Bass compression is one of the most important considerations when mixing low end.

Using compression on bass to solidify the part and make it ever-present and consistent means that you can shape your low end mix much easier and place the bass in its own defined space in the mix.

If you've mixed rock and indie music for any length of time then you’ll no doubt be familiar with the concept of compressing bass. The two telltale giveaways of an amateur mix are a bass that's too loud and muddy AND one that's not consistent. So today, I want to focus on compressing bass guitar in a typical rock or indie mix to fix these common problems.

Watch the video to see me provide several ways to use compression on bass to get it to sit solidly and provide drive and energy in a typical pop-punk mix.

If you want to learn more about low end mixing then you might want to check out my blog where I talk about mixing kick and bass for a full, yet tight, low end mix or, if...

Beginners to mixing music often ask, what is compression in music?

It can be a hard concept to grasp when you’re first starting out so, in this video, I wanted to explain what compressors do in music by taking a step back and explaining the concept of compression and why we use it and then show a few basic examples on vocals, snare and kick drum.

This video is not so much about compressor settings but more about the mindset and concept of compression explained.

Compression Explained

It’s a tricky technique to grasp and can take a long time to master but by understanding what a compressor does to music, how it controls the dynamics and changes the tone, then we can apply it with more understanding and creativity.

Explaining compression is easy on the face of it, it’s a simple piece of equipment but understanding how we can use it in a musical way takes a little more practice.

If you're looking for my FREE download for vocal...