http://soundcloud.com/dj-timmo/factory-djs-x-audiokiller-x-timmo-hendriks-origenes-original-mix

at 2:15

The really dark fat aggressive kick, does anyone know how to make it?


I've always downloaded my kicks but they are all to weak, I think it's better for me to learn how to make kicks myself.

 

All you need is some distortion and maybe a bit of EQ.

Something like this one I just made: http://www42.zippyshare.com/v/YU89SdNR/file.html

It's just not on the same key, but you can use one that is on the same key as the one in that track and just throw some distortion with CamelCrusher (like I did on this loop)

These are applied to the sub kick only. Add a top kick above it to make it more punchy

 

Oh damn its Ralph, I'm a fan!

Could you explain this step by step, I take a kick and just play around with the camelcrusher distorion, and how would I eq it? I appreciate the answer!

 

Haha that's great man!

You can check the values I've set to this particular kick in this screenshot: http://postimg.org/image/kzd53ulib/full/

EQ before distortion and set values close to those, it should help you out. You don't have to use the exact values, every kick is different. Just mess around with the distortion section from CamelCrusher until you're happy enough with the result!

Let me know if you need any further help!

 

I would also put short white noise kicks under the main kick .. the more things are distorted or saturated, they better come out in the mix, so this might be a little helper .. and ofc compress the shit out of it

With bazzism and a saturator these should be done easily.

 

You can also layer a (highpassed) kick with a bass (amp ADSR to taste). Then parallel compress/dirstort/limit/whatever. Add additional transients, clicks or what have you. Then EQ to taste.
Too much distortion just kills the low end. Parallel processing can help in this case.

Also, in your case "weak" seem to be relative. Turn down everything else and turn your kick up. Leave some headroom on the master (and all channels). Then turn your volume up.

Learning to layer sounds, correcting phase and individually process sounds and then process the sum is always rewarding and fun. Good luck!

 

All is already said in different ways
The key is to separate treatment applied to low end and the rest. That's how you get control on the final result.

You can use a multiband distortion (like Ohmicide or Kombinat) to adjust low end/high end disto separately
Use different kicks layered, like z sine sub with a disto and a punchy psytrance kick
Use EQ to "push" some freqs more than others in a disto effect. But you will probably need to post-EQ too.

There are more possibilities.
But separating low end from the rest is the key.

If you just put a disto on a kick, it will be too subtle OR bass weak. Because bass freqs are more "powerful" than mid/high ones. And so they hit distortion/compressor/limiter/whatever threshold before the rest.

Happy learning !
PS : a little trick. When you layer kicks, don't use EQ to merge them. Use ADSR and start/stop sample points. It will solve freqs AND timing issues at the same time

 

Dont be afraid to work on your kick until it sounds just right. in dance music like in the link you provided the kick is one of the main if not the main element. So you wanna make sure you take your time with it. Also you can use the track you provided as a reference track when designing your kick. Low pas the whole track and try some of the tips the guys over here suggested.

 

I appreciate every answer from everyone!

Just wondering, do I need a specific sub kick? I'm currently using sylenth 1 sine wave octave -2 as my bass, I added camelcrusher and EQ'd it, when I add a high kick on top of it it doesn't sound right, the high kick is barely heard. And I'm not getting it as aggressive. What am I doing wrong?

 

http://www24.zippyshare.com/v/wtBRPOFj/file.html

This is what I made, atleast I get the idea on how to make a fat kick now, feels good

 

I'd star with a 909 ( drumazon ) and pushing the right harmonics, then right eq and right distortion ( the logic clip distortion is the best imo ) and tweaking and tweaking until it sounds right.. also layering different layers to make it sound more full

I also suggest you to watch headhunterz, frontliner or audiofreq hardstyle kick tutorial, i know this is big room.. but those kicks came from hardstyle and the procedure to do them is pretty much the same.. just a little less distortion and less high frequency.

Btw this takes long time, when i make a kick i usually spend 1,2 weeks just for one kick.
good luck !

 

Try an octave under, and play with amp ADSR (especially the decay, no release).

 

ADSR?

 

ADSR = Attack Decay Sustain Release

 

Yes, the basic 101 knowledge on how to use (amp, filter, etc) envelopes. Google it.

 

Sounds like good advice, could you expand on that? Do you mean for instance not to hi pass the top kick but use only the first portion where the attack is? More examples pls, I 'm intrigued!

 

Think of it as time axis and spectrum/frequency axis. Spectrum axis is sub, bass umph, low mid boxiness, mid knack, high mid click, high end tick, etc.
The time axis is the transient, the possible mid range knack, low end umph and the tail (low end sine, noisy sustained sound and/or reverb from the transient), etc.
You can adjust each "layer" with amp ADSR (or with fade handles, envelopes, etc), so that they don't collide and make a mess. Same thing with EQ/filters on the spectrum axis.

 

Here's a good image to visualize what happens from note on:



Your ADSR envelope is how the amplitude of your sound changes through time from the initial keypress. Envelopes can also control other parameters such as the filter's action over time commonly referred to as...drum roll ...filter envelopes. You hit a note and the attack portion is triggered which will reach the maximum amplitude and then decay to the sustain portion of the sound until you release the note and the release portion is triggered. If you wanted a sound to start at maximum volume then you would put the attack at 0 which would make it a straight line (such as for the transient in a kick) and on keypress the volume would start at max and then decay to the sustain portion. If for example you wanted to have a sound keep playing for as long as you held down the key you would increase the sustain which is used on pads. Or if you also wanted the sound to continue for a little once you release the key and subsequently trigger the release portion you would set the release control higher which is also often done for pads so notes slur together. By adjusting these four controls you can shape the amplitude of your sound over time and customize it to the way you envision in your mind.

Serum does a brilliant job of illustrating this concept.

 

Great explanation, now I can spend even more time sculpting kicks and procrastinate the arrangement process even more Ever since I started using Sonic Academy Kick I've been using that as a starting point - cause I find most of the sub kicks presets to have just the oomph I'm looking for - and imported my own klicks and top kicks. 'Kick* is pretty tweakable in terms of amp and tone over time control, so I've gotten lazy. But maybe it's time to incorporate your philosophy and take it to the next level.