Introduction

The kick and bass occupy the same frequency range—roughly 40-150Hz. Without proper management, they'll fight each other, resulting in a muddy, undefined low end. This lesson teaches you three approaches: sidechain compression, frequency carving, and arrangement techniques.

Sidechain Compression

Sidechain compression automatically ducks the bass whenever the kick hits, creating space for both elements.

Basic Setup

1. Insert a compressor on your bass track
2. Set the sidechain input to your kick drum
3. Set ratio to 4:1 or higher
4. Fast attack (1-5ms), medium release (50-150ms)
5. Adjust threshold until you see 3-6dB of gain reduction

Release Time Is Key

The release determines how quickly the bass comes back after the kick. Too fast = pumping effect. Too slow = bass disappears. At 134 BPM, start around 100ms and adjust by ear.

Frequency Carving

Instead of ducking the whole bass, you can carve out specific frequencies so kick and bass occupy different spaces.

The 60Hz Rule

• Kick dominant below 60Hz: Cut bass below 60Hz
• Bass dominant above 60Hz: Cut kick above 80-100Hz

This way, each element owns its frequency range.

Arrangement Techniques

Sometimes the best solution is arrangement:

• Avoid bass notes on kick hits: Let the kick breathe
• Start bass after kick transient: Delay bass notes by a 16th
• Use different octaves: Kick sub + bass mid frequencies

Summary

Clean low end comes from making choices: sidechain for pumping energy, EQ carving for separation, or arrangement for clarity. Often, a combination of all three works best.