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I usually, have the kickdrum on the lower frequency spectrum of the song, then the bass etc...like in most rock/pop music. I've do this very well. But lately I've been listening to some recordings were the bass is lower, and then is the kick drum, like the last U2 record. And I was wondering how do you get a clear bass and kick this way, any techniques? I'd like some imput on this. the bass is really low, but also clear, which makes me think they boost around 60hz, and 300hz? and cut around 100hz where the kick drums is?. Or just cut 100hz and not touch 60hz and 300hz?
thanks.

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anonymous Tue, 04/02/2002 - 14:14

Originally posted by spp:

Originally posted by John A:
But furthermore, by putting a gate on the bass on duck mode and keying it with the kick drum, the effect of solid kick and bass is flawless.

Can you explain how this is done?

ThanksOk, first off, I meant put a compressor in duck mode... here is how you do this, I'll use an RNC for example. Insert the RNC over the bass track. Mult the kick drum track and send the copy to an output and then hook the output into the "sidechain" of the RNC. Now adjust the threshold so that the bass "ducks" every time the kick goes off. A faster attack on the RNC will give more of the attack on the kick. For DAW guys, you can actually push the second kick up a millisecond so that you will really have lots of attack on the kick. The copy of the kick btw does not go to the main mix. This trick makes for a thunderous kick drum because when the kick is hitting, there is very little other low end content to compete with it.
John

crazy_guitar Wed, 04/03/2002 - 08:46

I also Eq my kick 60-90hz, I was just wondering how it's done when the bass is lower, which I pretty much have figured out since I posted this. Also I dont like the side chain thing on the bass, cause it messes up with the bass dynamics, however I do like side chain on distorted guitars sometimes, to make them sound like they are maxed out.

crazy_guitar Wed, 04/03/2002 - 08:58

I think a clear kick and bass is achieved with good recorded sources, and REALLY good EQing.
try this: Mult the bass, on track 1 lowpass the bass so only 60hz (maybe 58hz) and below is audible. then on bass track 2 highpass the bass so 250hz and up is audible (eq to taste).
So now there's not much happening from 65-200hz, so you can place the kick there, and both the bass and the kick are going to be clear and loud. boost the kick at around 80-100hz. Bass sometimes makes a recording sound big

Ted Nightshade Wed, 04/03/2002 - 09:07

I've been having some luck with having a deep keyboard bass filling out the kick drum.
With no EQ this big kick is sounding a bit barky in the overheads- tempting to EQ it, but then it would be directly competing with the bass. But when the bass comes in, the kick rides that wave and sounds like it has had the low end EQ put to it!
They actually get along!
Ted