When two tracks have a lot of energy in the same area of the frequency spectrum, something called “masking” occurs. And because of poor room acoustics, this is often the case. For example, the “point” of a kick drum that gives the sense of its attack is often somewhere in the midrange. You can think of these sections as two separate areas of the low end. This eq guideline should help you create a phat punchy kick drum but if you have any questions then leave a comment below. Instead, get things right at the source. Since headphones remove room acoustics from your monitoring chain, they will help you hear a more accurate representation of what’s going on with your kick. The biggest acoustic problems in most home studios are in the low end. But sometimes, it’s essential. A sweep can also help you find frequencies that benefit the kick drum then you boost if necessary. Adding a kick drum sample underneath the live kick (using a plugin like Slate’s Trigger) can help you achieve a more professional sound without over-EQing. To learn how to find and fix phase problems on your kick drum, watch the video below. Bring out that “clicky” sound with a healthy boost around 5 kHz, and you can add clarity and presence while keeping the low end lean and clean. Use EQ to fatten/tighten up the kick It is rare to not have to use EQ to shape your kick, unless you’ve written your song around the kick drum. 2. And often times, if your ear hears the top end on the kick, it will feel like there’s a lot of low end there, even when there isn’t. What you don’t want is a lacklustre kick, if you’re producing pop, dance, hip hop or uptempo music then a dead kick drum will drop the energy of your music. Listen to a few of your favorite records and notice how bright the kicks sound. When you add low end on a kick, sometimes the kick starts to sound muddy. Most people don’t think about how the tempo of a song impacts their kick drum EQ decisions. Before you go, leave a comment below and let me know — what’s your go-to plugin for kick drum EQ? This is because if you add a boost in the sub, that boost often extends higher up into the lower midrange (200 – 500 Hz). Mixing Kick And Bass: The Powerful Technique You Need To Know, 5 Simple Tips To Make Your 808s Clear And Punchy, 3 Powerful Drum Programming Tips You Need To Know. To learn how to do this, check out the video below: You should now be able to EQ any kick drum with more confidence. And if you can’t hear what your kick drum really sounds like, it’s hard to choose the right kick drum EQ settings. The top end of the kick is where the “beater” or “click” of the kick resides. This area is often the source of muddiness. Kick Drum EQ: 13 Powerful Tips For A Clear, Punchy Sound It’s not easy to EQ a kick drum. 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