spinning drum blog

This is a public service announcement: low down and loud.

I’m going to take a little time to talk about the importance of bass, or more accurately what you need to channel it.

The sub woofer, sometimes forgotten, sometimes under-powered, sometimes misunderstood, the sub is a requirement to any sound system that wants to project the full range of bass and is essential to any sound person who wants to get the room “feeling it,” and a dj who wants a phat set.

I remember a turntable jam at my friend’s eastside house. It was the first time we jammed there; and, unfortunately, we were underpowered monitor wise, simply relying on the house mini-system for sound. Well, it’s just a jam and no one would admit to being such a gear snob that we’d shell-out extra for a pair of decent speakers or a sub, not for just a jam. So making due, we began throwing layers upon layers, mixing hip hop, techno and breaks, and per usual I pulled out the ole Richie Hawtin lock grove, treasure trove, “Closer Edits”. It’s a mainstay – 68 thick and creamy sub-defined glitch-laced tech house locks.

Launching it into the spin, anticipating its bubbly thunder, which provides such a deep bass undercurrent to any 4/4 track, low and no behold, Hawtin was barely audible. Why, because regardless of how deep a groove your vinyl has, if the bass line is below 250 kHz, it cannot be launched from a cheap pair of bookend speakers. So Hawtin was out, leaving us with a bunch mid-range bass and high hat. This was a true c’est dommage moment and a perfect illustration of the absence of sub power.

In the world of sound size matters. That’s why bass bins are big. It’s not just for show. Audio frequencies are waves and low ones are big ones. How much of the them can be channeled through a given speaker is a matter of its size and force. Bass bins hold woofers 8 -18 inches in diameter to accommodate low frequencies, and with a powerful amp they can travel approx 56 feet.

So in your sound stack, which has a speaker for each frequency range. For bass below 250 kHz that’s when the subwoofer comes in. This squat box of throbbing vibration, pumps out omnidirectional frequencies. These are super low and don’t travel long distances. But as any beat junkie knows, up close and personal, provides the chest thump and bowel rattle that makes for what we technically call “phat sound.”

Remember, there is no dub with out the sub. Breaks is just that with out the sub. Techno would just be an empty thud, and you’d call it “drum and what?” without the sub. So next time you’re out and asking yourself why does your favorite track sound so different, so much better, in the desert or the club ? Remember, It’s the sub!

Give Thanks!

Acoustic Crash course 101
http://www.marktaw.com/recording/Acoustics/AcousticsCrashCourse1-Mod.html

Bass Waves
http://www.realtraps.com/art_waves.htm

Check the spinningdrum links section for more audio knowledge.

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