Mod Archive Forums

Music Production => Tracking => Topic started by: Tetragon on February 22, 2010, 18:32:34

Title: Trackers and bass= dissapointment?
Post by: Tetragon on February 22, 2010, 18:32:34
Hey guys, I'm sorry I haven't been here for a while (like maybe one post, lol!), I've been tracking trying to learn the effects and more efficient ways to use samples and patterns, and most importantly how to get my song ideas out effectively.

I have noticed something though, the bass frequencies in trackers are really weak! I like to listen to DNB in my car, and the stuff that was obviously produced with rackmount samplers and such shakes the windows and gives you that satisfying bass BZZZZZ. Tracker modules never seem to do that, they come close but never exactly the same. Whether it's one of my own modules I listen to so I can think of ways to improve it, or some professionally tracked mod like Foregone Destruction by Michiel van den Bos (part of the UT99 soundtrack), the bass is slightly weaker than a non-tracker tune.

Is this just a problem inherent with old-school style (IE not Renoise or VST capable) tracker technology, or is there some way to make the bass bassier? I'm sure it's not MP3 compression because I use 320kbps 48khz CBR, which is what all my non-tracker music I listen to is converted to as well.

Thanks! :3
Title: Re: Trackers and bass= dissapointment?
Post by: Saga Musix on February 22, 2010, 19:19:53
Well, sorry to disappoint your, but all those assumtions are not correct. A tracker is nothing but an advanced sampler. You can sample anything. Even a fat bass. The problem is that most trackers are just amateurs, i.e. they have no experience with mixing and mastering. Back in the old days, it was also rather complicated to get good samples, meaning that people often just took the samples that were lying around. And that resulted in rather crappy sounding samples. But that doesn't mean that there's some kind of natural restriction to tracker modules! The software you use (almost) never restricts the sound you can make with it. Even on the Amiga.
Title: Re: Trackers and bass= dissapointment?
Post by: Tetragon on February 23, 2010, 04:32:06
Really? I'n going to have to try and sample a MicroKorg subbass again then, and see if I can get the sound I'm looking for. Thank you!  8)