Any tips on how to get a thick, defined, powerful lower mid/upper bass range?

[Barfunkel]

Listening to commercial releases I often wonder about that. They have weight, thickness, power, definition in there, while I have mostly mud that I feel like I have to cut out. The difference is especially huge when comparing to old (vinyl) releases, but modern digital releases often have it as well.

Any tips?

[Divjak]

I have problems with this area too. I feel like this area gets easier to eq and compress (make the sound clearer, more defined) if you cut the sub and low frequencies more than usual. A lot of "commercial" releases are cut pretty high up, lets say around 50 hz. This gives you more headroom and lets your "high bass" have weight. But thats just my take on things, others will give you better advice.

[Mattias]

Listening to commercial releases I often wonder about that. They have weight, thickness, power, definition in there, while I have mostly mud that I feel like I have to cut out. The difference is especially huge when comparing to old (vinyl) releases, but modern digital releases often have it as well.

Any tips?

That area is probably the most tricky to get right but when the rest is in balance (might be because of this area too) it usually reveals quick how to deal with it. "Compander" processing can work real good here, as well as subtle band specific compression. A fairly quick but gentle EQ cut with a broad but subtle boost around the center frequency can work. Harmonic cleverness and or "the right sound" from start is the best method tough.

A lot of "commercial" releases are cut pretty high up, lets say around 50 hz. This gives you more headroom and lets your "high bass" have weight. But thats just my take on things, others will give you better advice.

False.

[mainst09]

Listening to commercial releases I often wonder about that. They have weight, thickness, power, definition in there, while I have mostly mud that I feel like I have to cut out. The difference is especially huge when comparing to old (vinyl) releases, but modern digital releases often have it as well.

Any tips?

That area is probably the most tricky to get right but when the rest is in balance (might be because of this area too) it usually reveals quick how to deal with it. "Compander" processing can work real good here, as well as subtle band specific compression. A fairly quick but gentle EQ cut with a broad but subtle boost around the center frequency can work. Harmonic cleverness and or "the right sound" from start is the best method tough.

A lot of "commercial" releases are cut pretty high up, lets say around 50 hz. This gives you more headroom and lets your "high bass" have weight. But thats just my take on things, others will give you better advice.

False.

What Mattias said. In Psytrane they usually boost the main harmonic frequencies in the bassline and cut those in the kick. I now do this and its really helpful but i dont know until which point is really useful in techno or house since we are talking about a variety of basslines, instead of psytrance that revolves around the same kind of sound wave.

[Lost to the Void]

There aren't really any specific techniques beyond good sound choice, effective equalisation and having the ability to hear a full range balance and make judgements based on that.
Dealing with this area is no theoretical difference to any other in terms of balancing (mixing to you younguns).

Low mids/high bass is where everyone fucks up and gets bogged down, or they overchop it and end up with a gutted out hollow low end.

Reduce thickness from any sounds that don't require it in this region, be careful on compression acting in this region, lighter elements can be pushed out to the sides, such as pads, to leave the mud area with more space. Don't boost in this area if you can avoid it, as it will sound honky, try to cut instead.
Sometimes it's worth digging in when things get too muddy, look/listen at the peaks in this region and make narrower cuts to areas between your main harmonics and fundamentals.

As to above comment about low cuts on a mix at 50hz nope.
Really shit modern mixes do this, and it seems to be a weird trend on stuff by people who have been given bad advice, as I see this more and more coming through my mastering room, and I usually ask the producers to put it back and cut lower, or I end up filling out the harmonics myself.

All the grunt and guts and weight of dance music is in the low end.. 25-60hz is a crucial area for weight and power. Strip that out and the music will have no guts on a rig. I think people cut it out because they just can't hear it well on their monitors, but I would say cutting a mix at 50hz is terrible advice.
It's fine to have information down to 18-20hz, you just don't want everything to have presence in this area.