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cutting off frequencies for a clearer mix....
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Get-a-fix
Getafix
Started Topics :
147
Posts :
1441
Posted : Apr 17, 2005 19:39
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hi..i've got a couple of questions abt cutting off frequencies..i know nothing below 20hz is audible so i take off everything below 20hz when i bounce my final mix to wav..r there any high frequencies that i should cut off as well? frequencies that cause listening fatigue or earbleeding?
2nd question is which frequencies should i roll off below in my bassline? i know it depends on how high ur bassline is going but i usually roll my basslines off below 32hz..is that ok?
i don't have monitors as yet so i have to rely on my hi.fi speakers which give coloured sound..so i have to burn my cd's n listen to my mixes in my car while i drive around..not very efficient as i burn 20 copies to get it sounding good!
  http://www.soundcloud.com/getafixmusic |
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PoM
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
162
Posts :
8087
Posted : Apr 17, 2005 20:20
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i think 32 hz it s too low , it s sub bass there , it depends about your kick and bass but try more than 50 hz and you can take off evrything below 40hz , but i m not sure:)
and for listening fatigue or irrating it s not good too much sounds in the 200/800hz area but with a good arrangement it s ok .. |
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Freeflow
IsraTrance Full Member
Started Topics :
60
Posts :
3709
Posted : Apr 18, 2005 04:37
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I dont think you should cut everything below 40hz, but rolloff(like you said) from 40hz with a highpass filter depending on the bass as PoM said, if your bass is in E1 for example then the root frequency will reside in 41.20hz so then you could probably rolloff at 30hz instead. just rolloff where it sound good, if it sounds too weak you could make a mild boost in the root. and this i mean for the mixing stage..
also try a multiband compressor on the bass and kick and just compress the lowend to get a more controlled lowend. can be done in both the mixing stage and premastering stage, depends on how much you do it... cant say which way is best, i like to do as much as possilbe in the mixing stage.
200hz can be pretty good to make a bowl-shaped cut to avoid boomyness and get a rounder smoother sound...
its all about taste 
i think you are on the right track, just keep experimenting!
i would avoid too much eqing on the whole mix, maybe some lowend roolloff and some cuts in irritating freqs, but try to make it as smooth as you can in the mix for better clarity, i think a good mastering enginner will know where to cut the right freqs without damaging the clarity of other sounds... its a damn science! |
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br0d
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
12
Posts :
355
Posted : Apr 18, 2005 06:10
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Lately I've been really scrutinizing steep hipass filters. For instance, if you're using a Waves REQ to rolloff at 30Hz or so, and the Q control is maxed (which I just sort of mindlessly did for a while) this actually tends to distort the signal (often inaudibly) and it actually raises the level of the bass. So getting rid of the low subs actually makes the instrument louder. This is only true up to a certain point, maybe 80Hz or so.
I have to admit for all my advising and blathering  this is one aspect of bass which, on a physics/acoustics level, I really don't quite understand yet, it has something to do with phase consistency, or intermodulation distortion I believe. It seems physically impossible that removing sound would make the sound louder, so I believe the subsonics must have a levelling effect which reduces the dynamic range of the main bass.
Bass is not easy, but the best way to cheat your way from point A to point B is to import into your song maybe your 5 favorite tracks which all feature bass/kick breakdowns, assign them all to their own audio tracks, loop the good parts, and then strap a LPF across your mains and just listen to the basses. Move the filter around and hear it. Solo back and forth, go from 100Hz to 300Hz, bypass it, etc.
Granted anyone can get a "decent" kick/bass sound, but if you really want to learn how to hit the sub in the nuts like Logic Bomb or Delta, without mushing up your mix...I think this way will get you there faster. Especially since every room is different, and every room has its own axial bass modes. So you have to calibrate your ear to "good" music just so you know how to work in your own room, unless you've professionally treated it. |
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billy ambulance
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
43
Posts :
560
Posted : Apr 18, 2005 12:07
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bass is not just about subs!
good bass contain also "mid" present and some highs as well.
any way, back to the topic.
a lot of leads contains resonances that hurt the mix and causes clips. of course it depend on the part but there are a few frequeinces that usually do that:
500hz-600hz, 3khz-4khz, 10khz-11khz
this is not a rule, but when you train your ear to notice those frequeincies, you`ll find it easily!
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serra
Started Topics :
5
Posts :
29
Posted : Apr 20, 2005 13:32
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Quote:
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On 2005-04-17 19:39, Psychosomatic wrote:
hi..i've got a couple of questions abt cutting off frequencies..i know nothing below 20hz is audible so i take off everything below 20hz when i bounce my final mix to wav..r there any high frequencies that i should cut off as well? frequencies that cause listening fatigue or earbleeding?
2nd question is which frequencies should i roll off below in my bassline? i know it depends on how high ur bassline is going but i usually roll my basslines off below 32hz..is that ok?
i don't have monitors as yet so i have to rely on my hi.fi speakers which give coloured sound..so i have to burn my cd's n listen to my mixes in my car while i drive around..not very efficient as i burn 20 copies to get it sounding good!
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Ever heard of CD-RW? |
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UnderTow
Started Topics :
9
Posts :
1448
Posted : Apr 20, 2005 15:10
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Quote:
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On 2005-04-18 06:10, br0d wrote:
I have to admit for all my advising and blathering this is one aspect of bass which, on a physics/acoustics level, I really don't quite understand yet, it has something to do with phase consistency, or intermodulation distortion I believe. It seems physically impossible that removing sound would make the sound louder, so I believe the subsonics must have a levelling effect which reduces the dynamic range of the main bass.
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A fe things could be happening here. Like you said, the EQ could be introducing distortion. Distortion usualy makes things sound louder.
Another thing that could be happening is that you have a compressor or limiter somewhere later in the chain that is being triggered by the very low frequencies. Once you remove those frequencies, the compressor/limiter isn't being triggered so much or as often so the resulting levels are louder.
It could also have to do with phase shifting of certain frequencies. The phase shifted frequencies will have their peaks at slightly different places. The cumulative peaks of all the frequencies in your sound might then be louder or softer.
This is actually one of the tricks used in the Orban broadcast processors. They use all-pass filters that phase shift certain frequencies allowing the processor to make things slightly louder. Especially voices.These processors also use bass clipping to make the bass seem louder without actually increasing the levels.
But this is all theory. Experimenting is the only way to find out how it actually sounds.
UnderTow |
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Colin OOOD
Moderator
Started Topics :
95
Posts :
5380
Posted : Apr 20, 2005 16:53
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I've done some testing with REQ and Spectralab and I've found out that the only time REQ hi-pass filters are accurate is with Q=1. I'm not sure if this is the distortion you're hearing, br0d, but at other values the filter lets through elements of the signal below the turnover point.
However if you bear this in mind, REQ is an excellent filter - as long as you don't need different slopes. If you need absolute vertical brick-wall filtering, try GRM band-pass.
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Contact for bookings/mastering - colin@oood.net |
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EYB
Noized
Started Topics :
111
Posts :
2849
Posted : Apr 20, 2005 17:39
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Thanks for this very important information
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br0d
IsraTrance Junior Member
Started Topics :
12
Posts :
355
Posted : Apr 20, 2005 17:40
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Yesss......GRM is quite the brick..........
/me rubs hands together
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