Yeah there is an art to it, that is for sure. And it comes down to a lot of things really in the search of that punchiest kick, or deepest kick.
So a lot of people sample a kick, or just pick one out of a sample pack. But you can do more than this.
I recommend actually investing the time and effort to learn all the tricks. So for instance, in this case he might have got a great kick from the break by pushing the preamp and or EQ on the mixer before sampling, say to push it to where they want it. Turn down your input of course so you get no clipping as you sample. So that and a another kick under it and hey presto. you get some new kick. Now there is a few other things like pitch and phase that are also involved to a degree. They matter to, so layering means that you should be aware of these things, or at least use those things on the side of your head to listen and hear the kick. you gotta get an idea what is good or not, and you post choice says you know a good punchy kick, so you are half way there
OK, for instance I was making a kick for a totally different genre this week, EDM, but go through the exact same process. I have the tools with MPC to do anything here to, so can repitch, invert, layer, amp envelope, what ever and resample again. Does not take me long.
To do it, it helps to actually have a goal and work to that goal. Not to discount just **** around either, scuse my french, that is fun and works to sometimes to do random stuff, but here is more a proper way to work. I now come up with four words to describe the sound, then make those four sounds if you like and you have what you want.
This week for me I got very close to what I wanted and was chuffed as, but then a friend that makes stuff came over and said straight away too much mid, you need to cut out all the mids there. otherwise I was spot on. I did what he said in a minute and as oh yeah, thanks. No samples of same genre when I worked on it. Just random kit I think, or some drum machine hits and or samples, then worked with what was close to the description, and then got to where I wanted so to speak with its sound. I am doing this on no DAW either just MPC. and its amazing really what you can make on them, like I can now make any kick I hear in around 10 minutes or less.
Its just about working out the sounds bits if you like. also the transients nature and also timbre contribute to the sound.
So when I make a sound like a kick and if its not close to my description then I think why not? Then fix it. so no its wrong pitch? change it, too long? so then change amp env! Filter is not right? tweak it. See its like I work towards goal bit by bit. And also know what works and what I can do with what I got.
Phase and pitch really are important IMHO here though, out of phase doesn't work very well at all. must pay attention to this when layering and is easy to make a very punchy kick or any type. Layers are what helps a lot to, so that is why I am on about phase and pitch. Then get some FX on top of that and yeah go crazy. I do things like use 3 layers but the hi layer of the kick is preamped or bit reduced/overdriven ect. So it is a creative process as well as a critical one and can lead you down a few rabbit holes as there can a gazillion choices doing this stuff, but with a clear goal you can achieve any kick.
See though, Es-k is right on the money to, like its real simple when stuff just works together, but helps to have the experience and or skills to recognise it, or sculpt it to be what you want. So this and above work means you can do anything you can think of.
So gain staging and EQ say with layering can contribute to quite impressive kicks. People will go on about compression but really with out a decent kick to begin with it aint really an issue. If anything compression can introduce more problems than anything else but are useful as for transient design. So that is another thread/subject, but is a powerful tool to here. I usually only use a bus compressor over all drums like as if its a kit, so that also contributes to the over all sound more than anything but you can use it to shape it to punch more that is for sure. But like I say it helps to have a good punch first right people?
So yeah lots to consider generally
also speakers and room as swell. you gotta have that all good to hear it. Working with punchy kicks that can be hard to do actually as well. worth it though.
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but.... .I had no problem with layering first kicks at the beginig of the brake(with good result) without phase cancellation but next ones sound weaker probably because Ive removed first kick in drum brake using envelope I was trying to do the same with the rest of kicks (in this drum brake) using envelope but I didnt like the outcome.I ve layered my kicks with sine wave dropping and also I detect the moments when the sine wave was dropping for kick sounds in drum brake also I was trying to separete kicks with eq but two of my kicks were in the same note F1. its hard to say how I did but it was my first layering with equing and phase cancellation task.