Subs

Neurojazz

A bit of a technique question...

I was listening to the music and sound effects during Kung-Fu panda (the joys of having a little one around)

On most the sound effects on a set of normal speakers at low volume (with no subs and a standard frequency range) the 'sub' and 'rumble' were plainly audible.

Anyone know how this would be created and kept manageable (as in - not just turning the sub frequencies up) - or if it's some sort of overlay typical for cinema?

It's more curiosity than for use in general music - fascinated about how it's re-created.

If i'm making no sense - i'll try to find some examples.

drumdrum

Well, its my understanding that the frequencies produced by subwoofers are there to be felt by your body rather than to be pitch-perceived by your ear, ie, they travel more through the air and floor and into your body.

So if you remove the subwoofer, the perceived pitch center of the content of the low freuqency sound (say 80Hz) can still be heard, but you wont feel the vibrations in your body like you get in the cinema.

Kinda explains how if you have a kick drum sample playing out through normal speakers you can hear the thump of the drum, but go to a live gig with sub woofers etc and you can feel the whole thing smack you in the chest! (material subjective of course! )


I think this is what you're getting at but I could be wrong.

madtheory

drumdrum wrote: »

Well, its my understanding that the frequencies produced by subwoofers are there to be felt by your body rather than to be pitch-perceived by your ear

Yes if you're talking about the subwoofer in a properly set up 5.1 system. But most home systems fudge this because the mains are not full rage. And the sub is not usually very good.

So to hazard a guess I think what you're hearing Neurojazz, might be additional processing by your system.

Now you're going to reply saying you've got a top notch system, and my theory falls flat on its face...

Neurojazz

madtheory wrote: »

Yes if you're talking about the subwoofer in a properly set up 5.1 system. But most home systems fudge this because the mains are not full rage. And the sub is not usually very good.

So to hazard a guess I think what you're hearing Neurojazz, might be additional processing by your system.

Now you're going to reply saying you've got a top notch system, and my theory falls flat on its face...

Far from top notch where i'm hearing it - but the effect is pretty unique to the stuff in that film... i'll have to sample it maybe or find some of it in an advert/trailer - it almost sounds deliberate and not the actual system being made to work in that way - like the effect is audible at low range... i'll have to noodle around and see what i can find.

Anima

Probably a psycho-acoustic effect. Like if you put a low frequency wave through a reverb and cut the bass after, it still gives the impression of "bass" even though there isn't much there.

Your ears can fill in the blanks sometimes, like what drumdrum said.

Neurojazz

Anima wrote: »

Probably a psycho-acoustic effect. Like if you put a low frequency wave through a reverb and cut the bass after, it still gives the impression of "bass" even though there isn't much there.

Your ears can fill in the blanks sometimes, like what drumdrum said.

It was more sort of the gruff sound a sub makes rather than bass... gotta feeling i know what i'm going to be figuring out this week