Into The Lair #42 - Working with Bass and Kick Drums

In this week's ITL, Dave shows you how to make sure your kick drum and bass are working well together in the mix.

[@ferrousallotrope]

I love how you end videos with "love you guys" Thanks for doing this, you're an inspiration and a genius!

[@williamhough33]

Dave, I get so much from watching your tutorials. I recently finished my AE program with RRF Connection and was already watching some of your ITL videos when I noticed you were a sponsor. It's so refreshing to see a pro so willing to share the art of his craft as you do. Can't thank you enough. I thought my ear was critical before but after my training, I'm hearing so many more things. Now when I hear something off I have a better understanding of why it's off and how to fix it. Thanks again for all your efforts to share your knowledge and expertise. Cheers

[@bjornlakenstrazen2186]

This guy's videos are always helping me. He's always smiling and laughing. I think he's always high

[@theawesomesausage]

+Bjorn Lakenstrazen Chillin so hard it's dangerous

[@empowermph]

+Bjorn Lakenstrazen no, west coast people are generally happier, friendlier, the weather, the environment, their just so much nicer. and no one wants to work nor collaborate with someone that has a bad, grumpy, serious mood all the time. and working on your dream of music for a living enhances your mood too.

[@SpacehotelMusic]

He's a pisces (like me), we tend to be happy so long as people aren't dragging us down ;)

[@sweetwillyp]

Such a great lesson. His philosophy statements always ring true for me. And I have met many major league Engineers Producers and Mixers. You generally find that people who love their job are happy bright people from wherever they come from... Like Bones Howe said to me once, get them comfortable in rhe room together and hit record.

[@SteveStockmalMusic]

Por-I say-por-I say Porkey Pig’s distant cousin !!! Lolololol

[@anthonybc]

It took me a matter of trial and error to learn this technique like 5 years ago when I first started. I'm glad there is an ITL now. These videos are always so helpful to see a different, more standard way of mixing and adding effects. Thanks Dave!

[@igorpierre6094]

This guy is amazing. I wish he could be my grandpa

[@createsomethinggreat175]

Igor Pierre that's fuckin hilarious.

[@WillieMCruz]

Well, send him a picture of your grandma, who knows? That could be a way for that to happen

[@guitarz99]

Igor Pierre he is my grandpa

[@adrielmarley3284]

I guess Im asking randomly but does anybody know of a trick to log back into an instagram account..? I was stupid forgot the password. I love any help you can give me!

[@donaldkendall2645]

@Adriel Marley instablaster ;)

[@SkulleeOfficial]

Sometimes i kinda forget to visit your channel, but everytime i come back i always end up staying up waaayyy too late and get no sleep! Too much to watch (thats a good thing)! Thanks for doing all these videos!

[@TheRealMikeHowe]

Really enjoy your videos Dave! I'm full time musician with a home recording studio and I stumbled onto these videos at a perfect time. Thanks!

[@bassbuster9497]

Great info Dave, thanks for sharing your knowledge gained through years of experience. Definately my favorite youtube channel. You are a great custodian of knowledge and its the measure of a man who passes that knowledge on. Kudos to you

[@ebmcsound]

Just stumbled upon your video series and I'm gobbling it up. Thanks for making these!

[@DaMonstaMuzik]

Love the sub reference idea. When i designed my monitor chain, i made sure to focus on each range to have a great reference point. I got the Central station, great for monitor control in home studios! A- i got Yamaha HS50m, B- JBL LSR LSR6328P , C- Sub channel - Blue Sky sub8.

[@SYNDRONE]

nice information, thank you, Dave! Is it possible for you to show us how you treat guitar low end and bass low end and how to make guitars sit nicely over the bass guitar? i come mostly from metal and wanna use these techniques in metal but obviously regarding most people here aren`t into metal much (probably you as well) a rock guitar / rock bass context would work out just as well. thanks! :)

[@screamingsixties]

eq eq eq eq and a tiny bit of comp

[@91804893]

Dave, tanks for that! I hope you upload more videos like this! The low frequencies are my weekest point! thanks, man

[@aninstrumentalvision]

Side chaining the kick into the bass to cause the bass to be lowered while the kick plays is an excellent idea. Thank you.

