Distorted BASS in CAR???

[willmarinbeats]

Hi all,

So I've been making beats for a few years. Recently I put a bunch of my new beats on a CD and played them in the car.

For some reason, any track with a heavy bass or 808 sounded very distorted on the car speakers. I thought this may be because...

1. The tracks aren't compressed enough...
2. The speakers in the car just can't handle the bass...
3. The beat is clipping?

Honestly I have no idea as to exactly why this is happening. I master all my beats but it could be possible that I'm doing it incorrectly.

Any advice? Thanks ahead of time!

 

[bandcoach]

if you are hearing it distorted in the car then it is probably already distorted before it goes on the cd

i.e. the problem is there but you cannot hear it with the monitoring situation (which you do not tell us about) you are using

another question to check though - did you make it a proper CD or an mp3 data cd? if an mp3 data cd you may have inadvertently added a normalisation process into the processing chain which could have affected levels of each track

 

[willmarinbeats]

if you ae hearing it distorted in the car then it is probably already distorted before it goes on the cd

i.e. the problem is there but you cannot hear it with the monitoring situation (which you do not tell us about) you are using

another question to check though - did you make it a proper CD or an mp3 data cd? if an mp3 data cd you may have inadvertently added a normalisation process into the processing chain which could have affected levels of each track

I usually playback my beats on my Sennheiser HD 598 headphones or Yamaha HS5 Studio Monitors. I haven't experienced any distortion from those two sources... the distortion only happens in the car.

I didn't do a MP3 Data CD... but good observation!

Thanks for the response.

 

[Free Spirit]

if you ae hearing it distorted in the car then it is probably already distorted before it goes on the cd

i.e. the problem is there but you cannot hear it with the monitoring situation (which you do not tell us about) you are using

EXACTLY!!!!

I say that emphatically because that exact same thing was happening to me for SOOO LONG before I realized it!
Wasted so much time.
I shoulda swallowed my pride and asked Bandcoach or another expert online.

Odds are that the "distortion" is already there and your current monitoring system isn't producing it in a way that emphasizes the distortion as much as your car's speakers.

Try checking your mix on 3 different monitoring systems as it's played back on your computer and see if it sounds off in a similar way:
Nearfields
Headphones
Cheap mono source (your typical single speaker u can buy at walmart)

The difference probably won't be as dramatic as the difference in your car but it will most likely be there.

Good luck!

 

[bandcoach]

I usually playback my beats on my Sennheiser HD 598 headphones or Yamaha HS5 Studio Monitors. I haven't experienced any distortion from those two sources... the distortion only happens in the car.

I didn't do a MP3 Data CD... but good observation!

Thanks for the response.

now for the $64K question: what is your monitoring level? Unless you have it turned up and know that your spl is somewhere in the vicinity of 83-86dBSPL, you may still not hear the problems - i.e. you may be monitoring with decent transducers but the signal is too low for you to identify any distortions in the signal

 

[willmarinbeats]

now for the $64K question: what is your monitoring level? Unless you have it turned up and know that your spl is somewhere in the vicinity of 83-86dBSPL, you may still not hear the problems - i.e. you may be monitoring with decent transducers but the signal is too low for you to identify any distortions in the signal

Thanks for the response! How do I check my monitoring level to turn it up? I use FL Studio and after checking online I couldn't find a way to check it. Do you check it through a Limiter/Compressor?

Thanks!

 

[KonKossKang]

would cheaper headphones actually be good for a situation like that? the ones that distort at a slightly lower volume, like beats or xb500?
Kinda got me curious as to whether those types of headphones might be better suited to mixing than flats since they have less "control" over the frequency spectrum of better headphones?

 

[Adrian-MarQ]

Thanks for the response! How do I check my monitoring level to turn it up? I use FL Studio and after checking online I couldn't find a way to check it. Do you check it through a Limiter/Compressor?

Thanks!

If you don't have a dB spl meter, then use an app on your phone (there are several free options that will give fairly accurate reading). Set you phone up in a stationary position where you typically sit at and play back your mix. That will give you the monitoring level for your mix. For setting a constant monitoring level, use pink noise instead of your track. You should adjust the output of the pink noise on your monitors to be in the range that bandcoach mentioned earlier.

 

[UncleDutch]

Common problem. Easy fix IMO. You have to get the basics down first. I had this same problem when I first started making beats. I learned the following:

-Set bass levels lower in the mix (Get good reference tracks, a spectrum analyzer and found our where your bass levels should actually be.)
-High-pass any and all bass elements at or around 50Hz (Gets rid of that useless rumble some call it "distortion" HINT, HINT.)
-Sidechain compress your bass from your kick (Eliminates lower frequency build-up.)

If you are already doing this, then you just got a quick review.

Oh and it has absolutely nothing to do with not having enough compression (Unless you have a transient rich bass patch and your are setting your level based on the sustain and release of the volume envelope.) However, you could be using too much compression. In addition, as mentioned in your post, if you "master" all your beats (which I assume just means you are using a limiter to increase the overall loudness) then YES you could be overdoing it. Take it easy with limiting or you can easily ruin your entire mix.

Just hit me that you may have an equalizer (or those simple "Bass" and "Treble" settings) in your car where you already have the bass cranked up. Might want to double-check that too. Hope this helps.

 

[bandcoach]

Thanks for the response! How do I check my monitoring level to turn it up? I use FL Studio and after checking online I couldn't find a way to check it. Do you check it through a Limiter/Compressor?

Thanks!

as mentioned above use an spl meter at your listening position

use a pink noise generator in Fl set to provide an output level of either -20dBfs, -14dBfs or -12dBfs (this will be your 0dBRMS or 0dBVU reading for all future work )

set your spl meter to read an A-weighted slow response

adjust your output gain on your soundcard or the input gain on your monitor (but not both until you are absolutely certain that you have nowhere to go with the other) until the spl reads 83dB - 86dB

once you have adjusted the control(s) mark the position on the specific control for what is now your nominal 0dB listening level. Also, note your actual spl level as being the equivalent of the marking. Now when you are mixing your can immediately set your monitors to the proper output level for critical and analytical listening to the sounds within your mix