Sub Bass

Matt Carter

New Member
Joined
Jun 14, 2017
Afternoon everyone,

I am new here so this probably has been covered off someone else, so feel free to send a link.

Basically I have been producing for around 6 months, I am still getting to grips with bass design and its probably my worst part of my production.

I am struggling with getting sub basses that are warm and gritty for example tracks like

- Technimatic - Parallel

I was wondering if anyone would mind sharing some tips/ techniques

I know its all about playing about until you find what you want but a point in the right direction would be highly appreciated.

Thanks
Matt
 
I just use a single sine wave which you can automate with a LFO. Sub basses can be pretty simple.
You could start with that and add another oscillator for more character. Just play around with that und you will get what you want I'd say.
 
Yeah I have been messing around with Serum for a while, I always find the sub bass sticks out far too much. I have EQ it with at 30hz - 65hz, sound about right?
 
Yeah I have been messing around with Serum for a while, I always find the sub bass sticks out far too much. I have EQ it with at 30hz - 65hz, sound about right?
Sub is on 0-100hz if im right.
Anyway im a lazy bastard when it comes to sub. I just pick a saw in Nexus eq everything out except bass. then add distortion & a phaser & if necessary eq out the highs/mids again :P
 
I tend to use a square wave and then low pass it; that way you can finely tweak the higher harmonics depending on how audible/present you want it to be.
 
Whats the best way to make a reece in your opinion?

The basic way to make a reese is to take two saw waves and pitch them apart enough to get that rhytmic beating that speeds up and slows down when you change to a different note. What the actual waveforms are and what effects and filters you might want to apply will leave you with a million different options. =)

One way to make a sub (in addition to the ones mentioned before) is to apply a subtle amount of distortion to a sine wave. Cabinet modelling usually works fine, but try everything you want to. The reason why you should have distortion (or harmonics, literally the same thing) in a sub sound is to make it more audible and easier to mix. The added harmonics will make the listener think there's more bass even though there isn't. Also: phone or laptop speakers have no chance of reproducing sub range sounds properly, so the harmonics do same trick there: making the listener think there's bass even though it's actually inaudible.
 
The basic way to make a reese is to take two saw waves and pitch them apart enough to get that rhytmic beating that speeds up and slows down when you change to a different note. What the actual waveforms are and what effects and filters you might want to apply will leave you with a million different options. =)

One way to make a sub (in addition to the ones mentioned before) is to apply a subtle amount of distortion to a sine wave. Cabinet modelling usually works fine, but try everything you want to. The reason why you should have distortion (or harmonics, literally the same thing) in a sub sound is to make it more audible and easier to mix. The added harmonics will make the listener think there's more bass even though there isn't. Also: phone or laptop speakers have no chance of reproducing sub range sounds properly, so the harmonics do same trick there: making the listener think there's bass even though it's actually inaudible.

Thank you, I will this a go, it all seems so simple when you guys write it down! Do you have any preferred synths on making sub basses, or is it all personal preference?
 
Sub is on 0-100hz if im right.
Anyway im a lazy bastard when it comes to sub. I just pick a saw in Nexus eq everything out except bass. then add distortion & a phaser & if necessary eq out the highs/mids again :p
I only allow mine to go up to about two decibels below whatever my Kik is set at for the sub itself but the mid-range bass I set just above the kick with the low-pass cutoff... Rather than side chaining it that is
 
Sine if the midrange bass is thick and goes down to around 80-100Hz

Sine + another sine 19 semitones above (= the second harmonic of a triangle/square wave) if there's some space in 100-200Hz region.

Triangle/lowpassed Square if the sub is playing some melody I want to stick out.
 
I only allow mine to go up to about two decibels below whatever my Kik is set at for the sub itself but the mid-range bass I set just above the kick with the low-pass cutoff... Rather than side chaining it that is

Is there a technical reason you don't SC with the kick or is it preference?
 
Also, what analyzers do you use (I use SPAN) to make sure the sub is hitting in freq not easily put out by your monitors?
 
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