KVR Audio

Sk1nZ · Post by **Sk1nZ** » Fri Jul 12, 2019 10:08 pm

Im having a bit of a nightmare with one of my tracks, its in D#minor and ive made a kick with the main focus being at 38hz and think this is causing me problems as its too low? Im wanting my kickdrum to punch hard as its an electro/psy track so am i better off focusing on a kick @ 77hz? This seems too high for the kick i want but this is what im going to play around with now

Would like some advice on what to do with a kickdrum when writing tracks that are in a low key and what is the lowest frequency you should be using as the main punch or sound when making dance music? I remember reading A @ 55z is the sweetspot for club systems but not sure how true this is?

Thanks

Butwug · Post by **Butwug** » Sat Jul 13, 2019 12:43 am

38hz is quite low. Punch comes at higher frequencies anyways so if youre looking for punch, 77hz would give you that. But thats higher than you want, so choose something lower. Just because your track is in D#m doesnt mean your kick has to be D# Theres others notes in the key. Use another note from D#m, such as F#(3semi tones up) or A# (7semi tones up)

Forgotten · Post by **Forgotten** » Sat Jul 13, 2019 1:29 am

Not sure this is a music theory question...

SoundPorn · Post by **SoundPorn** » Sat Jul 13, 2019 2:01 am

You're kick doesn't need to be the root of the key. Tune it up 5 or 7 semi

Forgotten · Post by **Forgotten** » Sat Jul 13, 2019 4:08 am

Sk1nZ wrote: ↑Fri Jul 12, 2019 10:08 pm Im having a bit of a nightmare with one of my tracks, its in D#minor

Are you sure it's in D# minor, or do you mean Eb minor? You should have 6 sharps in it if it's really D# minor, including 2 double sharps.

BertKoor · Post by **BertKoor** » Sat Jul 13, 2019 6:02 am

If you want to tune your kick (big if, this is a production technique myth desperate in need of busting) you might want to try F# / Gb (46 Hz) or G (49 Hz)
So not the fifth but third. Major or minor. Or just inbetween 47.5 Hz might work quite well also!

Forgotten wrote: ↑Sat Jul 13, 2019 1:29 am Not sure this is a music theory question...

Congrats, you just made it one!

Sk1nZ · Post by **Sk1nZ** » Sat Jul 13, 2019 9:23 am

Ok thanks, ive always thought its best to tune it to the root so will try tuning it +3, +5 or +7st

jancivil · Post by **jancivil** » Sat Jul 13, 2019 4:44 pm

Forgotten wrote: ↑Sat Jul 13, 2019 4:08 am
Sk1nZ wrote: ↑Fri Jul 12, 2019 10:08 pm Im having a bit of a nightmare with one of my tracks, its in D#minor
Are you sure it's in D# minor, or do you mean Eb minor? You should have 6 sharps in it if it's really D# minor, including 2 double sharps.

No, actually it's just the 6 sharps, relative minor to B major in its natural state,
D# E# F# G# A# B C#
D# harmonic minor, yes, Cx appears.

doubt someone whose notion is the 'kick' has to be the tonic cares much about that.

Here's something, though: an actual kick drum is not so much pitched. It may carry a sense of pitch, kinda sorta but its inharmonicity means a solid fundamental isn't really it.
It can vibrate more, or less, happily as a whole with the kit and the tonality of the music as tuned, and drummers are very interested in tuning, but 'punch' is not so much a product of pitching. In fact tuning it to the tonic it's going to possibly be absorbed by the bass. In some music it's the same thing as the bass, of course. Possibly the most annoying thing ever.

I realize it's not a kick drum but a synth patch, but there is more subtlety and interest available. The punch of a kick drum has a lot to do with carving a space out for it in the spectrum. The punch of a kick patch is not actually a music theory question. You'd get more interest if this were moved to production techniques. Talk about the clickiness of it and the tone. 38hz is mighty low, tho

Forgotten · Post by **Forgotten** » Sat Jul 13, 2019 6:24 pm

jancivil wrote: ↑Sat Jul 13, 2019 4:44 pm
Forgotten wrote: ↑Sat Jul 13, 2019 4:08 am
Sk1nZ wrote: ↑Fri Jul 12, 2019 10:08 pm Im having a bit of a nightmare with one of my tracks, its in D#minor
Are you sure it's in D# minor, or do you mean Eb minor? You should have 6 sharps in it if it's really D# minor, including 2 double sharps.
No, actually it's just the 6 sharps, relative minor to B major in its natural state,
D# E# F# G# A# B C#

Ugh, you're right - I think halfway through writing this I suddenly started thinking about D# Major for some reason.

jancivil · Post by **jancivil** » Sat Jul 13, 2019 7:24 pm

yeah I figured. I get lost if I'm writing a sentence that's too long

Eb minor has 6 flats but its ^7 is D, so that slight difference

herodotus · Post by **herodotus** » Sun Jul 14, 2019 9:53 am

Wow! 38 Hz? 55Hz?

I know that electronic "kicks" are quite distinct from the acoustic variety, but my 24 inch kick drum (most are 20" or 22") ranges from 85 Hz to 100 Hz depending On which heads I use.

I'm not drawing any conclusions, mind, just noting the difference as a matter of curiosity.

vurt · Post by **vurt** » Sun Jul 14, 2019 12:30 pm

38hz? you tryna cure constipation?

Sk1nZ · Post by **Sk1nZ** » Sun Jul 14, 2019 1:04 pm

vurt wrote: ↑Sun Jul 14, 2019 12:30 pm 38hz? you tryna cure constipation?

it's better than laxatives

think ive just found the name of my first album

McLilith · Post by **McLilith** » Tue Aug 13, 2019 11:20 pm

vurt wrote: ↑Sun Jul 14, 2019 12:30 pm 38hz? you tryna cure constipation?

If you wanna do that, play an Eb-pitched kick drum at 38.9 Hz while simultaneously playing a Gb-pitched sub-bass note at 46.2 Hz. This results in a difference pitch of 7.3 Hz, which is located in premium brown note territory. This was a common technique used by the musical act Brown Note Bronson on their early albums.

vurt · Post by **vurt** » Wed Aug 14, 2019 4:37 am

Kick drums and frequencies