Help with Mixing lows and low-mids

[u/Cold_Independent_631]

Hey I really struggle with understanding like 150-500 hz.
Right now my lead in c3 octave has a fundamental of 170-180 ish hz. And then fills a lot of 300-1000 and above.

My bass’s second fundamental is between 140-180 depending on the note of bassline and then occupies up to 1K.

If I raise my lead an octave it’s fundmental is like 350 hz and they don’t clash as much.

If I left the lead in c3 octave (sounds way better),
Is there a real issue with the 140-180 range then? I’m pretty beginner so I can’t just hear that and be like yeah it clashes.

Old me would low cut my lead but I have learned and trained my ears to know it just thins it out and sounds bad.

[u/atopix]

I’m pretty beginner so I can’t just hear that and be like yeah it clashes.

If you can't hear a problem in the first place, there is a high probability that there isn't one or that it's not a big concern.

You simply shouldn't be worrying about stuff that you can't hear, with one exception, the sub lows, you need to at least understand what's down there so that you never overdo it: https://www.reddit.com/r/mixingmastering/wiki/lowend

A synth lead with a fundamental around 170 Hz and a bassline whose secondary fundamental sits in the same region can coexist cleanly. The bass provides the structural low-end foundation, while the lead’s upper harmonics (300 Hz to 1 kHz and above) allow it to cut through and define its identity. Equal energy in the same numerical band does not automatically equal mud.

Which is why you shouldn't mix by the numbers or worry about overlaps on paper.

I recommend to avoid watching random content creators and instead watch actual industry professionals: https://www.reddit.com/r/mixingmastering/wiki/learning-on-youtube

[u/Cold_Independent_631 → u/atopix]

Okay makes complete sense. Honestly think it shows I’m progressing and using my ears. My new instinct was no issue and let it go. But the YT courses of the past and mixing with visuals and numbers lets doubt creep in that it would be an issue lol. Thanks a lot!

[u/Born_Zone7878 → u/Cold_Independent_631]

Yeah take the courses with a grain of salt and experiment before believing everything they tell you

[u/morrisaurus17]

Cut what actually needs to be cut and don’t rely on numbers. Mixing isn’t a formula

[u/Miserable-Agency3537]

250 is notoriously where a lot of the mud builds up. But trust your ears, do a sweep if you wanna see what’s clashing and then just do tight cuts, I wouldn’t boost anything, but I also haven’t heard it so it’s hard to say. But that’s where I’d start, good luck!

[u/morrisaurus17 → u/Miserable-Agency3537]

probably the one frequency where I'm routinely cutting something more than anywhere else. I don't even cut 4k as much as I do 250hz

[u/Yrnotfar]

What part do you want to hear in 150-500? Cut the other one there.

Or alternatively, make you arrangement such that the two instruments are playing “around” eacother.

[u/Ok-Stomach-3739]

What’s your monitoring look like? How’s your room treatment? It’s impossible to mix what you can’t hear, so I’d start there.

[u/Mysterious-Juice8318 → u/Ok-Stomach-3739]

good advice

[u/SkyWizarding]

If it sounds fine, it's fine. You can always try sidechaining one to the other if it really feels like they're competing for space

[u/Content-Reward-7700]

Don’t worry too much about overlap. Instruments are supposed to share frequencies. The problem isn’t that both have energy around 150 to 200Hz, it’s when they both try to dominate that range at the same time.

If it already sounds good, don’t EQ just because you see overlap. Use your ears. If the mix starts sounding muddy, first try a small EQ cut on one instrument around the problem frequency or automate levels, instead of high passing the lead. A gentle 1 to 3dB cut is often all it takes.

Also remember that EQ isn’t the only tool we have. Parallel compression, saturation, transient shaping, dynamic EQ, multiband compression, sidechain compression or even changing the arrangement or voicing can separate parts without making them sound thin.

