9. Kick and bass balancing

One of the toughest but most important factors when mixing bass is to mould the kick and bass elements together into the driving force of the mix. A good tip for this is to make sure that the kick cuts through the bass effectively. Ideally, in sub-focused genres, you want the kick to be the percussive element of the low end, with the bass filling in the gaps around it. Check if the kick is punching through by putting your hand close to the port on a monitor speaker – you’ll feel the air movement change as the kick hits if the balance is good.