In this short lesson, you will learn how to actually start making a hardstyle kick. The start of a hardstyle kick is essential if you want it to get it to sound right.
As for demonstration purposes, let’s use a kick tail in FL Studio (watch the video). The tail is the part where you shape the hardstyle kick and give it its characteristics. It’s not yet a complete hardstyle kick but serves as a great example for today’s lesson.
How to start making a hardstyle kick
Before you can build your hardstyle kick, you need to have an audio signal to work with. Typically, people advice you to use a 909 kickdrum sample or drum machine. This is very solid advice, but it works just as well when you start with a plain old sine or triangle wave.
You can find a sine or triangle wave on basically any synthesizer out there. Just look on the oscillator’s section where you can select the right waveform.
Give your hardstyle kick a pitch-drop
Based on personal taste, give your sine or triangle a quick pitch-drop at the start of the sound, using the pitch envelope. This will produce a punch that brings the kick into existence.
Play a note in the sub bass area
Of course, don’t forget to play a note to produce an actual audio signal. Thereby, shoot for a note at a fundamental frequency in the sub bass area. This is usually somewhere between E3 and A#3.
It’s best to pick a note that is in line with the root note of your melody. This ensures your kick plays in harmony with it.
Now, when you want to learn more about notes and essential music-theory basics, simply go get The Ultimate Melody Guide. Just click the link and it will guide you to Amazon where you can start right now.
Send the hardstyle kick to the mixer
Lastly, make sure to send your instrument to the mixer where you can add a bunch of effects to transform it into a massive hardstyle kick.
Discover 9 more crucial tips
This was part 1 from The 10 Best Hardstyle Kick Tricks Ever lesson. For the full episode, click the link and start straightaway.
Or, support my work and get the aesthetic eBook or Paperback version today. Just follow these links and enjoy!