NI Massive bass synth for dubstep

[itroitnyah]

Alright, so I am really horrible not very good with synth design, so I need help. Like a lot of help. Like, go back to the basics help.

I have troubles designing a good synth for a bass drop in dubstep. I made one that friends on skype have said sounds sufficient for a bass drop, but then there isn't enough low end bass-ier frequencies on it. Problem is, the only thing that I can really think of doing to fix this is dropping the pitch on the oscillators down an octave or so. And that sort of helps, but it then it doesn't feel right, so I feel like I need to do something about it. So then tell me. Is there something that I would need to do to put lower end frequencies onto the synth more efficiently? Would putting a bass boost unit on it help? EQ the lower ends up about 5-7 dB? Or would lowering the pitch be enough?

[XXDarkShadow79XX]

Are you talking about sub bass? If so, your sub should be a separate patch from your main bass. Also, your sub should sit in the 100-30hz range, whilst you main could practically sit anywhere else. I'm not entirely sure what you're asking.

[ChromaticChaosPony]

Sub bass is the easiest type of bass to synthesize. It's essentially just a plain sine wave below 100hz.

How do people keep forgetting it entirely?

[itroitnyah]

Haha, thanks for the advice guys, but I was well aware of what I sub bass was way before posting this thread =P I meant like the main synths and wubs involved in the drop. Sorry for the confusion.

Also, I fixed the problem now. I achieved the results that I wanted

[XXDarkShadow79XX]

Well thi was a health discussion that turned out to be useless. :P

Edit: Well I a bad at type on phon.

[itroitnyah]

Well thi was a health discussion that turned out to be useless.

Haha, exactly xD

[Versilaryan]

Have you tried using EQ's and compressors? If you can drop the highs and then raise the overall volume, you'll have a lot more of that low end presence. Or, if you have a spare oscillator, make one that just sounds warm and deep and add that to your synth.

If all else fails, just layer it with another synth that does have a lower presence.

[Captain Ironhelm]

Sub bass is the easiest type of bass to synthesize. It's essentially just a plain sine wave below 100hz.

How do people keep forgetting it entirely?

It's fun to mess around with other waveforms as well, like say a saw wave, just for the lulz.

[XXDarkShadow79XX]

Sub bass is the easiest type of bass to synthesize. It's essentially just a plain sine wave below 100hz.

How do people keep forgetting it entirely?

It's fun to mess around with other waveforms as well, like say a saw wave, just for the lulz.

Just for the lulz? A saw wave sub bass can sound unbelievably epic. I made a sweet ass patch in massive. (Actually a few) Maybe I'll post them sometime. (After a bit of tweaking)

[Lavender_Harmony]

Alright, so I am really horrible not very good with synth design, so I need help. Like a lot of help. Like, go back to the basics help.

I have troubles designing a good synth for a bass drop in dubstep. I made one that friends on skype have said sounds sufficient for a bass drop, but then there isn't enough low end bass-ier frequencies on it. Problem is, the only thing that I can really think of doing to fix this is dropping the pitch on the oscillators down an octave or so. And that sort of helps, but it then it doesn't feel right, so I feel like I need to do something about it. So then tell me. Is there something that I would need to do to put lower end frequencies onto the synth more efficiently? Would putting a bass boost unit on it help? EQ the lower ends up about 5-7 dB? Or would lowering the pitch be enough?

Okay I've read this several times and I'm still not too sure I understand.

When you design a heavy bass synth, the first thing you do is cut out all the sub frequencies. Pretty much every dubstep bass sound has no bass, at all. It;s the harsh, or vocal, or distorted sound, anything like that, you cut the bass out of completely.

To get the bass back into your sound, you use a sub playing the same notes at a lower octave. Use a sine or triangle wave with no effects or filtering in mono, total centre.

Make sure to do proper EQing to compensate for that low end so your kick sits in the mix, and make sure you space things out for leads, pads and other drums too.

To give your drop's a little more power, lower everything before the drop a couple dB and when it all kicks in bring everything up, but don't push your average level to -4dB at the most. Don't mix too loud, or else that dynamic quality will be lost entirely.

[XXDarkShadow79XX]

To give your drop's a little more power, lower everything before the drop a couple dB and when it all kicks in bring everything up, but don't push your average level to -4dB at the most. Don't mix too loud, or else that dynamic quality will be lost entirely.

[/quote]

Ewps. I mix @ 0dB. And... export to 0 dB.

