Why aren't bass parts mixed louder?

[Still.ill]

i know theres a probably a reason why they can't make the bass parts of most records louder... i mean if they are just boring root note bass lines than i dont really care but i was listening to "the queen is dead" by the smiths and noticed every bass line is amazing.... but you really have to focus your attention to it to notice it

[PanaDP]

Fashion.

[jjpistols]

why isn't everything else mixed quieter?

[pixelchemist]

small speakers...

[Longhair]

It would be amazing if they remixed Metallica's first 3 CD's to hear Cliff better.

[docjeffrey]

Tradition.

[DonK]

Balance of power. I imagine Sting gets his bass parts mixed just as loud as he wants.

[dimmypage]

Since I got a sub woofer I was thinking the total oppisite:lol:

[mistersully]

for me it depends on the song... but i'm with ya... i like to hear the bass

 

very generally speaking... i'm so damn bored with a way a lot of today's music is mixed and arranged... screw the format... make it interesting

[Mr_GoodBomb]

Depends on the song, I guess.

[Still.ill]

 

Depends on the song, I guess.

 

 

by what i mean loud is like

the old cure records

[Rex Machete]

bass left out of the mix > leads to > lack of appreciation for bass > leads to > nobody wants to play bass > leads to > only mediocre musicians play bass > leads to > boring bass parts > leads to > bass left out of the mix

 

DAMN YOU DEADLY CYCLE OF BASS MISERY!

[johanneswiberg]

Pretty common and a damn shame. If the bass parts are as good as Chris Squires, they oughta be mix as loud as his.

[Surfdude]

They say that Paul McCartney ws a very innovative bass player but you have to listen very close to hear the bass parts. Sometimes, I think that's the beauty of the bass. It's doing a lot and adding a lot behind the scenes but typically does not step out and overpower.

 

Technically, the bass is part of the rhythm section anyway.

 

But I am with you. The bass does need to be heard.

 

Surfy

[Rex Machete]

 

They say that Paul McCartney was a very innovative bass player but you have to listen very close to hear the bass parts. Sometimes, I think that's the beauty of the bass. It's doing a lot and adding a lot behind the scenes but typically does not step out and overpower. Technically, the bass is part of the rhythm section anyway. But I am with you. The bass does need to be heard. Surfy

 

 

+1 he is definitely my favorite bass player, and IMO, the most talented musician they had

[Ancient Mariner]

Seems to me you can hear quite a lot of bass parts on beatles records.

 

If the bass is a feature of the band like in Level 42 then the bass will be well forwards. I like the bass parts in early Wishbone Ash: you can really hear it linking sections together.

[brian KEEEEM]

[YOUTUBE][/YOUTUBE]

[johanneswiberg]

 

 

The white album? :poke:

[UberNova]

I like to think of Metallica as my favorite example:

 

More people than I can stand to count will say in a most ignorant manner, that Jason Newstead was a crappy bassist.

 

And on an opposing note, I hear many give praise to the skills of Rob Trujillo. And even more so to the likes of Cliff Burton.

 

What's my opinion on all of this might you ask? You probably didn't.. but I'll throw it out there for anyone curious enough to be reading this right now. Well, I don't have one. Why? Cause I can't ******* hear any of it. Thus I have nothing to base comparison on. This doesn't just apply to Metallica, but almost all the bands I listen to (with the exception of Limp Bizkit haha). All in all it really is a shame that bass players in general don't get more feature. Maybe all it would take is more volume for some bands, I don't know. Perhaps then some of the more underrated ones would get the credit they deserve.

[johanneswiberg]

 

I like to think of Metallica as my favorite example: More people than I can stand to count will say in a most ignorant manner, that Jason Newstead was a crappy bassist. And on an opposing note, I hear many give praise to the skills of Rob Trujillo. And even more so to the likes of Cliff Burton. What's my opinion on all of this might you ask? You probably didn't.. but I'll throw it out there for anyone curious enough to be reading this right now. Well, I don't have one. Why? Cause I can't ******* hear any of it. Thus I have nothing to base comparison on. This doesn't just apply to Metallica, but almost all the bands I listen to (with the exception of Limp Bizkit haha). All in all it really is a shame that bass players in general don't get more feature. Maybe all it would take is more volume for some bands, I don't know. Perhaps then some of the more underrated ones would get the credit they deserve.

 

 

I many cases, I say the same - I only really notice the bass line when there's something extraordinary happening there. Or when the music is mixed properly. The bass line makes a big impact on the music in most cases, but on a hidden level, except for funk and it's derivatives (think RHCP). So it seems you have to be a slapping moron to receive recognition if you're a bass player.

[Jkater]

+1 on "depends on the song".

 

I will add that I love how sometimes the bass is very present but more like "wrapping" (for lack of a better word) the music. It may appear "unclear" but it binds the instruments nicely and creates this unified sound that is so pleasant and effective. This is an example of something very hard to describe with words (especially in a second language). Listen to DaveAronow's band Adrian Ray. Dave's work in that band examplifies what I mean by this.

Other times, I like a funky, very clear and "to-the-front" bass part.

 

In any case, playing bass competently is NOT a simple thing and many competent guitarists wouldn't cut it. Not long ago, I sit for a bass player in a gig, had one rehearsal and was reading the chord charts. Best i could manage improvising lines was paying attention to the minor, major and flatted fifth so I don't screw up. I had a good sweat but it was FUN as hell. I would love to be a bass player in a good band.

[59humbucker]

A lot of the time it's not the loudness but the frequencies.

 

If you're in a band playing with a degree of gain and lots of muted power chords, that "thunk" that guitar players love making is right in the way of the bass sound. It really doesn't matter how loud you turn the bass, it still won't be heard, the only way round it is for the bass player to have a more trebbly sound.

 

Cleaner music gives more room to everyone. The KOL manage to have a warm round bass sound that's always heard, but their guitar playing is much cleaner

[Super Bass]

Being a bass player I've become "tuned in" to the sound of bass. So even if the bass is buried pretty deep I can hear it. I guess that's the difference between listening to a song and just hearing it.

 

In terms of the first three Metallica albums I have no problem hearing the bass on those. On a good few songs Cliff is just playing in the groove and not doing anything too wild.

[A_saVANT]

If you think the bass is mixed to quiet, go listen to Primus.

[csm]

Check some 70s reggae -- Black Uhuru, or anything with Robbie Shakespeare. Sly & Robbie's productions always put bass in yer face ...