Hello forum,

I have a question regarding the low end of my tracks, especially kicks and toms.

No matter how hard I try, I can't achieve the sound I want, so I believe I am doing something wrong. I am after something like that (kick and tom in the intro, starting at 0:17):

http://soundcloud.com/laidbackluke/chris-lake-sundown-laidba ck

You know, that heavy, organic and clean low end, I don't know how to describe it.

I tried to rebuild it, without luck. I know I used different samples, but I don't want an exact copy, I just want to know how to achieve that type of bass. Here is a sample, sounding pretty bad imo:

http://www.sendspace.com/file/duvoo4


The reference track somehow sound fuller and has more room to breath. Please don't tell me it's just compression, limiting and EQ. I already know that, I just can't seem to use these tools the right way. Maybe there is a special kind of technique or something, I don't know, please help me!

There is no special technique. It's just how you use tools that you have. That being said - the rhythm on your groove is different from the laidback luke sample. Check that again - it's easier to mimic something once you have the same groove going. Also notice that the tom sounds that laidback luke uses have been compressed hard while the ones you have aren't. Try to make squash the signal a bit - right now it's all over the place and it makes your kick drum seem smaller than it actually is. It's never about how big something sounds alone - it's about how it sounds as a whole.

Thanks for your reply! I'll try compressing it harder, as you are right, I haven't it compressed that much. Can you recommend a compressor? I got "The Glue", it is based on the SSL bus compressor - it should work I guess?

I've heard only good things about The Glue - it should work fine for all the compressing work you ever need. Just learn to use it well and you should be able to replicate the 'laidback luke' sound or any house sound for that matter(as long as we're talking about something that has to do how
punchy or powerful something is). Also try seeing how those bass sounds are in mono - sometimes it makes the drums as awhole sound bigger if they fit well in mono.

This is always difficult.

My tip:

Buy the track, put in your DAW, chop the beat up. You can see the waveforms of the toms and the kick and listen closely to each element. Try using the same notes on the toms, drive them till they sound as trashy as Lukes.

I haven't listened closely but an 808 is probably whats missing in your beat, luke got a lot of sub bass and you don't. Use a spectrum on lukes kick if you cant figure it out, you'll hear it more clearly later in the track btw if its the same. It's probably a higher note.

If you're using the same note on the 808 as luke does maybe you get a similar sound. When I'm saying 808 I mean any kick with a tail with constant pitch. Limit the shit out of the beat just like Luke has done that will bring up the bass up too.

I might be wrong, good luck.

How long have you been producing, and what are you monitoring with in what kind of room?

Thanks for your help guys!

I actually tried it with some sub heavy 808 toms, but the problem with these is that I always end up having a constant bass wave. Then I shorten the decay and loose all the boom.
I just guess that I just compress and limit the wrong way - even on maximal threshold it sounds not as big as it should.

I am producing for about 1,5 years now, monitoring with a Beyerdynamic DT-770 Pro and two KRK RP5 RoKit G2 - without sub in an basically untreated room. I know that this is a big problem, but in my current flat I can't do that.

I meant an 808 kick. Make sure your'e using the right note. An 808 in the lower register will do no good here. Mixing on a pair of RP5s will probably make you push your bass levels to load. Be careful with this cause it will eat a lot of headroom for you and it will certainly make your mix sound like shit on a bigger system.

Luke has been producing for like 20 years, don't kill yourself if can't nail it

Alright thanks, I'll try to work it out.

Of course Laidback Luke is doing it for such a long time, but it just drives me crazy that I can't achieve similar results. I think we all know that