Compressing Kicks

I just got a dbx 266XL Compressor/Gate and I'm just learnin compression... I haven't had too much trouble compressing snares, but I have had trouble compressing kicks... If it matters (which I'm sure it does) I'm looking for a real underground sound like say Madlib or RJD2 (more Madlib)... I wanna get a sound from my kicks where you feel them but don't so much hear them... So far, when I compress my kicks they stand out too much in the mix... They're too crunchy and don't blend in with the rest of the mix like Madlib's do... Should I try a more subtle compression and if so do you have any suggested settings for my compressor? Or do you recommend compressing them similarily to my snares but just lowering their volume in the mix and maybe adding more bottom end with EQ? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated...

Thanks in advance...

yeah i would thicken with eq to get that bottom end and then use the compressor to keep an even volume.......turn down the kcik until its not intruding anymore and use to the compressor to essentially 'limit' the kick....basically make sure that at the lower volume its hitting where you want..

what i do when im queing up bass drums is play a cd through a channel of a similar tune...and make sure my bass drum is peaking at the same place on the volume meter as the bass drum on the tune...now you have an idea of how loud it should be you can start tweaking the sound in terms of eq etc...

id use the compressor to make sure your getting the mot out of the sound you have at the lower volume...

greg

i love big ole kicks in the mix.

try using a nice clean waveform for your kick.

sensewondah wrote:i love big ole kicks in the mix.

I respect that, but personally (like I said) I go for a more Madlib type of sound... His kicks and drum tarcks in general are amazing... They are almost non-existent... You don't hear them, but you feel them... He keeps them real low in the mix, but they still maintain a real nice rhythm...

Like I said before, Snares are absolutely no problem, but my kicks are comin out way too compressed... They hit a little too hard for my liking. But then if I lower them in the mix I feel like they don't have enough presence... I feel like theres no middle ground with the compression... either my kicks have no presence as compared to my snare or sample, or they become the main focus of the mix and boom in the mix... I can't find a subtle middleground between the two...

Please anybody who's had success with this or who knows what I'm talkin about... Hit me up.

MattMatiks PG wrote:I just got a dbx 266XL Compressor/Gate and I'm just learnin compression... I haven't had too much trouble compressing snares, but I have had trouble compressing kicks... If it matters (which I'm sure it does) I'm looking for a real underground sound like say Madlib or RJD2 (more Madlib)... I wanna get a sound from my kicks where you feel them but don't so much hear them... So far, when I compress my kicks they stand out too much in the mix... They're too crunchy and don't blend in with the rest of the mix like Madlib's do... Should I try a more subtle compression and if so do you have any suggested settings for my compressor? Or do you recommend compressing them similarily to my snares but just lowering their volume in the mix and maybe adding more bottom end with EQ? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated...

Thanks in advance...

if they stand out too much, turn the output gain down. Settings wise
here it is: slow attack (if you want to enhance the initial transient)
fast attack (opposite of slow attack)
release time: experiment. too fast,
you'll hear a pumping effect, too slow, it won't catch the next hit quick enough (watch the meter).
my guess is if it's too loud, turn it down. It's hard to say when I'm not sure what sound you're looking for exactly. cuz the other sounds will effect what the kick drum sounds like, such as the bass.
Holla if u got anymore ?'s.

Thank you Teh-Wei... I was kinda looking to stop that pumping effect, but I couldn't figure out what was creating it... Thanks a lot... As soon as I get home tomorrow I'ma try some of that sh*t out... Thanks again.

ain't no thang fam.