Must-Know Tips For Mixing Bass & 808s In Your Beats

Balancing your bass and 808s is one of the biggest challenges when mixing your beats. We've got some tips to help you make sure your bass & 808s are well mixed and ever present without being overpowering. This includes balancing them with your kicks, making sure your sounds aren't competing in the same space, adding color with plugins and more.

1. Use an EQ

Use an EQ to check where your 808s/bass & kick are currently sitting in the mix. Then use an EQ on all your other tracks to roll off the low end, making room for the 808s/bass & kicks. This will stop your other tracks from competing in the same space, muddying up your mix.

2. Sidechain compression

Use sidechain compression to balance the 808 & the kick. This will mean the 808 compresses when the kick comes in, leaving room and creating a cleaner mix. A stock compressor that has the ability to sidechain will do the job for this

3. Add character with plugins

Distortion and other effects can add some extra flavor to your bass and 808s. Experiment with different plugins to find a sound you like, remembering to check your EQ to make sure frequencies aren’t competing.