Dear Audiosexer,

I just started out with mixing and stumbled upon some multi-track names with I still don't get. I get some for example: Kick in & Kick Out, but there are some that I couldn't quite find out about like:
- BassDi
- BassDist
- BassAmp

Does this have anything to do with mic placement? Or is is threaten a certain way? Idk.

Im convinced that you probably know the answer, would be cool if you help me out.

Thank you in advance <3

Jim

 

DI is direct interface, a box between instrument and input to balance impedence and change the level. Usually active battery powered. Bass amp is a preset for micing an amp. Not sure about the Dist. prabably direct without a DI.

 

BassDist is a track where the bass is distorting, I take it. It could be the amp distorting since it's turned up high or less likely, maybe it's going through a distortion pedal. Maybe they had a crappy mic with an interesting color that they set up deliberately to distort...

Think of all these tracks as a palette of colors you can blend to taste. If you don't like a certain color or don't see the use for it in what you're trying to do with the mix, feel free not to use it.

 

Ok, but I'm the kickdrum as usual.

 

Thank you guys for your help Learnt something new today! Wooew!

 

I also don't get the DT tag on the lead vocal track, what does this mean?

 

Double Tracked

 

Bass di is straight from instrument
Bassdist is a thickening layer with harmonics
Bass amp is mic on the speaker cabinet

You mic these 3 ( phase aligned)
To taste
You see these 3 effect the signal bring out different charactoristics such that mixing them together gives you a fattter smoother leveled out sound that stands up in the mix.
If you were to do only 1 or 2 it would be more buried in the mix .
This is the common technique of recording electric bass guitar.

 

For some serious attack, I use a Louisville Slugger baseball bat..

 

Direct take? Aka no compressor nor any effect?

 

Any way BassDist could possibly stand for "distant" at all, as in "ambient"?

 

Mmm, ya.

 

I once run into a library of loops/construction kits and the basses came like that:
DI: direct input from the bass
Amp: it's a "normal" bass sound after the bass amp (kind of a very clean guitar tone so speak)
Dist: distorted: some pedal/amp tweak like a metal bass
It's kind of the same some fellas have said, but I fully agree with @MMJ2017 in the "amp" one which is the difficult one.

DT is almost sure double tracking. Not so long ago I thought this wasn't done on vocals, but it seems the usual recipe with vocals on pop is:
- autotune
- many takes (double, etc)
- comping/syncing (no sure is the proper word but you get me) to make it sound like one singer/one take