Kick drum problems
I’ve gotten really into the groove with production lately, and just put out to brand new tracks in the past week. They’re both exactly where I want them, except the kicks I have aren’t punchy enough. I love the bass they have, but they just don’t have enough top end, even when I layer some click in from another drum. Any tips to bring them back out into the open?
Parallel compression
Said that without listening, seems as if youre just choosing a sample that just doesnt work 
I have the kick drum and the bass sidechained, and I checked all my waveform phases to make sure they weren’t canceling each other out.
I picked up a 2gb pack of free samples hoping there would be some gems, and I’ve found a few nice ones, but they always end up feeling flat compared to other kicks I hear in other songs. This wouldn’t be a problem if I were just releasing tracks, but it makes it hard to mix them.
Layer multiple samples. Combine one with bass and one with a nice top end and layer them together. From there you can eq and compress to taste. Parallel compression can definitely help bring it out to.
Yes, layering is good unless you cause phase cancellations so you need to be careful to make sure the layered kicks work together.
Not sure how well this works on individual tracks, I usually only use it on groups.
But the first thing is to make sure you are using good samples to begin with. If you need to do some extreme processing, maybe you should try looking for a better sample instead.
And also work on your mixdown better as well. Sounds like it’s just too buried in the mix to begin with
I’ve been working on my mixdown technique for a while, and these are vast improvements over my previous attempts, along with being a lot more musical in a sense. I used to be pushing a track through, wanting it to get done and be great, but now I’m focusing a lot more on the little things. I’m trying to let elements shine in their place on the spectrum, but it’s all a learning experience. I agree with the extreme processing comment though, I’m very minimal with my effecting usually, because I’d rather have a tone I can count on multiple times, and not be constantly tweaking EQ and saturator plugins to make it sound better across the mix.
I did try parallel compression on Energy Drinks, and it definitely helped out. My biggest problem is probably the sample though, and I have trouble hearing a sample in the mix when looking for them instead of just as a sample. I hate to even use sample packs, but creating my own kicks is a whole other thing I need to spend time on, cause the basis is easy, but making them my own sound is super difficult.
I just do what sounds good to my ear and the techniques are just tools to getting there. I’m all over with my FX. everything has a chain. I just don’t constantly tweak. I get my kick and bass sounding solid. Then Ill cut everything else. Saturate what I feel like. And do whatever else sounds good. Music, to me, is all about creativity, personality and emotion and the best thing to achieve that is yourself and your own ideas. Do whatever you feel like and what sounds good, but most of all get some enjoyment out of your music.
I generally like to find a clap and layer it on top of my kick and then low cut the clap so that none of the frequencies are cancelling out the high-end that my kick already has.
Bam, crazy idea but if it works for you go for it man!
It’s a pretty common technique, I noticed Dada Life does it quite a bit.
As for parallel compression of drums, it is excellent if you want to preserve the transients and otherwise the specific bits that heavy compression might mask out. Very good for live drum productions. Might be good to use more and more (note to myself) to preserve the uniqueness of specific drum machines as well so they don’t all sound the same.
But I doubt you get a lot of punch out from this. Layering is me thinks much better for that purpose.
Well I got a bit more punch out of the compression, and worked the track a little more to open up some frequencies. I also layered in another kick, but finding one that adds a nice long bit of punch in without distorting the 909 kick sample I have (I love the low-end length to it) is proving pretty troublesome. Thanks for all the suggestions guys, I really appreciate the help.
Ok, I know I’m not supposed to double post, and it kills me to do it, but I just want everyone who helped me out in this thread know that my thanks goes out to you guys for the techniques and tips, and that the true ace in the hole for me was a creating a dedicated mastering file. I import the wav in an audio track which has plugins going Spectrum → EQ → AutoFilter (to cut the 30hz and below) → Compressor → Limiter → Spectrum. It made these feel truly finished to me, and they gained so many qualities I was looking for. Bigger sounds, the kicks came out better, and everything feels much more even.
I am aware that mastering is not a fix for a stupid song, and that most work should be done in production, but I never took it seriously until just now. I already feel it’s an integral part of my production.
Parallel compression is great.
Another thing you can do is throw a spectrum analyzer in your kick drum to know where the predominant frequencies are. Then use an eq to slightly cut off this frequencies in your other instruments. Hope it helps!
Or vice versa of course 
Is there a way I can develop kick drum technique?
Synthesizing your own kicks is the way forward for dance music! Vengeance is pretty rinsed out now, used by everyone, Lady Gaga included.
Get this: (the demo is fine, just bounce them down)
http://www.native-instruments.com/#/en/products/producer/massive/
Watch this:
spend an hour making some kicks, at different root notes, and bounce them down with the root note in the file name so you know what’s what later on. You can make everything from super distorted hard dance, to poppy tech house, to banging d&b style, to softer nu skool breaks style, and they’re exclusive to you!
Having your kick in the same key as the rest of your tune will work wonders.
a couple more tips for you poizone, your 2 tunes discussed here seem a bit lacking in the sub bass department, always reference a commercially released tune in the same genre when you’re mixing down and mastering. All the top pros do this, it’s not cheating!
And also the side chaining in these 2 tunes is a bit over the top,be careful not to make ppl feel sea sick!
You want a bad ass kick, you have to make room for it. You know what side chaining is and para comp. you have tweaked the eq and compressor? then there could be only 2 things left to do 1. detune the kick, noiz it up or…2. Dump what doesnt sound rigth and pick another kick.
Ps: clicks\noize on the kick make them sound dirty