Twincam Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 This can probably apply to a lot of music not just Bass. In my quest to find out more about recording and music making i have both been fascinated and dismayed by the amount of processing people will do. There is a guy on youtube a great bass player anyhow but he will take a small amount of time to record his bass parts normally half a day, then spends 5-6 days using software etc to get his sound. That doesn't seem right to me. Surely then why not just play a synth or make music totally by software. People's comments on older isolated bass tracks on youtube are ridiculous, Just because there not perfect or processed to hell, they have fret and string noise in them, passion and dynamics. To each there own and all that, things also move on in the world and good engineering can enhance music. So im not against things at all. I just don't like this over reliance to sound good. Or that some think music has to be perfect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 Every single multi-track recording made will have had processing applied to to the tracks somewhere between the microphone and the final mixed product. It makes no difference whether the processing happens in the digital or analogue domain, whether it's been meticulously assembled from multiple takes in a DAW or live mix of several tracks on the mixing desk. It is still processing. If you want your recordings to be "pure" you need to be looking at all acoustic performances captured direct with a single stereo pair of microphones where everything is down to the placement of the instruments and the microphones within the recording location. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 For ultimate purity, go to an acoustic gig that's not recorded and fondly remember the event later. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cloud Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 Excellent thread ...and I totally agree with the OP. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 (edited) i suppose it depends on whether the processing is a key element of your sound, or whether it's being used to polish a turd. Edited March 25, 2015 by discreet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old_Ben Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 Some might argue that the processing is there to amplify the best bits of each sound to bring it together as a whole unit and deliver a quality product that doesn't sound 'second rate'! Musicians are insecure perfectionists at the best of times so to tell them to make it the best it possibly can, I'm surprised any of them finish and not spend forever tweaking and processing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 I`m with the OP here, the isolated bass tracks I`ve heard have had me amazed as there`s been fret-buzz/string-noise in them, yet in the actual mix those lines come alive and really make the tracks shine. Which to me is the whole point, to get a great song. Too much processing etc for me sanitises the songs, making them sterile, but that`s me, others may really like that sound, and that`s why music is so great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phil.c60 Posted March 25, 2015 Share Posted March 25, 2015 And, for me, why a drummer is better (yes, I know, I said it) than a programmed drum machine which always sounds a bit soulless to me, it seems to lack "feel" somehow (now I've probably started something) as do overly processed auto-tuned vocals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twincam Posted March 25, 2015 Author Share Posted March 25, 2015 (edited) [quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1427307536' post='2728693'] Every single multi-track recording made will have had processing applied to to the tracks somewhere between the microphone and the final mixed product. It makes no difference whether the processing happens in the digital or analogue domain, whether it's been meticulously assembled from multiple takes in a DAW or live mix of several tracks on the mixing desk. It is still processing. If you want your recordings to be "pure" you need to be looking at all acoustic performances captured direct with a single stereo pair of microphones where everything is down to the placement of the instruments and the microphones within the recording location. [/quote] Yes indeed. That's all fine to a point, what im referring to is the people who will say take there bass track not only eq it but look at it in minute detail and then further process it in till it sounds like nothing they were playing but there still trying to make it sound like it, if that makes sense. Experimentation new sounds and styles are great and i admire the work that goes on in a studio. Some great music comes from this. I'm not suggesting going back to just acoustic, or even that all you need is a p bass, flat wounds and an ampeg b15 etc etc. Good playing sound/tone, good recording practices, sensible engineering, common sense should be used. The is a sensible ratio of instrument and players talent, to after processing. [quote name='phil.c60' timestamp='1427310328' post='2728766'] And, for me, why a drummer is better (yes, I know, I said it) than a programmed drum machine which always sounds a bit soulless to me, it seems to lack "feel" somehow (now I've probably started something) as do overly processed auto-tuned vocals. [/quote] Agreed. I don't think humans at least at this stage are built to like perfection in everything. Also a machine can not replicate passion and playing nuisances. Not to mention that perfection actually sounds bland and dull. Edited March 25, 2015 by Twincam Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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