Hello,

I have a question about what the options are for fixing the issue with low frequencies conflicting with multiple instruments.

I have a floor tom that has a lot of power that translates in a very important way in my mix, but once the bass line comes in with the floor tom, it becomes far too muddy. I also have a timpani drum in another section of the track which also shares this problem.

I have experimented with EQing the low end out of the toms & timpani, but it completely kills the effect and driving force of the parts.

As of right now, I am using track automation in Logic Pro to take low end out of the tom & timpani at different levels throughout the different sections of the song...

So, I would think this is a pretty common issue that comes up for people, and am wondering what techniques are often the best to maintain a clean bass line, but not end up with the tom & timpani sounding thin.

-patrick

The BASS has a wide range 40Hz-200Hz fundamentals, but the drums each have a few "best" fundamental frequencies each. I would sweep a narrow EQ across each drum and find the best sound for each. I would highlite that frequency for each. For example a kick drum could be at 70Hz or 80Hz, but you would not highlite both, you would pick one sound for it. Then you would drop that freqency in the BASS track, such that the when the BASS does play that freq, either as a fundamental or harmonic, it will be softer. If you choose notes that are between scales for the drums then you will lose less Bass. For example: an F BASS note in the second octave is 87.31Hz and the G is 98.00Hz. Which means you can highlite a Drum at 85Hz (if it sounds good) and reduce 85Hz in the BASS track without affecting much.

Another thing to consider is that people usually don't know if the fundamentals have been lopped off. For example I used to think Bob Seger had a deep voice and that I would find a lot of 100Hz-250Hz in his recorded voice. He does have a deep voice but those frequncies are not there. Now that I know that, when I listen to Bob Seger I can tell the fundamentals have been cut way back to make room for the bass and drums and gutars. Our brains re-create fundamentals from harmonics. So you might find that dipping the BASS in the 300Hz range and boosting the Drums in that 300Hz range causes the illusion of the low Drums.