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how do you guys get DEEP distorted kicks?


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hey guys, ive been trying to make effective techno kicks these last few weeks and whenever i distort it (both the dry signal and a reverb rumble) i feel that the lower frequencies become a bit messy. i usually saturate the kick then distort it and on both channels (dry bus and reverb bus) then join the on a single kick channel and mix it (compress etc) however when i boost the low signals on the eq they become a bit messy> i do hp/lp the reverb. To bypass this today i used an 808 with all frequencies above 60 hz cut and cut the low frewuencies on the kick at 60hz. it sounds better... but i think there has to be a way to get the kick deep on its own while distorting it. any suggestions?
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why are you using ANY reverb on the kick? anyway, don't boost the low eq, roll off a little mids, compress the hell out of it, end with a limiter.

 

after the compression (or before) try a distortion effect or the overdrive plugin.

 

full disclosure:i mostly do deep basses/bass drums, but no distortion (more pop/hip hop-oriented work).

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It always seemed to me that the essence of what was actually going on was a serious abuse of compression.

 

compression will, of course, squash the hell out of a sound, but some sort of overload, or distortion is still needed to get distortion (altho i suppose some horrifically-eq'd and overly-compressed kick drum could be fun....)

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thanks for the answers! i am using a second bus to get a reverb rumble on the kick. i do compress it after distorting(amping) and saturating it. i solved my problem by changing the original sample for a more punchy one. buuut, i feel like most samples i have peak at 80-100 hz and i feel like a good 50hz boost wold make it crazy! anyone know a good deep kick sample pack? how common is 808 sub layering on a kick?
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i do a lot of 808 bass lines; if i combine that with a kick, it's clicky, i roll the bass OFF of it... so they don't compete for the same frequency range.

 

sometimes i just use an 808 with a short attack, and no bass drum. but (again), this is more pop/hiphop stuff).

 

def experiment! best way to find what works... for you.

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