When layering 3 basslines to high-mid-sub

[justinamster]

im sorry if this has been brought up before
but what are some eqing tips when layering 3 bass lines??
i've been boosting only the high freq for the high bass line while cuting off all low and mid freq
same for mid by cutting every low and high freq, n for sub cutting all the freq above 100hz
am i doing correctly?
also, is it a good idea to resample the 3 bass lines and make it into one??

[KryshaAudio]

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you got the right idea. i wouldn't necessarily CUT frequencies, just roll off a bit of low/mid for the high, mid/high for the low, etc. ultimately, do what sounds good, and don't do anything just because you think you're "supposed to." if you seperate the frequencies too much, it might sound like 3 basslines on top of eachother instead of 1 really sick bassline. i've also heard compressing the 3 together can help unify the sounds, but once again, if it don't need it, don't do it. check out the Reso Production Masterclass (it's on his facebook), he talks about layering up his reese sounds and explains it very well.

also, i would probably bounce the finished trifecta to audio, because 3 seperate synths and FX chains can probably do a number on your CPU. however, before bouncing it down to audio, keep in mind that any LFOs you've put on your bass will change with pitch. as for this, Reso talks about resampling in the masterclass too, i think most of the bassline talk is done in Pt. 1.

*TL,DR: right idea, don't overprocess, check out Reso's Production Masterclass Pt. 1 (maybe part of Pt. 2).

EDIT: aahhh sub, yes i do HP the sub at 40hz and LP it at 100, and i usually hp my basslines at 100, but sometimes i just roll it off gently. depends sound to sound

[justinamster]

wow thanks that helped me understand much more
checking out the Reso production masterclass right now
sick tunes on sc btw

[filthy_]

why not just split the freq's (via. bus/aux tracks) instead of having 25 different instruments?

[Mike145]

filthy, think you can explain that a little more? i have wayyyy too many bass sounds on the song im working on and its slowing my computer right down

[thor_beatz]

filthy, think you can explain that a little more? i have wayyyy too many bass sounds on the song im working on and its slowing my computer right down

splitting frequencies is achieved by routing 1 signal trough 3 different channels on your mixer. On some DAW's it's a case of bussing those to another channel which acts as the out.

Per channel there should be a multiband/eq to split the freq's. make sure they don't overlap. For the bass set the channel to mono (you dont wanna lose your punch in a club).

Per channel you can add some phasing/chorus etc to suit your sounds.

I mostly only use it with resampling tho, since you'll likely create phasing if you splitted freq's before rendering to resample.

[filthy_]

filthy, think you can explain that a little more? i have wayyyy too many bass sounds on the song im working on and its slowing my computer right down

splitting frequencies is achieved by routing 1 signal trough 3 different channels on your mixer. On some DAW's it's a case of bussing those to another channel which acts as the out.

Per channel there should be a multiband/eq to split the freq's. make sure they don't overlap. For the bass set the channel to mono (you dont wanna lose your punch in a club).

Per channel you can add some phasing/chorus etc to suit your sounds.

I mostly only use it with resampling tho, since you'll likely create phasing if you splitted freq's before rendering to resample.

this. but i dont use multiband EQ's. i used to use multipressors but switched to hi-cut for the low channel. linear phase for the mid and low-cut for the high. than all ran through another bus. ill try and get a screen shot of what im talking about. i started doing after i watched reso's masterclass video as he has a sub under everything, ive been trying to figure out a way to do it without layering so much shit together.

[filthy_]

heres an example. yes, i do normally go mad with all the plug-in's but to each their own.

[makemerich]

i wouldnt suggest boost eq unless neccesary mayb eonly a few db. ur adding sounds that arent really there to begin with, instead do subtractive eqing.

[KryshaAudio]

i wouldnt suggest boost eq unless neccesary mayb eonly a few db. ur adding sounds that arent really there to begin with, instead do subtractive eqing.

this.

also, there will always be the "don't layer synths phasing phasing wah wah wah!"

sure, phasing CAN occur if you have too many interfering frequencies, so just don't stack like 3 hi-end heavy synths. do a low end heavy and a hi end heavy, ya dig? it's like jesus, if layering sounds always made things sound like shit, an orchestra would consist of 1 of each instrument. long story short, try to achieve what you're going for with 1 synth, but if it's not working or if what you want is clearly a low, chainsaw bass and a high, vacuum cleaner synth, just layer them suckas

[Basic A]

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EDIT: aahhh sub, yes i do HP the sub at 40hz and LP it at 100, and i usually hp my basslines at 100, but sometimes i just roll it off gently. depends sound to sound

Why would you do that? Typically, subs are single frequency sine waves or have minimal harmonic content, filtering isnt going to really effect something unless its got a serious amount of harmonic content. Otherwise. Its a volume knob.

And 40hz seems AWEFUL high, maybe 20, which is what most systems are physically limited to, but 40??? Alot of my sub lines dip below that... Hell some of them steadily ride lower then that.

[KryshaAudio]

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EDIT: aahhh sub, yes i do HP the sub at 40hz and LP it at 100, and i usually hp my basslines at 100, but sometimes i just roll it off gently. depends sound to sound

Why would you do that? Typically, subs are single frequency sine waves or have minimal harmonic content, filtering isnt going to really effect something unless its got a serious amount of harmonic content. Otherwise. Its a volume knob.

And 40hz seems AWEFUL high, maybe 20, which is what most systems are physically limited to, but 40??? Alot of my sub lines dip below that... Hell some of them steadily ride lower then that.

sorry, meant to say 30hz. 30hz is basically where imo it just becomes useless rumbling.

also sorry if there's any confusion, i don't LP or HP, i use stereo imagers to isolate the 30hz-100hz area (which helps keep the sub bass out of the other basslines)

i use a single sine wave at C1 for my subs, every time. i've heard a lot of people layering like a sine and a square and LP it at 100 and yadda yadda, but the sine always works best

[stereotactic]

use a single sine wave at C1 for my subs, every time. i've heard a lot of people layering like a sine and a square and LP it at 100 and yadda yadda, but the sine always works best

For pure sub, it has to be the sine. All adding a square and then low passing does is add harmonics then reduce them... of course it depends what effect you are after, but if you talking pure sub for the low end, it's a sine, no need to complicate it.

[KryshaAudio]

use a single sine wave at C1 for my subs, every time. i've heard a lot of people layering like a sine and a square and LP it at 100 and yadda yadda, but the sine always works best

For pure sub, it has to be the sine. All adding a square and then low passing does is add harmonics then reduce them... of course it depends what effect you are after, but if you talking pure sub for the low end, it's a sine, no need to complicate it.

exactly, for every useful bit of knowledge you can get from DOA, there's 5 people who swear that the most overcomplicated, elaborate method is the best.