We continue our free video series, brought to you with the support of LiquidSonics, in which we share a range of bite sized reverbs mixing tips for you to try in your next mix. In this video we explore the creative process of apply small amounts of reverb to kick drums tracks.
There are times when I find my kick drums tracks can sound a bit forward in a mix. Of course we can lower the track’s level, use EQ and compression, maybe even a transient shaper to get our kicks to sit in a mix but have you ever tried adding small amounts of room reverb to your kick spot mics? In this video we demonstrate how this sounds. This can be a very effective way to push a kick back into a mix and can also add some pleasant depth as well.
What we’ve got to be careful of is not to make our kicks too big or proud sounding in a mix with the reverb. Too much reverb and you may find yourself wrestling with your kick tracks when sitting them alongside any bass instruments you may have in a mix.
A good way of avoiding an overly booming kick is to filter out some of the low end energy from your reverbs as this will leave mostly the airy qualities in the sound of reverb while still leaving a satisfy oomph from the sound of the direct kick hits.