STYLE DIRECTION

How to Build a Deep House Kick

STARTING POINT

Build a Deep House kick around a rounder transient, warm body, and restrained sub that supports rather than dominates. Start with the ILLUSTRATIVE KX1000 STARTING VALUES below, then choose a direction only when the arrangement needs a different amount of length, density, or attack.

ILLUSTRATIVE KX1000 STARTING VALUES

Build the style foundation

Transient0.62
Body0.84
Sub0.59
Length620 ms
Punch48%
Tone-0.50
Drive2%
Impact56%

METHOD

How to shape it

  1. Set the kick envelope for the tempo and groove.
  2. Balance Transient, Body, and Sub as one event.
  3. Use Length to protect the bass and next rhythmic hit.
  4. Add Punch, Tone, Drive, and Impact only for a specific audible need.
  5. Check the result in mono, at low level, and in the full arrangement.

ARRANGEMENT DIRECTIONS

Choose the version your track needs

Warm and round

The fullest deep-house starting point

The fullest deep-house starting point.

Transient0.58
Body0.90
Sub0.61
Length660 ms
Punch44%
Tone-1.00
Drive1%
Impact54%

Club clearer

A slightly firmer version for bigger systems

A slightly firmer version for bigger systems.

Transient0.68
Body0.82
Sub0.55
Length540 ms
Punch56%
Tone0.00
Drive3%
Impact58%

Tight soulful

A shorter version for active basslines

A shorter version for active basslines.

Transient0.68
Body0.74
Sub0.49
Length480 ms
Punch54%
Tone-0.20
Drive4%
Impact53%