LOW END TIPS

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1. MONITORING - CAN YOU HEAR THE LOWS?

You can’t mix what you can’t hear. Should you get a sub woofer? Closed back headphones will
give you an extended low end. The Blue Headphones I use have an extended low end, they
are not that accurate, however I am used them. While you’re learning your room don’t be afraid
to check in other environments. There is nothing wrong with the car test, or the boombox test,
or any other multiple ways of double checking what you are hearing! Many amazing Mix pro-
fessionals check their mixes on multiple systems. Once you’ve got the low end to translate on
many different systems you will start to understand how it should sound in your own mix room.

2. NOT ALL LOW END MIX TIPS ARE CREATED EQUAL

Mixing a live recorded Bass Guitar is very different from mixing a programmed bass line, also
mixing a live Kick Drum is very different from mixing a programmed one.

3. USE A FREQUENCY ANALYSER

Using a Frequency Analyser will really help you learn what you’re hearing, especially if you’re
working in an untreated room with issues and using headphones that don’t have an accurate
low end.

4. DON’T BOOST WHAT YOU CAN’T HEAR

If you work mainly on 4, 5 or 6 inch monitors you can create great mixes as long as you under-
stand you won’t be reproducing super lows through those smaller speakers. Don’t boost the
frequencies that the speakers can’t reproduce effectively, if you do boost them and they start
to become audible then you end up with excessive low end which will become evident in other
systems.

5. DON’T BE AFRAID TO HIGH PASS!

Create space in the mix for clean Low End for the Kick Drum and Bass. Take care of your high
passing on individual channels rather than trying to fix on the stereo master bus.

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 LOW END TIPS
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6. EVENING OUT LOW END ON ORGANIC INSTRUMENTS

Plug ins like Waves RBass not only adds consistent low end it also adds harmonics, which
(particularly on programmed soundsv) can add extra sonic characteristics to your bass sound.
Programmed Bass Synths and Bass Guitars will stand out of the mix more if you add definition
by adding presence, high mids and even saturation.

7. KEEP YOUR LOW LOWS MONO

High frequencies are very directional, low lows are not. Keeping the Kick Drum and Bass cen-
tred. Removing low information from the sides will help them feel firmly in the sides, giving your
mix more width.

8. SOLVE YOUR PROBLEMS INSIDE OF THE MIX, NOT ON

YOUR MASTER BUS
This is a big one for me! I like to find the issues inside of the mix and deal with them at their
source. Trying to fix low end on your Master Stereo Bus (Mix Bus) should be a last resort, re-
moving above 20hz will severely remove real low end and compromise your mix. So if you feel
like you’re reaching for this area then look for the cause inside of the mix, looking at the individu-
al elements that generate the low end.

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