Question about using sampled bass

Krispy

Krispy

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If you decide to use bass from a sample pack then how would you go about layering sub bass underneath?
Would you have to determine the key of the bass and then create a sub that is the same key?


Or

If that bass sound covered a very low frequency range..
could you have the same bass sound split into two tracks.. one EQ'd high and one EQ'd very low (leaving room for drums in the middle)

I've just never been quite sure how to use a sampled bass sound properly to avoid frequency clashing but still have it maintain that low end
 
both ways you mentioned will work, depending on how good the low end is. if you layer a sub underneath, be sure to eq out the low end of the sample, or itl clash. but yes, you need to play it in the same key.
 


watch that - in the beginning he speaks of his templates and daw set up and the shit he has on his mix (like eq's gains and something about the key - i found it helpful, maybe you might)
 
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You could use Melodyne to find out the key of the bass sample (if its not labelled with the key), then you will know which key to write your sub in if you want to do it that way

or you could just do the eq split thing and beef up the low end however much you want

depends on that style of tune your making i guess
 
Ah im having this exact problem atm and making the sub work is a fooking nightmare! Me and my mate just fancied mucking around making a sample based tune and we have something big (funny that) but making the sub fit together is proving to be a mission. The samples dont have enought low end to utilise hence the problem

One thing that i figured out was to work in sections. So if you have a reoccurring sample, look at a frequency analyser use your ears to see what type of pitch movement is related to that sample, then try and recreate using a sub patch. Sound simple but it depends on how good you want you're sub :/

I showed my older sister who is a raver and she was like, "why does it even matter, no punter even focuses on the sub anyway, it just rumbles!" haha!
 
usually i jsut drive the low end of the sample, sometimes i will just stick an 808 stretched out underneath or a different sound, depends entirely what sort of track ur trying to make
 
Yeh ive found that only works if the sample actually has some sub, but even then its usually turns into a muddy mess :/

If anyone actually has a decent way to overcome this i'd love to know1
 
just eq out all the shit unecesary frequencys in your sub. then eq the low end out of the samples. also tactfull positioning on the sub also helps, i.e. not a constant sub. ive never had a problem with clashes if its eqd properly. if a samples got a shitty low end i tend to just stick my own sub under it instead of trying to pollish a turd
 
Mania said:
If you dont wanna use a samples sub, then layer a sub in key under it. Why was there a whole thread about this? super simple stuff
Click to expand...

The forum is for questions about music production regardless of complexity or how much you know.

But yes I understand your answer. Just was looking to see some different ideas and approaches etc...
I think my question mainly was applying to using a sample bass that had pitch bends or something like that in it.
 
Krispy said:
The forum is for questions about music production regardless of complexity or how much you know.

But yes I understand your answer. Just was looking to see some different ideas and approaches etc...
I think my question mainly was applying to using a sample bass that had pitch bends or something like that in it.
Click to expand...
Yeah in that case, amp automation and pitch bend will work fine for the sub. Just try and get the pitch bend to sound right, doesnt have to be exactly the same. And using curves in automation can get the sub as glud to the sample as you want it to be. A sidechained gate is also an option.
 
Mania said:
If you dont wanna use a samples sub, then layer a sub in key under it. Why was there a whole thread about this? super simple stuff
Click to expand...

simple for simple bass

but with a snarly bass line with loads of different elements going on finding the right key isnt always easy
especially if your chopping and stretching reversing it etc
 
The sub doesn't necessarily have to be the same notes as the mids/highs, lots of pro tunes have different sub notes I've noticed

I think as long as they are in the same scale or chord or whatever, then it should be cool
 
Whatever works. I don't use sounds from sample packs very often but the principles are the same for using anything that's been sampled for bass. If I'm aiming for really tight control over the low end I will use a dedicated sub bass. The way I do things changes from one tune to the next because it's always about making things sound "right" to my ears. I learned long ago that habits were bad when doing engineering related stuff. It's all about being able to adapt and control the sound to make it the way I want it. That requires thinking of new solutions on the fly. I would probably work way faster if I wasn't like this but it's a never ending learning process.
 
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