Removing the fundamental on Bass Leads

[RuSty1]

I like to make Trap music. So I have a huge 808 Sub bass in my drop. I also like to use bass synths in my drop as well. I use serum to make my bass leads and sometimes I pitch the lead 1 or 2 octaves down. This usually drops the fundamental of whatever wavetable I'm using below or roughly around the 100 Hz mark.

Now I always do a high pass at around 100Hz to leave enough room for this 808 sub. Now If I'm cutting these frequencies out Im usually cutting some of the fundamental out and it doesn't sound right. It sounds kind of weak and thin, especially if I'm making a bass pitched down 2 octaves.

Now for my last song I actually used serum and processed the wavetable to remove the fundamental and I'm not sure if it was the right move or not.

Basically some of my basses have a really loud fundamental that sounds almost like a sub, which makes sense because its pretty low so why not cut this out?

Listen to my post below if you want to know what it sounds like without the fundamental in the bass.

 

[rhythmgj]

Interesting approach, but if you are working with only harmonics things are bound to get a little wonky.

Why lower two octaves, then eliminate the main bass note? Why not lower just one octave and use it, or re-write your line with the appropriate range/register?

 

[RuSty1]

I've never thought of that. But I do like the sound it produces when its 2 octaves lower, depending on the wavetable sometimes it sounds a little weak just one octave below.

What do you mean appropriate range/ register? Do you mean the notes in the melody are too far apart? or are they are too low? Im going to experiment around with a bass lead and see what happens.

 

[rhythmgj]

Yes, could be any or all of the above. Sometimes in arranging, you have to make a choice that doesn't fit exactly with what you have in your head, but is impacted by the reality of physics or tessitura (range of notes) or timbre of a particular sound or instrument or waveform (it might work with a saw, but not a sine, or whatever). Creativity, surprise, and unique sounds are definitely something to strive for, but sometimes you just have to go with what the human ear expects to hear. The fundamental is named such for a reason. Harmonics are like the spices of sounds, the fundamental is like the meat. You can't survive on spices.