💥Make your bass cut through the mix every time! Metal Bass Monday Ep.18!

[@diddymercs]

I love the springy upper mids. I didn't think the initial mix was bad at all.

[@zkkrhfhska]

these videos are priceless my man, thank you

[@MrLouisianaHayride]

This has been one of my most obsessed over topics while sitting around waiting for the clubs to open back up. I have been often guilty of playing volume wars with the guitar and it never ends well haha. Been making a point to not touching my vol knob at rehearsal in favor hunting for the frequencies I can call my own. If you tube would not throw a fit I'd love to see content were you break down famous bass sounds in an EQ context. Like, how can Steve Harris play on flatwounds and still cut through in a 2 guitar band. That sort of thing.

[@RodneyMcG]

That stuff is coming, maybe just not on the tube 😉

[@kimfaucher007]

It’s actually three guitars now!

[@mirak63]

@@kimfaucher007 I saw them 3 times recently and you can hear him better on records than live, where he is kind of buried.

[@cd0u50c9]

Absolutely spot on with this video - the bass tones in the mix vs soloed are sometimes worlds apart. As bass is not seen as a priority instrument in most bands (unless you're in Overkill) bassists have to be smart to get the sound guy to tweak their tone to match the guitars which are usually the first thing that forms the sound of the band. In my opinion for this reason the bassist and the sound guy need to spend time working on the bass tone that fits, but it very rarely happens. On a different note, it would be quite amazing if most bands would accept bass this high in the mix - pipe dream...

[@WHACK_space_rock]

Crucial EQ info... My band, WHACK, has an extra dynamic because we have TWO BASS guitars and one guitarist. But we broke it down like this...we viewed ourselves like a stereo speaker that has a bass speaker, mid-range speaker and tweeter. The other bass player has a 5 string and resides in the lower bass register. I ( the other bass player) have a 4 string and like to play with a fuzz, so I occupy most of the midrange. Our guitarist of course resides in the upper tweeter realm mostly...yes, there is some overlap but we think we have good separation. After I get a new amp, I should have even more control over my sound shape so we do have room for improvement. If anyone wants to here how this works, just click on the WHACK, and see our last 5 or 6 live videos that have decent sound quality on it...thanks for another great video, Rodney...!

[@RodneyMcG]

Good lord, that's a lot of sound negotiation! I'll check it out.

[@Jagdpz5]

In modern metal production guitar occupies so much of the sonic space that for bass it's often clank or bust. In black metal production guitars are often much less "massive" and leave much more room for bass to punch from below. Fact that it's often not utilized is another topic. The opening riff to Mayhems Necrolust is a perfect example. The marriage between bass and guitar creates absolutely devastating sound.

[@RodneyMcG]

Definitely true. The reasons for it are debatable, but i think a lot of hat comes from too many people playing solo these days and trying to fill out the whole mix with a single instrument. Good insight.

[@bublok]

MEEETAL BAAAASS MOOOOSH PIIIIT!!! *dives in head first* As soon as I finish my shift, that is :D

[@hbomb495]

“Sometimes I step into the Devils pool”... Hahahaha, as a guitar player, between that comment and the thumbnail of this video I’ve just had a most awesome and amusing morning. You know it’s good when you struggle to not spit out your coffee 😄 Loved this video and looking forward to more on the production side Rodney 👍 And as a devils advocate, I will join the Facebook group *raises shield* 😂

[@RodneyMcG]

I'll look forward to seeing you there. Don't worry, the hazing only lasts the first year!😂

[@Mrmemphisbones]

Excellent riffs used as examples ! Thank you for another inspiring lesson in bass eq-ing. Your videos are so interesting, week after week. High quality teaching. There are a lot of good players or composers around, and a lot of good teachers as well, but you re all three, and its rare. Keep walking the path and we will support you.

[@RodneyMcG]

Wow, that really does my heart good! Thanks so much. More to come, glad to have you on the channel.

