Hi Pass filter on a master?

[Darm]

Well I heard this from one techno guy. He was talking about mastering, and he said that he is using a 12db/oct hi pass filter on 32 to 35 Hz on the whole mix, since you pretty much can't find a system that really gets that low.
Since I do have a little studio, and most of the guys I record don't have money/time to get their stuff mastered, but want to hear it pretty loud, I throw a 3-4 db of compression and about 1 to 3 db's of limitting on top of that.
Now I tried putting a digirack hpf before the limitter, and I was able to drive the track hotter, without hearing any differences!
So I just wanted to know if any of you guys think about this little tweak?

[Heezzi]

Originally Posted by Darm

Well I heard this from one techno guy. He was talking about mastering, and he said that he is using a 12db/oct hi pass filter on 32 to 35 Hz on the whole mix, since you pretty much can't find a system that really gets that low.
Since I do have a little studio, and most of the guys I record don't have money/time to get their stuff mastered, but want to hear it pretty loud, I throw a 3-4 db of compression and about 1 to 3 db's of limitting on top of that.
Now I tried putting a digirack hpf before the limitter, and I was able to drive the track hotter, without hearing any differences!
So I just wanted to know if any of you guys think about this little tweak?

It's nothing new... most of the bass below i believe 35hz anyway would be felt more than heard. When they cut vinyl they have to run a highpass over it so the needle wouldn't jump out the grooves. Filter out freq you don't hear and you will get your tracks louder. Most Bass drums don't need anything above 3 for instance... (It's actually lower than that.)


What I would do, however, is to filter the ones off every offending track and then they would never make it the master bus.

[T. Gundersen]

I always hi-pass a lot when mixing so I don't have so much need for it on the 2bus, but I often do a 6 or 12 dB/oct at 30 or 25 hz as well.

[flex]

I usually always throw a hi-pass of around 6-12db @ 35hz to remove any bog rumble, but I would like to know if anyone uses a Lo Pass filter on the other end of the spectrum to smooth out the tops? say at 15-17khz?

[Hot Lipps]

Originally Posted by flex

I usually always throw a hi-pass of around 6-12db @ 35hz to remove any bog rumble, but I would like to know if anyone uses a Lo Pass filter on the other end of the spectrum to smooth out the tops? say at 15-17khz?

I thought about that one once. Was afraid to pull the triger for some reason. I guess I should at least try to see

[larrygates]

Nebula has a program specifically for that. It tightens the shit out of your mixes. I was ShOCKED. Although, this wouldn't be good for Rap, as you'd be losing something the clubs would like.

Or not?

[bigdoghat]

Originally Posted by flex

I usually always throw a hi-pass of around 6-12db @ 35hz to remove any bog rumble, but I would like to know if anyone uses a Lo Pass filter on the other end of the spectrum to smooth out the tops? say at 15-17khz?

Air and sparkle are up in 15-17Khz realm so you would want to try this out at a higher Khz

[bgrotto]

Originally Posted by bigdoghat

Air and sparkle are up in 15-17Khz realm so you would want to try this out at a higher Khz

If you're recording at 44.1, the A/D is already doing that for you around 22k or so (depends on the converter).

[Led]

Originally Posted by larrygates

Nebula has a program specifically for that. It tightens the shit out of your mixes. I was ShOCKED. Although, this wouldn't be good for Rap, as you'd be losing something the clubs would like.

Or not?

Not necessarily. I mix a lot of dance and most of the boom in the clubs comes from subs and is generated from the higher bass frequencies. You don't need anywhere near as much below 30Hz as some would think, and you end up with a cleaner sub.

[Darm]

I wonder if 24db/oct filter would do better...
I don't have a good enuff system at my studio to hear all that bass... My sub barely gets to 40Hz, and the club where I used to check out my mixes on some nice 20 inch bass bins is closed now...

[AON]

Originally Posted by larrygates

Nebula has a program specifically for that. It tightens the shit out of your mixes. I was ShOCKED. Although, this wouldn't be good for Rap, as you'd be losing something the clubs would like.

Or not?

Which preset is it?

