The low end of a mix — roughly 20 to 200 Hz — contains the energy that makes people feel music physically. It also contains the most common mixing problems: clashing kick and bass, sub frequencies that overwhelm on big systems but disappear on small ones, and mixes that sound great on headphones but muddy everywhere else.
This guide covers how to handle the relationship between kick, bass, and sub in FL Studio.
Understanding the Low-End Space
The problem with kick and bass is that they occupy the same frequency real estate. A kick drum has its fundamental punch between 50 and 100 Hz. A bass guitar or synth bass typically sits between 60 and 150 Hz. When both are at full volume simultaneously, they compete — the mix becomes unclear and lacks definition.
The solution is not to turn one down permanently. It is to carve space using EQ and manage timing using sidechain compression.
Step 1: Frequency Analysis
Before touching any fader or EQ, look at your mix in a spectrum analyser. Add Spectrum (Fruity Frequency Analyser) to your Master track and play the section with both kick and bass.
Look for:
• Where the kick's fundamental frequency lives (peak that appears on beat)
• Where the bass fundamental sits (sustained low hump)
• Whether they overlap significantly
If they overlap heavily at the same frequency, one needs to move.
Step 2: EQ Carving
On the kick: Identify the specific frequency that contains its punch (typically 60–80 Hz for a punchy kick) and ensure nothing else peaks there.
On the bass: Apply a gentle notch cut (3–5 dB, medium Q) at the kick's punch frequency. The bass now has a small frequency hole that the kick fills when it hits. Both can coexist at similar volumes.
Alternatively: boost the kick slightly at its characteristic punch frequency and compensate the bass at that same frequency with a small cut.
High-pass the bass below its fundamental: If your bass is a synthesised bass with energy below 40 Hz, high-pass it there. This removes infrasonic content that wastes headroom without contributing audible bass.
Step 3: Sidechain Compression
EQ carving helps in static terms. Sidechain compression helps in dynamic terms — when the kick hits, the bass briefly ducks.
In FL Studio, use the Fruity Peak Controller on the kick's Mixer track, linked to the bass Mixer track's volume. Alternatively, as of FL Studio 2025.2, the Fruity Compressor has a sidechain input — set the kick as the sidechain source on the bass's compressor.
Set the sidechain so the bass ducks 4–8 dB for approximately 60–100ms after each kick hit. The listener should not hear the ducking consciously — they should feel the kick hitting through the mix clearly.
Step 4: The Sub Layer
Many electronic music productions separate the sub bass (below 80 Hz) from the mid bass (80–200 Hz). The sub layer is a pure sine wave or filtered synth bass that contains the deep subsonic energy. The mid bass is a more harmonically rich bass that translates on small speakers.
If you use this approach:
• Route sub and mid bass to separate Mixer tracks
• Apply more aggressive sidechain on the sub (deeper ducking) since it is competing most directly with the kick's sub frequencies
• High-pass the mid bass at 80 Hz to keep the sub layer clean
Step 5: Mono Compatibility Check
The low end of a professional mix is almost always mono. Stereo bass frequencies cause phase cancellation problems — the bass sounds huge on headphones and disappears on a mono playback system.
Enable the Mono button on your Master track and listen to the low end. It should remain full and present. If the bass disappears or sounds thin in mono, you have stereo width applied to low-frequency content. Remove it.
Apply stereo widening (if any) only above 200–300 Hz. Keep everything below this in mono.
The Reference Track Check
After mixing your low end, compare it to a commercial reference track in a similar genre. A/B at matched loudness levels. Notice:
• Is the kick as punchy and clear in the reference?
• Is the bass as warm and present?
• Does the reference have more or less sub frequency energy?
Note the differences and adjust your mix accordingly. Repeat until your mix sits in the same range as the reference on both your monitors and a phone speaker.
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