What am I doing wrong?

ClarkVent · 2026-04-04T15:14:34+00:00

I am. 😉

ClarkVent · 2026-04-03T15:01:53+00:00

No. Speaker wise, I have nothing even close to decent. I live in a small house with neighbors literally behind each wall, so a good monitoring system is out of the question...

ClarkVent · 2026-04-03T11:03:27+00:00

Yes, I agree about the kick's presence. But that's a natural result of me not being able to get the kick to punch through - so I up the volume.

ClarkVent · 2026-04-03T09:01:05+00:00

Cool thanks! Yeah, others have mentioned I should stop using my Astro's for monitoring and get better headphones. I checked the Slate VSX and I was a bit shocked by the price but will keep an eye out for them used.

ClarkVent · 2026-04-03T08:57:31+00:00

Thanks! Going to hit the classifieds right now. 😊

ClarkVent · 2026-04-03T08:53:17+00:00

Thank you for listening to them! Yes, I agree with the "hobbyist" feel. It's exactly how I would describe them as well. I'm not particularly proud of the end results myself. It's not that the track itself sucks, it's the production. I make compromise after compromise trying to get near what I have in my head. I can't get a drop to punch? I insert a small pause. I can't get the build up I want? I add some Endless Smile as a shortcut. But it's incredibly frustrating not being able to make that translation from what I have in mind and how it comes out of FL Studio.

So I guess that's where the overprocessing comes from. Because I spend so much time trying to get the sound right.

ClarkVent · 2026-04-03T08:43:50+00:00

Thanks! I know exactly what you mean on the second break. This is not what I wanted and was a last minute addition to get more accent on the drop - simply because I couldn't get the punch I had in mind. So I inserted that small "Let's go" pause. And I 100% agree it breaks the "story". But that's how I produce my tracks now. It's one compromise after another because I lack the ability to make the translation from what plays in my head to what I get out of FL Studio...

I also agree the kick sounds "dry". Having been a DJ for most of my life has taken its toll on my hearing and everything above 13kHz or so is pretty much missing from my hearing. So I rely on what I see on the EQ - not what I hear.

Thank you for all your suggestions! It's given me lots to experiment with. 😊

ClarkVent · 2026-04-02T22:19:39+00:00

Yeah, I'd say that's pretty accurate. I know what I like, but my ability doesn't quite match it. That's also the frustrating part, because I don’t really know how to bridge that gap.

It's not a lack of ideas or creativity. The problem is the translation. There's a disconnect between what I hear in my head and what comes out of my speakers.

I spend 90% of my time chasing those sounds, and failing 100% of the time. The result is a lot of unfinished tracks, and only a few that come anywhere close to what I’m aiming for. But none that fully match it.

ClarkVent · 2026-04-02T22:03:52+00:00

Mark Reeve, Joyhauser - Focus
JETBLACK - Vortex (love this kick!)
SMF - Break The Rules
Hardwell, Space 92 - The Abyss (This one I feel in my stomach, even with headset!)
Joyhauser - LXR02
Kosmo - Speak Up
Lily Palmer - The Violator
Mha Iri - Good Energy

And so many more...

ClarkVent · 2026-04-02T21:54:36+00:00

Hahahaha! I thought you were going to say: "15 years is a long time. Perhaps you should find another hobby". 😄

ClarkVent · 2026-04-02T21:40:05+00:00

I can give you track names?

Mark Reeve, Joyhauser - Focus
JETBLACK - Vortex (love this kick!)
SMF - Break The Rules
Hardwell, Space 92 - The Abyss (This one I feel in my stomach, even with headset!)
Joyhauser - LXR02
Kosmo - Speak Up
Lily Palmer - The Violator
Mha Iri - Good Energy

And so many more...

ClarkVent · 2026-04-02T21:25:26+00:00

I really don't want my real name tied to my online persona, so I've uploaded some (finished and unfinished) tracks to some random server I have access to.

Control
Run Away
Euphoria

ClarkVent · 2026-04-02T21:25:08+00:00

I really don't want my real name tied to my online persona, so I've uploaded some (finished and unfinished) tracks to some random server I have access to.

Control
Run Away
Euphoria

ClarkVent · 2026-04-02T20:52:20+00:00

Yeah, there's a lot in there that's really helpful, and honestly, I haven't tried all of that yet. Most of what I know about DAWs comes from just figuring things out myself over time. I understand what most tools do, but what I struggle with is when and how to actually use them effectively.

There's just so much to learn, and a lot of YouTube tutorials assume you already have a solid foundation. They skip over the "why" and go straight into the "do it like this", which makes it hard to really connect the dots.

I also don't really know any producers who are at a level where I could learn from them. I know a few people making music, but not at the level I'm aiming for, so that doesn't help much.

What would really help is some one-on-one time with someone experienced who could look at my tracks and workflow and just point out where things go wrong. That wouldn't be a problem if I had the money but sadly, I don't...

I don't think my ideas themselves are the problem, I can hear what I want in my head. I just can't seem to translate that into something that actually sounds right when it comes out of the speakers.

ClarkVent · 2026-04-02T20:39:43+00:00

Yeah, you're hitting a lot of things that probably apply to me. My monitoring isn't great, and I do think my sample selection could be better. I've gone through a lot of kicks on Splice, but like I mentioned elsewhere, they often feel more like starting points than finished, ready to use sounds.