[@offtherealm5438]

LOL...I could have used this content yesterday. Using a Joey Sturgis EQ chart I did something similar to this. One thing that seemed to help, is I notched out the kick drum where the bass was peaking, and notched down bass guitar where the kick was peaking (using a spectrum analyzer) and thank God those points weren't in the same place!! Also did this with guitars.....so basically a trio, relationship between kick, bass guitar and heavy rhythm guitar. Also added a tiny high pass filter on all instruments that aren't bass oriented like cymbals. Anyways....thanks Rodney, I'm going to implement your laser focused method shown here even more so in the future!-!-! ;-)

[@RodneyMcG]

Everything gets heard when it's in it's right place😉

[@iamgribs]

This was cool. I'm considering getting a graphic eq box. 1.3 to 2.2K was interesting. I guess that is the key. It is interesting, listening to recordings of myself - alone, the tone is poo but in a mix it sounds beastly.

[@RodneyMcG]

It's a tought hing to get past realizing that in the mix is way different. Good for you for getting with that.

[@kimfaucher007]

Wow! This was eye opening! It is going to help a lot making our mixes to have our next recordings make more sense. It’s probably going to end up a lot less muddy too! Many thanks Rodney!

[@RodneyMcG]

Excellent, hope it helps!

[@Powerserg-dx5kk]

Wish I could contribute to this but I'm still learning to mix my drums and hopefully I will learn to play bass . But dam it I will!! Thx Professor McG for an other informative video. 🤘

[@RodneyMcG]

Thanks Serg!

[@shanerobertson5630]

Thank you for such informative discussions.ive been playing over 30 years and learn new stuff from you all the time

[@RodneyMcG]

That's great to hear, thanks! Glad it's helped.

[@wonziba2122]

Every Band should see this Video. This is just as valid for a DAW as it is for live and rehearsal room sound. *btw you are welcome :)

[@RodneyMcG]

Absolutely, and thanks again 😉

[@dimitrisdiskovolos4749]

Thanks for the content ! very informative ! Volume wars is probably the no.1 thing that gives out a band which hasn't spent the time to blending in together. It also makes up for a horrible experience as a member of the audience.

[@RodneyMcG]

Right on, Dimitris. It never leads to anything good for everyone involved. Thanks for watching!

[@TheBeardofDOOM]

Super cool man. Learned quite a bit here. Thanks!

[@RodneyMcG]

Glad it helped!

[@scottymoepower]

Awesome vid, brotha! Learned something today! Thanks, man!!

[@RodneyMcG]

Glad it helped!

[@keithmitchell94]

Glad I logged on to this. Great advice Rodney. Going to this a go on track I've been struggling with

[@RodneyMcG]

Thanks for checking it out. Let me know how it works out for you

[@MrAlanAzar]

Great job Rodney.. your videos are very educational

[@RodneyMcG]

Thanks Alan, I appreciate you stopping in and watching

[@Justin_Shadow999]

Great Video Rodney. That track is really cool. Love how percussive and rolling the bass is.

[@RodneyMcG]

Thanks Justin. That's from the song Hellbent from my project Voice Of Dissent. It's going to be the subject of the first re-record in the upcoming songwriting / production series.

[@markusorth5450]

Rod, I love your channel and you seem like one of the nicest guys on youtube. I truly appreciate every reaction and response but I know that you can't keep it up. On one side, because I like your channel so much, I want it to succeed but, like a band with a cult following, I want it to remain the warm, welcoming place it is, You're doing a great job here and I love the vids and the group. Great work my man! \m/

[@RodneyMcG]

I can only hope it does well, and I genuinely appreciate the support. I have put thought into that, and I think i have some solutions. Of course I wouldn't be able to after a certain point, but I think i could a bit more than most. I'm looking at memberships and things that would let me keep connected with the really engaged people who really like being a part of the community. Live feeds, videos for members only where i can spend more time talking, etc. Hope you will be a part of it. All the best my friend!

[@markusorth5450]

@@RodneyMcG For what it's worth, I'm only a member of one Patreon channel, Lost in Vegas; $1/month, $10.86/year. Get them in the door and go from there, know what I'm sayin?

[@RodneyMcG]

Definitely working on it. Making sure i feel what people get for contributing is of actual value, and not just tokens. Love LIV. They crack me up!

