Mixing bass is hard! I’m still figuring out how to nail it with every track. Synth bass can be over powering and tonally complex and in a busy track, it can get muddy or lost.
With this mixing technique, saturation is layered in with the main bass synth to help the bass line be heard in the mix and on smaller speakers like phones or laptops.
More low end or volume doesn’t really achieve clarity or presence and might just ruin your entire mix! Layering saturation solves this problem really easily.
Give it a try yourself in Ableton Live or your DAW of choice. Soundtoys Decapitator is a great saturation plugin but you can do this with any saturation plugin that can make a dirty sound.
Remember to filter out the low end using a high pass to avoid adding a lot of additional low end.
I’m a Music Producer, Musician and Mix Engineer who helps artists to create music that sounds better than they imagined. Get in touch if you’d like to work with me.
Steve Baker 