Kick drums and frequencies
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- KVRist
- Topic Starter
- 82 posts since 27 Jun, 2019
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
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
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- KVRist
- 360 posts since 26 Oct, 2018
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)
- KVRAF
- 11001 posts since 15 Apr, 2019 from Nowhere
- KVRAF
- 15253 posts since 8 Mar, 2005 from Utrecht, Holland
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!
So not the fifth but third. Major or minor. Or just inbetween 47.5 Hz might work quite well also!
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- KVRAF
- 25053 posts since 20 Oct, 2007 from gonesville
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
Last edited by jancivil on Fri Jul 26, 2019 12:52 am, edited 1 time in total.
- KVRAF
- 11001 posts since 15 Apr, 2019 from Nowhere
- KVRAF
- 5703 posts since 8 Dec, 2004 from The Twin Cities
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.
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.
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- addled muppet weed
- 105769 posts since 26 Jan, 2003 from through the looking glass
- KVRAF
- 2381 posts since 7 Jul, 2003 from Huntington, WV
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.
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- addled muppet weed
- 105769 posts since 26 Jan, 2003 from through the looking glass