How to Create the Perfect Kick for Your Type of Music

The Foundation of It All

In dance electronic music, if you don’t have a quality low-end, your music won’t succeed. No matter how much you equalize, compress, or add effects, if your kick or bass doesn’t have the correct construction and complement each other, your music won’t make the dance floor groove.

The problem with information we find in YouTube tutorials is that they often teach how to copy a specific artist’s kick (which usually doesn’t turn out the same 90% of the time). Even when they manage to copy it, they don’t teach you how to create kicks with your own personality or that match your specific type of bassline. Having a kick that’s identical to a well-known artist’s won’t be enough if your bassline has a different pattern alongside the kick.

Why not use a good kick sample? Because the frequency of your bass always varies, the bass pattern might not match the kick, and those samples are often heavily processed, so when you do your mastering, they’ll get even more processed harming your mix. To gain a sonic advantage in your music, learn to create your own custom kick.

Different Kick Designs

1. The Sausage: This one is the most copied in online tutorials. It’s the most potent, loudest, and perfect. It really blasts our eardrums. The design has maximum attack and maximum sustain.
   • Advantage: It will be loud in any big room.
   • Disadvantage: It requires a bass that complements it perfectly; otherwise, it will distort and get muddy.
2. The Cunning: This one is a bit more conceptual but still has a striking impact. Its attack is maximum, but the sustain isn’t long. These kicks are slightly shorter but carry great power.
   • Advantage: Maximum punch and clarity. Leaves room for the bass.
   • Disadvantage: If you don’t choose the frequency curve carefully, your kick might lack some frequencies.
3. The Chubby: This kick is gentle, with not much attack, won’t bother you, and in a more intimate environment, it caresses the ears.
   • Advantage: It can have weight but lets the instruments take the spotlight.
   • Disadvantage: If you don’t balance the attack properly, the music might feel flat and lacking definition.
4. The Lean: It barely shows up. Without much weight, it doesn’t take up any space and makes the music sound more radio-friendly. It was widely used in old records.
   • Advantage: Beautiful and classy.
   • Disadvantage: Not suitable for peak times in big rooms.

Your Kick Depends on Your Bass

The key reason to design our own kicks is that if your bass is heavily in the sub-range, you can place the attack a bit lower, or if your bassline takes up a lot of space, you can make your kick a bit shorter. Knowing precisely how to position the frequency curve within the spectrum and your music’s style is essential. I created a manual (State Of The Art – Music Production) where I explain which plugins to use, which frequency designs to implement, how to compress these kicks, and how to give your music groove your own personality. Let’s continue our journey and improve the quality of our art!