Bass EQ Help.

[FatChocolate]

Hey guys, I have a problem with equing and getting my bass to stand out a little more. Before I used to not really eq much but I watched a video and a producer explained how that when you eq you want things stacked in certain frequencys like a shelf. This is so that 2 instruments arent fighting for sound and whatnot. I have a track that im making that has a unique wobble that isnt made to be super low like a sub bass, however it is low enough to be in a bass range. This is layered with a sub and im wondering how I can eq it to give the sub more presence without overpowering the wobble. I would appreciate any help. Thank you very much ad have a nice day.

[Refuzed]

was that the reso masterclass by any chance? hp your wobble at like 120hz [or whatever still sounds good] and then its all about getting your levels right

[Filthzilla]

when you eq you want things stacked in certain frequencys like a shelf.

Pretty sure that was Reso, good analogy!

[Filthzilla]

I would look at a spectrum analyiser and see where the main frequencies of each are. Usually a sub bass is between 20-80hz [45hz is where I have mine]. So basically keep the bassline above it. You also want to keep the midrange bass above the kick drum. Kick drums usually hit about 100hz.

[FatChocolate]

Haha yes it was the reso vid. Tushe. Thanks for the help and Ill be sure to analyze it and adjust accordingly. Thanks for the help and peace out my dudes.

[-[2]DAY_-]

do people rly look at pictures to determine this stuff :p

[Cubicle]

I'm having way too much trouble getting my sub right tho.
Using Reason 6 and I'm not having any spectrum analyzer so fully trusting my ears.

Am I doing something wrong here or is this how I should EQ a sub?
It's ridiculously quiet and has no real presence in the mix while the channel is full open.
This is something I've been struggling on far ages and never even got the balls to ask what I'm doing wrong.

Pic related:

[-[2]DAY_-]

well i believe thats wayyyy too much of a high cut
i wouldn't put anything on the sub but thats me.. try raising that frequency so that the slope begins around the 78Hz mark but doesn't disappear until further up. you could try raising the low end with the low shelf, too..

but i'd just make sure that you're not using maelstrom's waveshaper on it, also run the cable only from the left channel (i think it's filter A output, or alternatively just OSC A output) so that it comes through in mono. no need for the EQ, compressor, or imager.

[Cubicle]

well i believe thats wayyyy too much of a high cut
i wouldn't put anything on the sub but thats me.. try raising that frequency so that the slope begins around the 78Hz mark but doesn't disappear until further up. you could try raising the low end with the low shelf, too..

but i'd just make sure that you're not using maelstrom's waveshaper on it, also run the cable only from the left channel (i think it's filter A output, or alternatively just OSC A output) so that it comes through in mono. no need for the EQ, compressor, or imager.

Thanks mate!
Already thought that I was cutting way too far.

What do you mean with your last sentence tho? Putting it in mono with the left cable only and then I won't need the EQ, Compressor and Imager?

Are the Compressor and Imager on the sub obsolete?

[highgain]

Kick drums usually hit about 100hz.

Cut for your snare peak too right?

[-[2]DAY_-]

What do you mean with your last sentence tho? Putting it in mono with the left cable only and then I won't need the EQ, Compressor and Imager?

Are the Compressor and Imager on the sub obsolete?

if you plug the line from maelstrom only into the Left side of its mixer channel, it will be in mono (it won't play only on the left side, or anything like that) and i figured you probably want it mono .. so that eliminates the need for the stereo imager. Aside form that, i think the mClass compressor is just useless on sub bass. it works for applying compression as needed to stuff, but for the great big bass waves, i doubt it's doing any good. the EQ is fine but cutting it that low is basically like turning the volume wayyyy down on those sub frequencies

Wondering what kind of other goodies u got going on in FUCKINGSHITFILE.rsn hahaha

[Turnipish_Thoughts]

well i believe thats wayyyy too much of a high cut
i wouldn't put anything on the sub but thats me.. try raising that frequency so that the slope begins around the 78Hz mark but doesn't disappear until further up. you could try raising the low end with the low shelf, too..

but i'd just make sure that you're not using maelstrom's waveshaper on it, also run the cable only from the left channel (i think it's filter A output, or alternatively just OSC A output) so that it comes through in mono. no need for the EQ, compressor, or imager.

Thanks mate!
Already thought that I was cutting way too far.

What do you mean with your last sentence tho? Putting it in mono with the left cable only and then I won't need the EQ, Compressor and Imager?

Are the Compressor and Imager on the sub obsolete?

You always want your sub mono, its an important technical thing, if subs are stereo they sound extremely flabby, anything too stereo sounds flabby, slap a chorus on your main bass patch and whack it up full, you'll see what I mean. Sub bass is especially sensitive to this so KEEP IT MONO. The other big thing with stereo bass is record cutting machines fucking melt when trying to cut a heavily stereo sub to record. Not quite sure of the technicality behind but I can surmise its something to do with the wavelengths of low frequency sound waves acting as the fundamental of the waveform being cut stereo will be interlaced, but it being mono keeps it clean, imagine the fundamental trying to be in two places at once on the record. idk, look into it if you're interested lol.

Anyway digressions aside, Yes the compressor is obsolete and of course the stereo imager is obsolete because sub is supposed to be Mono. You 'might' want to compress your sub, but i wouldn't do that there, I'de do that on buss having combined the main bass and sub, compress them together, so 'that' compressor is obsolete, but you're probably going to want to compress the bass at some point in the signal chain.