[@markusorth5450]

@@RodneyMcG They seem like legit, good peeps.

[@TheGarageRecordingSC]

Great video bud, definitely learned something here !! 🤘🏻🤘🏻

[@RodneyMcG]

Glad it helped, Mike - thanks for watching!

[@Treggify]

Hi! I'm a guitar player first, but I just picked up my first bass (got a 5 string jazz bass.) These videos have been super helpful, as most bass content is about playing jazz. Super helpful.

[@RodneyMcG]

Congrats and welcome to the dark side!

[@metalfather8139]

your clank is so great....i love metal bass that sounds like an antique tractor pull.....

[@RodneyMcG]

Best description ever!

[@WizardOfArc]

Thank you for this wisdom!

[@RodneyMcG]

You're very welcome, hope it comes in handy!

[@StephenBecker]

Good stuff. Been playing around with my EQ pedal today based on these ideas. I've always thought my tone didn't sound as good when playing along with songs, and this definitely helps!

[@RodneyMcG]

Very cool. I hope you get good results. Funny how the other instruments can make your tone their bitch, isn't it?!

[@StephenBecker]

@@RodneyMcG Yes sir! I've always EQd things over broader ranges until it sounds good solo. Never thought of just poking one slider up to see what happens.

[@hissori2978]

Very helpful video, thanks

[@RodneyMcG]

Glad you got something out of it

[@stevenhirsekorn3444]

I always had my guitar player cut out some 400ish area and crank up his 900 to 1k because I didn't want to boost the 1.5k upper mid on my bass, i want my bass to be a blunt thud of low mid fury like a sledgehammer rather than a grind or a clank and damn it worked we could finally hear eachother clear as a bell when we discovered that trick

[@RodneyMcG]

Well done!

[@stevenhirsekorn3444]

@@RodneyMcG yessir it all in how you lay down the frequency map to get something greater than the sum of its parts especially with your low end and depending on how dry or wet the overall mix is that can change quite alot and the amount of bleed if you record it live too.

[@JOBSquad98]

Great video as always. I have a question about gigging without an amp. What pieces of equipment would i need to do this as i've seen a few bass players gigging without an amp?

[@RodneyMcG]

You just need something to have a direct out that is exactly how you want to hear yourself. Then either in ear monitors and a way to mix them, or a good monitor mix from the soundman

[@joelmcgee4405]

@@RodneyMcG Yes. The Direct Out on my Ampeg Portaflex 800, combined with a great soundman....Sweeeet!!🤘🤘

[@RodneyMcG]

That'll do ya!

[@getnmyn]

This will work great with my Schecter with EMGs, so thanks. I also have a 5 string P bass, have you covered anywhere how to add "girth" to the sound and not lose the mid growl that the P bass has?

[@RodneyMcG]

It's going to be dependent on what's going on in the rest of the mix. I would use the approach of doing a frequency sweep with the eq until you hear what you want, then add back in places that you need for definition. My initial places would be 120hz for thunder, and about 1k for growl.

[@davidlovellbass4761]

Killer episode! I love this stuff especially when it comes to playing live. Would it be possible to do the same sort of thing but for a live situation? Can’t speak for anyone else but my paid gigs to paid recording is about 10 to 1

[@RodneyMcG]

It works exactly the same live. You have to find the gaps and fill them in. The main thing is, don't judge your sound by standing by your amp. You're the only one who hears it that way, move out front and hear the mix to get how you truly sound in the band as a total.

[@ar156]

Very helpful video, thanks!

[@RodneyMcG]

Glad it was helpful!

[@anthonyelectric6045]

🙏🏻. That lesson was sooo good as I’m catching up Tuesday the new Monday this week. Rodney what was your favorite EQ value at the end? 25k? Now the task to convince guitarist to somehow comply. Great video👍

[@RodneyMcG]

IT's totally dependant on the mix. It won't be the same in every situation. That said, when soloed, my sound tends to have a peak at 120hz 220hz and 2K. Oh, and never ask the guitar player...just do!