...

Ah I'll admit it! I'm fine with over-compressing my tracks! In fact... I kind of like it. :S

[ChromaticChaosPony]

Ewps. I mix @ 0dB. And... export to 0 dB.

...

Ah I'll admit it! I'm fine with over-compressing my tracks! In fact... I kind of like it. :S

[SticktheFigure]

Ewps. I mix @ 0dB. And... export to 0 dB.

...

Ah I'll admit it! I'm fine with over-compressing my tracks! In fact... I kind of like it. :S

[XXDarkShadow79XX]

Lol laughed for like ten minutes straight. XD

But seriously, I usually don't like to give a lot of dynamic range in my tracks, or at least, recently I've found I don't. I just don't find it as necessary. I prefer to keep things consistent, even within the song. [Over]Compressing makes intros bigger, buildups more epic and drops harder. If dynamic range is something I have to sacrifice for that, then so be it. After all, when a listener adjusts the volume, its' safe to assume they want it at that volume.

Aaannnd... thread derailed. To get back on topic, I'll be releasing a bass tutorial (hopefully) later today. It covers sub bass and errthang.

[itroitnyah]

Okay I've read this several times and I'm still not too sure I understand.

When you design a heavy bass synth, the first thing you do is cut out all the sub frequencies. Pretty much every dubstep bass sound has no bass, at all. It;s the harsh, or vocal, or distorted sound, anything like that, you cut the bass out of completely.

To get the bass back into your sound, you use a sub playing the same notes at a lower octave. Use a sine or triangle wave with no effects or filtering in mono, total centre.

Make sure to do proper EQing to compensate for that low end so your kick sits in the mix, and make sure you space things out for leads, pads and other drums too.

To give your drop's a little more power, lower everything before the drop a couple dB and when it all kicks in bring everything up, but don't push your average level to -4dB at the most. Don't mix too loud, or else that dynamic quality will be lost entirely.

Alright, so take a dubstep song. The drop, to be specific. Remove the pad, sub bass, kicks, hats, snare and any other drums. What's left over. The synth that goes "wubwubwub". The problem that I was having was that the wubwubwub synth was too high pitched. But I've since fixed the problem.

[Seven]

What...what was this thread for?

[Raddons]

http://dl.dropbox.com/u/84260720/How%20 ... bstep.nmsv

This is what you kids are doing these days, right?

[Lavender_Harmony]

Okay I've read this several times and I'm still not too sure I understand.

When you design a heavy bass synth, the first thing you do is cut out all the sub frequencies. Pretty much every dubstep bass sound has no bass, at all. It;s the harsh, or vocal, or distorted sound, anything like that, you cut the bass out of completely.

To get the bass back into your sound, you use a sub playing the same notes at a lower octave. Use a sine or triangle wave with no effects or filtering in mono, total centre.

Make sure to do proper EQing to compensate for that low end so your kick sits in the mix, and make sure you space things out for leads, pads and other drums too.

To give your drop's a little more power, lower everything before the drop a couple dB and when it all kicks in bring everything up, but don't push your average level to -4dB at the most. Don't mix too loud, or else that dynamic quality will be lost entirely.

Alright, so take a dubstep song. The drop, to be specific. Remove the pad, sub bass, kicks, hats, snare and any other drums. What's left over. The synth that goes "wubwubwub". The problem that I was having was that the wubwubwub synth was too high pitched. But I've since fixed the problem.

Pitch should not matter. Listen to the middle8 of Devil's Den by Skrillex, there's a synth that absolutely screeches. Audio examples would help for us to help you.

But seriously, I usually don't like to give a lot of dynamic range in my tracks, or at least, recently I've found I don't. I just don't find it as necessary. I prefer to keep things consistent, even within the song. [Over]Compressing makes intros bigger, buildups more epic and drops harder. If dynamic range is something I have to sacrifice for that, then so be it. After all, when a listener adjusts the volume, its' safe to assume they want it at that volume.

And this is how you get poor mixes. You squash the track at the final stages of mixing/mastering if you want to reduce the dynamic range. If you mix everything into a limiter, you're going to have a horrible, muddy mix, and no headroom to work with. While music doesn't have many rules, you're doing it wrong. If you want your track to have more power, you need to be more creative other than compressing everything, you're going to have so many issues with your mix. If you mix quieter, even everything out, your mix will be clearer, punchier, your drums will have more clarity, as will your bass, as well as everything else. You can adjust things to a more controlled degree than if you were fighting against your master limiter.

