it will help alot . SUBTRACTIVE EQing

[rudn]

using the equalizer on the kick and bassline at the same time already helped, it melts both together. thanks guys

look up the suggested frequency ranges of the diff drum sounds .. it will help alot . SUBTRACTIVE EQing

i looked it up, but i cant see the frequency(Hz) of the sound on the sp. or what exactly do you mean?

[LoopmantrA]

Hint : don't use JUST the SP for beats/basslines..
I always found using the Waves R-bass plug in as a life saver - as in duplicate the bass track, and then leave the presence and the strings on one channel (so that's low frequency cut, and a slight high frequency boost - but, keep in mind, boosting the frequency also brings in the noise /hiss, and more importantly - phase cancellation, if you are recording bass amp with mic) and you turn on the R bass on another channel, then blend the two signals accordingly.
You should also try colouring the kick /drum part (say, SSL channel does the job pretty good) - unless you took the sample that's already been heavily modified.

The thing is, always place instruments in their designated frequency range - that way you create more space in the mix.
One of the hardest parts in the studio (and you can take my word on this, been a pro musician/producer for almost 20 years now (I'm 37)) is blending the drums and the bass in a way that everything sounds rock solid - mostly because bass is known for 'masking' other instruments in the mix when you crank it up just a bit, and when you turn it down the mix sounds fkn hilarious...

Bottomline is - and I hope you people won't hate me for saying this out loud, since I'm new here and all lol :
There's nothing wrong with using PC/MAC to make your samples sound even better, plus the work flow on SP can be truly frustrating sometimes...

Peace out

[THEGREAT]

@rudn

fair point . its difficult to explain without cohesive diagram

. so..

kicks : eq boost low . cut high

snare : eq boost mid .

hi hats : eq boost hi . cut low


as a general rule . it will seperate the sounds in the mix .. allowing each to have its respectable space without too much sonic overlap . tweaking is down to preference + the actual sound itself .

hope this has helped a bit . its worth experimenting with the "isolator" also . i find it less harsh than the eq

[THEGREAT]

https://imgur.com/a/LZ4R6

diagram

[Sharris]

Bass has been the hardest for me...... I think that's common tho...... I also LOVE bass, drums, dark sounds, low frequencies, so my beats get muddy fast. I learned that eq'ing & removing certain frequencies to create space for other sounds helped immensely.

LoopmantrA - I refused to use software for the first few years I made beats, I thought it was cheating......plus I wanted to build skills, learn as much as possible & have fun. Making "dope beats" & finding easy ways to do it wasn't a concern for me.....but where it used to be farthest from my mind, it's now 3rd (#1-have fun #2-build skills & knowledge #3-make dope beats & use tools that will help). I recently added software & I found I could still keep my skills sharp, still have a lot of fun & I made better beats. Combining hardware & software is where it's at for me.

[rudn]

@rudn
kicks : eq boost low . cut high

snare : eq boost mid .

hi hats : eq boost hi . cut low

yea im familiar with that.


i know its very beneficial to use some software with the sp. i use some ableton, but i try to do the most with analog gear, because i dislike the workflow on pc. for now only SP with some ableton. i try to get sooner or later a mpc.

(#1-have fun #2-build skills & knowledge #3-make dope beats & use tools that will help)

i like your view, i handle it very similiar, it is all about the fun.


thanks to all you guys, very nice forum

[MattCoops]

What you recording to?

I record everything to cassette.
If you got a multitrack you can "mix" with levels.
If your bass is muffling your kick you may have too much mid in your bassline. Try some EQ.

Sometimes I solo out my loops on the 4 track and run them I to ANOTHER 4 track.
I'll push out each track through a compressor or EQ.
It helps to track things out so you don't overload your sound.

Even if you don't have / can't afford a 4 track,
there are so many recording software that have multitrack options.

I just happen to like cassette, cus it's never crashing. Tapes last forever. I got a library of 'em.

But yeah, track out your beats. It's a goid habit.

I kind of like when the bass line muffles the kick.

But you just might want to mix a little differently. EQ and levels to start. Then go from there.

It could be tedious, but going back and layering a kick over your existing kick, this one with a little punch. Layering kicks ain't nothing new, but it gives a classy, beefed up sound.
Experiment, and have fun with it.