There’s something really exciting about a thumping bass line. That’s why so much dance music, dubstep, and even funk is so heavy on the lows. The problem is that when your subs are so sub, they create a booming, boxing rumble that can overwhelm your mix.
Luckily, low cut (also called high pass) filters are your friends. Extreme low end is too low for most people to hear, and won’t even be reproduced by consumer earbuds or inexpensive speaker systems. And, in many cases, what’s going on down low isn’t even desirable audio material; it’s noise, rumble, and boom. You can often remove that super-low range from many of your tracks without making an audible difference — except your mix will sound cleaner, your kick and your bass instruments will have more room and clarity, and you’ll gain back headroom — all good things for your mix! For many instruments and voices, most of the energy that you can hear in the low end is closer to 200–500Hz anyway, and by removing the lowest of the low where it’s not needed, you eliminate ugly, muddy rumble.
Keep your bass exciting, but don’t let it take all the room in your mix!
