808 kicks getting muffled in my mixes.

cntspitfiya

cntspitfiya

New member
WHen Im making my song and throw an 808 kick in there its always almost impossible to hear. How can I get my 808s so they can be heard more and have an overall warmer sound?

Thanks.
 
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i think your problem comes from other elements of the song fighting within the same frequency range. slightly pan some of the instruments to leave the bass (808 kick) dead center so it has its own comfortable place.
Also use a hi-pass filter on your main instruments and cut everything around, lets say 100hz

used to happen to me on some mixes.

hope this helps
 
^I think that might be it. I use a lot of low octave strings and synth that might be colliding with it. Thanks for the tips both of you.
 
cntspitfiya said:
^I think that might be it. I use a lot of low octave strings and synth that might be colliding with it. Thanks for the tips both of you.
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ah thats what it is then.
i know when you listen to the strings section solo you want some of it to fill up the lower frequencies, but if your using an 808 kick on the same track you'll have no choice, somethings gotta go, or they'll be fighting for those low ends

cut those strings around 100-150hz, along wit any other instruments wit unecessary lows and the mix should be much cleaner, and it will leave you wit more headroom too!
 
First, great suggestions (pan, cut freq, keep 808 dead center), but I feel something is missing from the qquestion.

From my experience with other producers who constantly use the 808 booms, usually layer it behind another kick of some sort.

So, really, my question to you is if you're doing the same thing, layering the 808 with another kick.

This makes a great sound, when done correctly, especially when you're able to leave the kick dead center with the 808 boom just a lil behind it in the mix.

This would require a few EQ adjustments on both the kick and the 808 to keep them from fighting over the frequency range.

Frequency is definitely what you are dealing with. I just had to question if it was just the 808 or if you had another kick, since it seems to be a popular trick theses days.
 
what i do is layer my 808 bass with a kick from lil jons "bia bia". it sounds real good together. i dont even have to eq it. just chop it from tha beggining of tha song.
 
You really don't have to layer an 808 if you compress it properly. And the best thing about the 808 is that you can compress it all day but when you put in on a system with a sub or nice bass it WILL be there. The only time I ever layer an 808 is when the attack is not strong enough for what I want. A 909 does this nicely. Also you could layer a bass to hit when your 808 hits and this makes it sound awsome.
 
good post, i forgot to mention about kick layering

on all tracks where i used 808's, i always layered a 2nd kick ontop.
hi-pass filter on the kick at around 75hz so that any low end on the kick sample does not interfer wit the 808

but it depends on your source sample.
if its a pure 808 you MIGHT want to try layering a kick ontop, because remember that an 808 is a sub bass basically.

it all depends on the samples you are using.

good luck with your track
 
thanks for all the tips with the 808's, I've been messing around with a little bit of layering on them. Another question I have about them is how do I get them to carry on from kick to kick. I know Lil Jon does this in some of his tracks(no I'm not trying to copy him) I just think it can sound cool in certain tracks.

I appreaciate all the help.
 
I mean when the bass from the kick doesnt cut out until the next kick strarts. Kinda like its got a long release time. I'm using FL Studio and Reason.
 
Morning_Star said:
You really don't have to layer an 808 if you compress it properly. And the best thing about the 808 is that you can compress it all day but when you put in on a system with a sub or nice bass it WILL be there. The only time I ever layer an 808 is when the attack is not strong enough for what I want. A 909 does this nicely. Also you could layer a bass to hit when your 808 hits and this makes it sound awsome.
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Unless you make Miami Bass or just Bass music, then yes, 9 times out of 10 you will, or most do, layer another kick with the 808.

There are even section in technical books about this, its not like its a hidden temple.

I know a lot of producers locally, and all but a couple do this in about half of thier tracks, just to nudge the kick out a bit, but keeping the velocity about half of what the kick is (if kick is 80%, then 808 is 40%), or around that area, tuned to what sounds best.

As for this "compressing it all the way" stuff, I'm not too sure I catch you.

I believe that you only compress when you need and very small amounts when needed, unless you're going for a "squashed" effect.

Compression is over used these days, use caution with a compressor, and "treat it like a loaded weapon; don't point it at anyone unless you're going to use it."

I prefer to use a slight amount of compression on everything I do, but I don't over use the compression, it tends to make things sound washed out, unnatural, especially compressing anything all the way.

Also, an 808 is nearly all sub waves, no punch at all, which is why most layer with another kick.

As well, I'm not a fan of most 909's but for effect, sometimes they fit.

Be careful with a bass tone at the same time of an 808, make sure they're both eq'ed opposite each other so they don't collide at the same frequencies. If you also have another kick in the mix, you'll have to eq it opposite both the 808 and the bass, and both bass and 808 have to be eq'ed opposite the kick.

I think you either make dance music, or don't understand what is going on here.

cntspitfiya-

For the long 808 boom, get a long released sample, DO NOT LOOP unless you have to, trust me. The looping of a bassnote is very difficult if you don't match the waveform just right. There are some really good preset loop points on some 808's, with a long release.

Also, don't use any bass if you want the long note to continue to the next kick. There will be too much low end and might wash out some mid to mid-hi ranges. If you eq right you might be able to get away with all three, with the the long 808 release too.
 
I've used an 808 with the Scream 4 in Reason and set it to tape with low compression, and med. speed. Then turn the body on and to Type D. Then play with the Resonance and Scale. Then you will have an 808 that will carry to the next. And agian you don't HAVE to layer an 808 though alot of the time it MIGHT sound better. But I do almost always layer a short 808 with the long one. Or a nice attacking kick with the long 808 that doesn't have any attack. I.E. it's just the boom. No thud. And I don't use alot of compression either but if you ever want your 808 to boom so loud it will shake anything it's played in throw a 7 or 8:1 compression and turn it up a little but be carefull. This can get out of control quick.
 
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