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Finding the subs sweet-spot

  • Published: 2021-10-17 21:29
  • Updated: 2023-03-27 18:58

This is for you if you struggle with finding the 'right' amount of subs. If it's always too little or too much. How to know you're potentially dealing with:

Too many subs:

  1. A sound source doesn't cut through the mix, you feel you need to turn everything else down. But that doesn't seem to work either. Especially with basslines.
  2. Saturation sounds too bold, pressed-sausage-alike, without adding more presence or weight where you want it to be.
  3. You don't find the right settings on consecutive dynamics processors. They sound somewhat cramped or stressed. And tend to kill the groove you have in mind.

Insufficient subs:

  1. Despite presence in the 40-80hz region, your source is unable to cut through its neighbourhood. Especially with kicks.
  2. Saturation produces woody, knocky, somewhat hollow results.
  3. Your material doesn't imprint its weight on consecutive dynamics processors in the way you want it to.

The sweet spot

  1. Obviously, the sweet spot sits between too little and too much (no shit Sherlock).
  2. You know you hit it, when the overall sound feels easily impactful. It can be as heavy as you like, yet lacking some kind of stress. The sound translates well to consecutive bus dynamics processors.

How to manage (don't kill)

If you spent hours sweeping a highpass filters' cutoff frequency and don't arrive at a conclusion:

  1. ITB users: make use of your EQs keyboard modifier (likely SHIFT, ALT or CMD) for more granular cutoff frequency adjustments. There's a chance you're simply missing the sweet spot.
  2. If that doesn't work, lower your high-pass filters' steepness. Try above again.

If above doesn't improve your situation, a high-pass filter may not be the right tool: Especially above a steepness of 12 to 18db/oct, they easily cut too much. They're a good fit for broad strokes, at the same time less suitable for correcting details. Try a high-shelf filter instead.