You don't sacrifice dynamic range by composing and mixing to -4dB. You use compression in the final stages.

[GumsOfGabby]

you're doing it wrong.

No way!!! Sonic artifacts are the cornerstone of all amateur music! I love the nice pumping effect a limiter gives to my tracks, makes them sound more professional. You should try it!

[XXDarkShadow79XX]

Okay I've read this several times and I'm still not too sure I understand.

When you design a heavy bass synth, the first thing you do is cut out all the sub frequencies. Pretty much every dubstep bass sound has no bass, at all. It;s the harsh, or vocal, or distorted sound, anything like that, you cut the bass out of completely.

To get the bass back into your sound, you use a sub playing the same notes at a lower octave. Use a sine or triangle wave with no effects or filtering in mono, total centre.

Make sure to do proper EQing to compensate for that low end so your kick sits in the mix, and make sure you space things out for leads, pads and other drums too.

To give your drop's a little more power, lower everything before the drop a couple dB and when it all kicks in bring everything up, but don't push your average level to -4dB at the most. Don't mix too loud, or else that dynamic quality will be lost entirely.

Alright, so take a dubstep song. The drop, to be specific. Remove the pad, sub bass, kicks, hats, snare and any other drums. What's left over. The synth that goes "wubwubwub". The problem that I was having was that the wubwubwub synth was too high pitched. But I've since fixed the problem.

Pitch should not matter. Listen to the middle8 of Devil's Den by Skrillex, there's a synth that absolutely screeches. Audio examples would help for us to help you.

But seriously, I usually don't like to give a lot of dynamic range in my tracks, or at least, recently I've found I don't. I just don't find it as necessary. I prefer to keep things consistent, even within the song. [Over]Compressing makes intros bigger, buildups more epic and drops harder. If dynamic range is something I have to sacrifice for that, then so be it. After all, when a listener adjusts the volume, its' safe to assume they want it at that volume.

And this is how you get poor mixes. You squash the track at the final stages of mixing/mastering if you want to reduce the dynamic range. If you mix everything into a limiter, you're going to have a horrible, muddy mix, and no headroom to work with. While music doesn't have many rules, you're doing it wrong. If you want your track to have more power, you need to be more creative other than compressing everything, you're going to have so many issues with your mix. If you mix quieter, even everything out, your mix will be clearer, punchier, your drums will have more clarity, as will your bass, as well as everything else. You can adjust things to a more controlled degree than if you were fighting against your master limiter.

You don't sacrifice dynamic range by composing and mixing to -4dB. You use compression in the final stages.

Oh, no I definitely don't mix into a limiter. I mix into a soft clipper. But I'll have try out mixing quieter since I haven't yet.

[GhostXb]

Alright, so I am really horrible not very good with synth design, so I need help. Like a lot of help. Like, go back to the basics help.

I have troubles designing a good synth for a bass drop in dubstep. I made one that friends on skype have said sounds sufficient for a bass drop, but then there isn't enough low end bass-ier frequencies on it. Problem is, the only thing that I can really think of doing to fix this is dropping the pitch on the oscillators down an octave or so. And that sort of helps, but it then it doesn't feel right, so I feel like I need to do something about it. So then tell me. Is there something that I would need to do to put lower end frequencies onto the synth more efficiently? Would putting a bass boost unit on it help? EQ the lower ends up about 5-7 dB? Or would lowering the pitch be enough?

Okay I've read this several times and I'm still not too sure I understand.

When you design a heavy bass synth, the first thing you do is cut out all the sub frequencies. Pretty much every dubstep bass sound has no bass, at all. It;s the harsh, or vocal, or distorted sound, anything like that, you cut the bass out of completely.

To get the bass back into your sound, you use a sub playing the same notes at a lower octave. Use a sine or triangle wave with no effects or filtering in mono, total centre.

Make sure to do proper EQing to compensate for that low end so your kick sits in the mix, and make sure you space things out for leads, pads and other drums too.

To give your drop's a little more power, lower everything before the drop a couple dB and when it all kicks in bring everything up, but don't push your average level to -4dB at the most. Don't mix too loud, or else that dynamic quality will be lost entirely.

Just to add to this, I also like to have the amp or levels of the sub bass also linked to an LFO that is in sync with the main bass synth. This has more of a 'bang your head into a giant subwoofer' effect.