[@bdking57]

I was thinking of experimenting with the sidechain function on bass w Kick. I am glad to be able to hear your work on that. My first thought was, well I definately dont like the stripped down dynamics on bass, but Im a bass player so what do I know. When you played the entire song as an example, it was immediately giving me an ASIA vibe which I do really enjoy, and could see that technique really working to achieve that sound.I will need to remember to leave some space in my playing for some sidechain action.

[@pullmo96]

This is the only technique that gives me the feel I'm looking for. Great to know that Super Dave uses this. I feel like I know a lil something.

[@TheGurner1]

Dave is the Man! - this is how it's done for the record

[@Stratking01]

Dude, don't change careers, super useful info, and thank you very much for taking the time to educate us up and coming engineers, hobbyists and enthusiasts. Great info, I kinda' already knew about the ducking technique, but I appreciate you elaborating more on how to use that well. Any advice on mixing kick and bass mixed with metal guitars on modern extreme rock recordings? Please advise or post up another video if you get a chance.. cheers!!!

[@SteveStockmalMusic]

Dave, all respect and love for your knowledge, experience, and willingness to share it with whoever wants to watch you. I have watched dozens and dozens of your presentations, interviews, and Pensados place, etc., and my only problem EVER (which is just a personal issue as my Father was a stickler) is that you search for words and so often stumble and fumble around sentences. It’s actually cute and endearing Innoway, but also shows that your winging it, which in your case is fine I’m just pointing it out. Also you will read several comments from so many people concerned about your health. Pease take care of yourself so we can have you feeding our brains for many, many years to come. With sincerity & respect Thank you Steve

[@jjsilk05]

I like your videos. I watch them all the time on my breaks at work. And if I want to hear a more accurate version I will pull it up in my studio.

[@CarlosPerdomo]

I like the "philosophizing" part because for me, learning how to mix and use Protools, it gives me an idea if I am heading the right way...

[@nylacione1569]

Dave you are a prize, love-dig you...

[@WillieMCruz]

Pure gold mister David! every second of this

[@NikFreak92]

Great idea with the HP filter. You're the best Dave!

[@MikeHeebz]

What can I do or use to focus & train my ears to hear or pick out those low frequencies? Thanks for sharing the knowledge Dave!

[@Recospok]

Dave is the Coolest Person when it comes to audio

[@PhiladelphiaDon]

Hi Dave - I didn't have anything all that important to comment about! I just wanted to say THANK YOU! ;)

[@jimmyrich1]

The filter idea is fantastic. this also works great if you have trouble placing your low mids, as I do due to monitoring. I find if you hi pass out the subs you can place your lower mid much better.

[@Kent7147]

Thanks Uncle Dave another great ITL!

[@marcosavila8215]

"the new Chris brown" seriously? you couldn't come up with a better example? lol love you man

[@Teeksify]

Guys, he did say he was treating the mix as if it were to go on hip hop radio. Some listeners may not like it but the hip hop radio mix is pretty accurate for the song.

[@foketesz]

He has the ¨symphonic¨ preset selected on the SPX90. That´s taste right there.

[@DatAnydeks]

4:12 ... “I had a little too much 100 in that sample” .... uhhhh, ok, Dave. See? This is where Dave continues to amaze me. More than his techniques, use of plugs, automation, etc..... what keeps impressing me is his listening skill. Some would say, “it’s cuz he’s been doing it for years”. However, I think he DOES have some kinda gift that separates him from guys like mere me.

[@snippletrap]

Put a compressor on your bass track. Instead of using the bass as the compressor's input, specify that you want the kick to trigger the compressor. How to specify this depends on the compressor you are using, and the DAW you are using. Some compressors do not have this feature. In Reaper it is easy to set this up using the stock plug, but a good 3rd party plug with this feature is FabFilter Pro-C.

[@curly430]

Sorry if I've misunderstood your comment but this technique is perfect for dance music! Dave, as for things NOT to talk about again... Chris Brown??? ;)

[@ShynAwkward]

09:40 sounds like a track from The Rocky IV Movie Sountrack (Robert Tepper/ John Cafferty etc). Cheers Mr. Pensado for the insight ;-)

[@sagcap7927]

Dave never disappoints!

[@gruponemesis]

Thanks Dave...I follow you religiously!

[@markgreen7888]

Are you using your KRK or ns-10 's more for referencing with and without a sub ?

[@GaboVersus]

more videos about mixing drums please !!, great lesson dave!!

[@ledzeppelinrulesya]

You're killing it Dave!