[FrustiThaSnowman]

Thats what I always say, cut the damn bass. It will bring the mids out, and you can even cut the highs cuz they dont have to fight for attention anymore. makes your drums sound tighter, and on the whole less muddy.

[cynic]

Originally Posted by larrygates

Nebula has a program specifically for that. It tightens the shit out of your mixes. I was ShOCKED. Although, this wouldn't be good for Rap, as you'd be losing something the clubs would like.

Or not?

what's nebula?

[AON]

Originally Posted by cynic

what's nebula?

Acusticaudio

[larrygates]

Originally Posted by AON

Which preset is it?

Part of this bundle. But there's a free one he let go.

CD Sound Master Mastering Engineer Michael Angel Angel Lofte Studio

Part of the Mastering Lib.

Free Presets are at the site you gave the link to.

It's called 40Hz Hi Pass or something to that effect.

[Edge]

I sometimes use a HP filter at about 40 to 60 hz on my master then I use Waves Maxi Bass or R-bass to bring that bass back. It kind of cleans up those frequency's with out losing them.

This trick doesn't work on every track but it has it place
You don't want your bass eating up all your headroom

[Marogru]

I'm filtering most of the tracks while mixing, so at the end I don't need to use HPF. Using 1 HPF on a full mix might not work as good (couse of the covering ferq of all tracks at this area) as a carfull cutting in the mix.

[TonyBelmont]

Talk about putting a band aid on a mix....

If you mix the low end right, you don't need to strap a high pass on the 2 buss.

I say NO!

[larrygates]

Originally Posted by TonyBelmont

Talk about putting a band aid on a mix....

If you mix the low end right, you don't need to strap a high pass on the 2 buss.

I say NO!

Talk about saying do it right or everything else is Wrong!

I say if it works and you like it, do it.

I don't think anyone hurt themselves in the process, not sure the ref to a band-aid / bandage.

Oh well, we'll always have "do it right the first time, and if you didn't then you must not be a pro / know what you're doing."

It all has it's place I presume.

btw just ruffling feathers.

[TonyBelmont]

Originally Posted by larrygates

Talk about saying do it right or everything else is Wrong!

I say if it works and you like it, do it.

I don't think anyone hurt themselves in the process, not sure the ref to a band-aid / bandage.

Oh well, we'll always have "do it right the first time, and if you didn't then you must not be a pro / know what you're doing."

It all has it's place I presume.

btw just ruffling feathers.

The band aid reference means that you are compensating at the end of the mix to try and repair what you didn't do right in the first place.

[larrygates]

Originally Posted by TonyBelmont

The band aid reference means that you are compensating at the end of the mix to try and repair what you didn't do right in the first place.

Oh well, we'll always have "do it right the first time, and if you didn't then you must not be a pro / know what you're doing."

I wonder who said this?

[Riccardo]

Originally Posted by T. Gundersen

I always hi-pass a lot when mixing so I don't have so much need for it on the 2bus, but I often do a 6 or 12 dB/oct at 30 or 25 hz as well.

Yes, always better to use hi pass filters on individual tracks rather than on a full mix.
On a full mix you will inevitably affect the upper end of the spectrum (i.e the lower mids)
If you don't have a very revealing monitoring system you might not notice it.
Very easy to steal all the body from say a vocal performance.

If you only have access to the mix then go for the lesser evil. See (hear) how high or steep you can go with the least damage.

[Riccardo]

Originally Posted by flex

I usually always throw a hi-pass of around 6-12db @ 35hz to remove any bog rumble, but I would like to know if anyone uses a Lo Pass filter on the other end of the spectrum to smooth out the tops? say at 15-17khz?

Yes this is commonly used in mixing to make sounds "warmer" as well as to reduce unwanted noise. You may also find that sometimes "gels" instruments (and samples) together.

It is used sometimes in mastering when excessive or shrill top end is present, usually a by-product of a less than perfect monitoring environment.

[PettyCash]

Use as many high pass filters as there are tracks in the mix. Removing any part of a sound that you feel is not neccessary will help you have a louder and cleaner mix later. Spectral mixing people! lol