Define "punchy"

[adouglas]

Punchy IS

- Definite strong presence in the low-midrange and mid-midrange
- Ability to clearly hear the bass in the mix
- What EBMMs do by default
- What happens if I stay up too late

Punchy is NOT

- Bass-heavy or muddy
- Clacky-zingy-trebly
(in other words, "smiley" EQ is WRONG if you want "punchy".)
- LOTS OF VOLUME (wall o' sound) with no definition (which is what you get if you use smiley eq)
- What happens when you plug in another kind of bass

Once I figured out that you should leave your bass EQ flat and turn up the stuff above that instead, I got a lot more punch.

If my bass sounds great soloed but disappears once the drums and guitar start, then I know I've got it wrong. Flattening the bass and turning up the mids solves the problem pretty much every time. If it's too harsh or zingy then I roll off the highs.

 

[bassmonkeee]

Punchy makes me think of the bridge pickup solo'd on a jazz bass. It's that strong prominent midrange with pretty fast attack.

See, now I would call that "barky." Which is kinda like "punchy," but lacking a little bit of "woof."








Or, something.

 

[drgroovenstein]

ok, somebody post a clip already.

 

[AnthonyD]

A very tight mid to low end sound that thumps..........

Big +1

Punchy is more round than attackiness.

Agreed... Absolutely!

 

[AnthonyD]

I watched this thing grow - concerned for the man's life as it grew to unbelievable proportions with each passing round... Drove home late from the "fight party" fearing that I was going to hear a late-night news story about Rahman "dying on the way to the hospital"...