Mixing Low End

Level: beginner

In this video, Alice covers all the modern techniques for getting the perfect low end in your mix.

How-to

Kick

1. Select your kick note in the key of your song. To get the most powerful sound, choose it from the chip Best notes for sub bass range in EDM.
2. Adjust the length of the kick tail to between 25% and 50% of the bar.

Reference Track

1. Pick a track that you think has the perfect low end.
2. Add it to your project and loop a section with just kick and bass.
3. Using a loudness meter, set the loudness of the the kick to -6dB.
4. Find out the relationship between the kick and the bass. Usually the bass is around -12 to -15dB.

Mixing the kick and the bass.

1. Set the loudness for your kick at -6dB.
2. Set the loudness of the bass at -15dB.
3. Add a sidechain compressor to the bass from the kick, as shown in the video.
4. Check if the bass level is still at -12-15dB.
5. Do the same for sub-bass and bass if they are separate tracks.
6. Use techniques like Pultec EQ, Glue Compressor, and How to Use Distortion and Saturation in Mixing to get even tighter low end.
7. Check the sound on a smartphone and a home speakers.

This technique is used:

Genres: electronic dance music house techno

Instruments: bass sub-bass kick

Stages of production: mixing