Metal.  Damn, I love it.  And of course, the mainstay of the metal drummer for decades now has been the glorious double bass pattern.  Like the hammer of Thor, it will slam you in your chest…if done right.

But the kick drum sound that is massive when played in non-double-kick sections can turn into a muddy, nasty mess when the drummer picks up the speed.

Today’s quick mixing tip: Automate the double kick sections in your mix!

Assuming your song has sections where the drummer is not playing double bass, get your kick sound there first.  Make sure it’s big, ballsy, bombastic, other b words.  Then when the double kick starts, automate the low end out.

The faster the kick pattern, the less low end you need in there.  I’ve gone so far as to high-pass filter these sections to make sure the low end rumble doesn’t take over the entire mix. You may just need to reach for the volume or you may need to re-EQ your kick’s low end.  Either way, look at the double kick sections as a completely different kick drum and treat it accordingly!

The double kick section gets an automated reduction in low end to avoid mud.

The double kick pattern ends and the low end goes back to where it should be. Fun!