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Compression on kicks

Hi guys!

Normally I just use sampled kicks that are already compressed. Just for practice I just tried to do this on my own. I took an uncompressed sample and messed around with it.
It sounds "ok", but not in a way I want it to sound - the tail (or "boom") is just too heavy I think. Here is the link (should be at -12 db, but maybe you should turn your speakers down just to be safe):
[[ LINK REMOVED ]]

Oh and please download as the provided player degrades the quality.

And this is a rough reference I used:
https://soundcloud.com/mixmash-reco...eyoureyeslblrmx
(kick drops at 0.50)

I already tried to squash the tail of the kick so that mostly the attack is prominent, but that didn't work out. What do you think of my kick compared to the (IMO over compressed!) example, is it just a mixing issue or...?

cheers

dont worry too much about compressing kicks - just choose one that you like the sound of and more importantly one that fits into your mix

Most of the time, kicks you'll find in sample packs are already compressed. No need unless you want to get creative. But for most, I'd say don't bother.

Compression is just another envelope, even though 90% of my tracks I never add extra compression, its not for certain that you should rule it out. I hear it being used all the time in tracks I listen to. I have been experimenting with presence techniques with the kick recently, sometimes its hard to achieve those you find as your favorite within a track.

theres some tutorials on here somewhere but combining two different kicks together can help give you some good results.....hers one way that use to make my own

Get a Sub kick and a another kick with some more higher fequencies, (with some slap or punchyness in it)
stick in seperate mixer channels, low pass the sub as much as you think is needed and then High pass the other kick to get rid of the low end so it does cause phasing with the other kick. Mix them together in another mixer channel and some light compression, eq
just to glue them together.....and then just do some tweeking here and there.....

but if you find a kick that works even if it is a sampled kick pre compressed then use it. Just dont process it too much other wise it will lose all its quality

I find that after all the processing that goes on in busses and sub busses,

having a kick channel that goes to stereo a good way to still have that nice slammed compression sound while still having a kick drum you can hear an feel.

Take a high quality sample of a kick drum, it has to be acoustic, something from a drum machine won't do. Load it into your sampler, then set the ADSR to 0, 8:30, 0 and 0. On the mixer channel first you want an eq, to shave off everything below 25 hz, fucking brickwall it, and shave off whatever you need at the top and then run it into a compressor with a short attack, high release and then shove it up your butt.

Some guy on mau5trap records loves to do that, sort of...

Compress the low and high kick separately.
On the low one use a max ratio of 4:1, on the high one max 2:1.
On the low one, is fundamental, to find the right spot with the treshold.
Adjust their volume relationship.
To a bus and cut everything below 40 hz.

quote:

Originally posted by TranceElevation Compress the low and high kick separately. On the low one use a max ratio of 4:1, on the high one max 2:1. On the low one, is fundamental, to find the right spot with the treshold. Adjust their volume relationship. To a bus and cut everything below 40 hz.

Do you use two separate kick samples, or do you route the one sample from channel 1 to channel 2 AND 3, then channel 2 and 3 into 4?w

quote:

Originally posted by Looney4Clooney I find that after all the processing that goes on in busses and sub busses, having a kick channel that goes to stereo a good way to still have that nice slammed compression sound while still having a kick drum you can hear an feel.

I'm just now experimenting with using busses in Logic, so I'm gonna try that out.

SCIENCE!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by itsamemario Do you use two separate kick samples

this

quote:

Originally posted by TranceElevation this

upvote

quote:

Originally posted by TranceElevation this

Sorry for being vague in previous post.. But are they seperate, yet identical? Or just two different samples, one with nice low end, and one with a click or thud etc?

yes

quote:

Originally posted by evo8 dont worry too much about compressing kicks - just choose one that you like the sound of and more importantly one that fits into your mix

+1

quote:

Originally posted by Nicolas Oliver +1

Compression is for making things fit "better" in the mix. There are plenty of kicks out there you dont need to fiddle with obviously. Its not rocket-science. Saying dont worry about this and that: Its kind of our self-proclaimed job to worry about everything inside the mix.

All I'm saying is rather than trying to compress what are likely already-compressed sample kicks, just find a proper sounding kick from the get-go: there are literally 100,000s from which to choose. And compression itself isn't all it's cracked up to be

quote:

Originally posted by Nicolas Oliver and compression itself isn't all it's cracked up to be

What do you mean by that, its hard to take you seriously bro.

quote:

Originally posted by MSZ What do you mean by that[?]

My experience suggests that most people who use compression do so improperly and often do not understand how it works and when it should be applied. Also, in many cases where compression is used more accurate and effective techniques (such as vol automation) can be applied in order to achieve the same (or better) results. I've learned first-hand from a mixing/mastering engineer for a reputable, successful label who has been writing music for decades now (and started in the days where digital audio didn't exist) that compression should be used very sparingly, if ever. I'm not referring to compressing/limiting mixdowns or groups of instruments as a whole, nor am I talking about side-chaining.

quote:

Originally posted by Nicolas Oliver My experience suggests that most people who use compression do so improperly and often do not understand how it works and when it should be applied.

This doesnt make it a less effective tool at all, some sort of fallacy in your logic here.

quote:

Originally posted by Nicolas Oliver Also, in many cases where compression is used more accurate and effective techniques (such as vol automation) can be applied in order to achieve the same (or better) results.

Funny, I dont think you actually know what compression does either.

quote:

Originally posted by Nicolas Oliver I've learned first-hand from a mixing/mastering engineer for a reputable, successful label who has been writing music for decades now (and started in the days where digital audio didn't exist) that compression should be used very sparingly, if ever.

Subjective. I really hate it when rules are imposed, when things have to be used and when they arent. Learn the tools people, let your ears decide whats right.

FINISH HIM!!

quote:

Originally posted by Nicolas Oliver My experience suggests that most people who use compression do so improperly and often do not understand how it works and when it should be applied. Also, in many cases where compression is used more accurate and effective techniques (such as vol automation) can be applied in order to achieve the same (or better) results.

+1

quote:

Originally posted by itsamemario Sorry for being vague in previous post.. But are they seperate, yet identical? Or just two different samples, one with nice low end, and one with a click or thud etc?

Course they are different samples. The punch (thumb) relies in the low end. High kick is more for a color (brightness etc.) than else.
Get your low kick right first.

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