Don't cut so heavily!! you don't need to cut that much off the high end, you simply want to cut out anything above about 90/100Hz with a 24 pole LP filter, what you're doing there it seems is removing about 99% of the actual sub... 0_o bit heavy there mate lol. Low pass the sub and High pass the other bass at the same point, buss them together and keep an eye on the dB of the buss channel get it sat right in the mix and apply any more processing along the buss channel chain.

peace.

Edit: Hang on. Are you just using a sine wave from malstrom? a pure sine wave is only one frequency an EQ used on one frequency is basically a volume fader. fuck the EQ its not going to be doing anything.

[eyeatus]

i usually roll off the sub frequencies above 90hz. boost the sub at 60hz. lowpass under 30hz. and turn the res up a bit. MAYBE split frequencies, and add distortion to the higher bass frequencies. add a compressor, sidechain to kicks which are usually 90-100hz for me.

this may not be helpful to you in this situation though, cuz i cut out below 100hz on every sound, besides kicks and sub bass.

EQ es muy importante

[Grimenoceros]

Yeah some pretty common protocols for sub bass like everyone has said that I will sum up:

- Mono, always
- Single sine wave pitched down, nothing else. Light saturation (distortion) to make it a tad beefier but do not overdo it, too many added harmonics from saturation will start to take away the power of the lower frequencies.
- EQ is unnecessary as a proper sub will only have frequencies where the note is played (because it's a simple sine wave)
- Compression isn't very necessary either because of the above, but it can add fatness as long as it's not overdone. Control "clicks" etc. from the attack of each sub note with envelopes, not compressors
- Stick to playing/programming within one octave. A lot of times C2 (or wherever you start it) is too low to really shake the room on commercial subwoofers and C3 is too high to rumble at all, this is important to keep in mind in case you get the "why's my sub not rattling my house??" question. That's why a lot of dubstep tunes are written in the key of F or G, etc.

Roll mid-range "bass" off at 150ish so as not to interfere with the aforementioned sub and kick. Notch wherever your snare hits as well.

/Convenient summary of topic

[Cubicle]

What do you mean with your last sentence tho? Putting it in mono with the left cable only and then I won't need the EQ, Compressor and Imager?

Are the Compressor and Imager on the sub obsolete?

Wondering what kind of other goodies u got going on in FUCKINGSHITFILE.rsn hahaha

Haha, ye I was working on some laidback tune and I wasn't really feeling it and got a massive writers block so I've let my frustration out on the title.

Massive thanks for the reply's. It's all so logical, feel like an idiot for asking now.
Thanks!


EDIT: Is it normal that my sub (pure sine wave, no compressor, no EQ) is awfully quiet in the mix?
It's so quiet it is barely audible, but when I turn the mix channel up it goes straight into the red.

[Grimenoceros]

Haha I can't say it is...Check a couple of things: Velocity? Amplitude/level on the envelope? Volume on the actual instrument channel (not the mixer)? It could be any of those. What synth are you using to make it? Just make sure the internal volume for it if it has one (such as Massive) is up, the channels' volume is up, velocity is up if it has assignable velocity, and make sure the envelope is set correctly to sustain the note and not trail off.

[-[2]DAY_-]

EDIT: Is it normal that my sub (pure sine wave, no compressor, no EQ) is awfully quiet in the mix?
It's so quiet it is barely audible, but when I turn the mix channel up it goes straight into the red.

I'm almost certain it's just your monitors (or what ever system you're using to monitor)

I can't hear my subs at all either , unless i walk over to the rear corner of my room where the standing bass waves collect. and even then sometimes the frequency's too low for my speakers to push.

I'm betting your sub's plenty loud but won't be heard or felt until you play the tune elsewhere. ideally on a system that has one or more subwoofers, but even some regular car stereos, for instance, have pretty good bass response and while it might not shake your chest like a good sub, you'll hear your bassline more the way you wanted to, the sub will present itself some way, even if its just that its vibrating the doors/dashboard/etc. and you can hear them buzzing and shaking with the bass

not the ideal test, but at least you'll know that the sub's in the mix. Also good quality headphones sometimes make it easier to hear. Subbass just isn't heard through a normal speaker no matter how loud you turn it up

[Cubicle]

Cheers mate!

You can hear that the sub's their but just not rattling anything. Guess I'll have to try it out on another system.

Eitherway: sorry for hi-jacking the thread and thanks for the help!

[-[2]DAY_-]

been listening to your tunes on headphones and they seem to have pretty good sub (and its otherwise really nice stuff btw) so im wondering how much fuller your sub bass can get just by removing that mClass stuff from the chain
really great drum beats in Exorcism sick tune
and are the Devil sounds Reason sounds? fucking crazy

[Cubicle]

been listening to your tunes on headphones and they seem to have pretty good sub (and its otherwise really nice stuff btw) so im wondering how much fuller your sub bass can get just by removing that mClass stuff from the chain
really great drum beats in Exorcism sick tune
and are the Devil sounds Reason sounds? fucking crazy

Thanks mate, didn't really get what I needed in Exorcism with the sounds, really glad with the drums tho.

The Devil sounds is a preset where I fondled around with, usually not my cup of tea but I thought it was a huge sound.
Could give you the combinator for it if you're using reason.