Kick sounds boxy? Cut 300 to 400 Hz

Cut 3 to 4 dB around 300 to 400 Hz on the kick. That's where the hollow, cardboard 'bonk' sits. The thump below 100 Hz and the click above 2 kHz stay, so the kick sounds punchier and cleaner, and it leaves more room for the bass and vocals.

How to do it

1. Put an EQ on the kick.
2. Boost a narrow band by about 8 dB and sweep between 250 and 500 Hz.
3. Stop where it sounds most boxy.
4. Turn that boost into a cut of 3 to 4 dB.
5. Listen with the whole beat: the kick should sound punchy, not thin.

Why it works

Kick drums and many kick samples ring in the low mids. That ring adds little punch but takes up space other sounds need, so a cut there makes the kick tighter and the mix clearer.