Why are saw waves so commonly used in bass design in house/trance/dance music?

C

Comet Spotting

New member
Here's an odd question: other than "it sounds good", is there at all a reason why saw waves are so often used as the foundation of bass design in stereotypical dance music? If not, is there a reason why it sounds good? I know this question is weird, but occasionally I'll run into the odd "why?" wall, and this one of those cases. haha
 
If it sounds good or interesting then it is to whoever thinks it is.
But if that's what ya care about then do you that is way too much theory for me
 
Gotcha. I asked the same thing on Reddit and got some incredible replies. I'd link it if this wasn't my first post, haha. (In case you didn't know, you have to have posted at least five things before you can link anything on here.)
 
A saw wave has both the even & odd harmonics - so if your fundamental is at 100Hz, you'd have harmonics at 200, 300, 400, 500, etc. ad infinitum. This makes it pretty rich-sounding and it responds well to filters - mainly because there's so much stuff to filter out. It also cuts through well.
 
krushing said:
A saw wave has both the even & odd harmonics - so if your fundamental is at 100Hz, you'd have harmonics at 200, 300, 400, 500, etc. ad infinitum. This makes it pretty rich-sounding and it responds well to filters - mainly because there's so much stuff to filter out. It also cuts through well.
Click to expand...

yup, ^^he said it. they are rich in harmonics
 
Saw tooth's are used for the lead lines, etc... super saws are just super fat... they are like 8 oscillators slightly detuned to create a massive rich sound...

I dunno about saw basses.. they sound a bit farty.. sines are better for bass, they can reach much lower, and are much cleaner...

I love saw tooth's... use as you see fit :)
 
the responses for this are great. i have used saw waves a lot for low or bass sounds but never really wondered as to why they are a staple for bass sounds.
 
layering subs (sine waves) with saw tooth waves is pretty common, that way you get the full definition and range of bass; with added harmonic quality from the saw waves.

read a little about the different sound waves, it's interesting stuff and will help you for sure.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top