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Posted by Kage_ on Feb-01-2009 17:40:

Hard trance kicks.

I'm wanting to know how to get good, wide and full kicks. I've heard artists like Yoji, Batch, and Vandall use kicks like this. Any help would be appreciated.

Posted by Zak McKracken on Feb-01-2009 18:29:

add distortion

Posted by Acton on Feb-01-2009 18:29:

Search in these forums for previous threads, there is a good "perfect kick" one somewhere.

But, in short, research and look into these principles.

- EQ'ing
- Compression
- Layering

EDIT - and as palm said, distortion is good for hard trance kicks.

Posted by Kage_ on Feb-01-2009 19:35:

Alright, I'll take those tips onboard. Thanks.

Posted by Lunar Phase 7 on Feb-02-2009 00:40:

http://www.bangingtunes.com/misc/royalty-free-samples/

Guyvers FREE sample pack has some of the BEST trance/hardhouse kicks I've heard.

Only 8 or so, but they are all fucking mint.

Alex Calvers is also good. But a bit less useable unless you make really tough shit.

Posted by pwnage1 on Feb-02-2009 05:07:

quote:
Originally posted by Lunar Phase 7
http://www.bangingtunes.com/misc/royalty-free-samples/

Guyvers FREE sample pack has some of the BEST trance/hardhouse kicks I've heard.

Only 8 or so, but they are all fucking mint.

Alex Calvers is also good. But a bit less useable unless you make really tough shit.
noyce. Not my style but surely i'll be able to put this to use.

Posted by Kage_ on Feb-02-2009 06:38:

Posted by Stephen Wiley on Feb-02-2009 11:55:

I am terrible with kicks and bass and I recently got some advice from an engineering guru that I've found to be very helpful.

The first thing you always want is a good source beat. I highly recommend that 808, 909 kits, etc. Those are tried and tested on Turbosound and all the good stuff. Make sure you're setting the kick in the 60-100hz range (this is the sweet spot for 99% of the set ups you'll find in a club). I see this mistake very often in producing and it's a very simple step when EQing.

Compress the fuck out of it! I don't know what your DAW is, but compress it and compress it more. I'm a huge fan of an early attack on a kick with little to no decay/reverb. That is what gives it that crisp and definitive sound to carry itself throughout the track. I don't know your specific DAW, but if you're using Ableton and you want to fatten up the kick without using lame ass delays throw an unset Saturator over the track. Hit color and choose digital clip. The width will dictate the fattening of your track. The default is low, so toy with it and the wet/dry until you hear what you like.

I know I've said a bunch of shit here, but remember that less is more. There's nothing wrong with using a preset and just altering it in a few ways. If you're good enough to control a bunch of shit at once to achieve your sound then more power to you (I sure as hell am not).

Last but not least, always remember to try and isolate the frequencies your kick is hitting on. You obviously won't always be able to do it (it's not really important with hi-mids and hi's), but it's very important when working with bass lines (for obvious reasons). There is nothing worse than that annoying muddy sound.

Benny Benassi is a long forgotten name, but he really brought side chaining to the forefront of low frequencies and made it trendy. It's a standard now. It rarely was before.

Again, I don't know what your DAW is, but if it's Ableton you can side chain the kick & bass through the compressor or gate (I prefer the compressor 9 times out of 10).

There are tons of great youtube videos regarding all of this stuff. Sorry to stray so much from your simple "I need a good kick" question!
You probably know and understand everything I've said, but maybe somebody reading hasn't.

Posted by varun on Feb-02-2009 13:31:

quote:
Originally posted by Stephen Wiley
I am terrible with kicks and bass and I recently got some advice from an engineering guru that I've found to be very helpful.

The first thing you always want is a good source beat. I highly recommend that 808, 909 kits, etc. Those are tried and tested on Turbosound and all the good stuff. Make sure you're setting the kick in the 60-100hz range (this is the sweet spot for 99% of the set ups you'll find in a club). I see this mistake very often in producing and it's a very simple step when EQing.

Compress the fuck out of it! I don't know what your DAW is, but compress it and compress it more. I'm a huge fan of an early attack on a kick with little to no decay/reverb. That is what gives it that crisp and definitive sound to carry itself throughout the track. I don't know your specific DAW, but if you're using Ableton and you want to fatten up the kick without using lame ass delays throw an unset Saturator over the track. Hit color and choose digital clip. The width will dictate the fattening of your track. The default is low, so toy with it and the wet/dry until you hear what you like.

I know I've said a bunch of shit here, but remember that less is more. There's nothing wrong with using a preset and just altering it in a few ways. If you're good enough to control a bunch of shit at once to achieve your sound then more power to you (I sure as hell am not).

Last but not least, always remember to try and isolate the frequencies your kick is hitting on. You obviously won't always be able to do it (it's not really important with hi-mids and hi's), but it's very important when working with bass lines (for obvious reasons). There is nothing worse than that annoying muddy sound.

Benny Benassi is a long forgotten name, but he really brought side chaining to the forefront of low frequencies and made it trendy. It's a standard now. It rarely was before.

Again, I don't know what your DAW is, but if it's Ableton you can side chain the kick & bass through the compressor or gate (I prefer the compressor 9 times out of 10).

There are tons of great youtube videos regarding all of this stuff. Sorry to stray so much from your simple "I need a good kick" question!
You probably know and understand everything I've said, but maybe somebody reading hasn't.

+1000

Posted by Lunar Phase 7 on Feb-02-2009 16:06:

quote:
Originally posted by Stephen Wiley

Sound advice...