In house and techno, the relationship between the kick and the bass is the foundation of everything. If these two elements aren't working together, the track will never have the physical impact needed for a large club system. It’s not about how loud they are; it’s about how they occupy space.
1. Deciding the Dominant Element
You have to decide which element owns the "sub" region (30Hz - 60Hz). If you have a deep, boomy kick, your bassline should sit a bit higher (maybe starting around 80Hz). Conversely, if you have a melodic, sub-heavy bassline, use a "knocky" kick with more energy in the 100Hz range. Trying to have both in the sub region is a recipe for a muddy, weak mix.
2. Surgical EQ Carving
Use a high-quality EQ (like FabFilter Pro-Q 3) to carve out space. If your kick peaks at 50Hz, create a subtle notch at 50Hz in your bassline. Even a 2dB cut can make a massive difference in clarity. Also, always use a high-pass filter on everything that isn't a kick or a bass to remove unnecessary low-end rumble that eats up your headroom.
3. Sidechaining: The Invisible Hand
Sidechaining is essential for creating "pocket." Use a fast-reacting compressor on your bassline, triggered by the kick. You don't always need a heavy "pump"; often, a very subtle ducking (3-4dB) that lasts just for the duration of the kick's transient is enough to let the kick punch through while keeping the bass feeling constant.
4. Checking Phase Alignment
If your kick and bass are hitting at the same time but the low end feels weak or "hollow," you likely have phase cancellation. Zoom in on your waveforms in your DAW. If the kick's wave is going up while the bass's wave is going down, they are fighting each other. Use a phase rotation plugin or simply nudge the bassline by a few milliseconds to align the peaks.