How to fix kick and bass frequency clash

Kick and bass usually clash between 60–100 Hz.

Updated 2026-05-02

Short answer

Kick and bass usually clash between 60–100 Hz. Pick which instrument owns which frequency: kick at 60 Hz, bass at 80–120 Hz. Cut the loser at the winner's frequency. Add light sidechain to make the bass duck under the kick rhythmically.

Decide: kick owns 60 Hz, bass owns 80+ Hz (typical)
Cut bass 3 dB at 60 Hz with Q 2.0
Cut kick 2 dB at 100 Hz with Q 2.0
Sidechain bass to kick: 4:1 ratio, 5ms attack, 100ms release
Solo and check: each instrument should be hearable on its own

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Diagnose first

Solo the kick and bass together. If they sound muddy, woolly, or one disappears when the other plays, you have a clash. The clash almost always sits between 50 and 120 Hz, where both instruments have most of their energy. A spectrum analyzer makes it visible, look for two large peaks at similar frequencies.

Pick a winner per frequency

You can't have both instruments at full level at the same frequency. Decide: does the kick own 60 Hz and the bass own 80+ Hz? Or the reverse? For most house, techno, and EDM, the kick gets the sub-fundamental (40–70 Hz) and the bass takes the mid-low (80–250 Hz). For hip-hop and trap, the 808 bass often takes the sub and the kick lives in the mid-low.

Cut the loser

If kick owns 60 Hz, cut the bass at 60 Hz: −3 dB with Q 2.0 (narrow). The bass barely changes character but stops competing. Then cut the kick at the bass's fundamental (e.g. 100 Hz: −2 dB with Q 2.0). Both instruments now have a frequency that's clearly theirs.

Sidechain for rhythmic separation

On top of the EQ separation, sidechain the bass to the kick: 4:1 ratio, fast attack (5ms), 100ms release. Every time the kick hits, the bass ducks slightly, which both creates the pumping feel of modern dance music AND ensures the kick punches through. For acoustic genres, skip sidechain and rely on EQ alone.

Frequently asked

Should the kick or the bass take the sub frequencies?

Genre-dependent. House and techno: kick takes sub (40–70 Hz). Hip-hop and trap: 808 bass takes sub, kick lives in 80–150 Hz mid-low. Pop: kick around 80 Hz, bass at 100–200 Hz.

How do I know which frequency to cut?

A spectrum analyzer on each track shows where the energy is. The kick's fundamental is usually 50–80 Hz. The bass's fundamental is wherever the lowest note in the bassline lives. Cut each instrument at the OTHER instrument's fundamental.

Is sidechain always necessary?

No. EQ separation alone works for genres with sparse bass (rock, ballad, folk). Sidechain is essential for dance music where the bass plays through every kick hit. For mid-tempo and slower productions, EQ usually suffices.

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