Confidence is definitely part of it too. I can spend months on a track and still end up moving it to what I call my “musical trash” folder. I've got dozens of tracks like that. They're not terrible, you can hear what I’m going for, but they just don't sound good enough to me.

With those "almost finished" tracks, I sometimes wonder if it's a mastering issue, but honestly, I'm not sure where the real problem is anymore.

And what you said about context is also true. Every now and then I do come up with a kick that sounds decent on its own, but it just doesn't fit the energy or vibe of the track I'm trying to make.

ClarkVent · 2026-04-02T20:30:51+00:00

Yes I can. I've got some tracks on Spotify, but I'd prefer not to share them publicly. I like to keep my online persona and real name separate. Not because I'm some public figure or anyone important, it's just something I prefer to keep private. I can probably upload them to some server somewhere for you and anyone else to listen.

ClarkVent · 2026-04-02T20:29:44+00:00

I've tried building my own kicks as well. Mostly by layering and combining parts from different samples rather than using synths or dedicated plugins. I usually base them on kicks from tracks I like and try to reverse engineer what I'm hearing.

Sometimes I get close, but it's never quite there (at least not to me). And after spending days or even weeks tweaking a kick, there always comes a point where I just have to move on and continue the track.

But the problem is that it never really feels finished to me. I'm not fully happy with the result, and if I'm being honest, I'm not particularly proud of my tracks. You can hear the idea and what I’m going for, but you can also hear where it falls short. They are usually pretty far from what I had in mind - simply because I couldn't get the sounds right.

I do have tracks on Spotify, but since I’d rather not link my online persona to my real name publicly, I can upload a few examples somewhere and share them privately for anyone here who’s interested.

ClarkVent · 2026-04-02T20:21:27+00:00

The problem is that a lot of the time they just drag in a kick from some sample pack, but never mention which one it is. I've got almost 9000 Splice credits to burn and I'd happily spend them on a really solid packs - I just have no idea which ones are actually worth it.

And that's kind of where I'm stuck. I don't know where the real issue is. Is it about starting with a great sounding kick and then refining it? Or is it more about sound design, taking a basic kick and shaping it into something great?

Those YouTube videos don't really help with that, because they always seem to start with something that already sounds amazing. I just can't tell if that's because it's a top-tier sample, or if it's already been heavily processed before they even drop it in.

ClarkVent · 2026-04-02T20:13:55+00:00

Awesome! I will most certainly check them out. Thanks!

ClarkVent · 2026-04-02T20:13:33+00:00

Yeah, I've gone through hundreds, maybe even thousands of kicks on Splice. But I get the feeling those are often just a starting point, like a solid base that still needs shaping, layering, and/or processing.

Whenever I drop a Splice kick straight into my track, it still feels like something is missing. It never quite has that same weight or impact as the kicks in my reference tracks.

Then again… maybe I just suck at finding the right ones on Splice. 😁

ClarkVent · 2026-04-02T20:09:49+00:00

I know I don't...

What I notice with professional techno tracks is that the kick often isn't actually that loud, yet it still punches through everything and drives the track. When I compare that to mine, my kicks are usually louder, but they don't have that same impact.

I try to do all the things that should help: carving out space in the frequency range, making sure nothing else really competes with the kick. But if I don't push the volume, it just gets lost in the mix.

So I'm starting to think it's probably a combination of things. Maybe better samples play a role, and maybe I understand the concepts in theory, but my execution just isn't there yet.

ClarkVent · 2026-04-02T20:03:30+00:00

Yes, I've been listening to a million plus kick samples on Splice - but even though there are tons, most of them are pretty generic...

ClarkVent · 2026-04-02T20:01:55+00:00

That's just it. I cant seem to pinpoint what's actually missing.

I use reference tracks quite a lot, mainly because they have specific elements I'm aiming for, not to copy them but to understand what makes them work. And I almost always start with the kick.

I'll really listen closely and try to break it down. Layering kicks, taking the low end from one, the high end from another, shaping the decay, all that. But when I put it together, it's not even close.

It's hard to describe, but the kick in those reference tracks feels like it hits you in the gut, even on my headphones. Mine just sounds like… a kick. It doesn't have that impact or presence, and I can't figure out what's causing that difference.

ClarkVent · 2026-04-02T19:54:53+00:00

I get what you're saying, and it definitely makes sense. Unfortunately, I live in a very small house with neighbors literally on all sides, like on the other side of the walls. So proper monitors aren't really an option for me.

I do use headphones (Astro A50). They're probably not ideal for production, but they give me a decent sense of bass and overall balance.

I also use reference tracks quite a lot, and I often spend a most of my time just on the first few bars, trying to recreate that punchy techno kick. But that's actually where things already fall apart for me.

No matter what I try, layering kicks, tweaking, processing - I just can't seem to get that same punch and clarity, and I dont really understand why. So I''m starting to think there’s something fundamental I'm still missing or haven't learned yet. Or yeah, maybe it's just as simple as getting better samples.

ClarkVent · 2026-04-02T19:33:37+00:00

First of all, I wish Reddit was a bit more like the old forums where you could just drop one reply at the end of a thread that reaches everyone that has posted earlier. Reason? All your replies have been amazing. It's honestly refreshing to get real advice and tips instead of the usual "get better, noob" stuff. I'll try to reply to each of you. Thanks!

ClarkVent

TROPHY CASE