Filthy Loud Bass With Clarity On Any DAW + Free VST Plugins
Let’s talk low end
Wide and controlled bass sets the foundation for my entire mix.
Here are a few tips to achieve this.
Let’s go! I’m super pumped to talk about this. *DISCLAIMER I’m still figuring my bass and mix out (I will still be learning this when I am 70 years old), but I’m pretty damn proud of where I’m at with it today. Over the past decade I have been working to develop a massive bass sound that my mix can sit on. It really was in the past year that I dialed it in and felt good about it. Let’s talk bass.
Get weird with what you use
First off, we can achieve bass through many different instruments. A live Fender P bass, sine waves, square waves, the lower register of an organ, my friend is using an extended length diggaridoo and cutting off the highs and its makes the largest bass I’ve ever heard. The sky is the limit. Whatever you pick as your low end chariot, remember that our mix only has enough space for so many frequencies. After that we get “the mud”. No one wants mud in their mix. Using less can really let more space and sound shine through.
Beef Up That Low End With Saturation - Szechuan Saturator
Click to experience this free VST plugin.
What is this thing?
On my quest to make my low end really come to life I discovered the Szechuan Saturator. A completely FREE saturation plugin from Coda Labs that you can download here.
We are adding some harmonic distortion, which pretty much means bringing out and adding emphasis to whatever frequencies we assign it to.
Why I dig it:
This plugin is great because it has a mix knob. Yes, you don’t need to throw it on a bus! Go hard and roll the mix up gradually. I find that plugins sound best when we have nice input running into them. Sometimes when I use plugins on a bus they aren’t getting enough input and don’t hit quite as hard.
The visualizer is amazing and let’s me fully see what its doing to the wave.
This plugin is super simple to use! Just try it out, you will not be disappointed. Small download, easy install, get after it.
*Don’t be a menace and overdo it by putting this on 10 tracks, you will guarantee a shit mix. Use it for a little boost where you need it.
You could try splitting your bass and adding this to the higher frequencies only. I often split bass lines and manipulate the sound by low - mids - highs.
Audio Damage Rough Rider Series Compression
Click the image to download Rough Rider 3
Big shoutout to Audio Damage. This company offers amazing plugins that are completely FREE in addition to top shelf paid plugins and VST instruments. The Rough Rider series compressor has been a huge staple in my music production for the past 5 years. I have the OG Rough Rider and Rough Rider 2 on almost every song I’ve produced. They just released Rough Rider 3!
What I like about the Rough Rider:
It is completely free and does not drain your CPU.
Using different compressors offers different flavor on my mix. When we use the same stock Logic compressor on 10 tracks we are adding the same character to each one even with different settings. A variety of compression allows us to add emphasis to certain sounds with more control.
This is extremely versatile and sounds amazing over high frequency instruments like bells, pianos and samples.
The Rough Rider 3 has a sidechain built in to the free version. I don’t need to say anything else. Thank you Audio Damage.
There is a mix knob so you don’t have to send it on a bus! Rough Rider slaps on a bus, just make sure you are giving it proper input so if fully kicks.
Tip to smooth out fuzzy bass: Start with all the knobs at zero. Slowly roll up the release and it will tame the extra fuzz that the Szechuan Saturator brings with it.
What are you all doing in the mix?
I’m super curious what everyone else is doing to mix and place emphasis their low end. Any secret sauce? Let’s talk levels. I spend hours each week across different production groups and forums digging for anything new I can find. I think simplicity in the mix is key but we can sometimes add a ton with a plugin or two. Send me a message with what you’re doing!
— Kiel
