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Hey guys, so for the longest time a lot of my tracks have been in the key of C. I always put my sub bass an octave lower than that. I recently read that the best frequency range for sub bass is in the key of D-G. Is this true? Would pitching my bass in these keys make my sub bass sound better?

Maybe you should try it and then listen and then see if you like doing it.

MatBlackk wrote:Hey guys, so for the longest time a lot of my tracks have been in the key of C. I always put my sub bass an octave lower than that. I recently read that the best frequency range for sub bass is in the key of D-G. Is this true? Would pitching my bass in these keys make my sub bass sound better?

My theory:

C1 = 32.7Hz = too low for most systems, portion of your sub disappears. C2 = 65.4Hz = doesn't sound that "subby" anymore.

Also I don't know are we discussing tearout or underground (or both), but keeping your drums in key of the track becomes harder too. For example if you want your sub, kick and snare all to be tuned to C, being octave apart from each other, you end up having your snare at either 130Hz (so low it won't probably even sound a snare anymore) or 260Hz (sounds more like glitch hop-esque zap-snare rather than weighty dubstep snare).

When I saw the thread title I thought D to F# or G. A lot of current house is in F#.

most of my tunes are in Ab/G# Mixolydian. I love the B major vibe (technically the key is BM) but get the heavy bass hitting from resolving/anchoring around Ab. I'll usually go down to about the E below and the D# above in motives, keeping the main weight/resolve around Gb/G/G# where the bass hits hardest.

In the Optical tutorial he says to make your bassline in F or G. I'm assuming that it would be the same for dubstep and DNB.

MatBlackk wrote:best frequency range

No such thing. Stop worrying about that.
Different frequency ranges will sound better on different systems as different systems have different tone.

But it's where they resonate in the body.

NinjaEdit wrote:But it's where they resonate in the body.

I find a good rule of thumb is to find a kick that works well, then all the roots of all the licks or riffs or phrases or whatever to that, along with anything else that has a tonal center, I have found that most of the kicks I find have that punch and sub wave cycle I like and works for my songs is generally comes to rest between G# to D#.

I tend to do F and G mainly to get the sub bass in a decent range and that seems to be where a lot of pro tracks are sitting. Way back in the day I started tracks in C but the sub bass seems too low for most common listening systems to pick up unless you have subs installed.

NinjaEdit wrote:But it's where they resonate in the body.

F for the balls, G for the chest

A long time ago there was a Bassnectar ting on here (don't recall if it was a link or repaste) where he said F - A for the reasons mentioned above (the lowest fundamental your typical club system can do). Seeing how any systems he's played in his life I'd trust him, but he also had some workarounds if I recall.

This idea of a physical or technical limitation shaping a sound both interests and vexes me.

_ronzlo_ wrote:This idea of a physical or technical limitation shaping a sound both interests and vexes me.

Read "How Music Works" by David Byrne. Specifically the chapter on "Creation in reverse". It's about how all throughout history the environment has shaped the limitations, landscape and reception of how music is created and received.

If you're keeping it on one note then sure you may want to change the key down to the lower notes others have mentioned. If you are writing baseline with more melodic variation you can keep it in c and it gives you the variety to be able to play lower notes below the tonic while still having them heard/felt on most systems.

Turnipish_Thoughts wrote:

_ronzlo_ wrote:This idea of a physical or technical limitation shaping a sound both interests and vexes me.

Read "How Music Works" by David Byrne. Specifically the chapter on "Creation in reverse". It's about how all throughout history the environment has shaped the limitations, landscape and reception of how music is created and received.

Finally reading this book - really, really good and educational for any and everybody. Thanks for the recommendation!

Didn't really enjoy.

I only ever go as low as E or D at a push. It just depends if my bass melody want that note

Tbh frequency is only part of the sound, harmonics play a bit part. I don't make a separate sub, just one harmonic rich wave then filter it on the synth ui then EQ it after if necessary.

The key isn't so important as the frequencies in the wave for heaviness imo

I've now been working in B.

test_recordings wrote:Tbh frequency is only part of the sound, harmonics play a bit part. I don't make a separate sub, just one harmonic rich wave then filter it on the synth ui then EQ it after if necessary.

The key isn't so important as the frequencies in the wave for heaviness imo

I found sine waves tuned a fifth apart, with the top one a little flat, sounds pretty heavy.