Kick and 808 clashing? Let one own 50 to 60 Hz

When the kick and the 808 both sit at 50 to 60 Hz, they fight for the same space and blur into one boom, and the kick seems to vanish. Pick one to own the sub. In most trap and hip-hop beats that's the 808: cut the kick by about 6 dB around 50 to 60 Hz (or high-pass it lower down) and let it hit with its punch higher up.

How to do it

1. Decide which one owns the deepest low end. With long 808s, it's usually the 808.
2. Put an EQ on the other one (usually the kick).
3. Cut about 6 dB around 50 to 60 Hz, or high-pass it gently below that.
4. Keep the kick's punch around 80 to 120 Hz and its click higher up.
5. Also try sidechaining the 808 to the kick so it dips for a moment on every kick.

Why it works

Two sounds at the same frequency add up and cancel out in odd ways, so the low end gets louder and blurrier at once. Giving each its own part of the low end lets you hear both.