Mixing Low End: The Ultimate Guide for Balanced Bass

Learn everything you need to know about mixing the low end. Discover how human hearing perceives low end frequencies and how using LUFS in mixing is important for low end clarity. Learn how to properly manage the rising level of low end in recorded music to compete with professionally produced material, what speakers and room treatment you need to effectively mix the low end, and what software you should use to balance your low end. By the end of this video, you will have a strong understanding of low end frequencies in modern mixes and how to perfect them in your mix with ease.
Watch part 2, "Mixing the midrange": • Mixing the Midrange: G...
Watch part 3, "Mixing high end": • Mixing high end freque...
Demo iZotope Tonal Balance Control free: www.izotope.com/en/products/d...
Demo iZotope Audiolens free: www.izotope.com/en/products/d...
Demo iZotope Neutron free: www.izotope.com/en/products/d...
Demo iZotope Insight free: www.izotope.com/en/products/d...
Demo iZotope Ozone for free: www.izotope.com/en/products/d...
Learn more about the Fletcher Munson Curve: www.izotope.com/en/learn/what...
Learn more about LUFS: www.izotope.com/en/learn/what...
Learn more about room treatment: www.izotope.com/en/learn/acou...
Chapters:
00:00 Intro
01:45 What is “low end”?
03:10 Low end listening exercise
07:09 Best monitors for low end
11:17 Room treatment for low end
14:41 Headphones for mixing low end
16:24 Software for mixing low end
20:30 Cutting low end with high-pass filters for tonal balance
25:29 Eliminating frequency masking
29:54 Adding excitement to the low end
31:11 Using high-pass filters in mastering
33:21 Outro
SYNC ID: MB01AVTOUQN8C3H
#iZotope #mixing #lowend

[@martinlarrivee5081]

Your voice is so awesome that it reprograms directly my subconscious brain

[@mmmultipleblastoff]

😂😂😂😂

[@johnmoney910]

Its that mic lol

[@TheSpeedyr6]

I feel the opposite

[@user-ug8nc9wu3x]

I'm not sure who came first, him or Kush Audio, but there's an uncanny rival and stylistic similarity

[@Ninjibpsy]

I read this just before the video loaded, you weren't joking😂

[@thejimclarkmusic1]

You Are the Star Trek of music…. I have even learned how to “present” better! You serve as an on-site mentor. This is because of the detail. The extraction is “Wisdom”, not just knowledge. One comment referenced that they listened 20 minutes before realizing that they were being sold. “Selling” is problem solving. Finding a need and designing “the fix” is the best selling as well as integrity selling. When value is added, it is a win win. Finally, (I sound like you now) giving strategy that becomes an integrated skill set for life is best!

[@alexinfanti4252]

Yes, Jim, I agree with you and, if you have, take a look on "ARE YOU LISTENING" series on this channel, with Mr.Jonathan Wyner, fantastic!!!!!

[@stevenleonmusic]

Dang, had me for a whole 20 minutes before I realized I was being sold something. Amazing.

[@2Sexy4MyMusic]

Uh. It's an iZotope video. lol

[@schoo006]

This must be one of the best tutorial videos out there! It inspires me to squeeze even more quality out of my mixes. 👍🏻

[@danielparkermusic]

Me watching this with my subwoofer on thinking my apartment is about to get hit by a plane

[@user-xz8ng4yl1h]

Never forget

[@elijahaaron]

😂😂😂😂😂

[@larrymagico]

This was easily one of the best treatments of low end I've heard. I just hate that I'm not in my studio RIGHT NOW to try out some of these concepts!

[@dmalmstrom9445]

Mixing music is by far the most complex task I have ever engaged in! Thanks for the great tutorials! You are a very skilled communicator. I worked so hard on a recent mix, only to send it off for mastering and found the low end resonance I worked so hard on ..to tame... came back to haunt me again with mastering/limiting.:(

[@tunneltu]

because you mix in a small untreated room?

[@tunneltu]

Show me your mixes :)

[@SPAZZOID100]

That is because your mastering engineer felt your mix was too boomy.

[@nokturnal886]

I felt this in my soul- I spent days mastering my track with headphones only for it to sound way too muddy on a couple speakers.