[@anthonyelectric6045]

Rodney McG Thanks for the reply. Really enjoying the great information. I’ll take your advice and smile at the guitars when I’m adjusting the EQ and didn’t say a thing 😂. Definitely saved this lesson

[@BlackWeaponsBench]

Great info! Thanks for the vid.

[@RodneyMcG]

Thanks for checking it out!

[@kongandbasses8732]

For my gear I find playin around with a slight cut in the region between 380 - 500 Hz plus boosting the region around 1200 - 1400 Hz the optimum for my live tone. Especially in live situations you have to put more into the calculation. Like the voice of the bass you want to use, your amp, cab and the venue. I find your Schekter basses have a killer tone, but more pronounced in the upper mids. On my MusicMan StingRay basses I have to twiddle slightly different EQ - regions. When people are talking about boosting the low end, I just tell 'em that I don't want to fight the bass drum and explain The helpfull thing on the onboard preamps of the StingRay 5 basses. They have a built in high pass, that works at 60 Hz (just don't know the other parameters of the high pass) and takes away rumble and some of the wild excursions of the speakers. Its amazing that the low notes do come through like thunder anyway. I have to tune down half a step (Bb standard) with a 1.30 - .45 set, and have a tone that is killing small furry animals. Thank you for sharing your wisdom with the community.

[@RodneyMcG]

Sounds like you and I EQ in the same regions. Love to hear some samples of that Stingray tone sometime.

[@infernicide666]

Very useful video! Its been my experience recording that when I recorded bass it always gets buried and the producer doesn’t know how to get the bass higher in the mix. EQ is the key! Also I heard using a SANS Amp helps. Is that true?

[@lukeemhigh]

Got that same schecter guitar, loving it. However, I wanted to ask a n00b question as I am much more of a guitar player than a bassist.. what's the deal with pickup position/type when it comes to metal bass tone? What position do you gravitate toward the most? Also, I'm guessing pickup type (P, J, MM, SB) have a determinant role in the position choice..? Anyway, I really appreciate your work here, keep it up!

[@RodneyMcG]

Very cool on the Schecter! The pickup style definitely makes a difference on placement. If i have to only have one pickup, I would go with a P in the neck. It's got the right combo of grind and punch. Most people would match it to a J in the bridge. I do sometimes and have for a long time. These days i'm actually using a P in both positions as it gives me a really aggressive upper mid cut that cuts through a mix in a unique way. Thanks for being on the channel, hope to see you on the facebook group.

[@lukeemhigh]

@@RodneyMcG Thanks a lot for the very useful infos! As for the facebook group, count me in! I will definetly be there, cheers!

[@TheJollyMisanthrope]

Check out the latest Mekong Delta album if you haven't already. Bass cuts right through, sounds huge, not to mention great songwriting!

[@RodneyMcG]

I'll check it out, thanks!

[@TheJollyMisanthrope]

@@RodneyMcG kzbin.info/www/bejne/iJSQkpKuZbiHo7M Enjoy!

[@SanitysVoid]

The #1 enemy of the bass player is the Sound man who is afraid to pump any bass through his sound system. This was an epic problem in San Diego in the 80's/90's no wonder I ended up with 4 marshall bass cabs run with two heads. Some sound men are sneaky too, they will give you correct bass levels on the sound check but soon as you go live the bass is gone, as if you never checked the sound.

[@RodneyMcG]

So much truth

[@SanitysVoid]

@@RodneyMcG Maybe you can do a video on this and maybe bring a sound man in to interview, you can have his face in the dark and alter his voice. These sound men! No wonder for decades people are like "the bass is not important". Sigh

[@RodneyMcG]

I'll look into that

[@green8923]

Great tutorial! I'm wondering if maybe starting with plucking pretty close to the bridge, tone all the way up (or a little boosted treble on the pre-amp) would help the bass get closer to this sort of tone, and maybe only minor post processing could be used later on to help cut?

[@RodneyMcG]

Just try out everything you can and experiment and you'll find what's right for you. Just follow your own inner guide and what sound truly is yours

[@green8923]

@@RodneyMcG Understood. Thank you for the advice and thank you for getting back to me. Also, I'm really sorry to hear about your illness

[@crusherolies8195]

mod question here. so i have brass saddles and a plastic nut. i have been toying around with the idea of brass nut. what do you think?

