Whether you’re making pop, hip-hop, or EDM, chances are your music is going to include sub-bass. For those who aren’t familiar, sub-bass are low-pitched notes below approximately 60 Hz, and often go below the lowest frequencies that humans can actually hear. In other words, you often can’t hear sub-bass; rather, you feel it. For example, if you’re seeing a concert and the DJ builds to a drop, then the whole room starts vibrating with low frequencies, that is sub-bass. As electronic drums and midi instruments continue to play a bigger and bigger role in popular music, the use of sub-bass is becoming standard. But since humans often can’t actually hear frequencies that low, producers have to come up with ways to bring out the pitch. So, we compiled five secrets to making your sub-bass audible.
1. Double the bassline with another instrument
One of the most obvious ways to make your sub-bass melodies audible is to just double the melody with another instrument that cuts through the mix. For example, if you’re bass line is A, C, D, G over four bars, create a synth line that plays those same notes in the same time. Make sure the synth is audible — like a saw or reese sound. You could also do this with a guitar or piano.
But remember that if your music doesn’t call for big noisy synths, don’t make your doubled bassline too prominent in the mix. You want to make it just loud enough that if someone is listening to your song on laptop speakers, they can still hear those note changes. Otherwise, the dynamic structure of your song is going to be lost unless the listener has on nice headphones or a good sound system, and that isn’t always the case.
For example, French producer Stwo doubles his sub-bass line with a higher synth line in his popular track, “Lovin U.”
2. Bring out the midrange
Sub-bass is all about the low frequencies, however, if you can use an EQ plugin to bring out the mid-range frequencies, it will help to make your bass more audible. For example, on Vince Staples’ hit song, “Blue Suede,” producer Hadler uses a hard-hitting sub-bass, and the mid-range is front and center along with that booming low-range. This can be done by simply using an EQ plugin, or utilizing a saturator plugin that focuses on beefing up the mid-range.
3. Bring out the distortion
Distortion? Isn’t that for, like, metal? Well, yes, but it can also be used to make your 808s audible to listeners without good headphones or speakers. The appropriate use of distortion will help bring out those notes. iZotope Trash plugins are excellent in giving you a diverse range of options for adding distortion to your sub-bass. But the key is not to go overboard, or else you’re going to blow your listener’s speakers apart. Keep the distortion to a minimum, like the fuzz on Tyler, The Creator’s new song, “Who Dat Boy.”
4. Slide into higher notes
A popular technique in hip-hop has been pitch sliding. Rather than going from an A up to C in one clean step, producers will slide the pitch, giving a new effect to how the bass line rides out. So, while those low frequencies might not be audible, if you slide an octave up very quickly between measures, it will bring out the note you’re actually playing. For example, in Drake’s “Back To Back,” you can hear the low bass do several very quick slides up to higher notes. It gives the beat a grimy feel, and it also brings out the pitch.
5. Add oscillation to give the bass an audible rhythm
Adding a phaser or utilizing LFO oscillation to your sub-bass can help bring it out where it would otherwise be absent in certain speakers. What do we mean by oscillation? Think of a singer who holds a note with vibrato, such as Adele belting out “Hello from the othersi-I-i-I-i-I-i-I-d-e-E-e-E-e.” She’s technically singing one note, but her vibrato is oscillating slowly between micro-pitches. You can also do this with a tremolo or panning effect. But if you use it on your sub-bass, those little gaps between notes will create a rumbling sound that can be picked up on soundsystems that are less receptive to low frequencies.
For example, James Blake’s popular cover of Feist’s “Limit To Your Love” is literally built around a monstrous sub-bass line. And while it will never be the same listening to the song on iPhone speakers versus hearing it in the club, the filter he uses on the bass makes it subtly audible to listeners without a good speaker or pair of headphones.
Conclusion
Sub-bass is a great way to make your songs sound and, more importantly, feel full. But if all you have is a sub-bass and a drum beat, depending on what notes you’re playing on the midi-bass, listeners might not be able to hear those changes. This creates a conflict because if your bass line has movements that only certain listeners can hear, not everyone is going to be able to understand your song’s vision. So, use these five secrets to make your bass lines audible, and remember, you’re not trying to make them scream — just make them audible so whether you’re listening on an alarm clock or state-of-the-art speakers, everyone can hear your music as it’s meant to be heard.
Sam Friedman is an electronic producer and singer-songwriter based in Brooklyn, creating music as Nerve Leak. Praised by major publications such as The FADER, his unique blend of experimental and pop music has earned him hundreds of thousands of streams across the web.
23 comments
Join the conversationDJ PSandy - August 17, 2017
this was really helpful, as mixing engineers sometimes it’s not that easy to explain this to producers who are new to this. This article just made it simpler. Thanks
beny - May 11, 2021
The reasons you give convince me. I often make short music tracks for use as phone ringtones. A lot of people like to listen to the piano but there are also many people who like other instruments. I think I should create a lot
Clayton Davis - June 9, 2019
No. Turn it off. In a live mix subs turn the whole thing to garbage.
Sachin Khanna - July 28, 2019
this was really helpful, as mixing engineers sometimes it’s not that easy to explain this to producers who are new to this. This article just made it simpler. Thanks
Matt Renshaw - January 24, 2020
One of the most obvious ways to make your sub-bass melodies audible is to just double the melody with another instrument that cuts through the mix – I didn’t know that this can be so simple and an easy way. Thanks Rebecca.
Kash - February 21, 2020
Fantastic article. There are about 5 good vsts which can add really good subharmonics for deeper bass https://youtu.be/jaF8ZYJ1l2Q
run 3 - February 24, 2020
Your article is very useful, the content is great, I have read a lot of articles, but for your article, it left me a deep impression, thank you for sharing.
Atul Singh - April 7, 2020
Quality content, it is as simple and easy to understand. Excellent, good work 👍😁
Shoutfile - June 9, 2020
Interesting. However, how do you design/EQ a basic sub-bass that’s audible on laptop speakers?
Urban objects - July 1, 2020
Good information. and i have been following this webiste since long time. hope you can add more articles like these in your website
Cosmo key - April 21, 2021
Awesome post. I haven’t tried all of these. But they make sense. Thank you!
Kaashi - June 1, 2021
interested topic. Its good for learning more fast. thank for sharing.
Haldiram Franchise - June 15, 2021
Fantastic article. There are about 5 good vsts which can add really good subharmonics for deeper bass
Kgbish - July 20, 2021
Great info applying it to the mix now and oh boy does this apply
cặp da nam - July 20, 2021
Thanjnk you, Very useful article
Movierulz4 mirror websites - July 29, 2021
I am a noob but I love the way you explain the sub-bass notes Let me practice it today because I know it is an important part of our music industry.
Haldiram Franchise - August 12, 2021
Thanks for giving this information its very helpful for me
Mere Warga - September 17, 2021
Great Article, Thanks For Sharing Such Valuable Content.
Tigers aluminum - December 10, 2021
Quality content, it is as simple and easy to understand.
Salt Bae - January 7, 2022
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Electronates - January 28, 2022
One of the most obvious ways to make your sub-bass melodies audible is to just double the melody with another instrument that cuts through the mix.
Survivor Sponsorları - January 28, 2022
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Marcus - June 4, 2022
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