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[lagerfeldt]

Okay, I know this sounds like a noob idiotic statement, but I just can't help noticing how many of my favourite tracks have a clear bump at exactly 48 and 96 Hz  +/- 1 Hz.

[Pingu]

Im thinking kick drum harmonics

what do ya rekon

[lagerfeldt]

Yes, certainly.

But I was wondering why exactly 48 and 96? They are harmonic/doubled but it seems funny that it's these exact frequencies in so many tracks, and in genres as different as pop, dance and rock music (I have a broad taste in music).

Maybe it's like that myth about 326 Hz being the universal muddy frequency, or something.  

[Pingu]

Im sure someone with years more experience than i will put an end to the mystery.

[compasspnt]

Hmmm...

48 and 96...


...just add a  "k"  on the end, and...


...hmmm...something strange here...





Where is JohnnyB when we need him?

[OTR-jkl]

Really? Almost every track I see has the peak at either 65Hz or 86Hz...

[Pingu]

lagerfeldt wrote on Sat, 11 February 2006 09:57

Okay, I know this sounds like a noob idiotic statement, but I just can't help noticing how many of my favourite tracks have a clear bump at exactly 48 and 96 Hz  +/- 1 Hz.

How much of a bump are we talking?

[Fenris Wulf]

You might be seeing Apogee UV22 dithering, which uses a tone at exactly half the sample rate.

[Teddy G.]

+/- 4hz???

Is your AC(Wall) power at 50hz? 48(or so) would be the "main" and 96(Or thereabouts) would be the "first harmonic" of such "transmitted AC signal", no matter voltage. Are you using a UPS on your computer and everything connected to it(Might help)? In the US it's 60hz, 120hz, 240hz, etc.(Each harmonic MUCH weaker than the main frequency.), that have to be dealt with. As my work is non-critical in this region I have the luxury of being able to just notch/shelf below 75hz(My Mackie mixer and audio software has buttons/settings for this common problem.), which takes care of most of it. If it IS critical it may take some knowledgeable electrical work..? Your friendly, neighborhood electrician may be able to help with this? Particularly one with experience supplying "clean power" to computers. At least one of our local electrical companies deals alot in "professional computer installations". Even your AC power provider may have suggestions - or even come out and do tests - at least to make sure all is as good as they are required to provide? Advice, at least, should be affordable to free. Correcting the "problem", to your satisfaction..? That may cost...

TG

[Jerry Tubb]

lagerfeldt wrote on Fri, 10 February 2006 19:57

Okay, I know this sounds like a noob idiotic statement, but I just can't help noticing how many of my favourite tracks have a clear bump at exactly 48 and 96 Hz  +/- 1 Hz.

Equivalent to a low and middle G on Fender Bass... 49Hz & 98Hz.

[Pingu]

now we are getting somewhere

[mikepecchio]

are you using an analyzer to spot those frequencies?  could be the resolution of your analyzer.  FFT is most coarse at low freqs. try creating a tone sweep of constant amplitude (a bass drop) and see if it apears to peak at those frequencies.

[Ronny]

compasspnt wrote on Fri, 10 February 2006 23:02

Hmmm... 48 and 96... ...just add a  "k"  on the end, and... ...hmmm...something strange here... Where is JohnnyB when we need him?

It's embedded in the software and allows 48k and 96k sample rates to have the same harmonic structure.

[Bobro]

Jerry Tubb wrote on Sat, 11 February 2006 05:35

lagerfeldt wrote on Fri, 10 February 2006 19:57 Okay, I know this sounds like a noob idiotic statement, but I just can't help noticing how many of my favourite tracks have a clear bump at exactly 48 and 96 Hz  +/- 1 Hz. Equivalent to a low and middle G on Fender Bass... 49Hz & 98Hz.

That's a good musical answer. IIRC G in 12 tone equal temperament at A442 would be right about there, have to look it up. Anyway that's where a lot of "bumps" come from- the music itself.

Also a lot of auto-pilot mixing cliches come from assuming that all music is centered around a handfull of guitar-handy chords, and a standard trap/bass/guitar/tenor setup. Like "cut at 125 to clear mud", try that on a bass voice, or in the key of B natural.

And compressor presets on plugins seem to assume a small range of tempos, what a joke because of course the release has to vibe with the tempo.

-Bobro

[lagerfeldt]

Let me clarify:

I'm talking about analyzing a file in the DAW using Waves PAZ, which I reckon is a pretty accurate tool.

In a surprisingly large number of my favourite reference tracks there's a clear peak in the frequency range at exactly 48 Hz and 96 Hz (not kHz). What more, this is not necessarily real instruments but synth music too.

The two peaks seem to stem mostly from the kick drum. So what I'm getting at is this: there seems to be a harmonic relationship between the two frequencies (obviously doubled). But I was wondering why exactly 48 and 96 Hz as opposed to e.g. 60 and 120 Hz or something else.

So far my conclusion is that there must be some universally pleasing about these points. Okay, go ahead and kill me.