F#0... how?

[Saetia]

The actual question should not be "F#0... How?", it should be "F#0... Why?".

Downtuning is cool. However, more is not always more.
In a musical context, when the Guitar plays F#1, that instrument is taking the role of bass.
If you go ahead and slap on that .175 string on a 37" monster (or go with a regular Warwick Vampyre Dark Lord which comes ready for F#BEA tuning),
you're playing sub bass. As cool as that sounds, sub bass is very rarely required in music and it's quite hard to apply and even harder to master.

Let's start with the equipment. Your root frequency for the F# is 23Hz. No commercial full range cabinet will do 23Hz. The majority of all PA subwoofers won't do that. But let's say you spend a couple of grand on a rig that is bi amping, 90 Hz and up goes to a regular bass amp and everything below goes to a PA power amp with a double 18" woofer that actually can go that low. (That's a box you won't lift alone, which will not fit into a normal car btw).

Congratulations, you've taken a massive hurdle in the endeavor of chasing 23Hz.

Now start playing that rig. You will quickly realize that the setup in the room has grown a lot more complicated.
The wavelength of F#0 = 23.12 Hz is 94.17 feet or 28,67 meters - which means putting the bass amp in the far corner only works when the far corner is really far away. I've played venues that were not large enough to support such a frequency.

The speed of that frequency, both the ringing of your string and the pumping of the bellows is best described as glacial. Long, sustained tones are your friend.
Djenting? Is that long, sustained notes? oh.


Your mileage may vary, but I've chased that rabbit, only to find a huge disappointment at the end of the hole.
Having a rig that can really do these frequencies (I was a little higher than F#) quickly lets you realize that your contribution to the music consists of low end mud and a painful pressure on the ears.

Just look at Meshuggah. A band that is known for a killer live sound. The bassist acutally tunes up a half step to match the guitars and plays in the same octave.

There are a few things that can help:

A high pass filter set just below the 1st harmonic of your lowest note. If that’s an F# and 23hz then cut out like 40 and below.

A cab capable of producing the 1st harmonic of your lowest note. Let’s say 46hz in this case.

Boosting your mid range at EQ points relevant to your tuning and tone you’re after.

Those things make it much easier to get around if you just tune that low.

I have my Modulus set up in G because one of my projects with another guitarist calls for it. I use it sparingly though. His other project is a decently well known blackened doom band that definitely uses it to shake and quake.

 

[el murdoque]

There are a few things that can help:

A high pass filter set just below the 1st harmonic of your lowest note. If that's an F# and 23hz then cut out like 40 and below.

A cab capable of producing the 1st harmonic of your lowest note. Let's say 46hz in this case.

Boosting your mid range at EQ points relevant to your tuning and tone you're after.

Those things make it much easier to get around if you just tune that low.

I have my Modulus set up in G because one of my projects with another guitarist calls for it. I use it sparingly though. His other project is a decently well known blackened doom band that definitely uses it to shake and quake.

If you do all that, here's another suggestion:
Tune your bass to F#1 instead and use compression and EQ to emphasize the root note.
This will reduce the flubber and lets you work with standard equipment.

If you go that low, make sure you play music that can accommodate sub bass and/or calls for it.
Doom can absolutely work with that, because you can play it slow enough for the root frequencies to actually work.

 

[elvish_paisley]

I’m interested in this discussion, I love bass heavy electronic music and have been getting back into some doom metal. I didn’t realize F#0 was a thing, I gotta look this up!

I’ve been exploring sub-octave effects for low/sub bass. Is that an option or when would it be?

I explored processing and recording the separate sub-out on my Meatbox and it sounded better and gave more options. Also splitting signal and processing lows and highs separately in source audio pedals (ex atlas multi-band compression, C4 voices/mixer, ultra wave multiband distortion).

I’ve also noticed issues with my monitors (KRK and Focal) and regular low B on 5-string. The roll off is around 40Hz, so the lowest notes gets lost. I’ve been wondering how it’ll transfer to other folks systems or live…