[@matzogrkd]

Dave could do that with a slow attack and fast release on a compressor, not on the lower freqs ofc. just to get the "slap" effect. like snaredrums and bassdrums

[@davidnika446]

dave I'm a bit confused. At 3:12, you said that we had an untreated kick: But it sounded huge, and super enhanced. But at 3:30, you showed what you did to it- but then it sounded like a "plain", original kick. Did you mis-speak there a bit? What I mean is that the supposedly untreated kick sounds super huge and powerful, but the untreated kick sounds like, well, an original untreated recording. EDIT: O.K.- at 4:14 or so, you revisit what you said before. I do think that you mispoke a little bit earlier (at the 3:12 mark and 3:30) This did confuse me. In other words, just after 3:12 is the TREATED kick, right? And at 3:30, this is TREATED. Right? Well, anyway thanks for all of your great videos, Dave.

[@amangupta8697]

please tell us how to use parallel compression, how much to use and why to use? wether it happens than parallel aux and original when combined boosts. the volume of a track ?? does it needs to be controlled by peak limiter??

[@TheDealyLama]

Hey Dave, thanks for the great series you're doing! do you know about the Little Labs VOG? It's a 500 series analog device that is so perfect for dialing in the space to be occupied by any low freq. audio like kick and bass guitar.

[@campar1043]

if i have a compressor on the bass then i activate sidechain, will it ONLY compress during sidechaining?

[@WTFisADJ]

it depends on what you think I'm implying by the word subtle, subtle can mean it's hard to detect...which it is not at all for a trained ear..if you are reffering to subtle as in faint then yes sidechaining can be faint but not hard to detect at all.

[@MiaKoo]

Wow great video. Love you Dave!!!

[@keganportillo809]

at 7:00 some serious knowledge!

[@BharathKumarIyer]

Love your show Dave! Good advice all over. @4:30..Kick sounds clicky and nasty! But you don't talk about how you cut the top end on it? I saw a cut around 3-4k was it? Maybe you could just leave a comment, so that everyone here can understand how to deal the top end of the kick and bass sounds Otherwire, I thought the song was very outdated and 80's sounding, maybe because of the production quality? Or cuz of the mix? Maybe it's a sound you're going for?

[@TheFoilsMusic]

I'm a rock guy so this ITL was extra enjoyable for me :)

[@kaleeys]

Thanks for Your massive lessons.

[@henkbres3091]

Thanks for the great video!! Really helped me out.

[@DjKingMorice]

Can you do the same but with electronic kick drums and sub bass?

[@curly430]

Certainly would be interesting. Never seen him mix dance so his approach would be cool to see

[@yoan973]

one stupid question: what's the mouse he's using to control his computer?

[@HandsUpDK]

The philosophy in the beginning there is so true actually!!

[@shadrachsolomon]

Thanks Dave, That was helpful.

[@pavaoakrap5026]

sorry what is function generator, or carnage chart?! do you mean freqeuency charts

[@karadytube]

Thanx man i like your infos, keep going :)

[@TheEdge17100]

Could anyone explain how to side-chain the bass with the kick so that the bass volume lowers every time the kick hits?

[@pavaoakrap5026]

Well I am new at mixing stuff (though I do it in a home so called studio-basically it is just a regular PC with bunch of plugins and nothing more-so yes..I am ashamed) :) but, I think I understand what you wanted to say...I am just a bit confused about frequencies and recognition of each and every...but guess it is about time...as you said in other video...anyway keep posting, this is really helpfull stuff to us-ordinary mortals :) :) Thanks!

[@BrittWilsonAtl]

How did you mute all Plugs on a track at one time?

[@TheJayKellz]

I am protools amateur so please bare with me.... How does he have like 50 tracks laid out in protools when just 10 tracks make the whole song (from my point of view)... when I mix I have like 16 tracks and that is with busses and individual drum tracks and what not.... I have a feeling there isnt just one plain simple answer but what are all of those tracks for? thanks

[@AbirTarafdar]

I've often wondered this myself. Wish I had an answer!

[@chalotornmontrivade8634]

+TheJayKellz Not sure if it's true in this mixing session, but sometimes it just happens that he's mixing different section of the song differently and I think it's call multing. For example the chorus might be balanced differently from the verse because there you might have more elements going on. Hope this will help in some way, and if I'm wrong then I have to say sorry ;)

[@TheJayKellz]

Yeah Thats what I figure too. Either that or he prints tracks for variety.... or maybe Thats just what I do lol

[@TheFunkyCriminal]

if hes using separate mics for each section of the drum (snare, hats, kick etc.) then they would require their own channels. im not sure if hes simply muting the guitar channels or if there is guitar recorded, but that may be a few of the tracks. also maybe some tracks have some modulation or effects or compressors depending on whats happening in the mix.

