House Music Production: All about the Kick Drum

In house the kick drum is king. How do you get it right?

In terms of defining characteristics, in house music and it's derivatives the kick drum is king. It is the single most important part of the rhythm section, on which everything else is built. Get the kick right and the rest will follow. Get it wrong and your track stands little chance of being played in a club, let it alone being bought by discerning DJs.

With thousands of kicks to choose from, what are the factors you need to consider when choosing - or building - your kick? Please check out these awesome tips from the book "The secrets of house music production"

Depth, length and vibe

The depth and length of a kick should be directly related to the bassline, as the pair work hand-in-hand to power the track. They also overlap in their respective frequencies, so it's vital they produce the maximum amount of energy together and not fight for space. They say opposites attract, and that's definitively true when mixing kick and bass. Picture the two as you can choose them, thinking about where each sits in the frequency spectrum, if they sit in the same sonic place they will rub against each other uncomfortably. Neither will shine and you'll struggle to make them gel. As a general rule, a higher, short kick (a classic disco kick) will work well with a booming deep bassline, while a higher bassline will site nicely alongside a longer, deep kick drum (like the Roland TR-808 kick). As the relationship between the two will probably alter during the mixing process, be prepared to make minor adjustments to each as you go to ensure that they continue to work well together.

Tip / if you use a kick from a drum machine / sample you can easily tune it to the key of the track and adjust the amp envelope to get the right length.

Getting the right sound

Each house sub-genre makes use of kicks with distinct character traits. Because of various seminal recordings certain types of kick have become associated with different styles. Selecting the kind of kick popular in the genre you're producing is a good starting point when writting as it sets a basic vibe that can help focus subsequent production decisions.

Classic / funky / deep houseClassic

deep and funky house producers use 909-style kicks that are often layered with samples from disco tracks. This pairing gives the beat the best of both worlds - the power of the 909 and the live party vibe of a disco beat. If you get the disco kick from an old record you'll end up with layered hi-hats in the mix, along with some vinyl infused vintage reverb. This all adds to end clarity and spatiality to the kick, helping it cut through the mix.

Electro and jackin' house

The kind of kicks used in electro tracks vary, Some tae inspiration from the 80s with chunky E-mu Drumulator or LinnDrumm-style kicks laced with sub reinforcement to power the low end. Others take a more minimal tech tip, using analogue 808-style kicks topped with a disco or electronic high-hat for definition. A third variant - that has found fans in the nu-rave and nu-disco arena - is to use rough and ready live kick samples from funk or even rock records. Tracks from the 70s and 80s offer a wealth of possibilities.

The emphasis throughout is on the slightly dirty warmth that only vinyl gives. Whatever direction you choose, there are plenty of excellent samples to choose from.

Minimal house

Minimal is all about simplicity and producers tend to lean towards analogue and synthetic generated kicks. The quintessential minimal kick is based on the Roland TR-808 bass drum, but thanks to the flexibility of software such as Logic's ultrabeat and Waldorf's Attack drum synthesizer, you can create more interesting variations than the 808 ever could.

Progressive / tech-house

The closer prog house gets to trance, the more reliance there is on the 909 which more than 20 years on, remains the quintessential trance drum machine.

Tricks for kicks

1. A club track fails or succeeds on the basis of it's low-end energy. The two inhabitants of this area of the frequency spectrum are the kick drum and bassline.
2. The key to a great dance track is getting these two elements to work together. A booming sub-bass kick will clash with a similarly subby bassline.
3. The classic Roland TR-909 kick drum is a great place to start. It has enjoyed so central a place in house music precisely because it works so well in dance tracks.

You can read about the kick drum with more detail in Sample Magic's book The secrets of house music production.