[@samnielsen]

Wow, you really managed to explain so many things I haven’t been able to wrap my head around before, and in a very easy way! You’re a really good teacher 💪

[@wesleyeason5031]

This Gentleman is the best instructor if you-will. If every encounter. I put my "Good" headphones on my bad android. And started the video over. To have someone explain technical specs and knowledge with such simplicity and with logic is not easy. I have always been a visual learner and with dysgraphia I had to discover. I loved this knowledge but school in the 80s perhaps still. Had teacher's in the science arena whom most near all left me feeling confused. I need to understand before my motor skills will memorize. Not to hug this post, schools are by in fact designed to have you memorize if you understand later or well memorizing you are over utilizing motor skills. The essence of Dysgraphia is to block anything that doesn't make sense. This is the crux of memorize teaching over understand. I have a whole new greater respect for Isotope. Thank You.

[@cullengreaves736]

Thoroughly enjoyed this video. Definitely doubling back to watch all the gold that I’ve missed in previous videos. Cheers!

[@chris-ib2lc]

You guys are the best in the business you guys are on a different level with top level quality softwares

[@SsgtHolland]

Geoff explains these concepts so well, a joy to watch.

[@IKARIking67]

VERY good use of descriptive language to explain the "what" and "Why" in these scenarios. Saved some viewer years of trial and error with this one.

[@DeepakKalawatAaryan]

You cracked all queries for many at once in one video. Hats off to you.👏👏🙌

[@emmanuelshaffer-walkes9936]

been doing this a while... this is the most comprehensive low end content ive ever seen. ive been doing this a wile.

[@TheFrankiejay]

Excellent tutorial. I enjoyed and learned so much from it. One of the best, if not the best low end tutorial I’ve watched on KZbin. Now it’s time for me to implement some or all of these strategies. I may have to remix some of my songs but it would be worth it. Thank you so much 👍🏿

[@WatchMyShorts303]

I can say i have watched soooo many tutorials on YT and this one was one of the best ever watched. thank for this.

[@miyasanta01]

Excellent guide! This was so good to watch! Great explanations!🔥

[@kharma777]

This is one of the best "getting started" tutorials I've seen yet in this space, much appreciated.

[@olearyml57]

Really helpful presentation and great pedagogical skills. Thank you Geoff.

[@billys5965]

Awesome Geoff! The most well explained, comprehensive instructional on low end I have seen, and I’ve seen a ton. 😮 Total Balance Control is on every project. And, more recently, Low End Focus.

[@Keroser1983]

This is one of the best videos ever made. Very clear. AMAZING!!!!

[@barkode]

An immaculate work of art to untangle the concept of frequency harmony. A+ for me!

[@In-Ear-Studio]

This is one the greatest videos i've ever seen about mixing process. A huge thanks!

[@dblcrwn1374]

This video is unbelievably informative- thank you so much to Izotope and this extremely knowledgable gentleman!

[@NB-qq8wo]

You sir are a very knowledgeable and gifted teacher. Thanks for sharing this with us! Bravo!! 👏

[@galiakitanova6935]

Thank you very much for your explanation! Low frequencies are my favorites. The bass guitar sound is very gentle for my ears!

[@hakangurdol]

Tonal Balance control 2 is now my major control surface in this last 6 months, this visual experience helped me to improved my mixing skills a lot.

[@Jess-P]

Nice one! The part where you explained all of the frequency overlap in different instruments is really helpful.

[@RafiBarides]

Thank you for sharing this information in a way that is digestible instead of making it fancy to show off how much you know ❤

[@MatsMorlund]

Thanks❗️This video visualizes and clarifies so many parts of the low end challenge.

[@fyutch]

this might be the first of your tutorials i sat and watched patiently on regular speed haha i'll definitely be doing this more often. learned alot and excited to take my time learning more and implementing,

[@strylan]

You have a good way to bring your wisdom to others. I really appreciate this.

[@alexkid1]

What a fantastic video. Thanks for all the knowledge.

[@OverdriveMusic]

Glad you mentioned the importance of a good headphone amp! So important.

[@JorgeGarcia-ej3vy]

This is an excellent tutorial. I learned so much. Please keep these coming

[@jimslominski8006]

I love your videos - informative, clear, and concise. I always end up learning new things that I can apply right away, with results. You asked for some tips and tricks of our own. Here's one that I've been using of late and I find helpful - using Mid-Side EQ on bass-heavy tracks and clamping down on the Side and filtering out the low end on the sides, to send most of the bass energy to the Mid. I feel like it helps in tightening the bass and allows me to tame it easier using some of the techniques you've already listed here. Anyway, great job, as always. Looking forward to more!

