The perfect mix of the kick and bass should deliver a low end that wants to jump right out of the speakers. Although achieving this result can be challenging, it isn’t an impossible task.
Before you start this process, it is crucial to evaluate your listening environment. The headphones or monitors you select are essential, but you can also create a bad mix in a terrible room with the best equipment.
A flat response makes it easier to create a mix that sounds great on each system.
Once you’ve got the environmental issue settled, these tips can help you achieve a more powerful low end.
1. Use High-Pass filters
Although a boost to the low end seems like it would deliver a better response, having too much bass energy can make a track sound weaker. That’s because most speakers won’t produce anything under 20 Hz to hear. It helps to use a steep high-pass to filter out the sub-bass to create more activity in the frequencies that the ear picks up.
If you’re not sure how much filtering a track needs, it often helps to start the process at 30 Hz. Close your eyes to concentrate on the sound.
Start moving the filter up until you feel that your actions are hurting the mix. You might be surprised by how much of the sub-bass you can filter while producing a potent low end.
2. Clear space for the Lows
When you put together the EQ for a track, it often feels like you’re playing a game of Tetris. Each piece must fit in a specific way so that you can eventually clear your lines with the punchy kick you want. When your low end sounds muddy, it often means you have some congestion in the mid-range to solve.
The goal is to have your low-end instruments, synths, and sounds command the bass frequencies. When that energy gets taken away by other components, the power you want disappears.
3. Keep it authentic
When compositions get mixed for the lower end to deliver a powerful kick and bass, the emphasis is usually on the lowest frequencies. That effort aims to make the subs rumble while a hefty vibration gets felt throughout the room.
Although that methodology can work sometimes, it is critical to examine the point sound of each percussive or bass instrument. The attack often starts in the mid-range before dropping, which means you might need to add between 3-6 dB right at the start to get the bite you want.
4. Sweep for the Sweet Spots
At this stage, you can take a tight equalization effort with a 6 dB boost that sweeps in both directions of the frequency range. Each loop and instrument in the lows should get the solo treatment so that you can identify the overtones, recognize where the attack sounds excellent, and spot the roll-off to create some signature rhythms and beats.
Depending on the sounds, you can also compress the kick and bass aggressively to ensure you get the powerful sound you want. It takes some work, but these techniques can help you wow your listeners with each successive composition.
