how often do you find yourself cutting low/sub frequencies?

[Darwin James]

How common is it that the mix has too much low end? What is the most (in db) that you've cut?

[Alécio Costa]

When necessary... Generally stuff below 20 or 30Hz...

[MASSIVE Master]

As much as is necessary, at what frequency is appropriate for that mix.

The next one might be completely different. The previous one was probably different.

[jayfrigo]

I've had a few recent projects with way too much from 100 to 200, but not much below. I found myself cutting the mid-bass and adding the sub-bass. Other times, a little low shelf cut or a hi-pass filter is necessary, but it's impossible to generalize. I wouldn't say a hi-pass is standard as it may have been in vinyl days if that's what you're wondering.

[IIIrd]

Originally Posted by MASSIVE Master

As much as is necessary, at what frequency is appropriate for that mix.

The next one might be completely different. The previous one was probably different.

+1

horses for courses, depends totally on the program content

[Joe_caithness]

Originally Posted by jayfrigo

I've had a few recent projects with way too much from 100 to 200, but not much below. I found myself cutting the mid-bass and adding the sub-bass. Other times, a little low shelf cut or a hi-pass filter is necessary, but it's impossible to generalize. I wouldn't say a hi-pass is standard as it may have been in vinyl days if that's what you're wondering.

I do a lot of sub heavy dance music and I find this a lot.

Sometimes people are mixing on monitors/headphones which don't recreate sub correctly and they keep adding harmonics/boosting where they percieve the note, adding a lot of mud to the mix and not any actual sub!

[macc]

Originally Posted by Joe_caithness

adding harmonics/boosting where they percieve the note, adding a lot of mud to the mix and not any actual sub!

LOL

I call this DSF syndrome

[lerone]

Somtimes HPF 20-32hz with a LP EQ if need be. It depends on what im given. If its gonna be loud, it probably will get a bit of filtering in the subs.

[wado1942]

I find myself cutting the extreme LF range mostly on live stuff where people are right against the mics. Also, I find a lot of rap guys like to have wild, crazy sub tones. It's a careful ballance you have to find because they like that big bottom end but if the recording is +18dB at 20Hz compared to the rest of the recording, you HAVE to do something about it because 99.99% of the systems out there can't reproduce it in any form. So I may plug in the Maxxbass to add some false harmonics while cutting the actual source tone. It gives the illusion of maintaining the low end energy when you're drastically cutting it. I'll say it again, my sub paid for itself on the very first session I had it because without it, I'd never have noticed those kinds of problems.

[finetuner]

Occasionally on metal tracks: keep all subs on open intro's / verses; then high-pass when the double bass drums kick in.
Not by default of cause, but more than once.

I find that tempo greatly influences how much sub is appropriate / desired.
Obviousy: lower freq's = longer waves > take more time to subside.

So with higher tempi it becomes a mess more easily, while the sound of a single stroke on Simon Phillips' gong drum can't be low enough...

[lerone]

Originally Posted by wado1942

I find myself cutting the extreme LF range mostly on live stuff where people are right against the mics. Also, I find a lot of rap guys like to have wild, crazy sub tones. It's a careful ballance you have to find because they like that big bottom end but if the recording is +18dB at 20Hz compared to the rest of the recording, you HAVE to do something about it because 99.99% of the systems out there can't reproduce it in any form. So I may plug in the Maxxbass to add some false harmonics while cutting the actual source tone. It gives the illusion of maintaining the low end energy when you're drastically cutting it. I'll say it again, my sub paid for itself on the very first session I had it because without it, I'd never have noticed those kinds of problems.

Yeah, max bass really can save the day, a great tool when used in moderation

[Joe_caithness]

Originally Posted by macc

LOL

I call this DSF syndrome

Macc

YOU FEEL MY PAIN

[Bob Olhsson]

The early days of home studios with NS-10s were pretty exciting!

[Joe_caithness]

Originally Posted by Bob Olhsson

The early days of home studios with NS-10s were pretty exciting!

artists impressions of the bass response on NS10s

[dangerface]

with rock or pop, i usually have to cut something... it's a fine balance to get the bottom of a song tight and that often means a lot of trial and error. sometimes a bass track only needs a 6dB cut at 45Hz, sometimes there's a HPF at 60Hz and 12 dB's of shelf at 120Hz, plus a cut at 250.


if your bottom is consistently heavy, you either eat too much cake or your listening situation isn't reproducing ENOUGH low end.


find a scource that you trust, like your car, and develop a system wherein you take your mixes back and forth until you get it right. this is really the only way i know of to learn bass.
d

[Darwin James]

Of course every song is different. I was trying to get a gauge of how often mix engineers over do the bass. (So I didnt feel so bad if I did lol).

[PatrikT]

Originally Posted by jayfrigo

I've had a few recent projects with way too much from 100 to 200, but not much below. I found myself cutting the mid-bass and adding the sub-bass.

Yup, same here. And sometimes a little 500-ish helps too.

I hipass if eveything else does not work, but never hipass by default.


I think it's more common that mixes has too much 800-1000 than "too much low end".



Dangerface wrote:

"sometimes a bass track only needs a 6dB cut at 45Hz, sometimes there's a HPF at 60Hz and 12 dB's of shelf at 120Hz, plus a cut at 250."

Hmmmm...are you sure those 6 and 12 dB's are enough? Why not give the mix 24 dB's of shelf at 300 instead?



Best Regards
Patrik

[finetuner]

Originally Posted by Darwin James

Of course every song is different. I was trying to get a gauge of how often mix engineers over do the bass. (So I didnt feel so bad if I did lol).

Ok, in that respect, roughly:

Hipass 10-20 %

Above 30Hz it's a bit more complex.
I'd say 40 % might feel bass heavy initially, needing a (parametric) cut here or there. But as soon as that's corrected, it usually could use a little boosting at other low freq's or fattening with compression.

[dangerface]

Hmmmm...are you sure those 6 and 12 dB's are enough? Why not give the mix 24 dB's of shelf at 300 instead?


ouch! fair enough...
d

[dangerface]

ha! i just realized this was a mastering forum...

...sorry.

[kicking stones, head low, walking away]