3 Ways To Stop Your Bass From Drowning In The Mix

Tired of your bass getting lost in the mix? 🎸 Let's fix that with 3 great techniques from Streaky, Sylvia Massy and Nick Launey. No BS, just fresh mixing ideas to make your bass hit harder and cut through cleaner. 👉

Streaky

Get the bass to cut through with parallel saturation

Streaky demonstrates how to make a bass cut through on smaller speakers using parallel compression and saturation with FabFilter Saturn. He sends the bass to a parallel bus, applying an SSL compressor with a 4:1 ratio, slow attack, and fast release to maintain transient clarity while achieving a fat, compressed sound. Next, he uses FabFilter Saturn to add saturation, focusing on the higher frequencies above 140 Hz. This technique enhances the bass's presence by introducing harmonics without altering the low-end character. By blending this processed signal back into the mix, the bass maintains its power on club systems while ensuring clarity and presence on smaller speakers. This approach effectively balances the bass's impact across different playback systems.

SonicScoop

Use distortion to bring the bass upfront

Sylvia Massy applies distortion to the bass to enhance its presence and prominence. She uses the Sansamp PSA-1 plugin by Avid, a part of her mixing template, to add a "buzzy", "crispy," and "fizzy" quality to the signal. The distortion increases the bass's audibility, helping it to cut through the track better and come more the front of the mix.

Mix with the Masters

Manipulate phase to make the bass cut through

Nick Launay illustrates how he enhances the presence of a bass recording through phase alignment. He achieves this by applying varying amounts of sample delay between the direct input (DI) and the microphone signal, specifically in the verse and chorus sections. This approach modifies the phase interactions, which in turn affects the EQ characteristics of the combined bass signal. It allows him to precisely tailor the bass's impact, ensuring it has a consistent presence and cuts through effectively in each part of the mix.