[@nalenasko]

this guy makes them sound good !

[@monsterjazzlicks]

Dave's ears are very well discplined.

[@Utsab_Giri]

Dave, you're awesome!!! Just thought you'd like to know :D Have a happy and healthy life man :D

[@Austin-vk1lw]

Thanks Dave!!

[@Thennecan]

I really liked the final mix! But I founded weird how in the face the vocals are ._.

[@SteveStockmalMusic]

Please proofread then click send!

[@tja71282]

Does anyone know what model KRK's those are?

[@MegaMixking]

great video

[@eddiecharles22]

He probably has the best link on some super duper kush!

[@empowermph]

+Edward Charles his eyes are icy white, no red at all. I dont think he smokes a bit. though I am concerned about his weight, and high blood pressure pills affect the neck & thyroid, a few tokes would open his mind to dieting.

[@AceDeclan]

You don't need to diet to loose weight. Just stop eating fatty foods.

[@SteveStockmalMusic]

I have actually said that to many of my friends, if I see one more unhealthy looking, potbellied, slovingly dressed, out of shape engineer I’m going to scream. 😆😆😆 Come on guys let’s get standup desks, let’s take our breaks and not go play videos but take a walk around the block; and let’s stop ordering food from wherever the hell you’re ORDERING it from and start cooking yourself. Come on man !!! And is particularly poignant for me because a really good friend of mine (and my community here in Santa Barbara) recently died and that was one of the main reasons, he was just too out of shape. You can’t sit for nine hours a day mixing music and expect to do it forever. Makes me cry and mad all at once.

[@aarvin1]

This is seriously beyond the american mixing engineer's style :) the most amazing/powerful dance tracks that sound killer in the clubs ... have got a different mixing philosophy. Same technique in many places , but different philosophy....and the result is different.

[@Muzikmanflames]

How can I put this. DUDE......YOU ROCK!!!!!

[@lughar]

This is gold

[@EtcEtcAndEtc]

4.25, there's a massive problem with the kick - there's a latency problem or something, the kick is sounding twice, separated by a few milliseconds! Has no one else noticed this?! Apparently Dave didn't! Odd.

[@Hellflip92]

+EtcEtcAndEtc I noticed too but maybe it's because he bypassed his treatments and then the delay compensation doesn't work properly i guess

[@LukeJF89]

+AX53B60 - I'm going to go out on a leg and say the sample is purposely slightly behind the original kick. Maybe this is one of many tips that pro's do that no one ever picks up on and immediately think it's latency or something except when someone like me makes other people aware of it so they can actually think about it.

[@666ACDCROCKNROLL666]

Even though this is 2 years later and I hope you guys realize this by now, but it's the delay compensation of PT not being able to catch up for when you bypass the plugins. Logic and Ableton will do the same thing if you quickly bypassed/activate multiple plugins with high latency. It's not a purposeful trick or anything, just a classic wacky DAW problem.

[@Austin-vk1lw]

I think he also bypassed the EQ that was taking off the top end of the kick

[@SteveStockmalMusic]

“Let me show you what what what what what I’m listening to”

[@Reggmail]

Great info Dave.. Love and always use the knowledge that you share. Please do an update mixing Bass & Drums on something like EDM or Trap 808's or really deep Bass with Bass Drum mixing. Thanks again Dave. ''Love your bass settings in Max Bass''. Peace & blessings.

[@regatonic]

Erm... Shift-ALT-Click (Windows)??? Don't know how he did that, would love to know...

[@Wolfie99]

Hey man, no problem dude. Everyone's entitled to an opinion I guess. Have you heard the final mix though? It's a bit like commenting on an artist's sculpture when they've only been working on it for an hour. Also, it's all down to taste as well I suppose. 'One man's meat is another man's poison' as the saying goes (apologies for the non politically correct quote to anyone who might be offended!) Anyway dude.....no stress.....keep mixing and stay happy. Peace. Wolfie.:-)

[@SwitchUpBroadcast]

thanks for the advice

[@Matt-cz2gv]

amazing, thanks!

