need a good plug in compressor for bass

[getreel]

Both Blockfish and kjaerhusaudio classic-compressor have worked well for me on bass. Hardware wise, I have always liked the Ashly CL-52. Sometimes I track through the DI on my Great River pre with the Ashly on the insert. For less brutal control on the way in, I use my RNC with the GR.

[JdJ]

If you want more of an optical thing (along the La2a lines) the Massey C4 does it pretty well.

-J

[Jeff White]

I use Waves RennComp mostly on bass.

As do I, but I have been following it with the Nomad Factory BlueTubes LM2S Limiter, starting at the "Bass Sustain" preset and tweaking from there. Then I crank the output a bit and EQ slightly. All of this after running direct through a Yamaha PM1000. I'm getting lots of compliments on this bass sound lately.

Jeff

[Slider]

RVox is pretty good at this stuff.
I hate to say it, but the L1 also does something cool for crushing bass now and again.
It seems like plugs really pinch the bass sound more in general, while good old fashioned outboard compression really opens the sound up. I must be crazy.

BTW. There is a song on the Tom Waits album "Franks Wild Years" where the upright bass just goes insane everytime a certain note is hit.
Must have been the room and\or instrument that caused that one, because you hear it no matter where it's played back.

[river]

There's a freeware limiter called the TLs-2095-LA that I downloaded some time ago, and recently tried it on a bass track that I couldn't get to sit well in a mix. It made it pop, gave it punch, did everything I needed it to. It takes a little getting used to, can get very agressive and colored, but it's a great tool fer nothin'! Check over at KVR, I think that's where I found it. If you can't find it, PM me with email address and I'll send you the zip file.

[roygbiv]

Tatertot wrote:

That thing is cool. Don't let the Phil Collins endorsement scare you off. It won't make your hair fall out.

That's some funny shit dude. Made me snort out loud!:lol:

Not a compressor per se, but FreeAmp kicks ass on bass - some pretty nice punchy sounds for free ('specially if you use the 8X10 cabinet).

The guy who makes them is FrettedSynth:
http://frettedsynth.home.att.net/

[touched1]

+ 1 for Nomad Blue Tubes Limiter

[mertmo]

Digidesign's MAXIM limiter is actually pretty great on bass. Took me a while to
discover it, 'cause it's just not a plug you think of first.

[BradG]

I love the T-Racks compressor on bass.

or this plug-in (but you've got to use the plug-out as well to make it work):

[fossiltooth]

BTW. There is a song on the Tom Waits album "Franks Wild Years" where the upright bass just goes insane everytime a certain note is hit.
Must have been the room and\or instrument that caused that one, because you hear it no matter where it's played back.

Just have to say I love that album. It doesn't really sound "mixed" in a modern sense. The overall RMS level of that recording is really, really low too. Not much compression on instruments there from a contemporary standpoint, except when used as part of a lo-fi-ification of a sound. I don't think we're "allowed" to make records that sound like that anymore. *tear* It's like liver and onions. Takes a true music lover to appreciate it on a sonic level, but damn is it good for you.

Anyway, now that I see that this is turning into an actual thread about plug-in compressors, I have to add:

-Massey CT4. I could mix an entire record ITB with this as my only comp.

-Smack! It's very finicky and takes tweaking, but it's good. I think adding a little harmonic distortion to bass (especially when itb) can be a good thing. Smack and Tapehead are two of the only digital plugs that do this in a decent way.

-URS 1980 immediately has "that" sound on bass... Lean, muscualr, controlled/// but a little cleaner and more "processed" sounding. It works more effectively on bass guitar than anywhere else. Otherwise I don't like it too much.

-Maybe RennComp.... maybe.

-Any of the UAD comps. They're a re very good at compressing and they react somewhat like the units they're modeled after, eve if they don't have any of the vibe when pushed. Unfortunately, they're a total P.I.T.A. if you ever find yourself in the unfortunate position of mixing real records on a PTLE system... which I have to do from time to time. Don't fret... it can be done. It just takes patience and hard work.

A boss CS-3? seems like a lot of work for a kind of crappy stompbox compressor with no personality. I'd rather use a plug-in. Then again, I guess everything has its place. Maybe it could kick ass on a certain song.

[palinilap]

I love the PSP Mix-Saturator on bass. Lately been using it in line with McDSP's Compressor Bank or a URS comp.

[wedge]

As do I, but I have been following it with the Nomad Factory BlueTubes LM2S Limiter, starting at the "Bass Sustain" preset and tweaking from there.

Thanks for the tip! I just tried this, and me likeee!

[caffiend2049]

+1 for Vintage Warmer...awesome on almost everything. Although it seems to suck a lot of processor. I need to make careful bussing decisions until I can spring for an 8core mac.

+1+1+1 for "Frank's Wild Years"
Simply an Amazing record. Classic example of great songwriting trumping slick production.

[Nick Sevilla]

Hey guys, i need to get a good compressor for my vst plug ins that i can compress really hard. i have some good compressors like the sonitus but you can only get to a ratio of about 8:1 and sometimes for bass i need a REALLY hard compress so i don't get those peaks. Does anyone know of any one? I'd be willing to pay a little bit of money if there is one that you think just absolutly sounds amazing and does a great job. And do yall prefer a multiband compressor for bass or not?

Use a LIMITER. Set it so it engages AFTER the initial pluck attack, and slow release.

Set the threshold so it only grabs a little of the notes, not too much.

Cheers