{"id":26802,"date":"2020-05-16T00:01:04","date_gmt":"2020-05-16T04:01:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.raytownproductions.com\/blog\/?p=26802"},"modified":"2020-07-02T22:01:47","modified_gmt":"2020-07-03T02:01:47","slug":"adding-power-to-mixes-kick-drums-808s","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.raytownproductions.com\/blog\/adding-power-to-mixes-kick-drums-808s\/","title":{"rendered":"The Secret To Powerful Mixes, Punchy Kick Drums and 808s"},"content":{"rendered":"

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ admin_label=”Section” _builder_version=”4.4.8″ custom_margin=”0px|||||” custom_padding=”30px|||||”][et_pb_row admin_label=”Intro” _builder_version=”4.4.3″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.4.3″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.8″ text_font_size=”18px” quote_font_size=”18px” header_2_font_size=”22px” custom_padding=”||||false|false” text_font_size_tablet=”” text_font_size_phone=”16px” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” header_font_size_tablet=”” header_font_size_phone=”20px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” header_2_font_size_tablet=”20px” header_2_font_size_phone=”18px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” header_3_font_size_tablet=”” header_3_font_size_phone=”16px” header_3_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” border_radii=”on|3px|3px|3px|3px”]<\/p>\n

The biggest problem I hear in self-recorded and produced music is a\u00a0lack of clean, low end punch<\/strong> from kick drums or 808s.<\/p>\n

Of course this would be a problem<\/strong> because there is a very\u00a0common misconception<\/strong> in the audio mixing world: if you want it louder, just add more of that frequency.<\/em> \ud83e\udd2c<\/strong>\u00a0<\/p>\n

THIS IS THE WRONG WAY TO APPROACH IT! WHY you ask?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

You are adding those frequencies there the entire time!<\/p>\n

You WON’T get Punchy Kick Drums, 808s, or Mixes Using Only EQ!<\/h2>\n

If we want punchy kick drums without affecting anything else, we can use a trick that not many know about.<\/p>\n

It’s called upward expansion.<\/em><\/p>\n

It’s basically like using a compressor in reverse.<\/strong> Instead of reducing a signal over a given threshold, we INCREASE<\/strong> it. This way, we only add those specific<\/strong> frequencies<\/strong> when the kick drum, 808, snare, or whatever is actually playing. It will not continuously add unwanted frequencies<\/strong> to your mix or master!<\/p>\n

How to Add Perfect Low End Punch To any mix<\/span><\/h2>\n

The magic<\/strong> about using this technique is we can control how big the initial impact will be<\/strong> (the transient) and also how long we want the punch to last<\/strong> (the decay or release). These can be controlled by two knobs<\/strong> on a compressor (in expansion mode) or a standalone expander: the ratio (punch) and release (decay or length).<\/p>\n

The ratio determines how much to amplify the signal<\/strong> once it goes above a given threshold. The release parameter tells us how long<\/strong> it will take to lower the signal back down to the original level.<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.raytownproductions.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/FabFilter-Pro-MB-Ratio-and-Release.png” alt=”Fabfilter Pro MB Plugin Ratio and Release” title_text=”FabFilter Pro MB Ratio and Release” _builder_version=”4.4.8″ custom_padding=”29px|||||”][\/et_pb_image][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.8″ text_font=”||on||||||” text_font_size=”18px” quote_font_size=”18px” header_2_font_size=”22px” custom_margin=”||0px||false|false” custom_padding=”||||false|false” text_font_size_tablet=”” text_font_size_phone=”14px” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” header_font_size_tablet=”” header_font_size_phone=”20px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” header_2_font_size_tablet=”20px” header_2_font_size_phone=”18px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” header_3_font_size_tablet=”” header_3_font_size_phone=”16px” header_3_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” border_radii=”on|3px|3px|3px|3px”]<\/p>\n

These two settings, ratio and release, allows us to add low end punch to any mix!<\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.8″ text_font_size=”18px” custom_padding=”26px|||||”]<\/p>\n

Setting the Attack and Release<\/h2>\n

The last step, is to make sure you set the attack to the fastest<\/strong> (shortest) time possible if you want to add maximum impact<\/strong>. The attack is the time it takes before the upward expansion begins.<\/strong> If you want to soften the impact, you can increase (make longer) the attack. It’s up to you to decide how punchy your kick drum will be.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row column_structure=”1_3,2_3″ use_custom_gutter=”on” gutter_width=”3″ admin_label=”Twitch Signup” _builder_version=”4.4.8″ width=”100%” custom_margin=”20px||20px||false|false” custom_padding=”23px|50px||50px|false|false” border_radii=”on|2px|2px|2px|2px” box_shadow_style=”preset1″][et_pb_column type=”1_3″ _builder_version=”4.4.5″][et_pb_image src=”https:\/\/www.raytownproductions.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/06\/Twitch-sm.jpg” alt=”Fabfilter Pro MB Plugin Ratio and Release” title_text=”Twitch-sm” _builder_version=”4.4.8″][\/et_pb_image][\/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”2_3″ _builder_version=”4.4.5″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Twitch Signup” _builder_version=”4.4.3″ custom_padding=”0px||25px||false|false”]<\/p>\n

Come learn more mixing and mastering secrets with me live in the studio on twitch!<\/h2>\n

 <\/p>\n

<\/span>\ud83d\udcc5\u00a0Thursdays<\/strong> at 8 PM EST
<\/strong><\/span>\ud83d\udd17\u00a0<\/span>twitch.tv\/raytownproductions<\/a><\/h2>\n

[\/et_pb_text][\/et_pb_column][\/et_pb_row][et_pb_row _builder_version=”4.4.5″][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”4.4.5″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”4.4.8″ text_font_size=”18px”]<\/p>\n

Multiband compressors that work in upward expansion mode<\/h2>\n