Kick Lab 09 · 15 min
Masking Lab
Combine kick and bass, move timing, frequency and ducking, and watch the overlap change in real time.
Controlled experiment
Change one cause. Hear the result.
Before moving a control, predict what will change. Use the play controls to compare at a comfortable level.
Audio starts only when you press a play button.
Move one control and listen for the relationship.
Attention guide
Listen for these three things.
- 1Whether the kick onset remains identifiable
- 2Sustained low-frequency buildup
- 3Groove changes caused by delayed bass
Guided practice
Three experiments worth doing.
Do them in order. Reveal “What to notice” only after you have described the result in your own words.
- 01
Timing before processing
Set Duck to 0 and move Bass start from 0 to 100 ms.
What to notice
Small arrangement changes can create separation without changing either spectrum.
- 02
Choose complementary roles
Move Bass note while changing Kick focus.
What to notice
Separation comes from the relationship, not from one universal crossover frequency.
- 03
Use only enough ducking
Return Bass start to 20 ms and raise Duck until the kick reads clearly.
What to notice
The smallest useful reduction usually preserves more bass continuity.
Check your model
What is the best first question when kick and bass mask each other?
Choose the answer that explains the cause, not merely the symptom.
Close the loop
Can you explain the result without the controls?
If you can name the cause, the audible change and the musical tradeoff, the concept is ready to transfer into your own session.