Modulating your sub - tips and techniques

[amphibian]

Having been producing for just over a year now, I am starting to find that I lack (mainly) in two areas of production - stabs, and the sub bass. I'd like this thread to focus on the sub bass.

I generally only work with a sine wave, usually in octave 0. As a result, there really isn't much I can do, other than change the amplitude. However I'm wondering if anyone here has any creative tips or advice on what you do with your sub in order to keep it interesting? The reason this came about is because in my current WIP, there's a part where I strip out all the mid range and am just left with the beat/stabs, and sub. So, the lack of modulation and work on the sub is really showing through and it's throwing me off.

Anyone got some good tips on this kind of work?

[matb123]

You could possibly distort the sub, only a tad. Which will then add harmonics to your sub. You can then treat your sub the same as you would your mid range by modulating it via the filter cutoff.

[ChadDub]

I learned a few days ago that you should use more than just a sine wave. I've also read in a Skream interview that he makes his sub out of anything, he says that "They're just tones, it doesn't matter where they come from.".

I made a nice little sub that fills up the low end nicely, it's just a sine an octave below a square lowpassed at like 600 hz, it's pretty cool. But idk about modulation. I don't think there's too much modulation on subs anyway

But if you're wondering about how to make the sub come out more, being more powerful, it's really all in the mixing.

[Mannyyyyy]

split your sub, i usually have this top end sub that is more audible then it is feeling which has a lot of mevement and then the lower sub which is for feeling and that will have little movement but its very strong and those 2 combined will make it yummy

[oprs]

layer two sines together. get a nice lfo, and a pounding sub. cant give away all my tricks though

[amphibian]

I learned a few days ago that you should use more than just a sine wave. I've also read in a Skream interview that he makes his sub out of anything, he says that "They're just tones, it doesn't matter where they come from.".

I made a nice little sub that fills up the low end nicely, it's just a sine an octave below a square lowpassed at like 600 hz, it's pretty cool. But idk about modulation. I don't think there's too much modulation on subs anyway

But if you're wondering about how to make the sub come out more, being more powerful, it's really all in the mixing.

lol. I can only lol at this. a sub, low-passed... that is hilarity.

As for sub being more powerful - you can't get any more powerful than a sine wave, fact. Secondly - my question had nothing to do with power, but modulating a pure sine wave. I never use anything else than a pure sine. However, for bass I'll have it sitting quite low so you can't tell if there's a gap.

[3za]

I learned a few days ago that you should use more than just a sine wave. I've also read in a Skream interview that he makes his sub out of anything, he says that "They're just tones, it doesn't matter where they come from."

Over tones are your friends OP, don't hate them.

[Johnst]

trying slightly modulating the amp and amp envelope.

[amphibian]

I learned a few days ago that you should use more than just a sine wave. I've also read in a Skream interview that he makes his sub out of anything, he says that "They're just tones, it doesn't matter where they come from."

Over tones are your friends OP, don't hate them.

Who said I hated them? And why is everyone failing to read my original post? I've said I've removed the overtones for pure sub goodness.

*facepalms*

[amphibian]

Also, Soundcloud

Just before the breakdown, there's a few bars where I've stripped out most the mid-range, and left the sub. Hopefully that will show what I'm aiming to achieve. I -don't- want overtones. Creatively it makes no sense, hence my original post and question.

[3za]

I learned a few days ago that you should use more than just a sine wave. I've also read in a Skream interview that he makes his sub out of anything, he says that "They're just tones, it doesn't matter where they come from."

Over tones are your friends OP, don't hate them.

Who said I hated them? And why is everyone failing to read my original post? I've said I've removed the overtones for pure sub goodness.

*facepalms*

Maybe add them back in, so you have more to play with/modulate

To the OP;

You can modulate the amp, and the pitch, with LFO's, and Envelopes. You can also play with portamento, and thats about all there is to be said.

[amphibian]

Yeah I could, but not interested in doing so Good to know I've pretty much exhausted my options though. haha

[vertx]

Did you check out the recent Distance tutorial on subs that he posted? Might give you a few ideas...

Besides that you could try some lfo to pitch action, swapping odd notes up an octave, and as usual play with envelopes and envelopes to pitch...

That's all I got really got for sine subs

edit: yeah pretty much what 3za said..

[Chris mack]

I tend to like sidechaining my subs in interesting ways as well as modulating pitch and amplitude.

[Atac]

I guess all you're left with is pitch and amplitude.
Not sure how crazy you can get with just that but proper use of portamento seems like it could bring some character to it.

[blazinaidan]

I learned a few days ago that you should use more than just a sine wave. I've also read in a Skream interview that he makes his sub out of anything, he says that "They're just tones, it doesn't matter where they come from.".

I made a nice little sub that fills up the low end nicely, it's just a sine an octave below a square lowpassed at like 600 hz, it's pretty cool. But idk about modulation. I don't think there's too much modulation on subs anyway

But if you're wondering about how to make the sub come out more, being more powerful, it's really all in the mixing.

lol. I can only lol at this. a sub, low-passed... that is hilarity.

As for sub being more powerful - you can't get any more powerful than a sine wave, fact. Secondly - my question had nothing to do with power, but modulating a pure sine wave. I never use anything else than a pure sine. However, for bass I'll have it sitting quite low so you can't tell if there's a gap.

He was saying lowpassing the pair of them at 600 hertz, which wouldn't affect the underlying sine at all but would definitely affect that square wave thats for sure.

[matb123]

I learned a few days ago that you should use more than just a sine wave. I've also read in a Skream interview that he makes his sub out of anything, he says that "They're just tones, it doesn't matter where they come from.".

I made a nice little sub that fills up the low end nicely, it's just a sine an octave below a square lowpassed at like 600 hz, it's pretty cool. But idk about modulation. I don't think there's too much modulation on subs anyway

But if you're wondering about how to make the sub come out more, being more powerful, it's really all in the mixing.

Do you have a link to this interview Chad?

[hasezwei]

dude if you don't want answers don't ask

anyway, something that actually sounds neat is layering two sines and detuning them so you get a wobbly effect due to the phasing. but hey i'm sure you're gonna tell me now that detuning your sub is bad because it creates phasing

[press]

one thing ive been doing lately is using two subs, just like you might with mids; have them play off eachother call and response style, perhaps using one standard nice thick sine and another "drop" bass style 808 kinda thing.

this tune is an example:

Soundcloud

first note is the drop bass then a more standard thick sub, then as a progression more of thos drop basses come in.

[Atac]

dude if you don't want answers don't ask

anyway, something that actually sounds neat is layering two sines and detuning them so you get a wobbly effect due to the phasing. but hey i'm sure you're gonna tell me now that detuning your sub is bad because it creates phasing