Low End

Okay, so I'm halfway through writing my latest book on this subject and I am a touch worried that I might be going a little over the top with advanced principles: hell, I've had a couple of my mod m8s at Sos telling me to back up and that graphs of harmonic motion etc are a little too 'scientific'. So, I've now kept it more 'hands-on' and user friendly, like the Creative Effects and Beat Construction books, but I have come to the mutha chapter on the creation of signal paths and how different producers use different paths to get the textures they want. Of course, the design, build and processing of 808s, and all tonal drive elements, has been covered in serious depth and because of this I would like you guys to throw some low end examples at me that you would like me to explain to you. I have already covered the standard Lil Wayne, Timbaland, Dre etc commercial artistes/producer techniques but is there any specific low end example that really mystifies you and you would like the techniques of how it/they came to be revealed?

A link to an audio example would also be helpful.

wow sounds really interesting

can't you do both the scientific and hands-on? or make the scrapped parts accesible somewhere?

it's probably only tangential on your book, but i'd be interested in reading about stereo bass techniques (completely ignoring mono compatibility hehe) and how low end interacts with the rest of the mix (like a kick 'stepping' on a hi hat, making some frequencies somewhat distorted, if i remember correctly, dre does this quite often, but i've never consistently recreated it)

Zukan wrote:is there any specific low end example that really mystifies you and you would like the techniques of how it/they came to be revealed?

I don't know if this is off topic for your book, but I always thought that D&B and some Dubstep producers pushed the boundaries in the bass department.

This track from a few years ago illustrates quite well how 'bass' as the common folk would term it, actually ranges from the deepest sub way up into the mids, with several layers in-between.

AntonPD wrote:wow sounds really interesting

can't you do both the scientific and hands-on? or make the scrapped parts accesible somewhere?

it's probably only tangential on your book, but i'd be interested in reading about stereo bass techniques (completely ignoring mono compatibility hehe) and how low end interacts with the rest of the mix (like a kick 'stepping' on a hi hat, making some frequencies somewhat distorted, if i remember correctly, dre does this quite often, but i've never consistently recreated it)

I think the science is important but I have trimmed it down so everyone can understand. However, one area I have not compromised on is harmonics. So many people do not understand about undertones, overtones, partials etc and yet they are the most important aspect of low end management. Treating the harmonics can yield amazing results when constricted by shared frequencies.

Low end interaction with the mix is covered but only for the low end elements like kicks, basses and anything that crosses over into the sub 2K frequency range.

Coz wrote:

Zukan wrote:is there any specific low end example that really mystifies you and you would like the techniques of how it/they came to be revealed?

I don't know if this is off topic for your book, but I always thought that D&B and some Dubstep producers pushed the boundaries in the bass department.

This track from a few years ago illustrates quite well how 'bass' as the common folk would term it, actually ranges from the deepest sub way up into the mids, with several layers in-between.

I remember the first time I heard 21 Seconds by So Solid Crew and it was the bass that I was blown away by. And that was years ago.

Today, I am probably more impressed by the low end management of the Lalala by Naught Boy than any other track.

I got paid to make a ringtone (amongst many others) of 21 Seconds during a particularly bad low point in my music making endeavours.

Ahh, I didn't know who that fella was from Naughty Boy. It all makes sense now I know what other tracks he's done. I like the way he dusts off old breaks and freshens them up. Good stuff.

While you're in the neighbourhood, maybe you could drop a few words in this thread?

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=165829&hilit=+Art+of+noise+

Specifically this bit.

Coz wrote:

MPC-Tutor wrote:Little known fact, but Eddie Bazil, the sound designer for most of my sample packs, actually programmed most of the sounds for 'Moments in Love'

That's a good claim to fame.

It'd be nice if he popped in here to talk about the production and how it all came about.

Cheers.

I think that thread has veered away from the AON track.

What did you want to know specifically? 'Cos I ain't getting into an epic about how it was produced etc....

I'm sure that could turn into an epic, and yeah, that thread did veer away and die a death.

I just thought a few words from the forthcoming memoir would be interesting. No problem if it's too much hassle.

A clear "low end theory" bassline is amazing to me. Its hard to keep the dynamics and clear "thump" when the bass guitar is struck and still filter away other instruments. It sometimes leaves me with a muddy chunk of bass. even after compression and eq its hard to get it back to its original glory.

Thats why Im sometimes amazed when cats pull it off perfectly.


No good examples tho

marrelarre wrote:A clear "low end theory" bassline is amazing to me. Its hard to keep the dynamics and clear "thump" when the bass guitar is struck and still filter away other instruments. It sometimes leaves me with a muddy chunk of bass. even after compression and eq its hard to get it back to its original glory.

Thats why Im sometimes amazed when cats pull it off perfectly.


No good examples tho

it may not b as hard as u think if u got a good ear and equipment that can produce the desired effect but if u aint got the ear that attempting to make a formula of it may make it seem like black magic or some arcanr alchemic holy grail shit

jpeg wrote:it may not b as hard as u think if u got a good ear and equipment that can produce the desired effect but if u aint got the ear that attempting to make a formula of it may make it seem like black magic or some arcanr alchemic holy grail ****

Ofc its not some black magic shit, i know how to do it, but i appreciate it when someone done it really well.

ok