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New Post 8/31/2007 11:08 AM
  GotMetalBoy
3 posts
www.belowxpectation.com
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Slap Bass 
Woo Hoo my first ProRec post since you came back! Damn I missed this place.

Here's my issue, I'm having a hell of a time getting my slap bass parts to fit nicely in the mix. One of the issues may be b/c I'm recording my own band and am being a lil greedy and trying to make all my notes stick out more than everyone else. I find it hard to record my own music and my bands b/c I know everything that is going on and want every lil bit of detail to stand out.

I play all bass parts w/ my fingers and never use a pick. I usually like to have the neck and bridge pickups on at the same time, all tone knobs set flat and volume knobs all the way up. I can play very evenly and control the dynamics. The bass can be heard in the mix w/o using any compression or EQ but I'm looking to get a tighter sound and accent when I slap b/c the pops come thru fine. The slaps are fighting w/ the kick drum but the pops are clear and not masked.

I was trying to find some music to reference that has distorted guitars and some slap bass but all I know of is Mudvayne and Faith No More and I didn't like most of their mixes.

My band has electric guitar, electric bass, Drums and Female vocals. We sound a lil like the band Flyleaf but the bass lines don't follow the guitars as much and there are a few slap bass parts.

The guitars are recorded direct w/ the Line 6 PodXT Live and Mesa Boogie TriAxis. The guitars are: Schecter C-1 Classic w/ Seymour Duncan JB (SH-4) & Jazz (SH-2n) pickups and C-1 HellRaiser w/ EMG active 81 / 85 pickups. Most of the chorus sections have 4 guitars recorded, 2 on each side.

The bass is recorded w/ the Line 6 Bass PodXT Live w/ the USB cable and the driver set to record a direct track and processed track. The basses are: Schecter Stiletto Custom-5 w/ EMG HZ pickups, Warwick RockBass Corvette Basic 5 string w/ MEC Gold active jazz pickups, Ibanez SR505 w/ Bartolini MK1-5 pickups and Fender Standard Jazz Bass V String w/ stock Single-Coil Pickups.

The drums are recorded w/ the Roland V-Drums TD-20 for the midi data but played thru Toontracks EZdrummer and EZX DFH (Drums From Hell). Yes, I did spend as much time as I would have setting each drums sensitivity levels as I would have setting up mics on a real kit ...thats the secret to capturing a dynamic drum recording played on electronic drums!

The Vocals are recorded w/ MXL V67G, 990, 991, and some other random mics for FX.

Please help!

Thanks,
Lou
 
New Post 8/31/2007 7:53 PM
  Chris Scheidies
11 posts
www.chrisscheidies.com
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Re: Slap Bass 
Best Bass recording article ever

http://prorec.com/Articles/tabid/109/EntryId/32/Default.aspx
 
New Post 9/1/2007 6:16 PM
  Leo Alvarez
10 posts
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Re: Slap Bass 

There was a band called Infectious Grooves with Robert Trujillo on bass that was heavy on the guitars and really funky on bass, you might want to check them out. The band's no longer around but I'm pretty sure you can still find their records. Also The Red Hot Chilli Peppers "Mother's Milk " had some elements of funky mixed with heavy ( I know it's not the same type of stuff but the way the mix was done on the record might help as a starting point )Do you have any of your music on myspace? If I had a reference of the actual recording I could probably be more helpful.

Regards

Leo

 
New Post 9/4/2007 8:39 AM
  GotMetalBoy
3 posts
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Re: Slap Bass 
 thedreampolice wrote
Best Bass recording article everhttp://prorec.com/Articles/tabid/109/EntryId/32/Default.aspx


I remember that article. I haven't tried recording my Fender Bass b/c I haven't changed the strings since I think that article was writen. When I use my other basses, I make sure all the active tone knobs are flat, so they don't color my sound.
 
New Post 9/4/2007 9:51 AM
  GotMetalBoy
3 posts
www.belowxpectation.com
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Re: Slap Bass 
 Leo Alvarez wrote

There was a band called Infectious Grooves with Robert Trujillo on bass that was heavy on the guitars and really funky on bass, you might want to check them out. The band's no longer around but I'm pretty sure you can still find their records. Also The Red Hot Chilli Peppers "Mother's Milk " had some elements of funky mixed with heavy ( I know it's not the same type of stuff but the way the mix was done on the record might help as a starting point )Do you have any of your music on myspace? If I had a reference of the actual recording I could probably be more helpful.

Regards

Leo



Leo,

You read my mind. I pulled out my old tapes this past weekend but they all sounded horrible b/c they are so old and worn out. The high end sounded like there was a Flanger. I know I have an Infectious Grooves CD somewhere. I only had the tape for Blood Sugar Sex Magik and parts of it are chewed up.

I found some MP3's and was able to fix my bass sound a lil but I'm worried about the LOUDNESS WAR issues and how it will destroy the attack. I'm planning on leaving 3dB to 6dB of headroom for dynamics when mastering and I don't mind that the over all volume will be less. There is no way I can get the good transparent sounds of the past if i try to limit and compress the mix to death.

I'll put one of my bands songs up on myspace or my website after Sept.14 We have a show coming up and have to put recording on hold until then.

Thanks,
Lou
 
New Post 9/4/2007 6:41 PM
  Leo Alvarez
10 posts
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Re: Slap Bass 

Glad to be of help!

 
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