Too much sub bass in dubstep?

[madmeesh]

Sounds like a heretical question, I know.

BUT.

Was listening to some Demon, and District, and all the other dungeoneers lately, and couldn't help but think that nearly everything else in the mix was being overtaken by this loud droning sub. Doesn't help matters that these guys rarely actually change the note of the sub either...

In other words, when listening on an inbalanced system with a large subwoofer (like any other basshead), I can't help but think we're starting to overdo it on the sub at the expense of the clarity of the drums. If you listen to other mixdowns by veteran dnb artists, the sub sounds either compressed, or just mixed a bit quieter, and the details in the high frequencies are much more present as a result.

Bit of a subjective opinion, but I'd like to hear yours.

[Instep]

i dunnno man.. i love the rumbling bass. the more the lowend just hits you in the balls the better imo

of course you gotta appreciate the midhighs as well. thats why i love skrillex mixes b/c they have a masterful balance of clarity and precision w/ clarity on top

could you provide some links to some songs you think are to bass-heavy. ?

[OfficialDAPT]

put your face on the sub and then tell me theres too much

[outbound]

Hmmmm,

I did think there used to be an optimal level of sub (back in the hype days ) where it isn't too much or little.

But listening back to earlier sounds that were a bit grimier on the production and you hear that the subs on these things were absolute monsters (I would actually fear for the soundsystems attempting to play them ) however for that style of music it works. I don't think all music benefits from silly amounts of sub, there are obvious drawbacks (rest of mix being overpowered, overall mix can't be as loud as the sub eats up all the headroom) but on some tracks it works other it don't (regardless of whether it's hype/dungeon/w/e)

[madmeesh]

Bunch of pilled out kids for certain

No, but seriously, for example this:


Y'know, sounds like that old Loefah sound. It's actually pretty sweet... It's a balance issue though -- sub is pushing so much air, it's all that you are really aware of. If there were no drums at all, the tune would be incredibly boring. Yet, when the tune is playing, the drums are hardly doing as much work as the sub, and you're not going to remember this riddim.

[OfficialDAPT]

I really don't like it when the same subbass note plays for a long time like you were saying. I need a break every once in awhile!

[AmbientIsland]

May I ask how you made that "aaaaaaaaah" sound in your signature?

[wormcode]

No...
I'm glad people are putting full emphasis on the sub, it's a good counter to the people who put sole emphasis on midrange I think, and those grating high ends. You can always EQ it or take it down a couple of dB... It's much easier to take away a bit of sub if you want.

Out of curiosity what medium are you listening to the tracks on, and what kind of speakers?

[MoonUnit]

sure songs from artists that you have mentioned are meant to be played out in clubs n' whatnot and have extremely powerful sub bass, but that's exactly how the artist intended to design them. It's might not be up to us to decide if it's right or wrong.

That being said, my personal opinion teeters the line. Dubstep has definitely become about maximizing sub and bass without sacrificing other elements in the mix.

I like bass.

Wonder if anyone has produced dubstep bass'd (see what I did there?) on how the track will make you physically FEEL on a club system...

[hurlingdervish]

Its a matter of taste but I'd rather hear the sub be powerful and blend with an actual groove, not just a goth trad drone

if you're going to drone then I'd like to hear some pitch modulation at the very least to keep it groovy

[legend4ry]

The title of the thread should be.

Too much 'Dungeon' in Dubstep.

The Subbass can stay, that shite can't.

[ehbes]

The title of the thread should be.

Too much 'Dungeon' in Dubstep.

The Subbass can stay, that shite can't.

[VirtualMark]

Moar bass!

[jrisreal]

I love tunes that are balanced. Either that or extreme emphasis on sub bass.

[hasezwei]

how bout keeping the bass but letting it have an actual rhythm like back in the day
pure rumble sucks.

too much bass in compairson to the rest is awful too (im guilty of this as my monitors are really small)

[jrisreal]

Sometimes you can intensify emotions by raising the sub bass to unreasonable levels. But I agree, if the sub has no musicality or rhythm, then no thanks.

[hhans]

I agree. The sub can be a little overwhelming and drown out the other sounds when it's not mixed well. A tight sub is a beautiful thing, and if it's mixed properly, turn that shit up. But more often than not, the sub gets flabby and that's when it becomes a problem I think.

[madmeesh]

Its a matter of taste but I'd rather hear the sub be powerful and blend with an actual groove, not just a goth trad drone

if you're going to drone then I'd like to hear some pitch modulation at the very least to keep it groovy

That's what I'm talking about man. Interesting to see divergent opinions on this front.

[Toolman4]

For me personally, the upper end of the freq spectrum is wasted if only captured in the drum kit. Dungeon is my compromise to sub bass driven music, as the emphasis on space/atmosphere gets up there too. For me, that compa tune is heavy and that's cool...but shit, after listening to it from beginning to end, my ears are fatigued the fuck out.

[Shum]

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