[@Frank.Zimmermann]

Thanks for this very insightful video, Geoff. Closing the bass port of the near-field monitors is definitely a technique I will try-very interesting, I would never have thought of that. Learned something again, thank you so much!

[@vivanmusicmaker]

Can't thank you enough for painting a whole picture with intricate details. Loved it.

[@johnm6190]

this was so insightful, i've been underutilizing my izotope plugins so much. thank you for this

[@jordancirce6126]

Incredible tutorial, so helpful and well explained!

[@waedi73]

This is priceless teaching ! Bravo and Thank you very much !

[@AloneOnTheIsland]

The most comprehensive tutorial on a subject I've ever seen. Thank you

[@iZotopeOfficial]

Glad you're liking it!

[@mikemccormick1624]

Geoff, just a brilliant video. Thanks so much!

[@EftimStudioRE]

Amazing work - so much knowledge, so well organized and so well presented! Thank you, Geoff!

[@bay0r]

this great guy here is a gem. was a pleasure watching & listening

[@wesleyeason5031]

Absolutely the greatest Mixing & Mastering instructor in my humble opinion. I have learned what feels like the zeitgeist of music production. I came up in Detroit with the origins of Techno. Pink Floyd introduced me to my love of synths. Rush Signals turned me into a full hearted lover of electronic music. Synth Pop was already moving me. I reached out to people on just synth musicians, I was introduced to JMJ. Industrial Music became very important to me. Today's production of IM has improved and the Kicks are phenomenal. With this lesson I'm nearing what feels like full confidence in my production skills. Thank You.

[@beakiddo5251]

I’m from the Detroit metro area too! Music is very important to me and especially the quality. I’ve spent most of my life going to clubs. Techno, rock, funk, jazz, hard core metal I love it all and if you grew up in or around Detroit it’s in your blood. Detroit is absolutely the best when talking music, any band will tell you Detroit always represents. ✌🏻

[@aljames7345]

Amazing work here thanks. Loving the unmask tool which I now have but haven’t had time to get into but will soon. Very excellent work thanks.

[@paulcollins2004]

I like the comment about plugging the base ports on a loud speaker for a tighter base. I've had an old fisher stereo from the 70s and it didn't come with ports on the speakers and the base sounded great. Glad to see someone else appriciating that type of base. Great content.

[@nokturnal886]

WOW! I'm at the 18:30 mark and I wasn't even in the market for a "balance control" plugin, but Tonal Balance Control looks AMAZING. It offers so much, it's actually insane. Also, everything up to this point has been insanely informative and easily explained. I'm not sure what this guy gets paid, but he needs a raise immediately!

[@tsias1]

Best information I've seen on this subject. Thank you!

[@ChristopherCoote-hr4uo]

Wow this is fantastically insightful! I only wish I had seen this video sooner.

[@Gemiiniimusic]

The amount of information I wrote down in my notepad surpasses every source of audio knowledge I looked up to this date.. Thank you so much for this

[@robertmacbean8890]

Thanks!! These kind of tutorials really help me to get by! Great!

[@ChordPrism]

This is one of the best tuts I've seen in a while! Thanks!

[@papimoshodi4245]

I love this! Thank you for such an informative nugget of wisdom.

[@CoreyDeeWilliams]

Fantastic video! I have leaned to work with the acoustics of my room by making adjustments, but mostly by comparing my mixes to the sound of other professionally mixed and mastered songs, but this takes me a step further! I plan to look into the plugins you used and get to know them. Thank you!! ✌

[@jurgenklier]

Great video. Thank you so much!

[@wyshwood]

Thorough and fascinating

[@anthonymazeppa]

this is great, only the best engineers can explain complex things in such a simple way

[@TheBillyRayBand]

Always more to learn. Great job!

[@MylesHouseMusic]

Awesome Info! I needed this. Will definitely have to watch it 16 more times.

[@craiggybear1807]

This was really good! Thank you!!

[@z-boss]

Such a great and informative video! Geoff is an amazing teacher, a true master of delivering clear and concise information. Thank you for quality content!

[@iZotopeOfficial]

Appreciate it!