[@RodneyMcG]

I wouldn't do it. Brass is fundamentally soft and we'll grind down much easier. Everybody I know the pad one has to get it replaced at a certain point. I would go for one of the tougher graphite like tusq

[@crusherolies8195]

@@RodneyMcG ok kool thats the type of answer i was looking for, good reason to stay away from it. thanks

[@aymanlafaz]

do you really have to have a clanky bass tone i love the low bassy almost clean tones and if fits the style i play which is atmospheric black metal can i cut through with that tone with the same techniques u showed ?

[@RodneyMcG]

You don't have to do anything you don't want to do! You can be heard, just use the same principles and ideas.

[@aymanlafaz]

thanks i appreciate the good information keep it up dude

[@ericollom7530]

I'm pretty sure this was my favorite episode! Quick question, how close can to one frequency can two instruments be and still stay off of each other. In other words if there is a competition for 200 k and one gets swept to 205k is that's still arching over each other and therefore stepping over each player sound? And therefore needs to be swept even further away from 200? And last question could a change in release time of the one instrument at 200k through a compressor, help the other instrument pack itself closer to were it originally wanted to be (200k)

[@RodneyMcG]

Hey Eric - You will always have overlap, but you have to decide which instrument is more important to be heard in that area. As far as how far off, it depends on the original source. Does it have a immediate cut at 205? If not, then it won't help much. You have to find holes where the instrument isn't showing much of itself in that region. Compression won't mask eq. You are either present or not. Hope that helps.

[@keithmcmenamy5084]

Sounds great! What are you using for distortion on the bass Rodney?

[@RodneyMcG]

In that example i was using the JST Bassforge Hellraiser

[@bassimprovjams3772]

Had to come back to this one, im having my bass mixed next week and searching for that mudvayne LD50 bass cut through, do you have an idea how they achieved that bass mix? I know that thumb bass has a lot to do with the cut I’m using a stingray tho After watching this a 2nd time about to be in this situation this was so much help brother!!! Ima try that 2 khz area!! That’s 3 kHz sounds killer!!!

[@RodneyMcG]

You can get similar tones without the warwick. A lot will also depend on your guitar players tone. If you want that Martinie style honk, try booting the 700hz and 1.5k area. It should help as long as the guitars aren't too dominant in that range.

[@bassimprovjams3772]

@@RodneyMcG ok thanks Rodney!!! Loving the new series!!

[@bassimprovjams3772]

@@RodneyMcG thank you Big Rodney!! I’ll let you know how it turns out!!!

[@daveethridge7342]

I haven't been in a band in a long time, but I prefer a Motown clean tone and a Black Sabbath dirty tone. I use my Boss Old Dirty Bastard to get a Geezer/Tony overdrive. Sounds awesome with my Epiphone Thunderbird.

[@RodneyMcG]

Sounds like a solid combo to me!

[@daveethridge7342]

@@RodneyMcG thank you 🤘

[@BatEatsMoth]

Here's a helpful tool: www.teachmeaudio.com/mixing/techniques/audio-spectrum

[@bxp_bass]

TBH, bass was very loud for me all the time in my headphones. Thanks!

[@RodneyMcG]

Hey Alexander - I did keep the bass louder than usual to make sure people could hear the effect of the EQ. in a normal mix, the effect would definitely drown the bass out completely. Thanks for the comment.

[@573ronnie]

Is that Studio One I see on your computer screen?

[@573ronnie]

Disregard...I posted that before you brought it up on your video. Lol

[@RodneyMcG]

😂🤘

[@harryburnett7086]

Davey504 loves you

[@robmorrison5059]

That's a pretty bitchin' song. Is it an original peice, & if so, do you have a Bandcamp page?

[@RodneyMcG]

Thanks. It is an original from my project Voice Of Dissent called Hellbent. voiceofdissent.bandcamp.com/

[@xNachtmahRx]

B-Bass? What is this? I heard about it. Legends say that it was an important instrument in the past! But seriously, can we force videos like this on these wannabe, self-taught generation of "producers" who destroy even the best music with their bs?