Bass!

I'm not that new to the forums but I've only just recently started to really make beats again on my 2000xl.

I'm happy with diggin for samples and chopping, etc but I'm really struggling with any kind of bass on my tracks. All I have is my mpc and I don't really know where to get any bass from to fit with the beats.

I've heard you can use your samples as bass if you tweak them in some ways but I don't know how!

If anyone can help me with my bass problems then I'd really appreciate it

James...

The technique youre looking for is one of the most common ones in hip hop production. I think it was Marley Marl or Easy Mo Bee who originated that technique...

Its all about having 2 "versions" of your sample.

1 version of the sample where the bass is pulled out of it, meaning that the frequezies below 100khz are EQ'ed out

and

1 version where only the "bass" element of the sample is at work. Meaning that the bass is boosted and the treble is removed (almost)

The second version of your sample will play the role of your bassline and the more ordinarily EQ'ed version of your sample is your melody or whatever.

Layer these 2 versions of the same sample over each other, and you have a perfect bassline for your sample

Do some mixing and matching till it sounds tight and there ya go...

Got it?

Peace

Thanks for replying...yeah thats exactly what I mean and need for my tracks, but how do you do it?! I just can't work out how you do it!

JAMES wrote:Thanks for replying...yeah thats exactly what I mean and need for my tracks, but how do you do it?! I just can't work out how you do it!

You just need to EQ your sample(s)...

I use Acid Pro for that but there are tons of other programs where you can do that

Ok thanks alot for that...guess I need to go out and buy some software

JAMES wrote:Ok thanks alot for that...guess I need to go out and buy some software

Hmm... what type of MPC do you own?

I got a MPC 2000 and the job can be done using the parameters in the "Program" function... just using the filters, frequenze and reson changers

I've got the 2000xl, tried searching for stuff but no luck!

JAMES wrote:I've got the 2000xl, tried searching for stuff but no luck!

Program mode -> DRUM 1 -> PARA. You can mess with the attack, decay, resonance, and filter in there.

Peace

can u do this with the 1k?

another bass trick that has been discussed here many,many times is the 16 levels function ar auto chromatic. I don't even remember how to do the auto chromatic function but, 16 levels is great.
w/2kxl:
sample a bass note.
shift+program
press params softkey
adjust the bass to get it booming by lowering the freq. and raising the resonance.
go back to the main screen
press 16 levels key
assign the bass to 16 levels
play a bassline across the 16 pads.

incurablebeatlust wrote:another bass trick that has been discussed here many,many times is the 16 levels function ar auto chromatic. I don't even remember how to do the auto chromatic function but, 16 levels is great.
w/2kxl:
sample a bass note.
shift+program
press params softkey
adjust the bass to get it booming by lowering the freq. and raising the resonance.
go back to the main screen
press 16 levels key
assign the bass to 16 levels
play a bassline across the 16 pads.

yeah most of my basslines are done like this, and i love the results. Once in a while, i will just filter the highs outta a sample, but i love creating my own on 16 pads man.

I use anything for a bassline. As long as it's layered with a nice thick subby sine bass it's alright.

I rarely use the technique with filtering out your samples... I usually play my own basslines but it depends on what mood Im in, what type of sample etc.

Thanks alot everyone...glad you told me about the Resonance aswell its given some of the kicks I was using a better sound