[@carlrowlinson2833]

I make hard techno so low end is absolutely critical as there's a lot going on. Some elements need prominence while others need to sit back. My tip is having a low pass filter on my master channel that I flip on and off when I need to isolate the low end with everything else still playing. It give me a clear picture of whether the kick still cuts through or if the mix is just mush. Reeeeeeally wish I'd learned it sooner!

[@DubFreakuencies]

And if you level match a reference to your track and low pass a/b between them even better, also a/b the LUFS of your low end against the reference.Your tracks are great btw.

[@carlrowlinson2833]

Thanks man! Still tonnes to learn though!

[@winslowdonovanmusic]

love yall. ive been on a binge studying this channel haha. that jazz loop was fire to

[@Noras_msc]

Thanks for this one! Lots of things that are really useful!

[@keningtonmusic]

Nice! Managing low end with your latest tools I found pretty straight forward…would love to see more techniques on managing mids especially multiple instruments and vocals competing for same space. Thanks.

[@DreamsongsProductions]

Great video and presentation as always!

[@braddasseymusic]

Really great video. I already knew most of this, but, I learned some new things. Thank you.

[@akandedavidt8794]

This is really insightful

[@mikefishmusic]

Good stuff man. Straightforward to the point and very comprehensive.

[@richiev7666]

You are very articulate and really helped me understand good intel..thanks brother!

[@elliottwebb42]

Love this tutorial!

[@ghostwilliams1866]

Yo that beat hot bro. Again another great video. I'm new to izotope u make it easy to understand.

[@laserjakk3629]

Excellent vídeo.

[@InnerHacking]

Great video, will definitely use these techniques on my mixes, thank you!

[@Boognish_Bless]

Hey thanks for this. Pretty awesome as I feel a couple steps further in understanding low end and EQ. 👊

[@mr.s.thecatechist]

Love this video!! Thank you so much! Amazing content!

[@unnecessary-roughness3303]

This was amazing. Thanks!

[@mkpro1043]

I was desperate with the low end resonating wildly in my room out of my Alesis monitors. The idea of closing the resonator may be a life saver. Great content in this video. Thank you.

[@NonnyStrikes]

Your analogies are on point my brother. Well done.

[@NonnyStrikes]

I'm actually excited to start messing with this. Even with Rap/Edm there is a lot of trimming that can be done to clear up tones on the high end.

[@maximeblais2032]

Best teacher ever !

[@Jay-A]

Luv ❤ your studio setup! 🫡

[@wolfhard2420]

You are such a wonderful explainer.

[@dawmix]

Another great tutorial using effective Izotope tools. The side chain tips are good as are the low and high pass filtering techniques. Also very good showing the use of tools in the mix. Well done, thank you.

[@shorerocks]

Gee. I know all this, been doing this quite a while. Why am I watching? This honestly is the best guide to low end I have ever seen. Just... excellent video. Thx for doing this!

[@user-ml6ow2mh2g]

This is ultimately low-end mixing guide thank you so much!

[@alexandrosbitoulas]

Wonderful video and demonstration, thank you so much!

[@iZotopeOfficial]

Thank YOU for the nice feedback!

[@lun-xbeats7847]

Thank you

[@jakearvonen5691]

Thank you very much for this

[@BobbyLaneProductions]

so much valuable info here.. thanks!

[@Mrdogmasyria]

thank you for this amazing content

[@MIHAO]

cheers, always a pleasure to listen to geoff

[@raywayne]

Thank you for a clear presentation of how to clear up the bass end of my mixes. I've had a semi-professional studio for 30 years and mixed tons of CDs. The marketed ones were always mastered by Paul Stubblebine (his proteges were John Greenham and Michael Romanowski), so they sounded great, but I was always in the dark as to how he was actually "fixing" everything. I now have a even smaller set up without the bass traps etc...that I had, but with the same low end guesswork, which is definitely the guessing zone in mixing. You explained everything so articulately and are an excellent teacher. Bravo !!! I have subscribed as I want to be exposed to more of your wisdom and experience. Thanks again, John Rewind

[@d20sounds31]

Very good tutorial, helped me much to remember important things again. And! I like the way you explain things very much!

[@mario__4366]

I love these tutorials and this guy.

[@rubenrojano78]

Great video!

[@maddogmorgan]

Such a great tutorial. Thank you!

[@MusokeMSK]

You guys at izotope are the best❤