TLA’s Angels & Airwaves Bass: Grinding DI & Dynamic Distortion

Getting bass to sit just right in a mix can feel like a never-ending quest. Do you go with the DI? The amp? Both? How much grit is too much? We’ve all been there, tweaking for hours. Well, legendary mixer Tom Lord-Alge (TLA) is a bass fanatic, and he spilled some serious knowledge on how he tackled the iconic bass for Angels & Airwaves’ “The Adventure.” If you’re ready to get your bass growling and grooving, let’s dive into TLA’s playbook.

You can check out the full session right here. Let’s dive in!

One Bass to Rule Them All? DI vs. Amp with TLA

First things first, TLA has a straightforward philosophy: he generally listens to the bass DI and the amped track, then picks one. No messing around with endless blends unless absolutely necessary. For “The Adventure,” he landed on the DI track. How did he know it was the one he’d processed? He has a system: a tell-tale checkmark in the audio file name indicates it’s gone through his initial processing chain.

He mentioned that back in the day, this would have involved a tasty analog chain: a Focusrite rack with their classic EQ and compressor, printed right back into the session. For this mix, the provided DI was already pretty good, but TLA, being TLA, couldn’t leave well enough alone.

The “Subtle Art” of TLA’s Bass EQ and Saturation

Once he’s chosen his champion bass track, the real fun begins. TLA isn’t afraid to push his tools to get the sound he hears in his head.

The Initial “Minimalist” EQ

TLA’s first move on “The Adventure” DI was a “minimalist amount of equalization.” And by minimalist, he means a whopping combined total of 21dB of boost using the Focusrite D2 AVID plugin. Yeah, subtle like a sledgehammer! This aggressive EQing starts to sculpt the core character, bringing out the frequencies he wants to emphasize. If you’re looking to get bold with your low end, understanding how to wield your EQ is crucial.

Adding Grind with Saturation

Next up in TLA’s chain is a plugin he loves for adding attitude: Lo-Fi, specifically in its saturation mode. After supercharging the signal with the D2, this stage injects that desirable upper-midrange grind and harmonic richness, making the bass feel more aggressive and present.

Finishing Touches with More EQ

To round it all off, he applies another layer of equalization post-saturation. This helps to further shape the now-saturated tone, ensuring it sits perfectly in the mix without getting muddy or overly harsh. This chain – EQ, saturation, EQ – is a go-to for TLA when he wants to bring a bass to life.

Noise Annoys? TLA’s Filter Fix for Sustained Bass Notes

All this heavy processing – massive EQ boosts, saturation, and compression (which we’ll get to) – can bring up unwanted noise, especially on long, sustained notes where the instrument’s natural decay fades but the noise floor remains high. So, what’s TLA Top Tip #5 for dealing with this?

Instead of just fading out the note and losing sustain, TLA gets clever with automation. On those long notes, he automates a high-frequency filter to roll off the top end as the note sustains. If done musically, you won’t notice the filter move, but that annoying hiss or buzz magically disappears, leaving the warm low-end sustain intact. This trick isn’t just for bass; it works wonders on guitars and pretty much anything that suffers from sustain-related noise.

More Growl! Adding Distortion for Chorus Impact

Even with his meticulously crafted DI tone, TLA often feels the need for more. Especially in a powerful chorus, he wants that bass to really roar. For “The Adventure,” when the chorus hits, he brings in an additional distorted bass layer.

His weapon of choice here? One of his presets within Amplitube four, specifically utilizing one of its many virtual stomp boxes. This isn’t about subtly enhancing the main bass; it’s about adding a big, fat, ugly layer of distortion that gives the chorus sections an extra dose of energy and aggression. He simply brings this heavily distorted track in underneath the main bass, blending it to taste, specifically for those high-energy moments.

Context is King: Tailoring Bass for Different Song Sections

A great mix breathes with the song, and TLA ensures his bass adapts to the musical dynamics. The aggressive chain that works for the main riffs might be too much for other parts.

Softening Up for Softer Sections

During the buildup section leading into the bridge of “The Adventure,” the instrumentation thins out. Here, TLA found his main processed bass tone to be a bit too aggressive. His solution? He switched to a different, less intense processing chain for this part, likely closer to the original DI with some gentler shaping. And yes, that automated top-end filter trick for sustained notes makes another appearance here to keep things clean.

Adding Character to Specific Melodies

Later in the song, there’s a section where the bass plays a distinctive octave-up melody (“I cannot live, I can’t breathe…”). TLA wanted to give this part its own special character.
His approach involved:

1. EQ: First, some targeted equalization to suit the melodic line.
2. Vibrato: Then, he ran it through a vibrato plugin (he humorously mentions “a battery-operated vibrator,” but it’s a standard vibrato effect!) to give the notes some movement and personality.
3. Compression: Finally, to add some “spank” and control, it’s back to one of his favorite tools: the Focusrite D3 compressor. TLA is a fan of using high amounts of compression with a low ratio on bass. For instance, you might see a 1.5:1 ratio but with a significant 10dB of gain reduction. This keeps the bass dynamically even and punchy. Get more insights into powerful compression techniques here.

The “When and Why” of Bass Processing

An important takeaway from TLA’s workflow is when he decides to add these more aggressive layers, like the extra distortion. He typically gets his foundational drum, bass, and guitar balance sorted first. It’s only then, as he’s refining the mix, that he might think, “What if I made the bass bark a little more?” That’s when he’ll introduce elements like the Amplitube distortion, listening for how it adds definition and power without overwhelming the mix.

Tom Lord-Alge’s approach to mixing the bass on Angels & Airwaves’ “The Adventure” is a masterclass in being bold, creative, and context-aware. From aggressive EQ and saturation on the DI to layered distortion and dynamic filtering, every move serves the song.

Want to see exactly how TLA put these techniques into action, with the actual multitracks from “The Adventure”? At Nail The Mix, you can watch Tom Lord-Alge mix this very song from scratch, explaining every plugin, every setting, and every decision. It’s your chance to learn directly from the pros who shaped the sounds of legendary albums.

Dive deeper into the Angels & Airwaves “The Adventure” mixing session with TLA and see these tips in real-time. If you’re ready to transform your mixes from “good” to “grammy-worthy” (TLA has a few of those!), then check out how you can Unlock Your Sound and start mixing modern metal beyond presets. Don’t just chase tones; learn to craft them with the best in the business.