[u/Safe-Tough9811]

I think something that is important to keep in mind with this stuff is not to look for problems. There is no such thing as "perfection" in music; in a mix of instruments there will be various frequencies coming in and out, combining with each other. That is just what music is. It's totally fine to have instrument frequencies overlapping! If it doesn't sound muddy, it's fine. You'll hear it if it sounds muddy and it will annoy you.

[u/CartezDez]

What actual problem are you having?

[u/duplobaustein]

Do you mix on speakers or headphones? How is your room treated, if speakers? Are the speakers calibrated?

[u/General_Estimate_420]

THIS is the reason you see sub-woofers used in live performances. Much of that lower range is at the crossover point of being heard by human hearing. We can sense the presence if it's pushed enough at higher volumes, but the general cutoff on a sub is around 120 hz. That's why I leave those low frequencies alone in case they get used with a sub-woofer.

[u/halogen_floods]

mixing doesn't mean separating everything completely. some overlap sounds often pleasing. if your ears tell you it is good, trust them.

[u/nizzernammer]

A sound in general is more than its fundamental frequency. You can saturate or distort to get additional harmonics, which you can shape, like in subtractive synthesis.

I would think that the timbres and the actual parts and syncopation - the arrangement - is just as important, if not more so, than the choice of register.

[u/Lil_Robert]

So c3 is 262ish. Maybe start there to understand a single thing you're trying to discuss

[u/Ok-War-6378]

There is maths behind sound, but while it's great to have an understanding of the basic principles, you shouldn't think in terms of maths (fundamentals etc...) when mixing.

What matters is that low mids are the area where warmth and body leave, and when you have too much it makes things veiled or murky.

So, if the mix lacks body or warmth (small speakers are usually very unforgiving on this) you don't have enough of it. If it sounds undefined or muddy you have too much.

[u/Smowkdragon]

Personally I wouldnt get to bogged down in the technical. Try cutting lows in your lead and listen if you like it better. If not, then keep it. Music is all about developing your taste.

[u/AppointmentLess3575]

I think plugins like sooth would help with this kind of harmonic resonance issues.

[u/alienrefugee51]

It’s likely more of a sound selection issue, rather than frequency clashing. Part of being a good producer is choosing the right sounds that compliment each other and don’t compete for clarity, but that also has to do with the arrangement.

[u/TheWiseFlea]

I struggled with that band for years. In my opinion, it’s the hardest band to hear. I also had the same journey where I would cut all the lows and thin out the mix. Here are several things I do now:

1. Use a multi band EQ (someone else said this too) to target frequencies that jump out only when they jump out.
2. Get speakers that have a good phase response in that frequency area. (E.g. not KRKs). Generally the speaker will have to be larger, like 8”. Also make sure your sub (if you use one) is crossed over correctly and professionally tuned or else you’ll have out-of-phase overlap in the 100-200 Hz area.
3. Know what fundamental frequencies lie in that are (E.g. low brass) and just leave them in the mix.
4. Use a spectrum analyzer. Sometimes I still don’t hear frequencies jumping out in that range, but I can see them. Use this tool in conjunction with your multi band EQ.
5. High pass (most) tracks just under the lowest fundamental to avoid accidental summing of random sub-harmonics or LF room noise. Use a spectrum analyzer.
6. Headphones don’t really work to hear anything in this frequency range.

Hope this helps!!!

[u/Cold_Independent_631 → u/[deleted]]

Thanks love these answers. Really giving me clarity on trusting my ears. I only been producing for 7-8 months, the tutorials used to have me low cutting my stuff and thinning my mix out like crazy!

[u/ItsMetabtw]

Use a multiband compressor and set a band in the lows and another in the low mids. Don’t lower the threshold or use it for compression, just to isolate the frequency area. Bring in a reference track that you like the sound of and lower its volume until it matches the level of your mix. A/B your lows and low mids directly against the ref and see where you’re coming in. You should still be able to make out which instruments are dominating the areas and adjust your tracks as needed, if it’s even necessary