[@bobmallory]

There's a lot of about 320hz resonance in Dave's voice in the room, no?

[@cwestm22]

does this guy make beats?

[@kbyer]

Look didn't you read what I originally said. I love the guys work and I respect it highly, hence me watching his show since it started. If i think one out of hundreds of his mixes isnt great, then i have every right to point it out. Ask any one you know who is a decent engineer and see what they say. That approach he did doesn't suit the vibe of the track at all.

[@NorthMasson]

PensadosPlace= genius

[@dimoscondos]

THANK YOU SIR!!!!

[@snippletrap]

Anyone else notice a weird squeak in the song, about measure 5|4 to 6|1?

[@Selous_Scout]

i like that low pass filter idea with the bass and drums if you have no sub

[@CRE8TION2INFINITY]

10:20 welcome back to the 80s

[@DAVIDDAMIENR]

THANK YOU !!!

[@BlackNapkin61]

I've Sub'd!

[@elianmusic7452]

I love u dave

[@alexkramer6969]

thnk u Dude!

[@shanesebastian3281]

thanks

[@Jayrawk]

It's weird to hear the vocals so loud and the guitars sol thin and quiet in a rock song.

[@anomieaith1044]

This is a problem in modern computer recording geekery; people feel they have to separate all the sound sources so each one can be heard separately. this sounds like a good idea, except people have the tendency of pulling all the character out of each instrument. The bass drum here sounds like a cardboard box and the bass sounds bright, thin and ugly for example. I've found that if you let each instrument be itself and just bleed into the other instruments, the result is power. Sound full and beautiful. With all the choices available in modern gear people are getting lost in a world of numbers and forgetting what it is like to be a listener rather than an engineer.

[@resistanc313]

Modern monitor speakers sound way different than regular speakers. Regular speakers boost everything. If you separate everything and when the boost happens, it will sound better than not EQing at all, especially if you don't mix the bass with the kick correctly. You will hear an interference in the low end and it will sound all boomy. But I do agree, the kick sounds lame. Add a convolution reverb.

[@anomieaith1044]

peace man. I understand all the issues involving the modern equipment; however, the boom itself may actually lend power and meaning to the track in some explainable manner. The boom AND many other elements. I've seen too many recordings that rob the tracks of there natural power..... the power and magic the band felt whilst rehearsing the track in the sweaty rehearsal room before going home amazed at how amazing this stuff really can be. I/ we tend to over think this stuff with all the modern technology.Fortunately, people are becoming a little more aware of this factor In the rehearsal room these days.

[@bigboi7366]

philosophiez dave lol

[@heysimoo]

Awesome lesson indeed. One question only: why doing such a cool lesson on some poor samples? why not using real played stuff? this way quality level collapses imho !

[@stevepershing2372]

the music sounds great, but the vocals sound to raw,, i have no room to talk, I have yet to reach your level.. thank you for the info,, please keep posting your videos. i am watching..

[@DerekSamuelReese]

I have watched a lot of Pensado's shows, i really have learned a lot. But why on earth is he using KRK monitors ? He can afford good monitors i would think ? I am poor, but i saved until i could afford professional studio monitors. Stuff like that rubs me wrong, with his knowledge and experience, i expected him to have Gennies or something on that level.

[@boombaplisten888]

+Derek Reese you can get the job done with krk's.

[@DerekSamuelReese]

KRK's are not good monitors, there are not balanced, honest studio monitors in my opinion. Sure, if Iin am emergency (if your good monitors suddenly blew out) they might get the job done, by why use cheap monitors ? This guy has access to get the best, why would he get KRK's ? It's like Jimmy Page using an Epiphone , yeah it will get the job done, but it will sound thin, like it was on crack lol. People spend good money for a reason, and it's not just to see the fancy name ;-)

[@Yonnickh]

+Derek Reese im sure they're just there for reference

[@DerekSamuelReese]

Yonnick Hackshaw To me, that is the equivalent of asking a drunk guy if your mix sounds good ? they are not good speakers, what are you referencing then ? People spend good money on monitor systems that give them a really good idea on what is truly being recorded and how the music is being translated. It is also like buying a beautiful suit, and then going to buy payless shoes to go with it. Please keep in mind everyone, these guys have money to spend.

[@SofaCitySweetheart]

He also has the Yamahas right next to them, he may not even be using the KRKs.